When I was offered the chance to have a near-infrared scanner reveal the true health of my hair, I was absolutely intrigued. What beauty devotee wouldn’t want to know exactly what state their strands are in – and how to help them improve?

Philipp Haug, of Haug London Haus, describes the Schwarzkopf Professional SalonLab Smart Analyzer as an X-ray, for the sake of simplicity.

It was at this salon – which Haug founded with his business partner and wife, Siobhan Haug – that I gave the tech and the subsequent recommended treatment and products a try. They don’t charge extra for this scanning service, offering it to every new client as standard, to gain a better idea of a customer’s unique needs.

The scanner is a small handheld tool that allows a stylist to scan hair from root to tip, via a light beam that calculates the reflection of light from the hair’s outer cuticle, thus measuring the inner hair condition and strength. 

Customers’ hair is then given a score out of 100 and the salon recommends a tailored treatment, including a selection of products either custom-blended and shipped to you, or taken straight off the salon shelves (plus, if you’re taking that plunge, a colour that suits your specific hair needs). I went with a tailored treatment on the day, and also took home some non-custom-blended wash day and styling supplies.

The Haugs’ process also involves a survey to help your stylist determine your hair type, the state of your scalp and your haircare priorities (options include “repair and nourishment”, “colour shine and brilliance”, and “volume and strength”). Until I was asked, I had never really thought of volume being a big priority to me. After all, I’ve got naturally big, thick curly hair, so flatness or fineness isn’t my struggle; it’s moisture that I really craved.

But when I actually thought about it, I realised I love volume so much that I constantly want more. I’m always fluffing up my hair during the day, to help it be as big as possible, and smooth ringlets just aren’t my vibe. Instead, if I feel like my curls are too tidy, I separate them a little to add a bit of 80s-inspired fluff. On top of that, curly hair can be dry and prone to breakage, and I’m trying to grow it as much as possible for my looming wedding, so I’ll take all the strength I can get. 

So, to my surprise, “volume and strength” is the option I chose. And I’m so happy I did, because – if I do say so myself – you can see from the before and after photos above that my treatment left my hair looking fantastic, with just the right amount of volume, moisture and structured curl.

My chosen preferences also helped inform the selection of shampoo, conditioner and styling products I was recommended after the treatment. I walked away with the Schwarzkopf Professional Fibre Clinix Volumize Shampoo and Conditioner, the Fibre Clinix Bonding Light Oil and the Fibre Clinix Fibre Clinix Hydrate Spray Conditioner, the latter of which I use to style my hair on and between wash days.

I’m obsessed with these products, and wouldn’t have considered giving most of them a try if it weren’t for this process because – in addition to never having thought consciously about adding volume – I’ve never got on with an oil the way I have with this one. It’s light, it smells amazing and is perfect for between washes, when my hair needs a bit of moisture to help it through the day.

And my strength score? An impressive 74%, which is way higher than I thought I would get, considering I put a box dye on my hair less than six months ago.

“74% is a really good score,” says Haug, “and with antioxidant products, the score would go up. The small damage you have would be due to external factors like the sun and the lack of ozone in the atmosphere now, causing free radicals to break down the bonds in the hair if it’s not protected. It’s a bit like exposing the skin to the sun without an SPF.”

Haug added that products like the Fibre Clinix oils, shampoos and conditioners “contain the bonds to replace those that are broken and re-strengthen the hair”.

Sun damage to my hair is another thing I would never have spent much time thinking about – my main worry was the impact of the box dye. But now that I know to protect my precious bonds, I’ll make that a focus in my newfound quest for volume. 

Images: Schwarzkopf; Aidan Milan