For god's sake please help me get my shine back!!

[financialhelpneeded]

I have read eleventy billion reviews of hair products online and am now going round in circles.

Since being put into the chemical menopause before a hysterectomy my hair is just horrible. Whatever I try, it looks awful. It's dull, coarse, and horribly frizzy. I don't really style or blow dry it regular (too ill) so it's not damaged, it is just ugly from the inside. I have tried a whole range of shampoos from Philip Kingsley to silver shampoo to Neil's Yard to clarifying shampoo. Awful, awful, awful every time. Nothing works. I am also going grey - have chosen to do this naturally.

I have a big event coming up and I would like to look put together but god my hair just ruins every single outfit. I was hoping Olaplex might help but read online that if your hair isn't damaged, it might not do anything at all.

Please rescue me!

If the issues not damage then it sound like it’s just really really dry! The best hair mask I’ve ever used to rehydrate my hair, and I’ve used a hell of a lot over the years, oil!

Mielle organics mint almond hair oil is a good one - think it’s about £12 on lookfantastic.

Comes in quite a big bottle for a hair oil, coat your hair quite liberally and then leave to sit for 3 - 6 hours and then wash off.
Your hair should look like you’ve dipped it in a chip pan!😂 When you wash it, I find it easier to put the shampoo on my hair before I wet it, it help break down the oil so it washes out more easily.

Long term, you could do this 1-3x a week and it would help keep it nice and hydrated.

Hope this helps!

I love Aveda damage remedy

When my hair went frizzy on holiday I wet it and applied Philip Kingsley elasizer and left it on all day whilst I swam in the pool and sea and made a huge difference to smoothing my hair

As for shampoo I like the Garnier super food shampoo and conditioners

Garnier Ultimate blends nourishing hair food shampoo / conditioner

They also do a hair mask

Would it suit you to have it cut short? Newer hair will be in better condition.

Are you in HRT?

on!

There are hair are ranges specifically for menopause - worth a look?

For a temporary fix I loved the Elvive wonder water, pretty cheap too! And/or the original Moroccan oil is lovely as well x

That Elvive Wonder Water wrecked my hair - I thought it was amazing at first but after a couple of months, my hair was like straw.

Going against the grain here but what helps me get my peri frizz smooth and shiny is a set of really good straighteners - I have Cloud 9. I wear my hair wavy not dead straight but the straighteners smooth the cuticle down beautifully.

Before that I'd tried all kinds of hair masks and expensive oils. Now I just use Head and Shoulders (I get an itchy scalp) and a bit of L'Oreal Extraordinary Oil, dry with my One Step and smooth and wave with my Cloud 9s. I think a massive part of getting shiny hair is smoothing the cuticles down and products just don't do that in my experience, you need tools to do it physically.

I wash and straighten my hair only about every 5 days so my hair isn't damaged by the heat. And I use a heat protect spray.

Thanks so much. Unfortunately the Garnier stuff doesn't work for me (it used to when I was younger).

I'm not on HRT - I can't have it due to breast cancer risk. It is absolutely horrible without it. Not made better by the fact that the bleeping hospital messed up my dosage, so that I have been in the chemical menopause, then out again, then in again. I feel vile.

Elasticiser sort of did a little bit, but didn't help anything like as much as I had hoped.

I will try straightening more often I think!

Keratin treatment at the hairdresser if you can Stretch to it, or home kit from Amazon is very good if time consuming (and you need decent straighteners to set it )

Can you go to a hairdresser? They might be able to work a miracle.

Can you go and get a bit of an MOT at a hairdressers? See what they say.

A semi permanent gloss might help with shine before your big event too.

My hair gets dry and frizzy. How about a coconut oil mask? I heat up coconut oil and put it on my hair for and hour or so. Then I wash as normal. Makes it's lovely and soft and shiny.

Have you tried Kérastase? Particularly the serum and hair oil? Whenever I deviate from using their products my hair isn’t the same (less gloss and shine and not lightweight). Not sure how much of a difference using their shampoo and conditioner alongside actually makes to be honest. I use Kérastase exclusively although I’m not keen on the cost and in financially tight months I always use the serum and hair oil if I can’t afford anything else. I use the purple ones as I have bleached blonde/toned silver hair but there are others for different types of hair. Just a thought.

I agree, Kerastase are the best products but they are so expensive so perhaps buy a mask and a serum but compromise on the rest of your products?

• Shampoo - Elvive More Than Shampoo is great, I find a moisturising shampoo is more important than my conditioner, if I use anything too harsh it doesn't matter what I put on after, all shampoos for dry frizzy hair are not equal!

• Use serum on wet and dry hair, Kerastase, Olaplex or Davines are all very good.

• Avoid products with Alcohol Denat - always read the ingredients list and smell them, you can smell the harshness!

• Blow dry on a medium heat only, never the hottest

• Use a hot brush instead of straighteners (not one with hot air, one that the barrel heats up) As you glide it through your hair it really eliminates frizz and creates shine

• Use an overnight serum too, I'm using the Pantene one at the moment, wake up glossy, it works!

• Silk pillow case

I second the advice about keratin. It’s saved my dry frizzy hair (I buy masks and keratin conditioner)

I am considering buying a keratin blow dry kit from Amazon , you could have a look at those they aren’t much money x

This.

I absolutely love Philip Kingsley elasticiser and leave it on overnight and wash in the morning with Aveda damage remedy. It's been a game changer for me. Not cheap though.

I think I'd go for a kerastraight treatment. Wouldn't do it on damaged hair but dry and frizzy is ideal.

It'll sort you out for a few months.

I am having a hysterectomy soon and have been put on HRT, not your experience but…

My hair is bloody awful and I have trawled through expensive stuff. I actually found unlike a previous poster that the wonder water was great. I also use the same brand cylinder shape conditioner. Then a really thick cheap coconut hair mask. I then put auzzie oil thing in when wet. I have never been a product person but fuck me I use it all now. My hair is below shoulders and dyed. I put it in a donut when semi dry and sleep in it. I have nice soft waves in the morning. I wash my hair twice a week now. I also regularly trim my own hair to get rid of the corse ends.

I've been using this for the last 4 months on the recommendation of my hairdresser - it's made a huge difference to the condition of my hair, much shinier, feels better, looks better. I've got shoulder length highlighted hair with sprinkling of greys coming through. I'll definitely be buying another bottle https://www.lookfantastic.com/pureology-colour-fanatic-spray-200ml/11124912.html?gclid=CjwKCAjwxOymBhAFEiwAnodBLBDyweG0UkZ0O0-OgebPUxlCXRdkGnmW_nvucLUs-r03M2_aCms7KxoC6xsQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

There are supplements and foods that support your body in making its own hormones most efficiently. I think I'd also look into some of these as well as external hair treatments, since you can't have HRT.

Maybe really good Vit B complex, Vit D (which is a hormone apparently) Bovine Collagen?

Try an apple cider vinegar rinse. Maybe your hair doesn’t respond well to products and trying some natural stuff would be worth a go? Coconut oil worth a try too.