Your shampoos, masks and other hair-care products contain many different ingredients, which all have different effects on your hair. Here’s a look at the main effects of these ingredients that make up your favourite care products.

Keratin is definitely the star ingredient at the moment. It does wonders to your hair thanks to its many advantageous properties. Since keratin acts on many levels, it leaves hair shinier and more supple. It also thickens hair by filling in ‘gaps’ in the hair shaft. This makes styling much easier. “At Jean Louis David, we have developed Keratin Therapy which has a long-lasting effect because the product can be bought and used at home, prolonging the effects.”

There are also many oils that come to our rescue. Jojoba oil has the best hair softening properties. It makes untangling and styling easier but can also be used on the ends for hydration. “Similarly, you have sweet almond oil and olive oil which nourish fragile or simply dehydrated hair.” But don’t go overboard, as these oils can weigh-down your hair. To add extra shine, there is silk protein. “The same advice applies here, to avoid weighing your hair down, don’t use protein-based products exclusively.”

For strong and healthy hair, there are a few ingredients that can lend a hand. Both caffeine and carnitine can be a great help. “Caffeine promotes healthy hair growth and is used in many anti-hair loss treatments and carnitine helps prevent hair loss and strengthens weaker hair.”

Our tip: These ingredients found in your hair-care products should be used in alternation with gentler shampoos and products designed for your current hair state or type. This is because if these ingredients are left on your hair for a long time or used too regularly you risk weighing your hair down, which will mean you lose volume.