The shampoo dye had been sitting on my shelves for months before I finally mustered the courage to use it on a client, no thanks to a pessimistic colleague who kept convincing me it wouldn’t work. Since nobody else has tried the shampoo, I couldn’t bring myself to experiment with an unwilling customer. Basit A, Asghar F, Sadaf S, Akhtar MW. Health improvement of human hair and their reshaping using recombinant keratin K31. Biotechnol Rep (Amst). 2018;20:e00288. doi: 10.1016/j.btre.2018.e00288 I expected the worst, but guess what! It was still okay, even though I washed away some of the shampoo dye. Hlisníková H, Petrovičová I, Kolena B, Šidlovská M, Sirotkin A. Effects and mechanisms of phthalates’ action on reproductive processes and reproductive health: a literature review. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2020;17(18):6811. The shampoo contains a unique conditioning compound that helps protect hair fibers from the inside out and nourishes the scalp.

Rele AS, Mohile RB. Effect of mineral oil, sunflower oil, and coconut oil on prevention of hair damage. J Cosmet Sci. 2003;54(2):175-192.

Cantu Sulphate-Free Hydrating Cream Conditioner: £6.99 for 400ml, Superdrug

When it comes to growth-boosting shampoos, board-certified dermatologist Dr. Dendy Engelman recommends looking for a product that supports overall health of your scalp in addition to your hair cuticle and hair follicle. “The scalp plays an important role in growing and maintaining strong, healthy hair,” she says. Therefore, you want to make sure it’s being properly nourished and treated for optimal hair health and growth. Tak YJ, Lee SY, Cho AR, Kim YS. A randomized, double-blind, vehicle-controlled clinical study of hair regeneration using adipose-derived stem cell constituent extract in androgenetic alopecia. Stem Cells Translational Medicine. 2020;9(8):839-849. doi: 10.1002/sctm.19-0410 Burlando B, Cornara L. Honey in dermatology and skin care: a review. J Cosmet Dermatol. 2013;12(4):306-313. doi:10.1111/jocd.12058 Allow the dye content to sit on your hair or skin for 24 hours. If you notice any redness, itching, swelling, or any other symptom of allergic reactions, discard the shampoo immediately. If you are using it for the first time, the first important thing you should do is a strand or patch test. This test will show you if your hair is compatible with the dye, so you don’t experience full-scale allergic reactions.

Bansal M, Manchanda K, Pandey SS. Role of caffeine in the management of androgenetic alopecia. Int J Trichology. 2012;4(3):185-186. doi: 10.4103/0974-7753.100096 Part A Ingredients: Aqua, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, cocamide DEA, Glycolstearate, sodium lauryl sulfate, propylene Glycolstearate, p-Phenylenediamine (PPD), m-Aminophenol, resorcinol, sodium erythorbate, Acrylates/Steareth-20 methacrylate copolymer, Cocamidopropyl betaine, Parfum, ethanolamine. This shampoo is completely free from sulfates, parabens and surfactants and has the added benefit of being reasonably priced. Natural herbal formula: The shampoo contains a variety of plant extracts, making it gentle on the hair and replenishing the nutrients needed by the hair. The formula is ammonia-free, toxic-free, and does not contain diamine.

Palmer’s Manuka Flower Honey Strengthening Shampoo: £12.75 for 350ml, Amazon

Draelos ZD, Jacobson EL, Kim H, Kim M, Jacobson MK. A pilot study evaluating the efficacy of topically applied niacin derivatives for treatment of female pattern alopecia. J Cosmet Dermat. 2005;4(4):258-261. doi: 10.1111/j.1473-2165.2005.00201.x Dendy Engelman, MD, FACMS, FAAD is a board-certified dermatologic surgeon in New York. Dr. Engelman has also been featured in the media as a consultant and is heavily involved in the MDSC SkinCeuticals skincare line. The only thing that I felt could be a disadvantage to some is the peppermint fragrance of the shampoo, which may not suit all and also the consistency, which I found relatively liquidy as compared to other regular shampoos. Trüeb RM. Oxidative stress in ageing of hair. Int J Trichology. 2009;1(1):6-14. doi:10.4103/0974-7753.51923 After using this shampoo my hair looked really nourished and kept it well moisturized. Using this shampoo considerably revived my hair and reduced my hair fall by strengthening my weak hair strands.

Kate Holden AIT, is a trichologist consultant based in Manchester, United Kingdom, and an associate member of the Institute of Trichologists. She offers expert diagnoses, therapeutic recommendations, referrals, and treatments for various hair and scalp conditions, including hair loss and thinning. Gavazzoni Dias MFR. Hair cosmetics: an overview. Int J Trichology. 2015;7(1):2–15. doi: 10.4103/0974-7753.153450 Many shampoos contain compounds called sulphates which produce the rich lather we tend to enjoy (there are a few negatives to shampoos contain sulphates – head to our sulphate-free shampoo guide if you want to decide which camp to sit in), and the best shampoos often smell delightful without causing any irritation. There's a lot to consider. What do conditioners do? Gavazzoni Dias MF. Hair cosmetics: an overview. Int J Trichology. 2015;7(1):2-15. doi:10.4103/0974-7753.153450To do this, you should take a small amount of the shampoo dye content and apply it to the skin behind your ears. Or apply to some hair strands that are not easily visible. I didn’t have access to a studio camera for the before and after pictures, but I hope my amateur try gets the point across. Using the shampoo is easy and convenient. Simply apply the shampoo on your hair, massage for 5-10 minutes, and rinse well. The shampoo covers your whole hair and scalp, effectively covering gray hair and rejuvenating your hair’s lost luster. I also have to say that it suited my colour-treated hair just fine as it most importantly was completely sulfate-free. Shampoos can help with hair growth by strengthening the hair shaft, reducing breakage, and cleaning the scalp," Holden tells Byrdie, noting that maintaining a healthy scalp is crucial.

Lin WH, Xiang LJ, Shi HX, Zhang, J, Jiang LP, Cai, PT, et al. Fibroblast growth factors stimulate hair growth through β -catenin and shh expression in c57bl/6 mice. BioMed Research International. 2015;2015:1-9. doi: 10.1155/2015/730139 Phillips TG, Slomiany, WP, Allison, R. Hair loss: common causes and treatment. Am Fam Physician. 2017;96(6):371-378. Anti-frizz" / "frizz-control" shampoos and conditioners are the ones to look towards if you've got frizzy hair which you'd like to smooth, even if you love it naturally. They hydrate the hair as they cleanse. Michelle O’Connoris a professional hairstylist and the Artistic Director at Matrix. What to Look For in a Shampoo for Natural Hair Glycerin Loing E, Lamarque E, Borel M. New targets in the battle against dandruff. J Cosmet Sci. 2017;68(1):107-113.In my experience, none of my clients showed any adverse reactions to the shampoo, nor did it exhibit any properties that would make me deem it unsafe. Also, none of the items in its ingredients list appears to be unsafe, so you should have no problems using it. Whatever your hair type, it's worth buying the matching hair conditioner for your shampoo when you can. Why? Most shampoos and conditioners are formulated, developed and tested in pairs; shampoo brands will optimise the ingredients in each of the products so they each compliment each other. Your results may be less effective if you mix brands. You've been warned.