Expert hairdresser Michael Kelly on why your hair suddenly feels off, what your scalp is trying to tell you, and the five products he’d keep if he had to ditch the rest, including the best shampoo and other products you should be looking for
You know that thing where your hair is just… not doing what it usually does? Hi, welcome to my shower. WHY is my hair still greasy after I’ve just washed it? Why is it suddenly doing a very uncute flippy thing? And what can I do about it, because I tell ya, this is not what my mental load needs right now!
I know I can’t be the only one right now – it’s not like anything dramatic has happened, you haven’t changed your shampoo or started doing anything wildly different, but suddenly everything feels heavier, flatter, and a little bit blah, like your hair has just, for some stupid reason, given up on you.
If that sounds familiar, you’ll be relieved to hear that it’s not just you, and according to Australian colour specialist and Redken ambassador Michael Kelly, it’s not actually your hair’s fault either.
“Sometimes hair can suddenly start feeling heavier, oilier or a little flat at the roots, even when nothing in your routine has changed,” he says. “More often than not, it’s your scalp asking for a reset. Seasonal shifts, product build-up, dry shampoo overload or stretching out wash days can all throw things slightly out of balance.”
And before you start panicking and throwing out every product in your bathroom, he’s quick to reassure us – “The good news is, your hair hasn’t suddenly ‘gone bad’. Usually, it just needs a little more intentional care and a routine that meets it where it’s at right now.”
Which is actually a pretty comforting way to think about it. Your hair isn’t broken, thank God. I asked Michael for his top tips for how to get my hair back to its soft, cute flippy vibes, here’s what he said:
So how do you know when it’s time for a reset?
Michael says you’ll probably feel it before you can pinpoint exactly what’s wrong. “Hair that once felt soft and effortless can suddenly become heavy, dull, dry through the ends or harder to style,” he explains. “A haircare reset doesn’t mean throwing everything out and starting again. It’s simply about reconnecting with what your hair needs in this season, rather than holding onto a routine that may have worked months ago.”
That last bit is worth thinking about quite seriously, because so many of us find a routine that works and then just stick with it indefinitely without ever questioning whether our hair still needs the same things. And the reality is, it probably doesn’t, especially as the seasons change.
“Hair responds to the environment more than people realise,” Michael nods. “As the weather shifts, the ends can start feeling drier from indoor heating and cooler air, while the scalp can become oilier from styling products or washing less often. That’s why we always encourage reassessing your haircare seasonally. Your hair’s needs change throughout the year, and your routine should evolve with it.”
Michael Kelly
Let’s talk about your scalp because guys, it really is THAT important
Here’s the thing that a lot of us are guilty of: spending so much time and money and mental energy on the lengths and the ends of our hair by buying masks and serums and treatments, and then we kind of just let the shampoo run over our scalp and call it a day. Michael says this is where a lot of people are going wrong.
“Healthy-looking hair always starts at the scalp, even though it’s often the part we forget about most,” he says. “When the scalp feels congested, oily or unbalanced, the hair won’t sit, style or feel the way we want it to. Sometimes the smallest shifts, like shampooing more intentionally and properly cleansing the scalp, can completely change the way your hair behaves.”
And if the idea of adding scalp care to your routine makes you want to lie down, don’t worry. Michael isn’t about to give you a ten-step protocol. Double shampooing, for example.
He adds, “Scalp care doesn’t need to become another overwhelming ten-step routine. Keep it simple and consistent. Focus your shampoo at the scalp, cleanse thoroughly and make sure you’re properly rinsing away product build-up. If you love dry shampoo or styling products, just be mindful of how often they’re sitting on the hair without a proper cleanse. Often, the best reset is simply slowing down and being more intentional with the basics.”
On stretching out salon visits (without your hair looking like it)
With the cost of everything going up, plenty of us are trying to make our salon visits last a little longer, and Michael says that’s totally fine as long as you’re thinking about it the right way.
“Low-maintenance hair should still feel elevated,” he says. “Stretching your salon visits out a little further doesn’t mean sacrificing beautiful hair, it just means being more intentional with your colour placement and home care. Softer grow-outs, lived-in tones and the right at-home support can keep your hair feeling polished, healthy and expensive-looking long after you leave the salon.”
The key, he says, is not cutting corners on the stuff that actually keeps your hair healthy in between appointments.
“If you’re simplifying your beauty spend, try not to compromise on the health of your hair. You absolutely don’t need an overflowing shelf of products, but the essentials that protect your hair’s condition are worth holding onto, especially if your hair is coloured, lightened or heat styled regularly.”
The five products he’d keep (and ditch the rest)
We asked Michael to strip it right back – if you could only have five products in your entire haircare routine, what would they be? His answer is reassuringly simple.
“If I could only keep five products in a routine, I’d make them count. A shampoo and conditioner suited to your hair type, a weekly treatment, a leave-in or heat protectant and a dry shampoo or styling refresher are the real essentials.”
For anyone with coloured or lightened hair, he’s a big fan of Redken’s Acidic Bonding Concentrate range. “For coloured or lightened hair, I love Redken Acidic Bonding Concentrate because it supports strength, softness and shine all at once. If the hair is feeling dry or stressed, Redken All Soft is beautiful for bringing softness and manageability back into the hair.”
And on the dry shampoo front (because we know you’re using it), he has one note: “The key is using it as a refresh between washes, not as a replacement for properly cleansing your scalp.”
The actual secret, though?
It’s not a product. It’s not a treatment. It’s not even a particularly exciting answer, but Michael says the real difference maker when it comes to great hair is just… doing the basics consistently. Ah, there’s my problem.
“The secret to beautiful hair is consistency. Most people wait until their hair feels dry, damaged or dull before they start properly caring for it, but healthy hair is really built through small rituals done consistently over time. A simple routine you genuinely stick to will always outperform an overly complicated one that only gets attention when something goes wrong.”
Michael Kelly is an Australian colour specialist, Redken Pro Ambassador, and founder of Salon HER in Sydney.
