The perfect hairstyle – who isn’t in search of it? I’ve been told a haircut can make you look 10 years younger – and a few inches taller! I know I couldn’t live without my fringe. It’s like my comfort blanket, covering up my wrinkles and disguising my moon face.

I’ve been peroxide blonde, chocolate brown and even candyfloss pink over the years and loved the excitement and drama of changing styles – but hated the long, arduous journey of trying to rectify my colour mistakes.

Fortunately, in my job there are no restrictions on crazy colours. Once when I walked out on to the film set I was working on with my new fuchsia hairdo covered with neon pink and orange silk flower hair clips, my director said that I looked like I had a rather lovely allotment on my head!

But this month, I want to share some tips, styles and treatments to look after your crowning glory.

A CUT ABOVE

It’s wonderful to find a hairdresser who you feel comfortable with. If you are still searching, ask a friend for a recommendation – or if you spot someone with a fabulous hairstyle you like, just ask them where they got their hair done. If you hear good things, then book in for a “special occasion” style. This provides a chance for you to try out the hairdresser without pressure to get your hair cut/coloured.

A hairstyle chosen without your face shape in mind can distort your features by changing the balance of your face. A simple rule is that hair should be wide where your face is narrow and vice versa.

THROUGH THICK and THIN

A brilliant cure for thinning hair is to take the mineral silica, which you should be able to find in your local health-food shop. You can get this in capsule form, but I would recommend taking it in liquid form: just a teaspoon added to your morning orange juice. It’s tasteless, but a bit gloopy and looks like Vaseline. After a few weeks you will hopefully see a difference.

I took silica every day for three months when my hair started to fall out after the birth of my second child. It made my skin glow, and my nails and hair grew back strong and healthy.

TO GREY OR NOT TO GREY

Hair becomes grey when the production of the pigment stops. There can be umpteen reasons for this, such as stress, vitamin B12 deficiency, vitiligo and smoking.

I’ve researched a few home remedies that can supposedly prevent hair going grey. Coconut oil massaged into the scalp and lemon juice can prevent grey strands appearing, or take one cup of strong black tea, add one tablespoon of salt into it, massage into your hair and scalp and wash it off after an hour.

If you aren’t seriously grey, getting lowlights or highlights might be the best option, rather than block colour. Colourists can go heavier in the areas where there are only a few greys, to really make them look like highlights.

With darker hair, it’s much harder to disguise the grey peeping through, but Charles Worthington has an Instant Root Concealer from stockists including www.boots.ie at €8.99, which can be a quick fix until you get to your hairdresser.

It gives great coverage, but do wear a towel around your shoulders, and don’t stand near white or cream walls or on a cream carpet because the spray can drop colour. Also be careful around the hairline, as you don’t want the telltale stained-forehead look.

Wearing a thick, pretty hairband or a large pair of sunglasses also helps to hide the grey. My advice is to talk with your hairdresser and see what they think is the best way to disguise your grey. If you do your own colour at home, be very careful – especially with dark hair – so that the colour does not build up and look boot polish brown. That can be very harsh against your skin. Of course, some women simply cannot be bothered to endlessly deal with their grey and going au natural is becoming all the rage. Good on them, I say. I’m going to be honest and say grey hair can be ageing, but if you have self-confidence and like what you see, then give it a go. Grey hair is a sign of wisdom and can look very elegant if cut and styled in a modern way.

TAME THOSE TRESSES

Fuzzy, out-of-control hair can be brilliantly tamed if minded properly. Always use a good shampoo and conditioner. To really treat my tresses, I personally love the Redken range. The Redken “Frizz Dismiss” shampoo and Redken “All Soft” conditioner are marvellously moisturising for unruly locks, from stockists including www.beautyfeatures.ie priced at €21.50 and €28.99 respectively.

For everyday use, L’Oreal Elvive repairing shampoo and conditioner, available from supermarkets and pharmacies for approximately €6 or less, will enrich hair fibres and restore smoothness, and is especially good if hair is limp or weak.

Avoid brushing frizzy hair once it’s dry. Apply a big dollop of the excellent Bed Head Control Freak Frizz Control, available from stockists including www.terrisales.ie at €15.65, then finger dry or towel dry hair to enable the natural curls to form. Using any kind of hairdryer or tong will dry the hair and can cause it to break and go brittle. Revlon Equave Kids detangler spray, also available from stockists including www.terrisales.ie at €14.99, is handy to keep in your handbag and a quick spritz during the afternoon can revive and de-frizz curly hair. Throw the hair forward, squirt detangler all over, finger scrunch, then throw the hair back. Perfect.

BANISH THOSE HEAD LICE!

I don’t know about you, but the dreaded head lice have darkened our door a few times over the last few years. There are plenty of treatments on the market and nit combs, but if your child has a bad case, don’t despair, because help is at hand.

I have found the most amazing herbalist, Bernie McCann Kane, who has started the first-ever “lice clinics” in Westmeath, Longford and Offaly, including a clean, dry treatment that uses controlled, heated air via an Air Alle device from the US to kill lice and eggs. No smell, no water and no mess. The result is science-based, and Bernie is part of a world-leading network of lice-removing professionals. Products start from €35 and treatments from €50 to suit every budget. For more information, visit www.liceclinicwestmeath.com. CL

Email me at dollybuckley1@gmail.com