From Hair Colours to Cult Products, This Is What You Need For Good Hair Days

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There is no denying it. A good hair day can make you look and feel in top form. Who doesn't want healthy-looking hair, great hair colour and even the latest hair tool to achieve a salon-worthy style? But good hair days can sometimes be few and far between. Just as a good hair day can change our mood for the better, a bad hair day can have the opposite effect. Whether it's hair that is parched and lacklustre, hair colour that's in need of a reboot, or a haircut that just isn't inspiring you anymore, sometimes changing up our hair routines is often the key to getting out of a hair rut. After all, there is nothing like a new haircut or colour at the salon to put a spring in your step.

Enter our Good Hair Report, which is your download on how to get your best hair yet. Ahead, you'll find everything you need to reboot your hair game. From haircut trends (that also happen to be timeless, FYI) to hair colours that will put you one step ahead of the fashion set, you'll find plenty of inspiration here.

Great hair doesn't stop at the salon, however, so you'll also find the trending hair tools to get to grips with, hairstyles to try and the very best hair care to ensure your crowning glory remains just that. Keep reading to guarantee more good hair days to come.

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"Bobs are a classic haircut that never truly go out of style," says Suzie McGill, artistic director At Rainbow Room International. "For autumn/winter, we will see bobs becoming thicker and blunter in appearance, styled super sleek and smooth to enhance hair shine and paired with an eyebrow skimming full fringe," she says. 

"We will also see the return of A-line, elongated bobs that come back on trend time and time again," says McGill. "These should gradually get longer towards the front, where they will also appear fuller and sharper in appearance. A great thing about this haircut is that due to it having an angle, it works for all face shapes and it’s a particularly great choice for those with rounder face shapes who are looking for a haircut that gives the illusion of a lengthened face." Why not brave the chop this season?

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What is "the Sachel" haircut? It's a hybrid between the shag and "the Rachel" nineties haircut that Jennifer Aniston made famous during Friends. "'The Sachel' is where the shag meets 'the Rachel,'" says BaByliss ambassador and celebrity session stylist, Syd Hayes. "If you’ve been growing your shag, this is the perfect moment to rock the modern Rachel—keep it modern by keeping the shape around the face a little longer, but still featuring those sliced layers," he says. "Apply R+Co Zig Zag Root Teasing and Texture Spray for added oomph."

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There is no denying that red hair has made a huge resurgence in 2022, and right now copper hair is having a moment. "Shiny, luxurious coppers are one of the colours of the season," says McGill. The perfect tone for the season, think bright copper meets brunette. "This shade is softer and more subtle than the bright copper orange or the red hair trend and has an almost brunette coating to it but it still looks fiery," she says.

"This hair colour is so beautiful and instantly adds a glow to your complexion. It's best when the hair looks as healthy as possible with extreme shine, therefore, having regular treatments in the salon and using colour-saving shampoos is a must to keep the colour looking vibrant," she adds.

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(Image credit: @styleheroine@dualipa@duckiethot)

You've heard of glazed nails (all thanks to Hailey Bieber's viral nail look), but for this season, our hair is being given a similar treatment. Wella Professionals digital craft expert Jordanna Cobella predicts that we'll see brunettes take on dark olive and violet tones to their hair. Think rich brunettes with a glossy yet subtle cool undertone, that may appear almost blue or violet in a certain light.

"Brunettes will see an autumnal refresh with calming dark olive and violet tones added to remove any warmth while adding depth and a pop of unexpected colour," says Cobella. "Glazed olive brunette looks its best when the hair has a luxurious shine, so try Wella Professionals Oil Reflections Luminous Oil (£18.50) to add a mirror-like shine to the hair with long-lasting hydration and moisture."

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There is no doubt that hair bond builders' have been gaining momentum in recent years, which became popular through in-salon treatments such as Olaplex. Now, there are many at-home options available that promise to transform hair breakage and colour-damaged lengths. "As hair grows further from the scalp, it suffers accumulating lifestyle damage and the internal structure breaks down, the cuticle lifts and the hair shaft thins down towards the ends," explains hairdresser Michael Van Clarke. "Bond builders seek to repair some of the molecular connections like the disulphide bonds, and fill voids that have opened up."

But not all bond builders are created equal. "Since the market niche was created, it has ballooned with hundreds of competing products using the bond-building tag to attract buyers," explains Van Clarke. "This also attracts marketers to play semantics, and many products claiming bond repair simply use silicone or plasticisers to varnish over the cracks."

The best way to find out if a product is actually repairing bonds is to check if it contains silicones, which act as a temporary plaster. "If they contain silicones (such a dimethicone or cyclopentasiloxane), it will look lovely today, but they dehydrate and age the hair quicker over time," says Van Clarke. Try these ones ahead to ensure you get great results.

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(Image credit: @aimeesong, SPOTLIGHT, @stellasimona )

If you live in an area with hard water (which tends to be higher in minerals as it passes through limestone or chalk), you may notice a difference if you shower in an area with "soft" water, or find that your hair feels and looks better when washing it on holiday. Deposits in "hard" water can make hair look dull, feel rough and even distort your hair colour—making it fade more quickly in-between salon appointments. Blonde hair can become brassy and fresh highlights can become dull quickly if you live in a "hard" water area.

Thankfully, brands are addressing this problem with a number of different treatments. Filters can slot onto your shower to directly filter out these minerals that may otherwise cling to the hair, while in-shower treatments and styling products can help lift residue from the hair that leeches the life out of lengths. The result? Hair that is left feeling clean and bouncy with a vibrant shine and colour.

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Hayes has coined "Botticelli waves" as one of the emerging styling trends for autumn and winter, and we're here for it. Renaissance painter Sandro Botticelli often painted women with long, ethereal waves which give the trend its namesake, and now we're turning to this renaissance hair trend for 2022.

Whether you are blessed with naturally curly hair or not, everyone can experiment with this hairstyle trend. Have naturally straight hair? "Turn those beach waves into something more structured," he says. "Use the Babyliss 9000 Cordless Waver to keep your waves looking incredible," he says. You could even plait your hair in smaller sections overnight and undo them come morning for effortless Botticelli waves. And if you are blessed with naturally curly hair, turn to products that give definition and shine, and like the hairstylers ones below to enhance your natural texture.

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And finally, if you just don't have the time that you would like to give to your hair, allow me to introduce you back to hair accessories. Whether you opt for headbands, clips, hair slides or bows, hair accessories are a game-changer for making you look like you put a ton of effort into your hair, when in reality they take mere moments to add to your hairstyle.

A simple ponytail is given a luxe update with a gold cuff hairband, or a wide headband is a life-saver on mornings when not even dry shampoo can save your roots. My personal favourite is adding a velvet bow to any hairstyle, which not only makes you look put together but also adds a little Parisian flare to your outfit.

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Up Next: Trust Us—These 9 Autumn/Winter 2022 Hair Trends Are Everywhere Right Now

Beauty Editor, Who What Wear UK

Eleanor Vousden is the beauty editor of Who What Wear UK. She was previously deputy editor at Hairdressers Journal, health writer at Woman & Home and junior beauty editor at beauty website Powder. She has also contributed to Wallpaper and Elle Collections with written and styling work.

Working as a beauty journalist since 2015 after graduating in fashion journalism at the London College of Fashion, she has been highly commended at the BSME Talent Awards and also contributed to Powder, winning Website of the Year at the PPA Awards for her work in beauty journalism.

Eleanor’s journalistic focus is to provide readers with honest and helpful beauty content. Through words, video and live broadcast, she has interviewed several celebrity makeup artists, hairstylists and top dermatologists throughout her career. She has a particular interest in finding solutions for acne and eczema, which she has experienced firsthand. She has also amassed a large collection of fragrances and can never say no to a new candle.

When she’s not writing or testing the latest beauty product or treatments, she’s on the seafront in her hometown of Brighton and Hove, where she lives with her partner.