10 Steps to a sleeker style

Straight talking 

There's no substitution for working with good materials – and in this case, it's your hair, so here's our guide to loving your locks the way you should. 

1. Hair health check

To test whether your hair is damaged, drop a strand into a cup of water and tap the cup to break the water's surface tension. If the hair sinks, it's damaged – 'injured' hair is usually dry and porous. Revitalise it with a conditioner. If it floats, carry on with your normal hair regime.

2. De-tangle

To get rid of those pesky little knots and tangles, comb some conditioner through it with a wide-toothed comb. Leave it in for three minutes and then rinse.

3. Brush & comb moderately 

Brushing and combing can strip away the protective coating on your hair. So don't brush and comb too often and, ideally, use a wide-tooth comb or brush. 

4. Use a conditioner regularly 

Conditioners, which are silicone-based, act as lubricants – they prevent hairs rubbing together and wearing away the cuticles around each hair. If you have colour-treated hair, which tends to be quite dry, stick to a bespoke shampoo designed for this type of hair as you'll need the extra moisturisers that these products provide. Watch out though, sometimes, prolonged use of conditioners can make your hair feel heavy and lank, as silicone builds up. When this happens, use a clarifying shampoo.

5. Go easy when drying your hair 

Pat your hair dry with a towel or wrap it in a towel for about five minutes. Try not to rub it, as rubbing the hairs together will erode the all-important surrounding cuticle. 

6. If you must straighten your hair, use irons

Ceramic tongs are preferable to metal ones as the heat is less intense. The key to success is to comb with one hand and iron with the other so that the tongs follow the comb down the hair shaft.

7. Pump up the volume

For a big, blousy high-volume style, flip your hair upside down, apply your mousse, gel or hairspray and blow-dry downwards, flicking your hair back up to complete the style you want.

8. Keep out of the sun 

The sun's ultra-violet light breaks down the protein (keratin) in hair, making it dry and brittle. To guard against these risks, avoid spending too long in the sun and if it's particularly strong, use a sun-protection shampoo and a good conditioner. 

9. Eat a nutritionally balanced diet 

What you eat can have a major impact on the condition of your hair, as well as your skin and other parts of your physical appearance.

10. If it's too late...

If your hair is already damaged, apply an intensive conditioner once a week, covering your hair with a warm towel to keep the moisture in and leave the conditioner on for between 15–20 minutes before rinsing it off.

Sunsilk's range of shampoos provide a happy ending to your hair dramas and take the struggle out of your daily styling.