Hailed as one of the beauty industry’s most respected and knowledgeable experts, Ricardo Vila Nova was asked to be part of an esteemed panel of judges for the most recent Marie Claire UK Hair Awards.
“Each year we set ourselves the task of finding the very best wash and care, styling, treatments and tools in the industry to help you navigate the ever confusing and saturated market,” shares Senior Beauty Editor Katie Thomas. And of course, Ricardo knows a thing or two about what to look for when it comes to haircare formulas and how best to look after your tresses at home. He shared his top tips with Marie Claire during their awards ceremony, and here’s what he had to say…
Look after your scalp
“When I started exploring the realm of trichology one of my main concerns was how people approached scalp care. Despite the fact that the scalp is also skin, peoples scalp care rituals were non-existent, while their skincare regimes had countless steps. There has been a lack of understanding about the corelation between a healthy scalp and beautiful, health hair. But if that’s what you’re after, and frankly, who isn’t – then adopting a scalp care routine is key. And a routine worth its salt will include products that will balance the scalp pH, boost hydration, exfoliate and increase blood flow to boost growth and repair. Thankfully to achieve the above, we’re seeing a rise in traditional skincare products and devices now becoming available for the scalp – think, LED red light, scalp serums and massage tools.”
Invest in peptides
“When it comes to thinning hair and hair loss, peptides can make a huge impact. Made up of amino acids – the building blocks of our hair – you can confidently rely on peptides (in the right doses) to strengthen, protect, soften, smooth and increase density. This is thanks to their ability to stimulate blood flow to better feed each follicle with oxygen and nutrients, as well as increase cuticle proliferation – both aiding in hair growth. Unlike polymer based volumising products that offer the instant feeling of thicker hair, peptides work from within programming how your hair is going to grow in the future, which is rather clever indeed.”
Style responsibly
“Hair is meant to be enjoyed, that’s the magic of it! So, if you’re colouring, relaxing or heat styling your hair which of course can cause damage, be sure to do it responsibly. Yes, damage like split ends can’t be reversed per se, but what you can do is try to negate some of the issues that arise from chemical and heat use. Mainly the breaking of the disulphide bonds within our hair that are responsible for the shape, strength, shin and elasticity of our locks. When these bonds break, a loss of elasticity which leads to brittleness and breakage of the hair ensues. Counteract this loss of elasticity by using a protein rich bonding product. With each use the proteins build up inside the fibres of the hair, helping to repair all of the damage that chemical and heat styling has caused to the internal and external structure of the hair. This allows you to wave goodbye to damage.”
For more tips and product recommendations from Vila Nova, and to discover all the Marie Claire UK Hair Awards winners click here.
