StyleNest visits Richard Ward for a L’Oreal “Pro Fiber” Fix.
Beauty editors have hailed it the “haircure” that cares for your hair like a manicure does for your fingernails, As self-confessed slave to the CND Shellac, I was excited to try it out for myself.
A recent study showed that 59% of women are worried about the effects of damaged hair. It’s no wonder, given that we are a nation of heat styling, blow drying, backcombing, wet hair brushing, top-knot loving ladies.
Hailed as a “new era in haircare”, Pro Fiber is designed to combat levels of damage across all hair types. So whether you feel as though you need to give your tresses a little attention or you’re at damage SOS level- help is at hand.
On a blustery wintery weekday, I visited the famous Richard Ward Salon in Chelsea. Dubbed the media’s “most wanted” hairdresser, with an enviable client list of A-listers to the Royals. Located just off the King’s Road, the salon has had a recent chic makeover. I arrived on a Tuesday morning, having narrowly avoided the rain and walked through the doors, channelling the windswept rush hour look. I was welcomed into an oasis of calm, with clients lounging by the bar area sipping cappuccinos and smoothies as they leisurely waited for their appointments.
My stylist, Tommy assessed the quality and damage level of my hair. The Pro Fiber range has three levels of treatment- 1 being mild damage and 3 for hair in need of intense repair. I discussed my home styling washing routine before Tommy graciously rated me a level 1 (phew).
After a quick wash, my stylist put a small tube of the treatment through my wet hair, left for 5 mins and blow-dried it. Once rinsed, the leave-in pre blow dry serum was applied, offering more strength and heat protection. This serum smells like summer holidays – a mixture between ice-cream and sunscreen, which transported me to sunnier climes, despite being in wintery west London. Gone are the days of sitting with your head in a sink for half an hour waiting for your hair to take to the treatment.
And now for the science bit: Experts have been researching, testing and trialing the product for 7 years. They discovered a long lasting way of locking in molecules within the hair fibre, called the APTYL 100 molecular complex. This means that the effect happens as soon as you have the treatment, and carries on for another 6 weeks (or depending on how often you wash your hair) Catatonic polymers act as a protective sheath which cover the surface of the hair which makes it feel silky and smooth.
Normally, the WOW factor you get from a blow dry loses its novelty once you wash your hair at home. We’ve all been there, leave the salon feeling like you’ve just stepped out of a shampoo ad but when it’s time to wash your locks, it’s back to square one. With the Pro Fiber, the process starts in the salon and is recharged at home for up to six weeks by applying the “boosters” to reboot the effectiveness and lasting power of the salon treatment. My hair feels so much healthier, shinier and passes the mirror (or indeed any reflective surface) test! It really is the protecting blow dry that keeps on giving.
Full Treatment package price, RRP £65 (PRICES MAY VARY BETWEEN SALONS)
Find out more and discover your local stockist here or visit Richard Ward at richardward.com