Top 5 hair heroes

Although I’m lucky enough to try a myriad of hair and beauty products, when it comes to my curls, I have some definite can’t-live-without items. Here are my top 5 must-haves.

For non-crispy definition
Ever since I ditched the keratin blowdries and embraced my curls, I’ve been on the journey towards finding the perfect curl enhancer that doesn’t leave my hair feeling crispy, or dry. When the lovely people that do Schwarzkopf’s PR sent me some Bouncy Curls Curl Gel with Oil from the Osis+ range, I instantly assumed that crispness would ensue. But I was wrong. Thanks to the combination of castor oil and gel, the resulting curls are so touchable. They’re defined, voluminous and yep, bouncy. I wash my hair and blowdry a few squirts of this in and I’m good to go.

For my scalp
About a year ago I was coming out of a long battle with an upset scalp. No matter what I tried – including smelly medicated shampoos – the doctors couldn’t tell me what was up. One day I started to think about how I took care of my hair, and realised that the one thing that had remained consistent throughout my issues, was the fact that I always let my hair air-dry. From that day forward I made sure to blowdry my hair after washing, and since then my scalp issues have almost disappeared. Occasionally I might start to feel a bit sensitive and flaky, and the minute I do, I take five minutes out to massage Lani’s Tropical Hair Treatment into my scalp and all the way through my hair. Sometimes I’ll rub it in before a trip to the gym, so that it has a few hours to work its magic. With the faintest scent of coconut, the treatment contains four natural oils: coconut (of course), Camellia, kukui nut and macadamia, all of which blend together to keep hair and scalp soft and smooth. When you’re ready, just wash it out with shampoo, or try a couple of co-washes.

For exotic pampering
After being sent a sample of Liha Beauty’s Idan Oil I realised I had made a friend for life. If you’ve ever been a fan of the sublime Frangipani Monoi Body Oil from Elemis, then you will love this. The word Idan means ‘magic’ in Yoruba, and it’s an apt description. A blend of cold-pressed coconut oil and tuberose this is the kind of oil you can use every single day on your roots and ends and it will not build-up. But that doesn’t mean it doesn’t do its job; on application it instantly softens kinks and curls, and it’s great if you want to treat yourself – or someone else – to a decadent head massage. What’s more, you can use it all over your body. Believe, me, you will enrapture anyone who comes close when you’re wearing this…

For ponytail days
If, like me, you’re been wearing your curls out on a day to day basis, you’ll know that sometimes, you’ve just got to tie it back. For me it’s mostly on gym days, but the thought of using any kind of hair gel to keep my hair tidy concerns me, mostly because, lately, I’ve been going to the gym six days a week – imagine the build-up!
Thankfully, I was recommended this ultra gentle Aloe Pura Aloe Vera Gel – it’s not technically a hair gel, but it’s great for keeping my hair slicked and moisturised and it brushes out easily. Plus it’s an amazing help for any surprise scalp sensitivity! Again, this is a multi-tasking product, so feel free to slather on after sun exposure or onto to dry areas.

For strength
After interviewing Liha of Liha Beauty recently, she said her can’t live without hair product was Lush’s H’Suan Wen Hua, a moisturising hair treatment. As I was in the market for a new hair mask, I headed to my local store and snapped up a pot. The day I bought it was one of those gorgeously sunny days, so, once I arrived home, I slathered a ton of the herby-scented treatment on, and piled my curls up for an afternoon in the sun. I can’t quite describe what this mask has done; in some ways my hair feels softer but also stronger and I’m looking forward to seeing what prolonged usage does to its quality.

What’s your can’t live without hair must-have?