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Stylist Loves
Hair experts are switching up their routines for autumn – here’s what they want you to know
By Darcy Brown
2 years ago
6 min read
Temperature drops and the aftermath of summer can leave locks in need of some TLC. Here is how the experts are switching up their routines this autumn to strengthen their strands ahead of the colder months.
As we transition into the colder months, you may notice that your beauty routine demands extra attention. Dryer skin means skincare swaps are essential, and the changing colour palette of nature calls for new make-up must-haves. You may start to notice your hair feels different, too.
The sun-soaked days of summer can leave hair feeling frazzled, and the demanding winter climate means your locks face other stresses that can cause hair to feel dry. Between one extreme and the other, autumn provides the perfect time to transition your routine and nurse your strands back to their best self.
Hair experts recognise autumn as one of the most essential times to incorporate various hair-saving techniques into your routine. We picked their brains to find out the tricks and products to use to level up the lusciousness of your tresses and put your best mane forward. Here’s what they have to say.
1. Repair summer hair
“Many people see autumn as a fresh start and a bit of a recovery phase after the summer months,” Mark Leeson, global artistic ambassador for Revlon Professional tells Stylist. The summer months can leave hair feeling dry and brittle owing to UV exposure, salty beach days and humidity zapping away the moisture. And while we won’t judge if you heat styled a little too much as a desperate plea to control the frizz, we must admit that it has likely taken a toll on your hair.
If your post-summer hair calls for an SOS, it’s a good idea to turn to hair-repairing products to strengthen your strands and remove the frizz. Here are our expert-approved picks.
Philip Kingsley Moisture Extreme Shampoo
Hit the reset on your hair with this thorough cleansing shampoo. It offers a deep clean to your scalp and lengths while promising not to strip them of natural oils (a must-hold-on-to if you want to control your frizz). Hair is gifted with a fresh start and a smooth, shiny finish.
Shop Philip Kingsley Moisture Extreme Shampoo at Lookfantastic, £24
Wella Professionals Care Ultimate Repair Conditioner
Dry and damaged hair has met its match with this nourishing conditioner. The same AHAs we have come to love in skincare find their way into this formula, allowing it to get inside the hair shaft. Once there, it treats strands to nourishing omegas to strengthen and rebuild strands from the inside out.
Shop Wella Professionals Care Ultimate Repair Conditioner at Wella, £24.50
Gisou Honey Infused Hair Repair Serum
Give summer a sweet ending with this honey-infused hair serum. Tiny droplets gently burst on application, releasing a fresh honey and oil blend. The duo works to seal in moisture and intensely hydrate the strands, while plant-based keratin permeates deeply to repair and protect against future breakage. And just like that, your silky swish is restored.
Shop Gisou Honey Infused Hair Repair Serum at Cult Beauty, £35
2. Incorporate a hair mask
“As cooler temperatures set in and the central heating ramps up, your hair’s moisture levels start to deplete,” says Evelina Lundgren, director and session stylist at Andrew Jose Salon, “and the ends of your hair will feel it the most.” While recognising this as a perfect time to book your autumn haircut, she notes that a weekly intense conditioning hair mask is an essential addition to your routine.
Andrew Jose, editorial ambassador for Revlon Professional, agrees: “Incorporating hair masks and serums into your routine will nourish and add shine to your locks, especially during the colder months.” Take this as a sign to add a hair mask to your self-care Sunday ritual.
Hair By Sam McKnight Bigger Love Treatment Mask
Uplift your mood and your locks with this deliciously scented hair mask. An enrichment of squalene and a hair repair blend works to strengthen and soften strands whilst repairing split ends. A volumising addition ensures tresses thicken from the inside out. The result is a restored bounce and a fresh-out-the-salon feeling.
Shop Hair By Sam McKnight Bigger Love Treatment Mask at Cult Beauty, £52
Kérastase Symbiose Masque Intense Revitalising Mask
We all know that healthy hair starts at the scalp, and this treatment focuses on the root cause. A rich cream intensely nourishes and cleanses even the driest of scalps, and its high-performance formula helps to detangle and hydrate the ends. A salicylic acid and squalane formulation makes it your shortcut to clear and silky hair.
Shop Kérastase Symbiose Masque Intense Revitalising Mask at Sephora, £45.80
Amika Hydro Rush Intense Hydration Mask
Quench thirsty strands with ultra-hydrating treatment. It drenches your strands with three hero hydrators. A drink of hyaluronic acid plumps strands, squalene locks in moisture, and coconut water triples the moisture dose. In just five minutes, hair is left detangled and soft.
Shop Amika Hydro Rush Intense Hydration Mask at Cult Beauty. £33
3. Handle hair gently
“As the seasons change and autumn arrives, a few things can happen to your hair,” says Lundgren. “For a start, many people find that they shed a bit more hair. Now is the time to handle with care and be gentler and nurturing.” So, if your hair tends to feel thinner in the colder months, you are not alone.
Now calls for the time to handle your hair with extra care and use products and tools that focus on strengthening the scalp and take a gentler approach when styling the lengths. These are some products to rely on.
Oribe Serene Scalp Oil Control Treatment Mist
Restore balance to your scalp with a comforting dose of willowherb extract and green marine algae. This soothing probiotic blend feeds the microbiome on your scalp to regulate oil production and stand up to environmental pollutants. And it mattifies oils, too, helping to extend the time between washes when your busy schedule leaves you in a hurry.
Shop Oribe Serene Scalp Oil Control Treatment Mist at Cult Beauty, £56
Act+Acre Detangling Brush
Detangle your hair the right way with this ultra-gentle hair brush. Suitable for wet and dry hair, it works through knots and tangles without causing breakage. Dual-length bristles treat your scalp with an invigorating massage, distributing the scalp’s natural oils and boosting blood flow to each strand.
Kitsch Satin Pillow Rollers
With party season on the horizon, autumn is the perfect time to give your hair a break from heat styling. Instead, opt for this heatless curler to get your styling fix. Satin is the material of choice thanks to its ability to contact hair gently without snagging or breaking. Wear while you sleep and find yourself with a woke-up-like-this look the following day.
4. Keep your colour intact
”Autumn is a time to protect your colour against the cooling temperatures,” explains Jose. He recommends incorporating colour-safe products to preserve the vibrancy of your colour and prevent fading.
And autumn’s hair trends demand these products the most. Leeson notes that while browns and deep reds are autumnal hair colours to turn to this season, these hues are most prone to fading, so it’s time to take colour protection seriously.
Revlon Professional Restart Color Protective Micellar Shampoo
Revlon gains recognition from each expert as the brand to rely on to keep your colour intact. This dual-action micellar shampoo creates a creamy foam in the shower. It helps to balance the scalp microbiome while protecting colour-treated hair against oxidising agents responsible for colour fading. The result restored vibrancy and shine.
Shop Revlon Professional Restart Color Protective Micellar Shampoo at Sephora, £13.95
Olaplex No.5P Blonde Enhancer Toning Conditioner
Lundgren acknowledges that the summer holidays may have caused your hair to lift, so incorporating a colour-correcting toner is a good idea. This purple conditioner is ideal for blonde tones and helps to neutralise yellow and brass tones while intensely moisturising to reverse the damage and brighten the appearance of hair.
Shop Olaplex No. 5P Blonde Enhancer Toning Conditioner at Lookfantastic, £28
Moroccanoil Color Care Conditioner
Make this conditioner your go-to if you have a deeper hair colour like brown and red. It helps to enhance the lifespan of salon-coloured hair. Supported by the brand’s signature argan oil, it strengthens your strands and gifts the lengths with visible radiance and shine.
Shop Moroccanoil Color Care Conditioner at Lookfantastic, £20.85
Images: courtesy of brands
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