I have flat hair. I often struggle to get lift in my roots, and I’ve tried it all. When drying my hair, I tip my head upside down, concentrating the hairdryer nozzle along the roots. When I tip my head back up, I have some lift (and a bit of a headrush), but my hair quickly goes back to its scalp-hugging state. I’ve tried different partings, used an array of products and even tried backcombing, and, yes, it does work, but it’s also a huge pain thanks to the amount of knots it produces.

So, I was so surprised when I recently came across something that unexpectedly brought some ‘oomph’ to my hair. I ran out of shampoo and conditioner in my shower and quickly grabbed Living Proof’s Full Shampoo, £29, and Conditioner, £29, from my ‘need to try’ beauty basket (yes, as a beauty journalist, this is a thing).

I’ve tried lots from Living Proof over the years, and most things have been a hit. In fact, I’m in a long-term relationship with its Perfect Hair Day Advanced Clean Dry Shampoo, by far the most brilliant dry shampoo I’ve ever used to wick away oil. But this shampoo and conditioner duo has quickly shot up the ranks to become one of my favourite Living Proof products (alongside its dry shampoo).

As normal, I did two washes with the shampoo before finishing with the conditioner, then gently brushed my hair out of the shower. I was pleased that my hair felt clean and light in the roots – a lot of volumising formulas often feel heavy on the scalp. I then got to work at drying it.

I was amazed to see my hair appearing to almost double in thickness as it continued to dry. I then tipped my head upside down to concentrate on the roots, and when I flipped it back up, there it was – that oomph! But, most importantly, that lift remained hours later. At this point I should note that this hair wash duo doesn’t give you sky-high, pageant queen-worthy volume; instead, it gives a nice bit of height in the roots that doesn’t look ‘done’, and that feels more natural.

As the day went on, I noticed that I could ever so slightly feel the texture of the formula along the lengths of my hair, but it didn’t feel heavy, stiff or crunchy like a hairspray. Instead, it felt like a very lightweight, subtle bit of grit, which made styling the hair a bit easier, too. For that reason, I don’t use this shampoo and conditioner every day, but it has quickly become my go-to for any special occasions or whenever I just want that aforementioned oomph.

In true Living Proof fashion, these formulas both employ special science. They contain ‘slip modifiers’, such as amaranth peptides, to prep the hair for fullness, reduce surface friction and prevent oil residue, which is a common culprit for flat hair. But my favourite part is despite its thickening and volumising impact, it’s still cleansing and doesn’t strip my hair. Finally, I never need to backcomb again…

Images: Hanna Ibraheem; courtesy of brand