One Of These Hair Treatments is Sold Every Two Minutes

Two minutes can feel like both the longest and shortest amount of time. 

Immediately after receiving a text saying ‘we need to talk’. Ages. 

Your Uber arriving and you’re still finishing your makeup? The blink of an eye.

It’s also how frequently a certain hair product new to Adore Beauty is sold: the Philip Kingsley Elasticizer. Every 60 seconds, someone with the most excellent taste buys this hair treatment created by legendary English hairdresser, Philip Kinglsey.

Haven’t heard of it before? You’re going to want to get very well acquainted.

The world’s first and original pre-shampoo conditioning hair treatment. Not only is it the brand’s number one product, but it was originally created for Audrey Hepburn. 

(I may not have her talent, grace, or chic hairdo, but we do now share one step in our hair care regimen! Same-same.)

Hepburn paid a visit to founder Philip Kingsley in the ‘70s, with hair in less-than-ideal condition from over-styling on movie sets.

“She asked Philip if he could make something to help her fine hair and to bring back its shine and health,” explains Lisa Caddy MIT MRSPH, Consultant Trichologist at Philip Kingsley.

“He went off into his lab and formulated Elasticizer for her!”

The big difference in making it a pre-shampoo conditioning treatment, as opposed to a final step as many products typically are, means that any residue gets washed away, making it perfect for fine hair.

Forget any Philip Kingsley Elasticizer dupe - the OG is award-winning for a reason. 

The pre-shampoo treatment, also available in Philip Kingsley Elasticizer Extreme, deeply conditions the hair to restore shine, suppleness and bounce. It’s basically a hair commercial in a tub.

“It contains an important protein called elastin which gives hair stretch and elasticity, making hair less prone to breakage as it strengthens and nourishes dry and damaged hair,” says Lisa.

You simply apply to damp hair, pop on the shower cap that comes with it, and leave for at least 20 minutes or even up to a few hours.

Covering it up with the cap (or even a towel) helps to retain the heat, which activates the ingredients to penetrate even deeper into the cortex of the hair shaft.

Do a workout, make some snacks, walk the dog, watch an episode or two, or sit and scroll for a little while… it’s up to you. Then when time is up, shampoo away.

“As a pre-shampoo treatment, it’s perfect for finer hair types as it won’t weigh it down but it’s actually equally suitable for all hair textures, including coarse hair and curls,” Lisa says.

Made for Audrey Hepburn. Approved by Cate Blanchett. Beloved by Brittany Stewart (what a trifecta!)

In a win for impatient beauty lovers like myself, the Elasticizer is the type of product that gives visible results after the very first use rather than having to wait months to see if it’s even doing half of what it says. And boy, was it glorious.

In the greatest (first world) upset known to man since Guy Sebastian beat Shannon Noll on Australian Idol, I didn’t realise just how well the product had worked on my hair until I stood in front of the mirror getting ready for bed. I had to double-take. 

After washing my hair in the morning, leaving to air dry, the day had passed without really looking in the mirror until the end of the day.  My hair was smooth, soft without being fluffy, and my curls looked perfectly formed. 

But it was too late. Daylight was gone and no nighttime selfie was going to do it justice. So please make do with a second-day selfie, which to me, looked and felt pretty good too.

For the next few days until wash day, my hair felt silky soft which is no small achievement for someone with coarse and dry curls. It was hydrated without being heavy, which helped give my curls the body and volume that I love. My colour looked a little brighter and it even managed to make a noticeable difference to my sad-looking split ends.

While I normally use a deep conditioning treatment as a final step, I love how using this one pre-shampoo has helped my hair. See my basking in Philip Kingsley glory below.

It should be the first step before shampooing. Lisa recommends starting off twice weekly initially.

“You’ll soon see the difference and can then reduce down to weekly when you feel your hair is really improving,’ she says.

“If you are time-poor, you can leave it on for just 5 minutes, it will start to work in that short space of time. Just do it more frequently if you’re not leaving it on for long, you’ll still see results.”

And while we’ve talked about fine hair a lot, if you even heat style or colour your hair - that’s about 75% of us - you’ll benefit from the Elasticizer.

Straighteners, blowdryers, hair dye, UV rays and everyday brushing and handling all cause an element of damage to your hair fibres, which is what ends up leaving it looking dry, dull and a little bit bleurgh.

It’s the product that lets you have the style and colour you want without compromising the condition or your hair.

A common question is how the Philip Kingsley Elasticizer vs Olaplex No.3 Hair Perfecter compares. Both are hair treatments with slightly different strengths so it really comes down to personal choice. I find the Elasticizer gives a more immediate and noticeable ‘smoothing’ finish which I love to see.

And although a little pricier than others, it’s worth every single cent (and it comes in two sizes).

“Elasticizer can remain in your hair for up to 3 shampoos and so it’s also helping to limit damage and daily wear and tear,” says Lisa.

 Damn, Audrey was really on to something.