Autumn is the perfect time to overhaul your regular beauty routine as the days get colder and the nights get longer, and that goes for your hair too. If you’ve spent a long, hot summer in the sea and by the pool then chances are, your hair isn’t its swishy, shiny best. Try some of our tips for getting it back to tip-top condition, using all-natural, all clean and all good solutions.

Try an apple cider vinegar rinse

An apple cider vinegar-based rinse can help restore life to your hair in a matter of moments, but you shouldn’t just grab a bottle from the pantry and pour it onto your head—that may end up not only stripping your hair, but burning your scalp too. Instead, mix five parts water to one part vinegar in a spray bottle and spray your scalp well, enough that it’ll be evenly coated. Work the vinegar into your hair with your fingers, then allow the mixture to sit for three to five minutes. Rinse your hair and scalp with cool water, do a light condition and reap the benefits! Not only will an ACV rinse help get the build-up of styling products and grime out of your hair, but it can have seriously positive effects on your scalp health. Your scalp has an acid mantle like the rest of your skin, and the acid mantle needs to be maintained, which means keeping a healthy pH balance. An ACV rinse will balance the scalp’s natural oils and pH levels, which promotes hair growth and shine. 

Target the roots

Akin to your skin, your scalp is made up of pore-like follicles, and is typically its healthiest self when clean, balanced, and adequately treated. This is where exfoliation comes in: build-up, dead skin cells and excess oil can clog your follicles, which can stunt the rate of hair growth and encourage hair loss. To help boost the skin cell turnover process, exfoliate your scalp on a regular basis. There are some great products out there that can help you do this correctly, and if you suffer from dry skin or psoriasis, you may need to get stuck in two or three times per week. If you’re conscious about adding yet more products to your ever-growing beauty arsenal, you can also use a gentle facial scrub – physical, not chemical – as a pre-treatment before you shampoo.

Reach for a nourishing mask

No one’s hair is immune to the effects of heat styling, colour damage, and everyday life.

A sign of weak hair, breakage and brittleness is the first thing to halt that famous shampoo-commercial shine, so to undo damage—or even better, prevent it in the first place—reach for treatments that nourish and restore.

Towel dry hair immediately after showering

Leaving your hair dripping wet can make the strands vulnerable to breakage, which then leads to frizz. Of course, a regular towel works fine, but there are also special super-absorbent, water-wicking towels that are designed to quickly and gently dry your hair without any of the damage of a normal towel. Also, never rub your hair. Pat and squeeze excess water out for your happiest locks ever.

Keep it clean

Shampoo regularly – but don’t overdo it.  For many people, washing your hair once per day is ideal, though if you suffer from scalp problems or damaged hair, you may need to wash less frequently. Cleansing is one of the most important parts of scalp care, but what you shampoo with is just as important as how often you do it. Many mainstream shampoos contain sulfates and other chemicals that strip your hair of natural oils, so look for companies that promote 6-Free haircare (which means there are no sulfates, silicones, phthalates, parabens, DEA, or artificial dyes).

We love Ethique, a New Zealand brand that really took the concept of cleansing bars for the face, body and hair to the next level. Their shampoo and conditioning offering includes speciality formulas for sensitive scalps and blondes, with the Ethique Tone It Down Shampoo a godsend for those that may have been neglecting their tresses over the summer months. The matching purple conditioning bar doesn’t contain petrochemical-derived dyes so the toning is more gentle than typical purple products, whilst jasmine oil delivers deep nourishment for soft, smooth, luminous locks. Check out their very easy to follow educational videos online for how to best make the change, and use your bars effectively.

Just add collagen

Taking a premium collagen supplement daily is always a good idea, and our mix of choice comes from Imbibe. Designed for hair, skin and nails, Imbibe’s Miracle Collagen is scientifically formulated to plump and firm your skin from within. Its bio-active formula with 18 amino acids (both essential and non-essential) is scientifically designed to transform and stimulate collagen synthesis and skin elasticity from the inside out, and it has no filler – every molecule is 100 per cent bio-active collagen. Start adding it to your morning routine for the dewiest, most radiant hair, skin, and nails ever!