January... ‘tis the month when you can feel totally bombarded by “new year, new you” messages, urging you to dramatically change or fix umpteen things about your mind, your body, your lifestyle, your work... and offering you more “miracle” solutions than you can shake a credit card at.

Although there is a certain allure to the fresh start the new year brings, our preference is for a gentle approach: being kind to yourself, taking it steady (not too many resolutions in one go!), accepting that lasting changes take time and consistent effort (so it's important to only start when you’re feeling ready) and don't break the bank.

If January finds you looking in the mirror at your hair and wondering how and why it’s changing and what you can do about it, or you simply want to give your hair a boost, we have some simple, easy to adopt suggestions.

Take care of your scalp – it’s the foundation of good hair growth

Ah, the scalp… so often overlooked, yet so critical to holding on to the hair you have and fuelling good, strong growth. Keep it moisturised, stimulated and healthy and it will serve you well.

Our advice if your hair is thinning, you’re seeing more scalp and each strand feels finer? Add a Follicle Serum Treatment to your regime, just 2-3 times a week. It’s a small change that makes a big difference.

Our advice if you’re over 40 and your hair is in good shape? Add a ‘maintenance’ treatment, such as Follicle+ Anti-Age to keep your hair, roots and follicles healthy (think of it as you would a facial moisturiser.)

Follicle Treatments are our passion. We’ve helped hundreds of thousands of women over the course of 20+ years and we have treatments for different degrees of change:

Which one are you? Not sure? Take our diagnostic test (click here) 

Top Tip: Patience is a virtue when it comes to encouraging stronger, better growth; sixty days is the point at which you should begin to see results, depending on your hair growth cycle.

Replenish to bring back bounce & shine. Say goodbye to brittle, frizzy, dull hair!

This one’s easy. A once a week, sleep in (or leave in for 10 mins before shampooing) treatment that leaves hair healthier, stronger, shinier and more manageable – so that it can grow better and longer without fear of breakage. What’s more you’ll see results from the outset. Root to Tip Hair Improver is good for your scalp, good for your hair and a great addition to your routine!

Hold the heat.

Naturally, we tend to crave heat in winter but it can damage hair and make it dry, frizzy and brittle. Here are three small tweaks that can make a difference to how your hair looks and feels:

1. Take a cool rinse! We’re not suggesting plunging into an ice bath in the depths of winter but if you slowly turn the shower temperature to cool (as cool as you can bear) when you’re rinsing, it will smooth your hair’s cuticles, giving a shinier, smoother finish:

2. Air dry your hair. We know this is easier in summer but if you can let your hair dry naturally for as long as possible it will, again, give you a smoother, shinier finish when you dry. One colleague leaves hers wrapped in a microfibre towel for as long as possible before drying and another washes hers first thing, pops a wool hat on, walks the dog and comes home to style her almost dry hair.

3. Can't quit?  If easing up on the heat isn't an option for you, try using a protective styling mist such as Hairfix Follicle Max Volume Lifting Mist when you dry your hair to help keep it healthy. Plus, if you do your initial drying (70-80%) on a low heat it’ll also help protect your locks. 

Do a (really easy) detox.

Hair suffers from the build-up of styling products and pollutants, leaving it dull and lacklustre but there’s an easy answer – our detergent-free, Purify pre-shampoo spray. It eases the nasties out of your hair, making it ready to receive and absorb the good stuff that repairs it and makes it look and feel tip-top.

Use it once a week and, if your hair is damaged with split ends and/or frizzy, combine it with Reform – a highly effective keratin bonding cleanser that repairs and elasticises the hair – and Enrich conditioner to give long lasting, protective shine.

It's the perfect hair health boost, especially if your hair is damaged, fine, dull and over-processed.

And three little extras to think about...

Diet and hair go hand in hand: boost your intake of foods rich in biotin, iron, zinc, selenium and amino acids – these include nuts, grains, seeds, fish and red meat – or think about taking supplements. Learn more here

Trim those ends: regular trimming and removing damaged, split ends means you hair will have less breakage and frizz, making it look thicker and even shinier. It won’t grow faster but it will grow better and stronger and more easily reach a longer length.

Comb with care: if your hair is tangled post-shower it will be prone to breaking and falling as you comb. Detangle using a wide tooth comb and you’ll reduce breakage and hair fall and your scalp will feel massaged, not scraped. The best wide tooth combs don’t have wide teeth – they have wide gaps between their teeth! Here are two great options: Dyson Detangling Comb and GHD Detangling Comb

Wishing you happy hair days ahead and if you have any questions we’re always happy to answer them – you can contact us here