Audrey Hepburn's hair savior Philip Kingsley on the critical mistakes you're making

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There is a wrong shampoo or conditioner for your hair type
FEMAIL called on the Trichologists at Philip Kingsley to share solutions
Shouldn't use pure oil on dry hair as only makes it even drier

Published: 02:42 EST, 31 July 2015 | Updated: 11:09 EST, 31 July 2015

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It's something we all do on a near daily basis, but could the reason behind those all-too-frequent 'bad hair days' be because you're using the wrong brushes, shampoo, conditioner and styling products for your hair type?

There is, in fact, a wrong way to wash and style your hair, and getting it wrong can take your hair from silky and shiny to totally lackluster and damaged.

FEMAIL called on the Trichologists at Philip Kingsley - the man credited with saving Audrey Hepburn's hair - to share their insider knowledge on what you're doing wrong and the simple steps to make sure you do it right.

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FEMAIL called on the Trichologists at Philip Kingsley to share their insider knowledge on what you're doing wrong when it comes to washing and styling your hair

Avoid a bristle brush

It may have become every woman's secret hair weapon - with even Cara Delevingne listing it as an essential - but experts suggest it's best avoiding a detangling hair brush with bristles that are too rough on the hair.

Rather than using a bristle brush (like a Tangle Teezer), they recommend you stick to combing the hair using a wide-toothed comb when you’re in the shower waiting for conditioner to set.

This, the experts say, smooths hair and helps prevent breakage because it closes the hair shaft.

Philip Kinglsey met Audrey Hepburn In 1974 and created a unique combination of ingredients to help save her locks. It is today know as Elasticizer and claims to improve stretchability, giving hair more strength and control, without heaviness

Philip Kingsley on creating a product for Audrey Hepburn

Don't wash conditioner out too thoroughly

There is a correct technique when it comes to washing your locks - and many people get it wrong.

Firstly, wet your hair very well. Not only will you need to use less product, but, as water helps the shampoo to suspend dirt particles, it also means that it will be more effective.

After doing this, rub a small amount of shampoo between the palms of your hands and smooth it over the top of your hair. Gently massage it into your scalp for around one minute, letting the suds run down the lengths of your strands.

Do not pile your hair on top of your head as this can cause tangling and matting. It is very important to rinse thoroughly. One of the most common causes of dull looking hair is improper rinsing out of shampoo.

But, advise the experts, don't rinse your conditioner out too thoroughly because you want the moisturising properties to work their magic. Many women spend too long rinsing their hair after conditioning and it can strip it of the conditioner's benefits.

Don't use pure oils on dry hair

Applying pure oil to the hair/scalp will just make it greasy and it could cause irritation. In their pure form, oils simply sit on top of the hair and do not penetrate it.

Oily emulsions containing high quantities of silicones, while initially making your hair look better, can be very drying in the long term.

Instead, opt for high quality oils that are formulated into water-based products (i.e. creams) can be beneficial to all hair textures. They strengthen the hair and add gloss and shine.

Do use heavier products on thick hair

Thick hair is coarse and often curly and unruly so needs products that smooth the strands and increase manageability and shine.

Coarse hair is also more porous, and so products that add extra hydration are extremely important to its look and feel. One product is not going to do all of these things, so the key is to choose a combination of different ones that suite your needs.

Look for shampoos and conditioners specifically for coarse hair. Good ingredients include Babassu oil, glycerine and Vitamin B5. In terms of styling products, use slightly heavier ones containing a mixture of oils, such as olive and castor seed oil.

Beware of 'organic' shampoos

This is mostly a marketing ploy. Many people think that products labeled as ‘natural’ or ‘organic’ are much better for them. However, a product only needs a teeny tiny amount of a natural or organic ingredient to be labeled as such. The rest of the ingredients are most likely similar to all other products.

Even if the formula contains a large quantity of organic ingredient, preservatives and stabilisers still have to be used to keep it from turning rancid, changing colour or consistency and separating – and probably in higher amounts.

If you wish to find a truly natural product, with no additives, it would have to be kept in the fridge and would expire within roughly a week. I am not saying these products are bad for you, but that the terms are misleading.

A product only needs a teeny tiny amount of a natural or organic ingredient to be labeled as such. The rest of the ingredients are most likely similar to all other products

Hair doesn't used to the same shampoo

A shampoo does not stop working because your hair gets used to it. It usually occurs because your hair has changed. For instance, you may have had it cut, coloured, relaxed, straightened or grown it longer. Or the season may have changed i.e. it is more humid, the sun is stronger or the air is dryer. Your state of health or hormone levels may also be different from recent illness or your monthly cycle. The same shampoo used on the same hair under the same conditions produces the same results.

Haircare is the new skin care

In general, we are taking better care of our hair than ever before. People are starting to realise the importance of scalp health and general health in relation to hair health. There has therefore been a shift from using products that simply mask problems, to using those that actually nourish and strengthen both the hair and scalp. And this is similar to how we take care of our skin.

To meet these needs, there has been an explosion in products such as hair masks, scalp masks and scalp toners, as well as nutritional supplements to nourish the hair internally.

HOW PHILIP KINGSLEY SAVED AUDREY HEPBURN'S HAIR

Here, the esteemed hair and scalp expert recounts his tale...

'I met Audrey Hepburn In 1974. She had booked by the name of Mrs Dotti (she was married to Andre Dotti, an Italian doctor) and I had no idea it was Audrey Hepburn until I was face to face with her in my consulting room.

'Although I had all the well-known names in entertainment coming to my clinic, it was still a thrill to meet her. Her complaint was unmanageability. She and the film studio were unhappy about the way her hair behaved whilst filming, and as a consequence were incorrectly overdoing the shampooing and conditioning aspects.

'I was already making pre-shampoo conditioner, but Audrey needed something different and fast. I went into my lab and quickly mixed together a unique (at the time) combination of ingredients that would (I hoped) moisturise and smooth the hair and give it shine without weighing it down. It was a super pre-shampoo moisturising conditioner, which was washed out leaving a microscopic amount adsorbed onto the hair.

'Audrey was ecstatic and so was I, and she used it until she died in 1993. I did not call it Elasticizer until 1980. Since, it has been tweaked here and there to improve its performance. The name Elasticizer was also a flash of ‘genius’ because hair has elastic properties i.e. it stretches a third of its length before it breaks and Elasticizer improves this stretchability, giving it more strength and control, without heaviness.

'Now, it is my ‘hero’ product, selling more than any other in my range, and multi award-winning world-wide.'