Next in Beauty Awards 2024: The Winning Hair Products

Welcome to Who What Wear UK’s Next in Beauty Awards 2024. Here, we are crowning and celebrating the very best in beauty, from game-changing industry innovators to the tried-and-tested classics that remain mainstays in our bathroom cabinets and makeup bags. To help us find the worthy winners, we called upon our esteemed panel of industry experts, hard-to-please editors and in-the-know influencers, who put each and every product to the test. We enlisted our judges to document and share their testing for every product they tried, so you can see all the winners in action—as well as those very important before-and-after results. After much testing, swatching and reviewing, the results are in. Join us in celebrating the best hair products of 2024.

Who What Wear UK Next in Beauty Awards 2024: Best Hair Products 

Shampoo is the foundation of a good hair day, and it can make or break the rest of your hairstyling routine. However, Alfaparf Milano’s Detoxifying Low Shampoo won over our judges, who now can’t live without it in their bathrooms. The detoxifying formula gently removes build-up at the roots, leaving hair bouncy and glossy through the lengths.

“The product is one of very few shampoos that make a difference. My hair feels lightweight and instantly cleaner, and looks much thicker and glossier,” says makeup artist Lan Nguyen-Grealis.

Our judges also loved how well it removed product build-up to leave their roots feeling super clean, which even extended the amount of time they could go without shampooing again. “Unlike other detoxifying shampoos, this formula doesn’t strip the hair but it does make it feel incredibly soft after use,” says deputy editor Maxine Eggenberger. “My hair is less greasy and I definitely get an extra day out of it compared to my regular shampoo. My friends told me how shiny my hair looked, and the only difference I had made was using this shampoo, so that speaks for itself,” she says.

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Hello Klean’s efficacious formula impressed our judges, who highlighted how well this helped counteract the effects of hard water on their hair. It’s the brand’s specialism, and its innovative formulas are often found in beauty editors’ showers to help prevent hair colour from fading, reduce scalp irritation and ensure hair looks shinier and healthier. It comes in two versions: one for light and one for dark hair colours, to leave lengths looking and feeling their best.

“I really love this product,” says freelance beauty journalist Laura Pearson. “After just one use, my hair felt so much cleaner and softer compared to other products. It felt so deeply cleansed like I’d washed it twice, but I hadn’t. After using it for multiple weeks, my hair was lasting longer between washes as if it had been properly ‘detoxed’ from any excess product,” she says.

Note: Pearson changed her hair colour between photographing her before image and her after—this is not an effect of the product.

It also impressed our managing editor Poppy Nash. “I have hard water and noticed when I first moved into my house that my hair was suffering. I have long but thin hair and it felt weighed down and flat. Since using this, my hair feels healthier and more nourished,” she says. “I noticed less breakage and it feels softer and more lightweight. Before, my scalp felt a touch greasy and even flaky, but this has sorted me right out!”

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Our judges’ favourite conscious hair product was Hairstory’s New Wash, which came out head and shoulders above its competitors. This non-conventional shampoo features a cream formula that cleanses roots whilst leaving ends hydrated. Its ability to leave our judges’ lengths looking lustrous and cleansed—as well as its sulphate and phthalate-free formula that is also biodegradable (making it kind to sensitive scalps and the planet)—made it our top pick for our conscious hair product category. We also love that it comes in three varieties depending on the dryness or oiliness of your hair.

“I love that it’s shampoo and conditioner in one,” says facialist, manicurist and tanning expert Emily Rose Lansley. “I like my shampoo to foam to feel clean and this doesn’t, but my hair looks nice and shiny—I even have volume, which is great for my fine hair,” she says.

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Those with curls need a curl product that can create hold without the dreaded crunch. It’s a tall order, but Camille Rose has delivered. Ideal for wash-and-go styles, this curling jelly leaves your curl pattern defined, hydrated and bouncy, thanks to nourishing coconut and pomegranate oils, aloe vera, vitamin E and B12. Our judges loved how it left their curls soft, with definition lasting beyond the first day.

“It’s one of the few styling gels I’ve used that holds my hair without making it crunchy—I love the results,” says beauty content creator Lesley Buckle. “My curls feel really soft and the definition actually lasts beyond day one, which is rare for me.” Who What Wear UK’s endorsement sales director Efi Mandrides agrees. “This product defines and tames my curly hair very well and smells lovely too—I would definitely recommend it,” she says.

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Sam McKnight is one of the industry’s most esteemed hairstylists, so it’s unsurprising that our judges adored the Cool Curls Refresh & Revive Mist, which does exactly what it says on the bottle. From refreshing curls in between hair washes to leaving curls and coils perfectly defined, our judges loved how versatile this lightweight yet hydrating mist is—not forgetting the incredible scent that it left in their curls.

“I absolutely loved this mist,” says makeup artist and journalist Rose Gallagher. “I’m still learning my curly habits, and one thing that hugely impacts my ability to follow recommendations is that so many formulas are too rich for thin hair like mine,” she says. “This mist worked perfectly to reduce frizz without weighing down my thin hair. I also really love the chic packaging.”

It also impressed our social media editor, Megan Storey. “I’m so happy to have found this product! I love using it on day three hair to revive my waves and tame the frizz,” she says. “My hair doesn’t feel heavy with product afterwards and it certainly looks ‘refreshed and revived’. Bonus points for the cool packaging and gorgeous scent.”

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It’s no secret that there are hundreds of hair serums out there. But Authentic Beauty Concept’s Glow Spray Serum stood out as our judges’ favourite amongst the several we tested this year. From the does-it-all formula with heat and colour protection to the chic pink glass bottle that instantly elevates a bathroom counter (not forgetting the luxurious scent), there was nothing our judges didn’t love about this hero hair serum. Each reported how healthy and shiny this serum left their lengths.

“I really like this product, from the aesthetically pleasing pink glass bottle to the lovely relaxing scent that makes it so enjoyable to use,” says Pearson. “The mist is a light lotion that feels so nice, but what’s best about this product is that it combines heat protection, colour maintenance, hair strengthening and environmental protection so effectively. An amazing multi-tasker!” she says.

Note: Pearson changed her hair colour between photographing her before image and her after—this is not an effect of the product.

It also caught the attention of junior beauty editor, Grace Lindsay. “I colour my hair a lot and haven’t come across anything like this before. Not only is the packaging cute, but this spray really enhanced my highlights and left my hair with salon-worthy shine,” she says. “A big plus is that it also doubles as a heat protector. I could see myself buying this again thanks to the results.”

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Regular hair treatments hold the power to supercharge your haircare routine, and Alterna’s Caviar Restructuring Bond Repair Masque did just that, scoring 10s across the board. This leave-in mask features bond-repair technology to rebuild broken bonds in strands, leaving all hair textures looking and feeling healthier and stronger. The leave-in formula seamlessly complements a hair-wash routine, without the need to rinse it out like traditional hair masks.

“I would recommend this to help with breakage, as my hair definitely felt stronger after use,” says makeup artist Michelle Leandra. “The texture is a smooth cream and only a small amount is needed. I also like that it has heat-protection properties,” she says.

It also impressed our beauty editor, Eleanor Vousden. “This made an incredible difference to my hair! My coloured hair is prone to looking dull and frizzy, but this leave-in treatment left it so smooth and glossy—even my boyfriend noticed a difference,” she says. “The leave-in treatment doesn’t weigh hair down, but I both see and feel a difference in the health of my hair. It feels stronger, looks healthier and is much more manageable, thanks to the smoothing benefits. Bond-repair products have become a saturated market, but this is one of—if not the best—I’ve tried yet.”

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Gisou’s hair oil has the ability to make any beauty editor’s heart race, but it particularly blew away our expert judges, who loved this hair oil’s versatility as a styling product to nourish all hair types and textures. Featuring honey as its star ingredient, it adds hydration and a glossy shine to lengths, all whilst offering heat protection as well as effortlessly smoothing flyaways on dry hair. The indulgent scent won it extra points.

“I really enjoyed this oil—it made my hair feel really nice and left me with a nice shine after styling,” says hairstylist Dionne Smith. “You can also use it as a scalp treatment cocktailed with a conditioner,” she says. It was also a hit with Lindsay. “I loved this hair oil! The packaging is so nice, it smells incredible and it made my hair so soft and shiny. I am a big fan of the brand and this didn’t disappoint,” she says.

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Cantu’s Protective Styles Hair Freshener is our very deserving winner in this category. It can be used on braids, wigs, locs and weaves to instantly refresh and soothe the scalp. It makes it quick and easy to extend the life of protective styles without a deep shampoo—a quick spritz is all you need.

“What I like about this product is that it does what it says on the tin. It’s a great way to quickly refresh the hair,” says Smith. “It smells nice, feels weightless and really does remove odours, leaving the hair feeling fresh again.”

It also got the stamp of approval from our fashion editor, Remy Farrell. “Finally, a product for protective styles that refreshes hair without having to start from scratch with a deep wash! After fluffing up my braids by trying to intermittently tackle build-up with clarifying shampoo and scalp treatments, this manages to let my scalp breathe and adds freshness in just five minutes— ideal for hair textures that dry shampoo doesn’t serve,” she says. “It’s light, has a mousse-y texture, a lovely fragrance and gives impressive long-term results.”

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Cloud Nine’s hair tools are highly regarded amongst the industry’s top hairstylists, and The Airshot Hair Dryer particularly blew our judges away—no pun intended. The anti-static tech features negative ions to ensure a polished result, and the mineral heating element inside the hair dryer helps to prevent moisture loss each time you dry your hair. This is a total game-changer that makes the chore of blow-drying your hair a treat.

“This hair dryer really impressed me. It’s sleek, modern and features amazing technology,” says Lindsay. “I love that it comes with a diffuser for curly hair, and the self-clean mode is a big plus. It is easy to use and switch between different heat settings, drying my hair in no time,” she says.

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There are now several hair multi-stylers out there to choose from. But out of every styling tool we tried, Shark’s Flexstyle came out on top amongst our hard-to-please judges. Our testers applauded the range of attachments that work across hair textures and made styling super quick and easy. With the option to create bouncy blowouts, super-sleek, polished looks and dry your hair; this is one hard-working hot tool you won’t regret adding to your routine.

“I absolutely loved this,” says Lindsay. “These attachments worked a lot better on my thick, naturally wavy hair. It comes with different heat and speed settings and a cool-shot feature to lock your style in place. I also found that lightweight and easy to use,” she says. “It is still quite an investment, but one I would happily make myself.”

For affiliates manager Jerrylyn Saguiped, it was all about how quick and easy it made styling her long, thick hair. “Long gone are the days of achy arms from holding up a curling wand or hair dryer, as the Shark FlexStyle makes it incredibly quick and easy to style your hair,” she says. “It has become my go-to hair tool, and I give it extra points for having a range of different attachments that are suited to all hair types.” Bravo, Shark.

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We had to award a highly commended accolade to GHD’s Duet Blowdry Hair Dryer Brush, which also impressed our panel as one of the best hot brush launches of 2024. It creates a bouncy blowout that genuinely looks like you’ve come straight from the salon. The large, round brush captures a lot of hair (making it great for those with very thick or long locks) and provides great tension as it twists through the lengths to leave you with tonnes of volume at the roots, bounce through the ends and a smooth, shiny gloss. The fact it takes hair from wet to dry was also appreciated by our testers.

“This is an amazing hot brush, which really does give a blowdry finish without the need for a hair dryer and a round brush. It easily streamlines the process from wet to styled,” says Vousden. “The brush head captures a lot of hair— which is great for someone like me with both long and thick hair—and gives a volumised bounce at the roots through to the lengths with a salon-worthy shine. It left my hair really smooth and also took no time at all to dry.”

The hot brush also got a thumbs-up from hairstylist James Lear, who used the tool on his clients. “I loved how smooth this tool made the hair from wet, and how close it got to the root, allowing you to create real volume,” he says. “Even on frizzy hair, the results from wet were quite surprising to me! You can get a really good grip and hold, which allows you to create a blowdried look.”

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In our opinion, Manta’s hair brush stands out from its competitors. The flexible design fits effortlessly in the palm of your hand and glides through the hair as gently as if you were combing your fingers through. It was designed for the founder’s wife who lost her hair after illness. When she saw regrowth, she wanted a brush that would detangle very gently. Both innovative in its design and purpose, this hair brush is a very deserving winner and received high praise from our judges.

“I love this brush! It’s such an amazing addition to my hair-wash routine,” says Lear. “I suffer from a dry, itchy and sometimes flaky scalp. Every time I wash my hair, I apply a scalp mask first, then use this brush to exfoliate, leaving my scalp feeling super clean, fresh and free from debris.”

Our judges with long hair noted how gently and easily it detangled, too. “This product is really great for getting out knots easily, especially after washing my hair,” says ecommerce analyst, Sophie Cookson. “It left my hair really smooth, and it glides seamlessly through the hair, so you aren’t pulling at it.”

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Finding a product that actually works to enhance hair growth can prove tricky, but Nooānce’s LED helmet gets the seal of approval from our expert judges as a smart investment for boosting hair density. Using LED and LLLT (low-level laser light), it helps to stimulate hair at the root to encourage healthy growth and an improvement in density. In fact, our judge (a cosmetic nurse) is seeing promising results from her patients in-clinic.

“I have been integrating the Nooānce Hair Growth Helmet into my hair-restoration protocols in clinic, and it has significantly supported the results from more invasive procedures such as PRP,” says Eleanor Hartley, founder of Hart Medical. “My patients will continue to use the Nooānce at home for maintenance and longevity of the in-clinic results. I love that it’s mobile so you don’t need to have the helmet plugged in, meaning it can be used when working or moving around the house. I highly recommend this product.”

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The market for hair supplements is highly competitive, but Viviscal stood out as our winner with its results-driven formula that really does help improve hair growth and density. It’s one of the most highly researched hair supplements out there, so you know this is a worthwhile investment—and our judges can speak to the results after months of testing.

“I have tried lots of different hair-growth and thickening products and vitamins over the years, but Viviscal is the only one I have noticed makes a serious and significant difference,” says senior business and insights manager Davina Coleridge. “It is definitely a commitment as you have to take it for a minimum of three months, but once you do, your hair is thick, shiny and grows faster,” she says. “I highly recommend it!”

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Many of us own at least one Tangle Teezer brush, but The Scalp Exfoliator & Massager is another great addition to our haircare routines that we now don’t know if we could live without. This versatile brush features gentle yet effective bristles that work across multiple hair types, helping to softly massage the scalp whilst working in shampoo and detangling as it glides effortlessly through curls and knots. You won’t know how you coped without it.

“Whether I’m using it to work shampoo into my scalp or on dry hair to massage in my hair oil afterwards, my hair definitely feels cleaner using this brush,” says editorial assistant Brittany Davy. “I had never used a scalp brush before trying this because I was always sceptical it wouldn’t do anything, but now I won’t do my hair routine without it.”

It also received high praise from Gallagher. “I have curly, dry, coarse hair, and I have to be super gentle with how I manage it. This is honestly a godsend in the shower,” she says. “I love that I can really get into my scalp and leave it feeling clean without stripping or tangling my hair in any way. My scalp feels clean and I feel more relaxed after I’ve used it. It’s a really great addition to my bathroom and my curly-hair routine!”

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Colouring your hair at home without the hands of a trusted salon professional can be daunting. However, Clairol’s formula was both easy and convenient for our judges who couldn’t make it to the salon. With a formula that promises 100% grey coverage (which our judges can vouch for), this hair dye left their hair beautifully glossy with a long-lasting, compliment-generating colour.

Storey tried the shade Cinnamon Brown and received compliments left, right and centre. “I dye my hair fairly often to cover some (incredibly stubborn!) greys. This product felt a little more premium than other at-home hair dyes I’ve tried, and I was getting compliments on the shade and shine straight after using it,” she says.

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(Image credit: Who What Wear UK)