Your Healthy Haircare Routine With Trichologist & Brand President Of Philip Kingsley, Anabel Kingsley
If youâre anything like us, youâll have dreamed of replicating those luscious locks that you often see your favourite celebrities sporting on the red carpet but let's be real: Hollywood hair often involves an entire glam squad, high-powered treatments, and sometimes even a little help from hair extensions. But what if we were to tell you that you can achieve healthy, radiant hair from the comfort of your own home using the very formulas the silver screen and catwalk queens love? Today weâre joined by Anabel Kingsley, the Brand President and Trichologist (not to mention the daughter of the late, great) Philip Kingsley.
The haircare brand trusted by stylists and A-listers alike, Philip Kingsley have over 50 years of expertise in making manes the main attraction. With their science-backed approach, they offer a unique blend of luxury and efficacy to help you unlock your hair's true potential. Whether you're battling dryness, craving vibrancy from your colour, or simply seeking a touch of Hollywood glamour, Philip Kingsley has a tailored solution to give you damage-defying, lustrous locks.
The Experts In Trichology And Holistic Hair Health
Philip Kingsley began his hair journey in the same way that many a budding hair professional does â sweeping the salon floor. âMy father, Philip Kingsley, began his career sweeping hair from the floor of his uncleâs Bethnal Green salon.â Anabel says, âhe originally wanted to be a doctor but couldnât afford medical school. Over the years of working in his uncleâs salon, he became fascinated with hair and scalp health â specifically hair loss and scalp conditions and the impact hair can have on self-esteem.â With encouragement from his family, Anabel told us that Philip saved up to study at The Institute of Trichologists, where he graduated in 1953.
But what exactly does trichology entail? âTrichology is the scientific study of the hair and scalp.â Anabel says, âjust as if you have a concern regarding the skin on your face or body you would see a Dermatologist, you can see a Trichologist for any problem concerning the skin on your scalp and the hair that grows from it.â
After earning his degree, Philip later went on to open the brandâs London Trichological Clinic in 1968 where he saw clients for all manner of hair and scalp issues.
There was something special about Philip Kingsley and his extensive knowledge of hair, as Anabel says, âmy father was often nicknamed hair careâs best kept secret. He became known as âthe hair doctorâ and âhair guruâ and had a stellar client list of Hollywood actors, musicians, models, politicians and even royalty who visited our Clinics (now also in New York), and still do today.â His name, along with the transformative effects his clients saw, spread the word of mouth about Philip Kingsley rapidly. He had a revolutionary approach to hair and scalp health, being the first to adopt a holistic approach to hair health â looking into diet, stress levels, and genetics.
âMy father initially formulated products in his laboratory to give to Clinic clients.â Anabel said. âWe now have a full retail product range sold at most premium and beauty retailers, plus a clinical product range akin to medical grade skincare only available via prescription at our Trichological Clinics.â
Weâre sure youâve heard of Philip Kingsleyâs arguably most popular product, the Elasticizer, but did you know, this iconic product was created for the incredible Audrey Hepburn? âOur iconic Elasticizer was originally a waterless beauty product â something that would have been extremely innovative today!â Anabel says. âIt really did take quite a while to perfect the formula. My father formulated around half a dozen different variations for Audrey to trial before they got it just right. He used to mix the ingredients himself in the lab at our Clinic, and clients mixed it themselves with water at home, and applied it to dry hair. After a while our team realised it would be more effective to apply to damp or wet hair, as this raises the cuticle allowing the product to more effectively penetrate, which is why we now advise it is applied to damp hair.â
Targeted Care For Healthier Hair Â
Anabel explains that the Philip Kingsley Trichological teams at their Clinics have helped tens of thousands of women and men dealing with a huge range of concerns surrounding everything from hair loss and reduced hair volume to scalp conditions such as psoriasis and dandruff, as well as cosmetic conditions including chemical and mechanical damage. âOur retail range is designed to help with every hair and scalp concern and grant your healthiest head of hair possibleâ Anabel says. âNot only do our products give outstanding cosmetic results, they leave your hair and scalp healthier.â
Science and Innovation
As Anabel explains, all Philip Kingsley retail products are based on decades of experience working with hair and scalp at their Trichological Clinics in London and New York, with many retail products stemming from their handmade clinical formulations. âWe have hands-on experience with tens of thousands of heads of hair and every possible hair texture and scalp concern, therefore our formulas truly are results-based.â Anabel says, âeach ingredient, and its percentage within our formulas, has really been put through its paces and is trichologist approved.â
What Should Your Healthy Haircare Routine Consist Of?
When it comes to achieving and maintaining healthy hair, what should our at home haircare routine involve to keep our strands looking salon-fresh?Â
Use A Weekly Scalp Serum
Anabel says itâs important to always give your hair and scalp the same TLC you give the skin on your face. She recommends firstly using a scalp serum. âHair growth is closely linked to the health of your scalp. Your scalp is your hairâs support system and if it is flaky, overly oily, or dry it can impact how your strands grow.â Anabel recommends applying a scalp balancing serum before bed when transepidermal water loss is at its highest and your skinâs permeability is best. âOur Overnight Scalp Barrier Serum works with your skinâs natural circadian rhythm to regulate oil production, hydrate, soothe and gently exfoliate.â She explains. âIf youâre someone whoâs prone to shedding, our Density Preserving Scalp Drops are amazing, these can be used at the opposite end of the day to our Barrier Serum.â
Break Away From Heated Styling
Anabel also recommends giving your hair a break from heated styling tools. âHigh heat can burn strands, dry them out and cause breakage.â She explains. âYou donât have to completely part ways with your dryer, but whenever you do blow dry, use a low to medium heat setting, donât hold your dryer right next to your strands, and turn it off when your hair is âjust dryâ. And always use a heat protector!â
Be Gentle With Your Strands
Itâs super-important to always use a gentle hairbrush. âThe wrong type of hairbrush can cause a huge amount of damage to strands, but itâs hard to tell when your brush is harming your hair as hair doesnât have nerve endings.â Anabel says. âTest your brush on the back of your hand: if it feels scratchy or harsh, itâs too rough for your hair. Brushes with rounded, plastic prongs and vented, cushioned bases are best. Moreover, any of our pre-shampoo treatments always make for a great self-care treat!â
Eat Healthily And Take A Supplement
Itâs also important to eat a healthy, balanced, colourful diet and take a hair supportive supplement. Your hair is very sensitive to any dietary inadequacies and as it isnât an essential tissue, at least physically, it is the last part of us to receive anything we ingest and the first to be withheld from. Anabel explains: âHair cells are also the second fastest dividing cells our body makes, so its energy demands are high. Donât skip meals and be sure to eat enough protein, vitamin B12, and iron-rich foods, as well as complex carbohydrates. Hair is made of protein, ferritin (stored iron) and vitamin B12 are neede to sustain anagen (the hairâs growth phase), and complex carbs give strands a slow and sustained release of energy.â Anabel expands, âas hairâs nutritional demands are so unique, taking a supplement can be very helpful in giving strands some extra support. Density Healthy Hair Complex and Amino Acid Protein Booster are trichologically formulated for your hairâs unique requirements.âÂ
Inject Volume Into Lacklustre Locks
If youâre looking to add a little va-va-voom to your tresses, Anabel recommends the Body Building range thatâs amazing for lifting and boosting fine, flat, limp hair which tends to get oily quickly. âIt is designed to give weightless volume and bounce, so wonât weigh fine strands or roots down.â Anabel says. âUse all four products in the range together as a full routine for maximum volume and body.â
Dry And Damaged Hair Saviours
In Anabelâs expert opinion, what is one of the best things you can do to ensure your hair is at its shiniest, bounciest, and strongest? âUse a weekly pre-shampoo deep conditioning treatment.â Anabel says, âI love our multi award-winning Elasticizer, it increases hairâs ability to stretch before breaking, plumps your strands with moisture and provides bounce and manageability, while smoothing the outer hair cuticle to add shine. If you bleach or colour your hair, alternate between Elasticizer and our Bond Builder Pre-Shampoo Treatment, which strengthens the chemical bonds that are damaged during chemical processes.â
Tackle Itchy/Flaky Scalps
Dandruff and itchy scalps can be an annoying, and even embarrassing issue. But there are products that can help. âOur award-winning Flaky/Itchy range encompasses shampoo, conditioner, toner and mask to effectively treat flaky, itchy scalps and target the root cause of dandruff.â Anabel says. With each formula packed with proven anti-dandruff ingredients like piroctone olamine and lauryl betaine, the whole range is ideal for anyone experiencing irritation, itching, excessive oiliness, or outbreaks of flakes.
Whatâs Next For Philip Kingsley?
We asked Anabel if she could tell us whatâs next for Philip Kingsley, and what we can expect to see over the next few years. The goal, Anabel said, is for the brand to be the most trusted hair care brand worldwide. âWhilst we are established in our home market, there are still so many people yet to discover the brand at home in the UK and in global territories.â Anabel said. âHistorically, like many brands, we focused on a target consumer but ultimately everybody has a scalp to care for, and scalp health is the bedrock of hair health! The mission is to cement ourselves as the originators in scalp science, care, and health.â We canât wait to see what happens next!
Weâd like to say a huge thank you to the wonderful Anabel for speaking with us today and sharing this incredible information. Ready to treat your tresses? You can shop all the products mentioned in this post below. Happy shopping!
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