I asked six Australian creatives with healthy hair to share their routine
IMAGE VIA @RUTHYHEWSON/INSTAGRAM
WORDS BY MARYEL SOUSA
“Taking care of my hair is like tending to a garden.”
Throughout my adult life, my hair has been the feature I love most about myself. This wasn’t always the case –growing up, I hated how my ginger hair made me stand out from the crowd. I remember sneaking off to the school bathroom to wet my hair, a desperate attempt to dull my orange to a more inconspicuous hue. As a teenager, I waged a new war, this time against its frizzy texture.
In the 2010s, Taylor Swift’s transition from country musician to pop star was marked by the straightening of her once iconic curls. There was no question – I had to have sleek, pin-straight hair too. Armed with my ceramic straightener, I’d get to work at 6am each morning before school and fry it into submission.
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Thankfully, trends change and people grow. Now, at the age of 26, all I care about is the health of my hair and I’ve spent the past year trying to perfect my haircare routine. On my journey, I’ve been looking to Australia’s creative scene for inspiration and found people with gorgeous hair of all types. Curious to know what they do to keep their hair healthy, I asked a few to share the products and routines they swear by.
Ruthy Hewson, model and content creator
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Taking care of my curly hair is kind of like tending to a garden – you’ve got to start with the roots! I’m all about keeping my scalp in check because let’s be real, you can’t grow gorgeous curls on a dry and flaky foundation. I like to pamper my scalp with a blend of oils that smell as good as they feel. It’s like a spa day but for my head!
My favourite scalp products are the Crown Companion Cleansing Pre-Wash Scalp Oil, my Bread Beauty scalp-thingy for a stimulating massage and Mielle Organics’ Rosemary Mint Scalp and Hair Strengthening Oil.
Shan Kerr, model and content creator
My hair undergoes a lot of heat treatment when I’m modelling, so when I wash it at home I always let it dry naturally and use really high-quality, nourishing products. I love the Kevin Murphy Angel Wash shampoo and often use the Kevin Murphy Angel Masque as a conditioner. I also really love the JSHealth 2-Step Vitamin Haircare System. Before my next wash, I add some Ouai Hair Oil and slick my hair back. I love how hydrating this oil is without being super heavy. It also smells like jasmine, which I love. Some other life hacks for shiny hair – drinking bone broth every morning for a collagen boost and eating lots of fatty fish, seeds and nuts to glow from the inside out. A final tip: when in doubt, get a fresh chop. I used to have waist-length hair and recently cut it into a bob – the shine has been shining ever since!
Georgina Woolcock, Fashion Journal’s Partnerships and Campaign Executive
I hate to be this person but I’m blessed with naturally great hair. It’s incredibly fine but I have more of it than I know what to do with. It is never frizzy and it’s strong enough to withstand any hair dye or heat I apply to it. I use whatever shampoo or conditioner has been sent to me by PR and if I’m feeling especially lazy, I can fall asleep with it sopping wet and get away with it the next day. The only product I use is a leave-in heat protectant to maintain my hair health, so I can keep on treating it the way I do. I alternate between Ouai’s Leave In Conditioner and Wella Professionals’ Ultimate Repair Protect Leave-In.
Sandy McIntyre, actor, producer and writer
I have curls but I never knew how to treat them – I’d tie my hair up or blowdry it to smooth it out. Now, I let my curls hang perfectly textured. Product wise, I’m a Kérastase girlie and their Curl Manifesto range is my go-to. It’s on the pricier side but my hair ultimately deserves it. Post-wash and pre-diffuser, I’ll spray my hair with the Kérastase Curl Manifesto Miracle Curl Refreshing Spray. This is my magic trick. While it’s still wet, I’ll manipulate the curls with the product and they always turn out bouncy, healthy and voluminous.
The Kérastase Elixir Ultime Original Hair Oil is a game changer between washes. I’ll put it on the ends of my hair about an hour before bed and let it soak in overnight. If you want to tie your hair in a tight bun, this product lets you do so while providing more nourishment than gel.
Sophie Kalifatidis, Talent Agent at MGMT
As someone who hasn’t seen their natural hair colour in over eight years, I take hair care seriously! My number one product has to be Color Wow’s Dream Coat Supernatural Hair Styling Spray – this is how I cope with Sydney’s humidity. Think waterproof, heat-protected hair that holds a blowdry and shines. Kérastase Resistance Extentioniste Length Strengthening shampoo is the best for hair growth. I usually ditch regular conditioner for a mask and the Christophe Robin Regenerating Mask With Prickly Pear Oil is my go-to for ultimate hydration.
I’ve also recently tried L’Oréal Paris’ Elvive Glycolic Gloss range and it’s the next best thing for hydration and shine, at half the price. I think everyone needs the K18 Leave-in Molecular Repair Hair Mask in their routine. My final step is always a hair oil or serum. The Kérastase Elixir Ultime Original Hair Oil is great for damaged hair and L’Oréal Paris’ Elvive Extraordinary Oil Midnight Serum nourishes and repairs overnight.
Sienna Barton, writer and model
This is going to sound infuriating but my hair care routine is virtually nonexistent. I get dry and sensitive skin, so my routine is more about being gentle than anything. I wash my hair one to two times a week using MooGoo’s Milk Shampoo (rinse and repeat) and conditioner, then I put on a microfibre hair wrap for about half an hour, until it stops being sopping wet. Then I add a little Olaplex No.7 Bonding Oil to my ends, brush it with a Tangle Teezer and let it air dry. It’s basically the hair routine of a small child. The secret is I never use heat on my hair and I haven’t dyed it in over five years, that’s why it’s so healthy. I get haircuts once every six months because I’m a tight arse, but I love a hairdresser who does a dry cut – I go to Chris Welch.
Fore more tips on healthy hair, head here.
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