Not all hair is created equal. Whether you’re so fine-haired that your strands float a few centimetres above your head, or your afro hair is prone to frizz of epic proportions, we all have tales of a daily battle with our crowning glory. The good news? There’s a product for that. The bad news? Trying to find that perfect product in a packed-to-the-rafters hair care section isn’t the easiest of tasks!

But don’t fret just yet. The quest for the right hair care is well-trodden ground for the intrepid beauty explorer, and despite the plethora of products available for every hair type, texture, length and colour, there are a special few that stand head and shoulders from the rest. Proclaimed ‘bestsellers’ and ‘cult products’ by those who have voted with their purchasing power, here are the essential hair care products that every girl (and guy) should have in their arsenal. And guess what? Until March 8th they’re all 20% off with the code HAIRCARE20…

The 5 That Everyone Will Love

Mason Pearson Brush
Best for: Daily maintenance
This 130-year-old British brand is considered by many to be the gold standard in hairbrushes, still employing a mostly hand-finished approach based upon a unique rubber cushion pad developed by Mason Pearson himself, no less. The beautifully crafted brushes have become a bit of a beauty secret passed down from mother, to daughter, to granddaughter; with three different bristle types to choose from (pure bristle for fine to normal hair, nylon and bristle mixed for normal to thick, and nylon for very thick hair) and plenty of different sizes, there’s a brush for everyone! Check out our review here.

Rene Furterer Complexe 5 Treatment
Best for: Adding Strength
Think of this as the basis for everything you do with your hair. Heralded by Rene Furterer as an ‘essential elixir’, this plant-rich oil will stimulate and tone your scalp to encourage healthier hair growth, whilst also strengthening each strand. A little scared of oils? There’s no need to be – you can use Complexe 5 as a pre-shampoo treatment to reap all of its plentiful benefits without any of the associated oiliness. It’ll also improve the effectiveness of everything you use afterwards!

Bumble and bumble Sunday Shampoo
Best for: Detoxing
There comes a point every week or so that your hair is held ransom by build-up from hair products, and even washing doesn’t seem to help. When you reach that point, it’s time to pull out the detoxing heavyweight: the much-loved Bumble and bumble Sunday Shampoo. Sunday does what many shampoos cannot, taking your hair right back to its cleanest state without making it feel dry or ‘starchy’. Save it for your weekly Sunday night detox ready for the week ahead, and you’ll be feeling as good as new.

Klorane Oatmilk Dry Shampoo
Best for: In-between days
Forget everything you’ve ever disliked about using dry shampoo, because this ultra-soft, ultra-fine formula will definitely make extending time between hair washes more of a treat than a chore. The Klorane Oatmilk Dry Shampoo is like powdered magic for all hair types and textures, absorbing excess sebum without weighing hair down or making it feel gritty… it even makes hair feel softer after use. See? Magic! Check out the Nettle version for oilier hair, and the Brunette version for darker locks.

Tigi Bed Head Superstar Queen For A Day
Best for: One-stop-shop styling
Queen For A Day is the biggest backstage style secret that you’ve never heard of. The hybrid thickening and volumising spray has natural-feeling hold that essentially makes it a blow dry in a can. The formula is so good even stylists working for other brands can’t bear to be without it, opting to wrap it in duct tape backstage so that they can get away with using it – if that’s not a great endorsement, we don’t know what is!

The Shampoo and Conditioner  Heroes

Living Proof Perfect Hair Day
Best for: All-in-one care
Well, you can’t argue with a name like that, can you? Perfect Hair Day aims to be a go-to collection for all of your hair’s needs, delivering five key benefits including smoothness, gentle volume, better strength, improved condition and plenty of polish. If you’re looking to increase the time you have between washes, it’ll help with that too – their patented Healthy Hair Molecule repels dirt and oil, so your hair will feel fresher for longer. Oh, and the hair care collection is free from silicone, sulphates and oils. What an all-rounder!

Klorane Mango Collection
Best for: Everyday pampering
Yes, it’s the most deliciously fragranced hair care collection on the face of the planet, but the Klorane Mango Butter Shampoo and Mango Butter Conditioning Balm is no one trick pony – it performs every bit as exceptionally as it smells. Created for those with hair at the drier end of the spectrum, this mango butter-rich duo is packed full of essential fatty acids that replenish and rehydrate strands. And because it’s Klorane, French pharmacy favourite extraordinaire, you know that your hair will be gently cared for at every stage.

Bumble and bumble Full Potential
Best for: Making the most of what you have
This range really does give your hair a new lease of life. Created for those whose hair is dull, limp and thin, this power-packed capsule hair care collection recharges strands with more energy. It works three-fold to strengthen your hair, reduce breakage and boost its appearance with volumising agents, so that your hair looks fuller both immediately and over time. See our post here to learn more about this supercharged range.

 The Treatment and Styling Heroes

Sachajuan Ocean Mist
Best for: Effortless style
Sachajuan has shaken up the UK hair care market with a distinctive Scandi-chic look and an equally minimalist approach to the care of your hair. The product on everyone’s lips? The Sachajuan Ocean Mist, a lightweight spray that adds matte volume, lift and movement without looking overdone. It’s the ultimate ‘I woke up like this’ product; so if you like your hair to look impeccably undone without spending too much time doing it, this spray is your golden ticket.

Schwarzkopf Professional BC Bonacure Repair Rescue Deep Nourishing Treatment
Best for: SOS care
If your hair is at breaking point and you don’t know where to turn for support, this SOS treatment is the one. It has an uncanny ability of cocooning each strand in softness and smoothness without feeling too weighty, and after just one use you can really notice the improvement in your hair’s appearance. For a deep, intensive shot of moisture, apply it to the mid-lengths and ends of towel-dried hair, wrap your hair in a towel, and go about your evening for an hour or two. When you rinse it out you’ll be amazed at the gloss.

Nexxus Nutritive Encapsulate Serum
Best for: Hydration between washes
Everyone’s hair get a little dehydrated and frayed at the ends, especially if it’s long, chemically-treated, or you’re a serial heat abuser (my hand’s up for all three!). If your hair feels drier than the Sahara in those days between washes, you need the Nexxus Nutritive Encapsulate Serum. This amazingly effective formula contains spheres of 100% pure protein that help to rebuild the hair follicle; it doesn’t just improve the appearance of your hair short-term, it actually treats it for better long-term health.

Special Mentions

HiF Cleansing Conditioners
Best for: Very gentle cleansing
File this under ‘future classics’, because these innovative formulas from new brand HiF (Hair Is Fabric) are something else. Created with the genius tagline ‘you wouldn’t wash couture with detergent, so why do it with your hair?’, each product is specifically formulated to cleanse and condition your hair in one step – without even a hint of soap in sight. So while you don’t get the bubbly foam of a traditional shampoo, you still get an impeccable cleanse that makes hair feel fresh, moisturised and well-balanced. It’s some sort of witchcraft.

Mustela Baby Shampoo
Best for: Baby
Best for baby, and pretty wonderful for you, too! This low-lathering shampoo from French pharmacy baby brand, Mustela is such a joy to use. It gently removes the day’s impurities from baby’s fine hair with 93% natural ingredients including chamomile and avocado, and it doesn’t sting your baby’s eyes if a little foam gets into them. Mustela’s signature orange blossom scent is the icing on the cake – you’ll be sniffing your baby’s head even more than usual! Just try not to steal too much for yourself.

Fountain 05 The Hair Molecule
Best for: Inside out nourishment
This isn’t a topical treatment – you don’t apply this to your locks for it to work its magic. This caring step for your hair is all about encouraging lustrous locks from the inside out! Fountain’s 05 The Hair Molecule drinkable supplement contains a blend of silicon and vegan-friendly hyaluronic acid, which transform the health of your hair with boosted glossiness, strength and softness. Take two spoonfuls a day and watch the transformation begin.