Supermodel hair isn't born, it's carefully nurtured. Apart from reaching for the hair dye to disguise grey roots, few of us give serious thought to de-ageing our hair. But like dermatologists, hair experts know that tresses can lose their youth factor if not given plenty of TLC (true lock care).
Detox: Virginal cleansed hair is potentially your first glow-giving step. Look to Tommy Hilfiger's preppy and fresh styles for hair inspiration. "A build up of dead skin cells along with styling and conditioning products
can cause your hair to look prematurely aged," says hair guru Lee Stafford. "Exfoliate once or twice a week with a detoxifying shampoo to regularly clear your scalp."
Hair therapy: Paul Mitchell's Tea Tree Hair and Scalp Treatment, £12.95, (0845 659 0012) includes salicylic acid to help cleanse the follicles. Pantene's Pro-V Aqua Light Shampoo, £2.19, helps create hair envy with its clean rinse technology. Toni & Guy Detox Shampoo, £5.29, rids hair of city grime.
Workout Your Scalp: "As we age many people find it harder to grow their hair," explains Lee. More than pampering, a head massage gives CPR to the scalp. For Rapunzel style tresses like Cat Deeley's, Lee reveals that scalp massage will increase blood flow to the hair follicles, encouraging growth. It starts hair recovery by keeping the follicles active which increases the strength and diameter of each hair.
Hair therapy: Erin O'Connor is a fan of Weleda's Rosemary Hair Lotion, £7.95 (weleda.co.uk). It's a non-greasy lotion that helps strengthen the shaft of each hair. Lee Stafford Hair Growth Treatment, £6.99, helps stimulate the roots.
Touch Base: As a base coat protects nails from being stained, so a heat protector rescues hair from styling abuse. Just think of it as your hair's thermal vest. For hair as sleek and healthy looking as the models at Narciso Rodriguez, look to using a protector. "Heat styling uses excessive levels of heat which can cause the water in the hair to boil, causing breakage," warns hair stylist Charles Worthington.
Hair Therapy: TRESemme reveal that only half of us regularly protect our hair, so get spritzing with their 
Heat Defence Styling Spray, £4.20. Lee Stafford Blow Dry Your Hair Faster Spray, £5.99, reduces drying time up to 20 per cent and protects hair up to 220 degrees. Phew! Aussie Take The Heat Leave In Spray, £4.49 helps hair keep cool.
Lather In Youth: According to L'Oreal there are three miracles that would make middle-youther's hair happy. One: thicker hair without hairspray. Two: hair that's easy to manage. Three: A go-to product which intensely nourishes without weighing hair down. Enter the youth-inducing shampoos that boast new generation technology. Just think of them like upgrading your run-of-the-mill moisturiser for an anti-ageing cream.
Hair Therapy: L'Oreal Elvive Age Defying Shampoo, £3.49, has been bottled after 10 years of scientific studies for thicker looking hair. Kerastase Age Premium Bain Substantif, £14.30, (0800 316 4400) is a grown-up shampoo with Hyaluronic Acid technology to restore and increase oomph. Frederic Fekkai Ageless Rejuvenating Shampoo, £28 (spacenk.co.uk) is formulated to visibly correct the first signs of fibre ageing.
Infuse (just the right amount) Hydration: Just like Goldilocks, the application of your conditioner needs to be just right. Too much and hair ends up lank, too little leaves hair cuticles open for abuse. "Mature hair is finer in texture and can look lifeless especially if coloured," warns Lee. If hair feels straw-like we can fall foul to over conditioning that can le
ave hair fatigued and we stop using it altogether. The secret? A lightweight conditioner applied from mid-lengths to the ends.
Hair Therapy: Aveda Damage Remedy Restructuring Conditioner, £18, (aveda.co.uk) is lightweight yet deeply moisturising. Locks soak up Ojonís Restorative Leave-in Treatment, £29.50 (available from John Lewis). Light reflecting Mica Crystals enhance the brilliance of colour. Kevin Murphy is a top Australian catwalk hair stylist who has created his own range. His hydrate.me.rinse, £14.95, (01282 613413) contains ingredients which are proven to seal up the cracks on the hair shaft. Kylie Minogue is a devotee of the brand.
Add Texture: Using the right styling product can knock years off your hair. When Jennifer Lopez dropped starchy hair for a natural looking style she went from frumpy to fashionista. On-message hair was spied at Roberto Cavalli where the mussed-up, bohemian styles looked disheveled, delicious and downright sexy. The secret is to work with formulas that give hold along with flexibility. Use fingers and palms for tools they're perfect for creating edgy looking tresses.
Hair Therapy: Umberto Giannini Backcomb In A Bottle, £5.49 creates a high crown with plenty of rough texture. Matrix Messy Couture mould paste, £9.95 (0800 387 608) melts into your hands and keeps hair softly twisted. Sebastian Professional Microweb Fiber, £14.10 (sebastianprofessional.com) is designed to weave a weightless net into the hair for shaping and sculpting.
Glisten And Gloss: Zac Posen captured expensive looking hair luxuriously on his catwalk. Gloss is your styles encore. Adding polish enhances texture and turn up the wattage on your colour. Taming frizz also makes for a calmer and therefore younger effect on your face. If hair looks hassled so do you!
Hair Therapy: Alterna Glitterati Shine & Define Balm, £22.50 (out October alternahaircare.com) is rich in Omega-3 fatty acids to help smooth the hair shaft and turn up the shine. Fudge Head Shine, £9.95 (fudge.com) imparts light reflecting particles. No wonder Jennifer Aniston and Dannii Minogue lust the range. Charles Worthington's Brilliant Shine Salon Finish All Over Gloss Spray, £4.99 has a mirror shine formula.
By Jacqui Ripley
