Busting Hair Care Myths: In Talk With Ms. Nicola Kilner From The Ordinary

"We all know that excess to and use of anything is not good. Everything is about formulation and quantity. At The Ordinary, we put science into the art of everything. So, when our scientists looked into it, they found out that sulphates are one of the mildest cleaners out there. They really can remove pollution, dirt, grime, and grease in a very gentle way. The challenge over the last two decades is partly that we're used to having heavy foam in our hair when we wash it. If you look now, a lot of the market-leading shampoos have about 12 to 14% of sulphate which is way too high. This means it over strips and dries the hair. So, naturally, they add conditioners to balance it out. When our scientists investigated the best way to use sulphates, they discovered that 4% can be the most effective. So going back to its functionality, the cleansing shampoo in our new range has the right amount of sulphates to ensure it removes everything from your hair that you wouldn't want while at the same time not drying up your hair. We're saying that while almost many products have preservatives, the scare-mongering of sulphates in the beauty industry is not fair."

"In terms of cleaning the hair, and this is also for the body, we've got the 4% cleanser that we recommend using. Now how often you wash your hair is up to you. One of the interesting things we found when we were studying hair care and how it all works was that water is a big part of what can damage the hair. So, washing your hair fewer times is actually better for your hair. However, it varies from person to person. We would encourage you to wash it as less as you can. Next, we've got the 2% behentrimonium bhloride conditioner, which is also a very gentle way of conditioning, so we recommend using this. The other product that we have is the multi-peptide hair density serum, which is one of the top five The Ordinary products in India. Our newly introduced natural moisturising hair serum is great for scalp hydration. It easily absorbs into the scalp without making your hair look greasy or oily."

"Hydration is something that is not only limited to the summer months, but is vital for every season. As a result, regardless of the season, we recommend using the new moisturising serum."

If you've scrolled through TikTok or Instagram in the past few months, you are probably aware that beauty influencers are using The Ordinary's elixir product on their scalp as well. We asked how the experts feel about the trend. "The Ordinary is all about science; everything revolves around technology, ingredients, and what's proven. We always try within our brand not to be trend driven. The reason for this is that trends are great, but anything based solely on marketing and storytelling without being supported by proven facts will die as soon as the next product is released. So, while glycolic acid on the scalp has gone viral on Instagram reels, we, as a brand, have only tested it on the skin. Naturally, we do not promote glycolic acid on the hair or scalp."

"Our 100% Moroccan Argan oil is incredible for hair, which we recommend including in the hair care ritual."

"Our hair care range has just launched this week but has been received phenomenally well. Apart from that, the hair density serum is among the five best-selling products in India. In terms of skincare, the Niacinamide serum is the number one product in every country. The Ordinary Caffeine Solution is doing well and is on the rise. The Vitamin C serum for pigmentation is well received too."

If you'd like to start The Ordinary journey with their skincare products, here is our unbiased review to help you make the choice.