Beauty Clinic: The right haircare for grey hair

Q. My formerly dark hair has gone grey in varying shades from steel through to nearly white. I would like to find a shampoo that suits the colours and also conditions it, which it badly needs. A. Experts agree that grey hair is often finer and drier, which is more to do with age than the shade of the hair. As we get older, our sebaceous (oil) glands produce less sebum so hair tends to be drier and more rough-textured.

Recently, several specialist haircare ranges have brought out products for grey hair including top colourist Jo Hansford (www.johansford.com), often called the ‘queen of colour’.

Jo Hansford Expert Colour Care Platinum Collection is ‘specifically formulated to brighten and clarify blonde, highlighted or grey hair’. The shampoo contains violet tones ‘to remove discolouration and counteract brassiness’. Although we have not formally trialled the range with a ten-women tester panel, we did ask a friend in your situation to try Platinum Shampoo, £16 for 250ml, and the matching Platinum Conditioner, £18 for 250 ml. Jo also recommends using the Intensive Masque, £28.50 for 150 ml, for really needy hair.

Although our tester confessed to being worried that her hair would end up looking as if she had had a blue rinse, she forged on and was very pleased with the results.   ‘The shampoo and conditioner are very good and smell gorgeous too.’ Her straight bob looked ‘much more glossy and swingy –and not blue!’.

Trichologist Philip Kingsley also offers a specialised Pure Silver range, with Pure Silver Shampoo, £17 for 250ml, and matching Conditioner, £20 for 250ml (www.philipkingsley.co.uk). We haven’t tried this but we are very confident in the brand and the reviews are stellar.