Product Watch: shampoos and oil-protein formulas — some of the best buys for your locks right now

— and don't forget SPF for your hair and scalp

Model shot by R+Co

'Hair is everything', to quote Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s Fleabag, and while many of us let ours go wild in lockdown, all that time at home may have you longing to get everything together for your best hair ever.

R+Co On a Cloud Baobab Oil Repair Shampoo, €36

Home styling and colour stress can break the integral bonds that hold together keratin protein — hair’s building blocks — making it fragile. R+Co’s new On a Cloud Baobab Oil Repair Shampoo, €36, is an oil-protein formula that provides the gentlest cleansing for hair damaged by chemical processes, excessive heat-tool use, styling and environmental aggressors. It helps to re-bond the hair’s inner structure as it cleanses, infusing it with moisture, essential oils and supportive ingredients. Baobab oil-protein, helps to rebuild bonds, nourish and repair, while plant protein fortifies hair’s inner and outer structure and maca extract moisturises and protects the hair fibre.

L'Oréal Elvive Colour Protect Purple Anti-Brassiness Hair Oil, €15.99

Some hairdressers will tell you that every shampoo affects your blonde, no matter the formula, so a treatment that prevent brassy tones without washing is definitely interesting. As a lifelong brunette, I have no personal experience of L'Oréal Elvive Colour Protect Anti-Brassiness Purple Shampoo but it has had rave reviews since its 2020 launch. The new L'Oréal Elvive Colour Protect Purple Anti-Brassiness Hair Oil, €15.99 at pharmacies nationwide, from the same range has even more preservative powers. The active ingredient in all anti-brassiness products is the purple colour (L’Oréal’s is called 'acid violet') — this will be the case whether you buy a luxury brand or not, so it make sense to go for such an affordable range. This oil is hydrating but not greasy. It contains castor oil and white paraffin, which are very rich, but the formula is higher in denatured alcohol and silicones, so feels quite light.

Sol de Janeiro Brazilian Joia Refreshing Dry Shampoo, from €16.10 at cultbeauty.com

Few beauty gifts are as welcome as a great-smelling dry shampoo. Sol de Janeiro’s cult-hit fragrance now comes in an oil-absorbing dry shampoo that lends hair just-washed movement and volume without weight, frazzled texture or that gunky feeling. Sol de Janeiro's Brazilian Joia Refreshing Dry Shampoo, from €16.10 at cultbeauty.com, is formulated with Brazilian kaolin clay and rice starch to absorb excess oil and remove dirt, while pro-vitamin B5 prevents scalp dryness. It is alcohol-free, so won’t cause irritation over time. It has a long-lasting scent of Sol de Janeiro’s Cheirosa ’62, which always reminds me of pistachio macaroons.

Moroccanoil has always replenished hair but now it’s out to save the oceans. The brand announced a partnership with Oceana, the largest international advocacy organisation focused solely on ocean conservation, this week. Its support will allow Oceana to continue advancing science-based campaigns that will help protect and restore oceans. They’ve also rethought their packaging. In July 2022, Moroccanoil will transition to the use of 50% post-consumer recycled plastic in the bottles for all shampoos and conditioners. Combined with the post-consumer recycled plastic already used in the packaging for other Moroccanoil products, this will reduce their consumption of virgin plastic by more than 500 tons over the next five years, which should give you peace of mind when buying your next treatment.

I am evangelical about UV protection but have not always protected my scalp, it can seem like such a hassle. Skin cancer on the scalp is a real risk and the top of your head is an uncomfortable place to burn. Hair can provide some protection from the sun, though ideally we should wear hats or scarves whenever our heads are exposed for hours at a time. Your regular SPF cream will protect your scalp when fashion is not convenient. 

However, SPF products for the skin can dry the hair shaft, frizz up the roots or even cause dreadlock-like clumps. There are some great SPF products designed specifically for the scalp. These are usually chemical formulas that will not leave white residue on the hair and have a watery texture for easy absorption. You can apply them by parting hair in two or three sections, spraying them along the partings and then rubbing them over the scalp with your fingertips till it is completely covered. Given these products will be on your scalp for some time, they may as well do some good. My favourite scalp SPF/leave-in treatment is Bumble and Bumble Hairdresser's Invisible Oil Heat/UV Protective Primer, €21.95 at lookfantastic.ie, has chemical UV filters and is very hydrating. It leaves the hair glossy and protects colour. It also shields hair during heat styling.