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How to Get Healthier Hair According to a Hollywood Pro

When the guy who does Gisele’s hair gives you advice, you listen

After changing the way we eat, exercise, prepare for bedtime and care for our skin, the wellness movement is eyeing a new frontier: our hair. 

While mussed up manes may have been all the rage for a while, hairstylists are now seeing a return to shiny, smooth, freshly trimmed tresses. “People are much more mindful about everything these days,” says celebrity pro Harry Josh, whose list of regulars includes Gisele Bündchen, Miranda Kerr, Lily Aldridge and Kate Bosworth. “Everyone’s concerned with the health of their bodies, and now their hair as well.”

 

 
 
 
 
 
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A post shared by Harry Josh (@harryjoshhair)

 

Josh began noticing the shift when everyone came out of lockdown. For the first time in years, his high-profile clients had let their hair just… be. No constant blow-drying, straightening, curling and colouring for months on end. “People were like, ‘I’ve never had virgin hair and it looks so healthy!’ So that inspired part of it. And then also I think just overall, people didn’t want to get sick; they wanted to be the picture of health in every aspect: their skin, their body, their hair.”

That’s why Josh is excited to partner with Kerasilk for its newly revamped line of products. The entire range is not only focused on repairing and preventing damage, but it’s now also vegan, climate neutral, free from sulfates, parabens, dyes and micro plastics, and housed in packaging made from recycled materials. “It’s a performance hair brand that’s about wellness,” he says.

 

 
 
 
 
 
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A post shared by Harry Josh (@harryjoshhair)

 

As someone who regularly gets people ready for the red carpet or photoshoots, he admits his focus had always mostly been on immediate results rather than long-term care. “I would think, ‘Is this product going to give me the lift I’m looking for?’ But I was never concerned about whether something was actually doing something good for the hair. So I had a bit of an epiphany last year.”

That’s around the time every woman who sat in his chair started asking him for the same thing: healthy, gorgeous hair. Even the ones who wanted to go platinum or bright red wanted their hair to still look and feel super healthy. “That’s really important to everyone now,” he says. So how does he do it? Josh generously agreed to spill his secrets for us.

Nourish without weighing down

If you want your hair to be healthier, the easiest ways are to cut off all the fried bits and steer clear of bleach. But because Josh knows a lot of people—A-listers included—want to hold on to as much length as possible and keep colouring their hair, he’s thankfully got other ways to up shine and smoothness. “If you don’t want to get a cut, at least make it look healthy,” he says. Start by looking for a conditioner and mask with repairing benefits. While many might feel heavy and leave hair flat, the new ones from Kerasilk get his seal of approval as they deeply nourish but still make strands airy and bouncy. Another of his must-haves is the brand’s Multi Benefit Oil. “I really like it because of how lightweight it is. It’s a far cry from the defrizzing oils of the ’90s that made everyone’s hair greasy.” Instead, this one vanishes into strands and infuses them with moisturizing shea oil and biomimetic silk, which replenishes amino acids inside and outside of hair. Split ends are sealed, flyaways are tamed and frizz is under control for up to 72 hours. 

how to get healthier hair kerasilk hair oil
Kerasilk Multi Benefit Hair Oil, $38, chatters.ca Photo: Kerasilk
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Always use heat protection

Another big thing you can do for healthier hair is forgoing hot tools. But again, Josh knows everyone like a good blowout or flowing waves or sleek straight hair now and then. That’s why his next commandment is to always use heat protection. Luckily, a lot of the Kerasilk products—like the aforementioned Multi Benefit oil—sneak in a thermal shield, which makes it super easy. Take the Multi-Purpose Hairspray, for example, another one of Josh’s go-to’s: “It’s very, very light, and because it has heat protectors in there, if you want to do a touch up, you can go ahead and use your curling iron or flat iron without having to start from scratch.” Turn the spray head to the left for hot tool styling then spin it to the right once you’re done to set your style. It serves up long-lasting yet flexible hold (no crunchiness) while also amping up shine. 

how to get healthier hair kerasilk hairspray harry josh
Kerasilk Multi-Purpose Hairspray, $40, chatters.ca Photo: Kerasilk
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Conceal the damage

“If you’re not willing to cut your hair, you need to invest in masking your dead ends.” The pro means that literally—as in you should use a good mask once a week—and figuratively, meaning a little subterfuge is in order. Enter one of Josh’s current favourites: Kerasilk’s Liquid Cuticle Filler. You know how dry skin can sometimes look flaky? The same can happen with hair if it’s been sensitized: The cuticles lift up instead of laying flat. This product, which banks on blue lotus extract and that strengthening biomimetic silk, rebuilds hair’s surface, patching up any tears and making each strand nice and smooth so it can reflect light. “It gives you the illusion of beautiful soft, shiny, strong hair,” says Josh. “It’s a very clever product because there’s nothing that’s lightweight that does that without making hair feel like there’s something in it.”

how to get healthier hair kerasilk liquid cuticle filler
Kerasilk Liquid Cuticle Filler, $38, chatters.ca Photo: Kerasilk
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Add texture without grit

It used to be that one had to choose between tousled movement and soft, touchable hair. You couldn’t have both. “So many texturizing sprays out there work—they give that rock ’n roll bedhead—but your hair feels so gross,” says Josh. “You’re like, ‘Yeah, it looks amazing in a picture, but I can’t even run my fingers through it.’” Kerasilk’s answer to that problem is a spray that musses up your mane just so, making it look sexy and a bit undone, without leaving the slightest hint of stiffness or stickiness. Hair still moves and feels soft to the touch. And unlike a lot of sprays which rely on powders to create texture and thus mattify hair, this one yields a satin-like finish, so hair looks cool and unfussy but still totally healthy. Because even though it’s a styling aid, it’s still laced with conditioning ingredients. “So many people are like, ‘I need to give my hair a break,’ but you don’t need to with these products,” says Josh. “You can still have the performance without feeling like you’re filling your hair with crap all the time.”

how to get healthier hair kerasilk texturizing spray harry josh
Kerasilk Texturizing Finishing Spray, $40, chatters.ca Photo: Kerasilk
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