How to detox and repair your hair

The festive season has come and gone, and we’re right in the middle of our typically hot and humid South African summer. While a lot of us feel the need to detox our body and skin at the start of the year, we tend to forget to do the same for our hair. After a festive period filled with indulgences, swimming and time spent outdoors, followed by a hit-the-ground-running start to the work year, your hair might be in need of some serious TLC.

Over-styling, exposure to heat and environmental aggressors and product build-up calls for a hair detox, while dehydration, breakage, split ends and damage calls for repair. More often than not, detox and repair go hand-in-hand, with some repair needed once the detox is complete. Here’s how to perfect both processes at home.

Detox

Cleanse hair from build-up
Everyday hair care products like conditioner, hair masks, styling aids and heat protection mists can result in build-up if you don’t use a shampoo specifically designed to deeply cleanse and clarify. A detox shampoo ensures oil, dirt, impurities and product build-up are swiftly removed. Try:

Marc Anthony Hair & Scalp Detox Purify and Refresh Shampoo (from R159.95) is infused with willow bark and black pepper to deeply cleanse your hair and scalp.

Hask Tea Tree Oil Invigorating Shampoo (from R179.95) cleanses your hair while leaving it scented with aromatherapy oils. Smelling of fresh bergamot, basil and sandalwood, your hair will be soothed and restored, leaving it feeling soft and refreshed.

Embrace the power of charcoal
Charcoal is known as a brilliant detoxifier. For stubborn build-up, try charcoal-infused shampoos and conditioners:

OGX Purifying Charcoal Detox Shampoo (from R199.95) offers a deep clean detox. This clarifying blend infused with activated coconut charcoal and kaolin clay will help bust through build-up, letting clean strands shine through.

Renpure Detoxifying Charcoal Shampoo and Conditioner (from R149.95 each) is a fantastic plant-based duo that uses natural charcoal to remove impurities and deeply cleanse hair without stripping it of moisture.

Refresh your scalp
It’s not just the lengths of your hair that may be in need of a detox – our scalps deserve some TLC too. Pay close attention to your scalp: is it excessively oily, dry and flaky, or maybe itchy and irritable? A healthy scalp is the first step to healthy hair, so when you’re detoxing your hair, invest in a scalp treatment to restore and soothe the skin. Marc Anthony Hair & Scalp Detox Instant Cooling Scalp Treatment (R179.99) provides instant cooling relief for a dry and irritated scalp. This scalp treatment contains peppermint oil and witch hazel, which leave your scalp feeling refreshed.

Repair

Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate
There are many ways to restore the condition of your hair, but almost all of them require hydration. Like our skin, our hair contains moisture naturally, but this moisture gets depleted when we heat style, over-wash or when our hair gets exposed to the elements. It is important to replenish lost moisture through your hair care routine. Select products that are specifically designed to hydrate and boost moisture levels. The new Marc Anthony Hydralock range consists of a Hydrating Shampoo (from R159,95), Hydrating Conditioner (from R159,95), Moisture recharge Hair Mist (from R169.95) and Hydra shot Conditioning Treatment (R64.95) that offers maximum hydration while maintaining a lightweight texture. If you’re looking for a plant-based alternative, Renpure’s Keratin and Argan Shampoo (from R149.95) and Conditioner (R149.95) are a great option. Restorative argan oil helps nourish and moisturise while keratin smoothes over the hair’s cuticles.

Get your hair mask on
A weekly or bi-weekly hair mask is the added step you need to add to your regime to speed up the repair process. Whether you prefer a leave-in oil, a regular hair mask or a conditioning treatment, this extra step makes all the difference, and is also an opportunity for you to take time out and practise some self-care. We recommend:

Provoke Intensive Conditioner for Blondes (from R119.95). Its rich and luxurious formula improves the hair’s condition after just one treatment. It contains restorative proteins which intensively target dry, damaged and coloured hair, leaving it feeling smooth and moisturised.

OGX Coconut miracle oil hair mask (extra strength) (from R179.95) helps revive your senses and your strands. This rich oil helps to calm frizz and tame flyaways, leaving hair silky soft and shiny, while adding plenty of moisture and nourishment.

Hask Argan Oil Intense Deep Conditioning Hair Treatment (from R74.99) gets to work on dry and damaged hair to restore lost moisture and prevent breakage. This intense conditioner also nourishes hair and keeps it looking healthy and shiny. If you like an oil texture, try Hask Argan Oil Healing Shine Hair Treatment (from R74.99). This weightless and intense conditioning treatment helps repair and smooth out hair using nourishing argan oil and keratin.

Don’t shampoo every day
It’s tempting to shampoo your hair every day in summer when it’s hot, but it’s good to give your hair a break and opt for every second or third day if possible. Shampooing too regularly can cause dehydration of the scalp and hair. COLAB Sheer & Invisible Dry Shampoos (From R79.95) are a lifesaver on those in-between days. They leave no white residue, they smell fantastic and they work wonders when it comes to hiding greasy roots.

Be gentle
There are so many ways in which one’s hair can get damaged, that it’s easy to forget that mechanical damage is also one of the main culprits. By mechanical, we mean vigorous towel-drying, brushing and pulling.

Whether you’re trying to repair your hair or prevent it from getting damaged, it’s important to gently pat wet hair down with a towel (or cotton t-shirt) rather than rubbing it, and to brush or comb hair gently – especially when it is knotted. Specially formulated with IntelliFlex™ bristles, the Wet Brush eliminates all tugging, tearing, pulling and ripping of the hair to ensure no split ends or hair loss while providing healthy brushing and detangling. The bristle flexibility enables protective and pain-free detangling, so that you can brush your hair without any risk of causing further damage. We love the design of the limited edition Turquoise Skies Wet Brush (from R175.00), and for those who are after an eco-friendly solution, the Wet Brush Go Green Detangler (from R280.00) is made from natural biodegradable plant starch that will naturally break down in a landfill within 5 years.