In the face of all that has happened this year, it is tempting to be dismissive of the small moments in our day which provide comfort, respite, and an opportunity to treat ourselves with some kindness. Yet, the way that we consume beauty products has certainly changed over these last months. We are spending more on skin and haircare, less on make-up, and are increasingly gravitating toward simple products that are easy to buy and use. I find this is reflected in my own bathroom.
Sometimes, a range of products comes along at exactly the right time. I think that we all feel a bit fatigued and in need of care, but we also feel tired and cynical. I’m not in the mood for elaborate and hyped-up marketing jargon, or fussily packaged, expensive products, especially when it comes to hair.
Affordable
The Inkey List is a hugely successful skincare brand which launched in 2018; a British answer to mammoth affordable skincare brand The Ordinary. The products are reasonably priced, simply presented, and scientifically robust. They work. The brand has now branched into haircare. When I heard this, I expected shampoos and conditioners, masks – the usual. What arrived on my doorstep was a collection of eight small treatment products – they look almost like skincare.
Quite radically, the brand doesn’t want you to part with your usual shampoo and conditioner, and has instead made a series of products that you can use before washing your hair, after washing, and even as a booster for your beloved Pantene (or whatever brand you like to use). They’ve made a wardrobe of universal products that will work for every hair type, including types three and four curly, kinky and coily hair, and which focus (the way a serum would in skincare) on problem solving.
My favourites from the range are the Salicylic Acid Exfoliating Scalp Treatment (€14.60 at cultbeauty.co.uk), which rebalances an oily or flaky scalp; the Hyaluronic Acid Hydrating Hair Treatment (€12.20), which can be used to defrizz wet or dry hair; and the Shea Oil Nourishing Hair Treatment (€12.20) which can be used on both my own fine straightish hair and my partner's thick, curly hair with equally moisturising, non-greasy results.
Hair loss
I know this because he stole the oil within days of my leaving it in the bathroom. He has also been enjoying the Chia seed Curl Defining Hair Treatment (€9.80), which works beautifully in conjunction with the Shea Oil for soft, defined curls. You’ll also find a Peptide Volumizing Hair Treatment (€12.20), an Amino Acid Anti-Gray Scalp Treatment (€18.30) for early signs of greying (competing products tend to retail at double the price), as well as a Vitamin C Brightening Hair Treatment (€12.20) for shine.
For those concerned about hair loss, there’s a Caffeine Stimulating Scalp Treatment (€18.30) to reduce it. I love this range – there is no translating from marketing-speak needed. The products suit everyone, together or separately, mixed with your shampoo or conditioner, or alone. They’re not fragranced, stress-inducing, expensive or fussy – they just work.
