At the best of times my hair is less of a crowning glory and more of an unruly mop. There's an awful lot of it and being naturally curly there's a tendency for it to look and feel frizzy and dry. The fact that I frequently colour the encroaching grey bits doesn't help and neither, I think, did the recent spell of ridiculously cold weather combined with all-day-long central heating. So, a hefty dose of TLC would seem to be in order.
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Good hairdressers will offer a special service that delivers an intensely nourishing boost to dry and damaged tresses – but they can be eye-wateringly expensive. So, despite the fact that hair washing is a chore rather than a pleasure for me, I've decided to try some DIY hair rejuvenation.

I'd been recommended Macademia product by a friend, who is fervently evangelical in her praise of them. Made in California they have only just made a major push in the UK. It has to be pointed out from the off that these are not cheap – but they're generously sized, a little goes a long way and the four that I tried amount to the same as one salon treatment – so a bargain by comparison.

The not-so-secret ingredients in the shampoos, creams and oils are the oil from the Macademia nut combined with argan seed oil – which has been a North African health and beauty remedy for centuries. Both are known for their highly nutritional and nourishing benefits. Beginning with Macademia Rejuvenating Shampoo (£14.85 - 300ml) which is rich and creamy and being sulfate and paraben-free is gentle, so great for everyday use (if that's your thing – it isn't mine). I follow this with the Deep Repair Masque (£22.99 - 250ml) which also contains tea tree oil, chamomile oil, aloe and algae extracts. It's advised to leave this on for up to seven minutes (I use the waiting time for some vigorous body scrubbing) then rinse thoroughly.

If your hair is especially damaged you can add a squirt of the Healing Oil Treatment (£22.50- 125ml) to the masque for added oomph. I decide instead to add it to the Nourishing Leave-In Cream (£17.60 - 300ml) which I brush into my towel-dried hair. The oil can also be used on dry hair to control frizz and define curls; it absorbs quickly and doesn't leave a greasy feel – and it smells fruitily divine. Macademia also recommends that it can be added to colour, to help the responsiveness and absorption of the dye.

Once dry – with or without a dryer – my hair is miraculously restored. There's a shine and a softness that I haven't experienced for years. It's so soft that I can't do a thing with it – but hey, you can't have everything.

www.macadamiahair.co.uk