Aging, as we know it, is certainly a beautiful thing in its own right, however, it can also be unbelievably frustrating. You find your perfect remedy to one ailment, only to be struck a week later by the next in what seems like a never-ending saga of bodily changes. So what is it about getting older and your hair changing so much, – we’re talking thinning, color change, coarseness, and curl – and what on earth are we supposed to do about it?
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The good news is, it may be somewhat reversible. By that, I mean your hair may be negatively reacting to one or more factors in your life that can be easily changed. And while it may still be genetic, there are a number of things you might be able to do to repair your otherwise unruly hair to get it back to its former glory.

One way to combat this is to introduce naturally estrogen-saturated foods into your diets, such as nuts, seeds, plant-based proteins like tofu and soybeans, berries, and red wine. While post-partum hair loss may seem extreme, it is temporary and simply due to your body getting back on track. Of course, if you think this is due to a change in birth control, talk to your doctor about what your other options may be.

Environmental Hazards

Have you ever noticed that your hair seems to have a mind of its own on a humid day? That’s because water molecules are like tiny magnets that are pulling on your hair creating a lot more hydrogen bonds than would happen in a dryer climate. This causes it to react in different ways, i.e. become wavy or curly. Hard water can also wreak havoc on your locks, as it may be contaminated with chlorine, calcium, magnesium, or other harsh chemicals. This can cause your hair to seem dry and dull.

A simple way to correct both of these is to use a hydrating shampoo. These shampoos and conditioners are not only hydrating, bringing life back to your hair, but can also be incredibly restorative. They can work to repair breakage and split ends and strengthen hair against future damage.

Loss of Collagen and Protein

While collagen is most known for its ability to keep wrinkles and cellulite at bay, it is also a key player in the heath of your hair. As we age our bodies naturally begin to produce less collagen. Surprisingly this change typically begins around age 25, but as we now know, the hair follicle plays a huge role in the texture of our hair. So, as our skin loses elasticity and the follicle becomes weaker, it’s not so surprising that hair is the next thing affected. Collagen acts as an antioxidant, which your body uses to fight free radicals, or the buildup from environmental pollutants on the scalp, then causing damage and thinning to the hair itself. It also may lead to premature graying.
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Along with this, too much or a lack of protein in your diet may be the culprit. Protein functions to support fine or medium hair, giving it strength and silkiness. However, if you have thick, curly hair, too much protein can actually do the exact opposite resulting in rough, brittle, or dry strands.

There are a few ways to introduce more collagen into your routine, including shampoos, Collagen infused vita-gummies, and powders you can mix into food such as smoothies, coffee, and homemade energy bites like these raspberry chocolate ones. As far as protein, the suggested amount of daily intake is about 0.36 grams of protein per pound of body weight. However, you know your body best, so don’t be afraid to experiment and see what works best for you.

Routine, Routine, Routine

We all know that too much stress for too long can catapult us into premature aging resulting in hair loss, hair thinning, and hair turning gray. What you may not realize is the hair re-growth cycle lasts anywhere from four to seven years, meaning every four to seven years each strand of hair is completely replaced by a new one. This new mane is likely to have its own set of properties that may or may not look and feel like the old one.

We are constantly bombarding our hair with heat tools, styling products, over-brushing, and over-cutting. Heat and color can damage the hair, while overuse of products can clog pores and cause damage to the follicles themselves. While your body is taking care of the hair by re-growing it, you can try the New Dawn scalp cleanser from Better Not Younger to give it that extra boost. Note this can also help with those free radicals we mentioned earlier.
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There are an alarming amount of seemingly minuscule factors that can cause the texture of your hair to change. Although certain changes are inevitable, like thinning and graying, there are certainly ways to slow these processes down, and even reverse some premature effects. The top things I recommend paying close attention to our protein intake, if you’re coloring or heat treating your hair often and the types of products you’re putting on your hair. If none of these seem to be the culprit try combatting texture changes with specially formulated products, diet, and supplements, as they can make an incredible difference. And of course, don’t forget to drink water.

​Up, up and away
Stay cool, calm and collected while working from home with these tried and tested styles

In a working from home styling rut? Yeah, we feel you; nailing effortlessly cool hair can be easier said than done. So, we tasked two of the Layered team to try some trending updos – will they pass the Zoom test?

I don’t have the worst experience with my hair in warmer conditions, but my flat, straight hair becomes a limp mop. I struggle to get any height into my roots at the best of times, so when spring and summer swings around – along with the humidity and sweat it inevitably brings – I resign myself to a couple of months of looking like a greasy teenager again. 

But if this is the lot I’m dealt with then I’m going to do my best to style it out, especially now I’m on a daily 11am Zoom with the rest of the team. Having finally (sort of, maybe) cracked how to nail down a slicked-back editorial look I took inspiration from the likes of Olivia Palermo and Burberry AW19 with a sleek low bun. 

I like to wash my hair in an evening, so when I know it’s going to be seriously hot or humid I swap out my usual conditioner with a nourishing mask. I like the Goldwell Kerasilk Color Intensive Luster Mask, which leaves my hair incredibly soft, and I’ll add a touch of styling cream or leave-in conditioner (I like the TIGI Copyright Care Styling Cream) as well, to really push that silky, sleek look to the max when I blow dry it. 

The next morning my hair looks shiny but incredibly flat and a touch greasy – perfect. I use a spritz of Sebastian Drynamic Dry Shampoo which is almost like a dry shampoo/texturiser crossover, directly at the roots around my hairline and crown of my head. Next, I split my hair carefully into a centre parting. There’s something about a dead centre, clean parting that makes this look very intentional and fashionable, rather than looking like I’ve scraped my hair back any old way.  
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I brush out my lengths and ends, then twist in the opposite direction for a neat coil. The placement of the bun is important too – off the nape of the neck so it’s not falling out, but not so high that it’s invisible from the front. A couple of Bobby pins and a spritz of hairspray (or wet look gel would look amazing too), and I somehow look done up for those daily Zoom meets, rather than like I’m drowning. 

My hair is surprisingly thick and notoriously hard to maintain unless armed with a pair of straightening irons. Given the rise in temperatures and working from home, the thought of adding heat to my morning routine brings me out in a cold sweat, but equally going au naturale is a BIG no. So what is a girl to do? 
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As a pretty active Insta user, naturally I turn to my feed at every opportunity for a little inspo. For S/S 20, hair accessories are proving to be more popular than ever and while I’m a big fan of a barrette, to keep this mane in place and off my face I need something with a little more staying power. In years gone by, I’ve always resorted to a scrunchie to gather up my tresses into some variation of a ‘messy’ bun, but have never quite managed to make it look as effortlessly cool as I’d hoped. So, when the heatwave hit the UK for the first time during Easter, I decided to raid my accessories draw for some fabric and scarves to give me a helping hand.

After hair expert Zoë Irwin introduced her Tie It Up collection, hair scarves have become the coolest way to add interest to a regular pony, upgrade a basic bun or take the oh-so-chic half up styles to the next level. While my shorter lengths mean the ‘snatched’ ponytail is out of my reach, a messy bun seemed realistic enough to achieve! Though I’m no styling sensation, a few bobbles and bobby pins can work wonders, so after using the JOICO Hair Shake to add a little texture at the root, I got to work.

Much like Deborah’s low bun, there is certainly a knack to nailing this look and I’d recommend using your favourite brush to gather up all your strands into one ponytail. At this point, I tilted my head forward to bring everything together before beginning to twist the ponytail up into a bun. Don’t worry too much about nailing a ballerina-esque look, as any flyaways can be pinned down.

I also used the L’Oréal Professionnel Tecni.ART Fix Design to kick any rogue baby hairs to the curb before introducing my fabric of choice. This is the fun part: you have total creative freedom to pick from hair scarves, floral prints and everything in between! Simply wrap around the bun before tying in place to leave a section of the fabric hanging down the neck.
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Perfect for any length of hair, I can certainly see why hair scarves have become a must have accessory. Besides bringing a pop of colour to WFH chic, it hides a multitude of sins on Zoom while being bang on trend – I’m sold!