Never mind losing your head. For many women, it’s losing their hair that’s the problem. Deana Luchia meets the Surrey mother and daughter who’ve found a solution...
A few women are blessed with fabulously thick hair their entire lives. On the other hand, many battle with naturally fine, flat hair, while yet others experience thinning or hair loss due to significant life changes or medical conditions – the menopause, endometriosis, giving birth, thyroid issues, chemo, alopecia – or as a side-effect of weight loss drugs.
For years, women wanting thicker or more lustrous hair have been making do with volumiser shampoos, wigs or extensions – not always successfully.
One of these women is former hairdresser, beauty therapist and interior designer Lorna Buchanan, from Chessington.
Tresselle
“I tried every product under the sun,” she tells me, “but nothing ever improved my very fine hair.”
When she discovered hair volumisers – partial hairpieces sometimes called ‘toppers’ – she was initially thrilled, but quickly realised they were often poor quality.
So she decided to come up with a solution of her own.
Alongside her daughter, Daisy, Lorna spent two years developing a luxury hair volumiser – beautiful, natural-looking hairpieces made from ethically sourced human hair.
Their company, Tresselle, launched this spring.
“I wanted a higher-quality product. I’m 56, and I’ve never had great hair, which has always been a real bone of contention for me. For a lot of women, hair forms a huge part of their identity. When your hair changes, as it sometimes does, it really can feel like you’ve lost that part of yourself.”
Lorna is wearing one of her volumisers when we speak. I only know this because she takes it off to show me how quickly they can be attached to natural hair: 60 seconds.
Without her hairpiece, her hair is pretty but also short and lacking volume; with it, she looks as though she’s spent the day in a high-end salon. Polished and glamorous.
Tresselle
Tresselle has two ranges
The hairpiece Lorna models for me is from the Signature Collection, which offers more density and extra length – hair for an important event or celebration. The Silhouette Collection consists of lighter pieces for everyday wear, including hair that you can tie up into a ponytail.
Both collections have silk bases, are easy to care for and – as they are made of human hair – can be styled, just as you would your own hair. Prices for the Silhouette Collection start at £650; the Signature Collection pieces begin at £1199.
There are over 20 colours, including greys.
Whilst volumisers can boost the confidence of women experiencing hair loss, they are also a convenient and quick way to give your tresses a break after years of chemical treatments and straighteners/curlers.
In addition, Lorna and Daisy have clients who buy their products because they are strapped for time and don’t want to spend hours doing their hair. Daisy saw the benefits first-hand on a holiday with her mum.
Tresselle
“I’m sweating in a hotel room trying to blow-dry my hair and get it ready to go out, only for it to fall flat in the humidity. Meanwhile Mum’s sitting there on the balcony with a drink, waiting just to pop a volumiser on her head and go.
“We’re used to having to wait for things to work. With hair loss serums, and even some medicated products, you’re looking at six months, sometimes even a year before you get a result. With our clients, they’ll sit in the chair and talk about their concerns and, just like that, you place the volumiser on their head.
“My favourite part of all this is when you see someone go ‘Oh my God!’ and then they’re walking around swishing their hair and won’t take it off. We’ve solved all their hair problems in 60 seconds.”
Tresselle offers clients a virtual consultation and also hosts pop-up events. For dates: @tresselle.london; tresselle.london.
