5 haircare ingredients you need on your radar (& your shelf)

If you’ve ever tried to cook, well, anything, you’ll know ingredients are everything. Use the wrong ones and you might as well give up before you’ve even started. Well, it actually works much the same in haircare - what’s in the mix is the most important factor when it comes to getting solid (AKA smooth, shiny, swishy) results.

But with every shampoo on the shelf shouting about its amazing abilities, it can be hard to decipher passing fads and buzzwords from the formulas and ingredients that’ll actually help you tick off your hair goals.

We know you don’t have time to decode the back of every bottle, tube, or tub of haircare you try, though, so we’re making things super simple. Here are the haircare ingredients you’ve got to get on your radar (and your shower shelf) pronto. Tell your hair to get out its gratitude journal; it’s about to be immensely thankful…

1/ Argan oil: for repairing damaged, brittle hair

Dry, processed hair basically feels like straw if you don’t take some steps to dial down the damage, and ‘brittle’ is simply not the vibe. So if you’ve got ‘restore softness and strength’ as the number one goal on your hair’s list, add argan oil into your routine ASAP.

An age-old beauty secret beloved for its protective, restorative, and deeply hydrating properties, argan oil acts like a renovation show for tired, damaged hair: it goes in looking and feeling a little worse for wear, and comes out with a whole new lease on life. Expect enhanced elasticity, less daily breakage, and more smoothness, shine, and definition than your damaged hair previously dared dream of.

Work argan oil into your rotation with a deeply conditioning mask. An ingredient as intensely nourishing as this deserves to reach its fullest reparative potential, in a rich, hearty formula that has plenty of time to work its wizardry. Try the OGX Argan Oil of Morocco Hydrate & Revive Hair Mask ($25 at Woolworths) for hydrated softer strands.

2/ Coconut: for strengthening dry, frizzy hair

Coconut is one of those majestic miracle workers that has more hair benefits on its hypothetical CV than you could ever imagine. Packed with fatty acids (AKA your hair’s new best buddies), coconut (and the oil drawn from it) works to prevent protein loss, replenish lost hydration, and seal the hair cuticle to leave it looking smoother than ever. Yes, that means fewer flyaways and far less frizz; big relief sigh, we know.

A serving of coconut-infused haircare will always be a win for dry hair, so simply choose your preferred style of formula based on the type of help your thirsty tresses need on any given day.

A creamy, decadent mask like the OGX Extra Strength Damage Remedy + Coconut Miracle Oil Hair Mask ($25 at Woolworths) is the ideal option if your hair’s craving a classic moisture hit, or if it’s after a pep-adding pick-me-up, try washing with the OGX Coconut Caffeine Strengthening Shampoo ($23 at Woolworths) + Conditioner ($23 at Woolworths), which are also allies in the fight against hair-fall due to breakage.

3/ Biotin & Collagen: for adding thickness and fullness to lifeless hair

Just like Tom Holland and Zendaya, biotin and collagen are even more powerful when they link up. Now, we want the powers of this ingredient duo to go onto your hair, not over your head, so here’s a bit of a breakdown. While they have their differences (biotin is an essential B vitamin and collagen is a protein that naturally occurs within the body but needs topping up as it depletes), both ingredients are known to share the same goal: healthy hair growth.

A shortage of them affects hair in a super harsh way, basically leaving it sparse, brittle, and thin. That’s why we like to team them together to cover all our bases. Use them in unison and you’ll be able to strengthen the building blocks that make up your hair, and grow that mane as long, strong, soft, and full as possible.

The more of this power couple your hair gets, the better, so why not opt for a formula you can use daily? The OGX Biotin Collagen Oil Mist ($30 at Woolworths) blends the two together, infusing much-needed nutrients into each strand with every spritz. It’ll create thick, full, and healthy-looking hair, which is exactly what we’re all after!

4/ Keratin: for smoothing and adding shine to unruly hair

Frizz is nobody’s friend - in fact, it has the ability to sabotage any hair look you create. Rude, right? If only there were an ingredient able to nix it… Oh wait, there is. Devoting its talents to making unruly, badly-behaved hair more manageable, keratin smooths out the hair cuticle, helping hair to appear softer, shinier, and far more polished.

Put it this way: if frizz were someone in a bad mood, keratin would be the force that manages to calm it down. Wondering how it understands the hair so well? It’s actually one of the types of proteins that makes up our hair in the first place, so keratin knows precisely how to help return hair to its former glossy, smooth glory.

Our advice? Set every style with a mist of the OGX Keratin Smoothing Oil Spray ($27 at Woolworths). It’ll help to add radiance, protect against humidity, and strengthen hair in one quick hit. Trust us: you’ll come for the keratin, stay for the smooth, shiny results, and keep coming back for the fresh-off-an-island tropical aroma.

5/ Colour bonding plex technology: for strengthening and refreshing colour-treated hair

Okay, fine ‘colour bonding plex’ is technically a type of technology rather than an exact ingredient, but if you want your fave signature shade to stick, it’s an absolute must-have. Everyone wants their colour to thrive for as long as possible (whether you’re a salon devotee or committed to at-home hair dye), and what you stock your shower shelf with is crucial for keeping that precious colour intact.

Powered by that exact fancy technology, the OGX Vibrant Color Vibes Shampoo ($23 at Woolworths) and Conditioner ($23 at Woolworths) basically act as fade-defying fairy godmothers. They’ll help to extend the look (and life) of your beloved colour, while also ensuring it continues to look its very best by smoothing breakage, adding hydration, and protecting against UVB and UVA rays (that yes, can wreak havoc with your colour if you’re not careful).

Long story short: make a wise washing decision like reaching for these colour-refreshing formulas and your shade of choice could look salon-fresh all the damn time. If that isn’t the ultimate hair dream, we don’t know what is!

Main image credit: Getty Images

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