Ever had your hair cut too short on impulse to mimic a hairstyle that looked so good on some gorgeous Hollywood star, only for you to regret the decision the moment you stepped out of the salon?

I am a long-hair personality, but once in a while I let someone talk me into going for a “chic change.” Then I’d promptly kick myself afterwards. My hair grows pretty slow, plus it’s very fine and thin, so a bad short haircut stays with me a long time.

I have had time to road-test several great hair products sent to my home, and these ones suit my needs thus far:

Less hairfall, faster hair growth

Gugo aka entada phaseoloides is a vine-like plant that grows in abundance in Philippine forests. Before there was shampoo, this was what Filipinos used to wash their hair. They would take a chunk of bark from this plant, soak it in water and massage into their scalp. Hair would be lustrous, shiny, healthy, with less breakage and hairfall.

Gugo makes scalp healthy by eliminating dandruff and itching, and nourishing the surface so the hair that grows out of every pore is stronger, thicker and with a lot more strands, thus preventing bald spots. The  downside is, there is no lather, so oily scalps do not feel very clean and require more frequent washing.

Good thing gugo shampoo is now sold commercially; we do not have to go through the tedious process of gathering the bark and soaking it to extract the saponin.

Recommended

Vaniderm Gugo and Aloe Vera Shampoo with VCO—I noticed that not only did I have less falling or breaking  hair, but my hair also grew faster. In the three months I’ve tried this, my hair has grown two inches. It must be the aloe vera, which is known to be a hair growth stimulant.

As expected, there is very minimal lather but my hair feels clean and I do not have to wash it twice a day. It seems to have controlled oil production on my scalp, along with the itching and the bad odor that comes with it.

However, it really smells like tree bark, reminiscent of an old man’s woodsy cologne back in the ’70s.

Nanny Rose Gugo Lawat Anti-Hairfall Shampoo—This smells wonderful, with grapefruit and lemongrass along with the same benefits Vaniderm has except for faster hair growth. The product is also paraben-free. I like it because my normally greasy hair and scalp became perfectly balanced with this shampoo; I could actually get away with every-other-day shampooing at times.

You would need a moisturizing conditioner, because every strand is coated to add to the volume and protection of hair, and those with dry hair or thick strands might get a wiry feel and texture to their hair over time.

Hot-oil treatment

Both shampoos are best paired with Opal Virgin Coconut plus Aloe Vera Hot Oil Cream. The hot-oil treatment is meant to be used once a week, left on for five minutes or so before being rinsed out.

I used it like a regular conditioner that’s left on for 60 seconds daily, and avoided using it on my oily scalp six days a week. This may have also contributed to my faster hair growth. It also neutralized the strong smell of Vaniderm and the dry feel of Nanny Rose.

My hair looked sleek and felt soft after; the hot oil did not compromise the added volume I needed and got from both shampoos.

Tip: It can also double as shaving cream for the legs while you’re in the shower. Skin will feel smooth and moisturized.

Instant volume

Meanwhile, for instant volume for your thin, limp hair without having to blow-dry and deal with jumbo Velcro rollers, try Watsons beer volumizing  shampoo and matching treatment wax.

I got them during the buy one-take one sale, and now use them in combo when I want sex-symbol hair reminiscent of Old Hollywood stars like Veronica Lake and Rita Hayworth. After washing with the shampoo, I massage the treatment wax on my hair and scalp for a minute, then leave it on for another two or four minutes before rinsing thoroughly.

Result: Even the hair on the roots are puffed up, so you do not see my thinning spots. The strands also get stronger and do not break off, plus there’s no offensive beer odor, just clean-smelling hair.

Nanny Rose and Opal are available at Watson’s. Vaniderm is available at Mercury Drug outlets.