For this week’s Groomed, up on the judging block is a new three-step hair care system by Swell. Designed for fine, limp and thinning hair, Swell claims to offer immediate volume, improved hair growth by up to 93% and hair loss reduction by up to 50%. The nutrient-rich, minimum 97% natural-sourced complex offers root-to-tip volume and health form Day one when used regularly.
The three steps are
1. The Advanced Volumiszing Shampoo
2. Advanced Volumizing Conditioner
3. Advanced Root Nutrient Complex
Well we put it to the test – and by ‘we’ I mean my good friend, Jack Ratcliffe. Jack is a 26-year-old Creative Analyst (yeah, I don’t know what it means either and I’ve known him 7 years) from London and a before-his-time hair-thinning sufferer. Jack used the three-step system for about three weeks before reviewing the difference. Check out the results below.
JR: Before Swell’s hair-thickening system arrived at my door, my volume-boosting ritual had escalated to animal sacrifices and prayers to pagan Gods. But despite a ridiculous annual goat bill, I wasn’t any closer to luscious, style-able locks.
I wasn’t expecting much from Swell – like most of us thin-hairers, I’d been stung by thickening shampoos before (and not just in the eyes). Could this three-step process (shampoo, condition and spray) actually make a difference?
Rinse, shampoo, rinse, condition, wait, rinse, dry, spray and dry might seem like as much effort as the slaughtering livestock, but it’s honestly easier than it sounds. And more pleasurable, too. The shampoo has a spicy smell, while the conditioner and spray were inoffensive enough.
Oh, and it produced results.
After showering (then drying, spraying and drying) my hair felt full of body. It wasn’t going to support an afro-comb any time soon, but it was easier to manipulate. No longer were my styling options the Luke Skywalker, Jedward or the aftermath of an exploding hay-bail.
It also felt rougher. So if you’re used to people running their hands through your hair and claiming it’s softer than their cat, you’re out of luck. I guess with great texture comes get roughability.
There are limits to its effectiveness, however. For one, it won’t give you support for a whole day without some help from a styling product. I tried going product-less, and by the evening commute my volume had notably dissipated. I also frequently found myself wanting to skip the third step, as towel drying my hair, only to spray it damp again and then blow-dry it, is not practical when you’re in a hurry.
Despite those drawbacks, I really don’t want to give up using Swell. While sometimes volume would last for just a few hours, at other times my bonnet even stayed bouffant overnight. For this trial period, I actually felt like a normal, thicker-haired man. My confidence to not style dramatically improved, and I even saved money on hair styling products, as you need to use a lot less to get a better effect.
If I never work out how to go back in time and convince my mother to hook up with someone with an afro, I’d certainly settle for using Swell to improve my hair situation. Recommended.
– Jack Ratcliffe
Priced at £79 (£23 for the shampoo, £26 for the conditioner and £30 for the complex) for the full set, Swell is on the pricier side of the scale, but it does do the job and it does it well.
Swell hair care can be found at Swellhair.co.uk
– Neil Thornton
