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I Tried "Hair Filler" & My Strands Have Seriously Never Looked Healthier
I recently opted for hair filler.
You might read that sentence and imagine some sort of syringe injecting my strands with cuticle-plumping ingredients, or a hair transplant treatment—but to be honest, dear reader, hair filler is way less scary than it seems. In fact, you've probably already dabbled in some hair-filling formulas yourself.
But for those who haven't used the Garnier Fructis Hair Filler Collection, and specifically the Bonding Inner Fiber Repair Pre-Shampoo Treatment, you're missing out: I've had the bottle on rotation for several weeks, and my hair has never looked or felt healthier.
What is hair filler?
When I say "hair filler," I'm talking about protein-rich ingredients that penetrate the strand and reconstruct broken hair bonds, leading to healthier, smoother, and more defined strands. If this sounds similar to a bond-building treatment, well, that's because that's exactly what it is—hair filler and bond-builders are essentially one and the same.
"We can't recreate the exact protein that is in our hair [with topicals], but synthetic and naturally sourced proteins can repair and stand in place like a Band-Aid," NYC-based hairstylist Matt Newman says regarding bond-builders. These proteins help fill in the gaps between broken hair bonds for the time being. Hair filler… Get it?
As you coat the strands with these bond-building ingredients (buzzwords include keratin, biotin, hydrolyzed quinoa, amino acids, bond-building, or silk protein) and rebuild those amino acid chains, you protect them from further breakage and strengthen their ability to withstand physical and environmental stressors.
Plus, when you strengthen the structure of those hair bonds, your strands appear shinier and softer, with less noticeable split ends (protein treatments help seal down the cuticle, thereby preventing splits from making their grand entrance).
Bond-building products come in multiple forms, from leave-in formulas to masks to pre-shampoo treatments. Garnier's Inner Fiber Repair Pre-Shampoo Treatment, as the name suggests, falls into the latter camp. And trust me, it's well worth the extra few minutes to your wash-day routine.
Why I love Garnier's new formula
I will always hold a special place in my heart for Garnier Fructis. It's a brand I grew up with, and the lime green bottles take me back to roaming the drugstore aisles, contemplating which formula would help me achieve the elusive hair-commercial-level locks. I ended up a devout Sleek & Shine girl and remember marveling at how soft my hair felt after each wash—like silk.
Garnier's new Hair Filler treatment gives me that same sense of nostalgia. It's a green bottle (though it reads more soft mint than lime) and delivers such glossy, velvety results that I can't help but constantly run my fingers through my strands.
The difference lies in the updated formula. For the full collection, Garnier has committed to cleaner, more responsible formulas for the full collection, all products cruelty-free and without sulfates, parabens, phthalates, and DMDM hydantoin (a formaldehyde-releasing preservative).
This Hair Filler treatment also skips mineral oil, an ingredient that commonly helps with moisture retention and decreases frizz but can also cause buildup and clog the hair follicles.
As for what it does include? The formula features peptides to fortify strands against oxidative stress, glycerin for hydration, and a citric acid bond repair complex that penetrates deep into the cortex (the inner layer of your hair fiber) to restore broken bonds at the molecular level.
How to use it
Again, this is a pre-shampoo treatment, meaning, you'll use it as step one in your shower lineup. That may sound like a commitment, but you don't even need to hop out of the shower once you apply (whereas some bond-building formulas require a 20- to 30-minute marinating time).
Wet your hair, apply the treatment, and let it sit for 5 minutes before rinsing out—just enough time to use a body scrub, shave, contemplate your life choices, etc.
Rinse thoroughly, shampoo and condition as usual, and emerge from the bathroom with shinier, smoother, hair-commercial-level strands. My 10-year-old self is giddy, my inner child just as healed as my broken hair bonds.
Just remember that hair filler is an intense protein treatment, and you don't want to overdo it. The exact cadence will depend on your hair's porosity and breakage level, but as a general rule, save it for a deep treatment once or twice a month.
"It is safe to use a protein treatment weekly for the first month of using it," celebrity hairstylist Andrew Fitzsimons previously told mbg. "After that first month, I wouldn't recommend using it more than once or twice a month, as adding too much protein in your hair can leave it feeling brittle and susceptible to breakage."
The takeaway
If you're dealing with damaged, dull, brittle hair, might I suggest trying hair filler? It's not as much of a commitment as it sounds—it's really a bond-building treatment that "fills" the gaps in broken hair bonds. Garnier's Inner Fiber Repair Treatment has, no lie, made my tresses feel like silk, and it will only set you back $9 at Target or Amazon. That's quite a steal for instantly smoother strands.
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