By Mila Rahmat
Not too long ago, dropping by the hair care aisle simply meant stocking up on shampoo, conditioner or—for those days when you’re feeling a little fancy—the occasional hair oil. For the longest time, our wash-and-go routine has served our locks and curls fairly well. But as the wellness movement continues to influence our everyday choices—from eating organic to clean skin care products—it’s no surprise that we’re now taking hair health a little more seriously as well.
What Is Skinification of Hair
While targeted hair care products are certainly not a new concept, the trend has gained considerable momentum in the last couple of years—to the point that it has now earned its own nickname: the “skinification” of hair, or in simpler words, the application of skin care innovations and techniques in creating advanced hair care solutions.
This hair revolution has led to groundbreaking new products—from treatments and serums with scalp-friendly actives to radiance-boosting masks and sun protection—that prove there is definitely more to hair care than lather-rinse-repeat. And considering that your mane and scalp suffer the same beating your skin takes from the sun, weather and pollution, it only makes sense to step up your hair game and pamper your tresses with the same ingredients and products you diligently apply on your face and body.
If you’re wondering which type of products you need to skinify your hair care routine, here are some of our favorite products you’ll want on your bathroom counter.
Innovative Hair Care Products to Try Now
UV and color protectants are designed to add a layer of defense to your hair to preserve its health, luster and color. This is particularly important as both heat and sun damage “play a big role in the fading of color in your hair,” adds Phoenix Supercuts stylist Coniqa Hernandez. These products come with natural UV filters that act as a sunscreen, coating each strand with a protective layer while keeping the hair and scalp moisturized and restoring damage.
Thanks to its high concentration of antioxidants (including a 2% vitamin C complex and Oribe’s signature complex), bioflavonoids and amino acids, this hair repair treatment effectively shields your locks from sun damage and boosts color vibrancy. It coats each strand with a protective barrier that prevents UV penetration, environmental oxidation and breakage while preserving color and increasing shine.
When your scalp is going through a dry and itchy spell, it may require more than the usual dose of pampering and TLC it gets from your shampoo and conditioner—especially when the problem goes beyond the usual dandruff. And that’s where scalp treatments come in. With ingredients like zinc, charcoal, salicylic acid and essential oils, targeted scalp solutions calm itching and irritation, regulate oil production and repair dry and damaged strands.
Too much or too little sebum can result in skin that’s either oily or dry, which, in turn, can lead to even more skin drama. The same is true for your scalp, which holds the key to healthy hair growth. Featuring biotin, witch hazel, Binchotan charcoal and a cooling complex of peppermint, spearmint and tea tree oil, it strengthens and detoxifies the scalp, regulates oil production and soothes itching and irritation.
When we speak of anti-aging products, the conversation mostly starts and ends with how it relates to our skin. What we may not realize is that just like wrinkles and fine lines, hair loss (and those conspicuous greys) is one of the most noticeable signs of aging that affects men and women alike. Using the same technology you’ll find in age-defying serums and anti-wrinkle creams, anti-aging hair products boast of advanced formulas that combat the tell-tale signs of aging tresses that include thinning, dryness, brittle strands and flat-looking hair.
It’s official. There is a serum for every beauty-related concern you may have—including hair aging. And this overnight treatment checks all the boxes of what an anti-aging serum should be. For starters, it’s packed with ingredients that are sure to make your skin green with envy (figuratively, of course). Its star is caviar extract—one of nature’s richest sources of omega-3 fatty acids—which is harnessed in its age-control complex and caviar bond enforcing technology. It restores moisture and elasticity, seals cuticles damaged by chemical processes or physical stress, encourages circulation and is clinically proven to reduce breakage by up to 99 percent.
Taking its cue from the face masks that have now officially become skin care staples, hair and scalp recovery masks offer the same convenience, effectiveness and variety when it comes to treating mane problems—whether it’s frizz, itching and flakiness or color fading. And just like its skin care cousins, hair masks are also formulated for every hair type—including those with a sensitive scalp.
Say goodbye to frizz and split ends with this restorative hair mask that delivers intense hydration to parched and damaged hair. Its concentrated formula is infused with biotin to strengthen and nourish cuticles from within, shea butter to moisturize and improve elasticity and vitamin-rich baobab oil to provide antioxidant defense. This color- and keratin-safe treatment also shields hair from UV rays and reverses existing damage.
Just like how products can build up on your skin and lead to clogged pores and breakouts, those dry shampoos, hair sprays and styling creams also leave a residue that “can lead to hair looking dull, greasy and flat,” says Hernandez. Specially formulated hair cleansers work the same way as face washes—by gently removing impurities while moisturizing your scalp and strengthening your locks.
This gentle yet hardworking hair wonder does double duty as a nourishing conditioner and hair and scalp cleanser. Formulated for all hair types, including color-treated strands, it cleanses and rids hair of impurities while improving texture and manageability, restoring luster and vibrancy, repairing damage and sealing in moisture.
Regular exfoliation is key in keeping your skin radiant and breakout-free and the same is true for your scalp. Scalp exfoliation keeps product residue from building up, prevents dandruff that can clog hair follicles and cause itching and keeps oil production under control.
We know that apple cider vinegar is an effective chemical exfoliant for the skin, but its purifying properties work just as well on the scalp. This scalp scrub, which is also infused with aloe vera and avocado oil, gently sloughs away impurities and dead skin cells while soothing, detoxifying and rebalancing the scalp. It also features a color-locking technology that protects and keeps color intact.
Much like how face oils deliver and seal in moisture, hair oils provide root-to-tip nourishment for dry strands and scalp for a shinier, healthier and more manageable mane. Dry oils like jojoba, argan and macadamia work great as hair oils not only because of their moisturizing and protective properties but also because they can be absorbed easily and won’t weigh down your hair even as you retouch your locks in the middle of the day.
Toeing the line between shiny and greasy can be tricky, but this silicone-free hair oil makes sure your tresses are always the mane attraction. Featuring potent Amazonian oils—rahua, morete and sacha inchi—that are rich in vitamins A, C and E, tocopherols, beta-carotene and omega 3 fatty acids, it fortifies weak and damaged strands, repairs split ends, tames frizz and boosts shine and color vibrancy. It also helps nourish, condition and soothe your hair and scalp.
It wasn’t too long ago when micellar water started infiltrating our beauty routine. Used as a cleanser, toner, makeup remover and even moisturizer, micellar water is made up of micelles, which trap impurities in the skin (sebum, pollution, oil and traces of makeup) so they can be wiped away easily. Micellar water is one of the most effective and versatile skin care products there is. And now, you can add cleansing hair to its many uses.
Featuring Abyssinian seed oil, jojoba and panthenol, this soothing treatment harnesses micellar technology to trap and dissolve dirt and oil without stripping the hair and scalp of their natural oils. It smooths and softens tresses while dissolving dirt without stripping any moisture.
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