L’Oreal’s ‘Pill for Grey Hair’

When news broke this week that L’Oreal was developing a pill to prevent grey hair, it made headlines around the world. But scientists say the pill, which has not yet been created, produces more questions than answers.

Bruno Bernard, head of the Hair Care, Quality and Color team at L’Oreal, first spoke about the cosmetic company’s research, telling the Daily Mail the pill will be based on a fruit extract that mimics an enzyme called TRP-2, which isn’t present in hair follicles.

TRP-2 helps make pigment-producing cells called melanocytes. In theory, the presence of TRP-2 could prevent hair from going gray.

Ideally you would take [the pill] for your whole life, but realistically we’d encourage people to start using it before their hair goes grey because we don’t think it can reverse the process once it has started,” he told the UK paper. “We have a watertight proof of concept, and we think it will have a market among men as well as women.

3 Best Hair-Thickening Shampoos and Conditioners

1. Nexxus Diametress Luscious Hair Thickening Shampoo and Sublime Volume Luscious Bodifying Conditioner ($14 shampoo, $15 conditioner;)

Nexxus’s shampoo and conditioner increased the diameter of hair more than any other brand we tested, so this set should add volume to almost any style. Several consumers noted that they liked the volume and body of their hair after using these products, which also made tresses softer, thicker, and more manageable. Most agreed that these products truly made their hair look thicker, though a few worried that their fuller hairstyles had a bit more frizz and flyaways.

2. Best Manageability
Bumble and bumble Thickening Shampoo and Conditioner ($21 shampoo, $22 conditioner; salons)

The thickening duo from Bumble and bumble received the highest score from testers for making hair more manageable. Testers also rated this shampoo and conditioner set highly for increasing the smoothness, softness, and overall healthy appearance of their hair. They raved that Bumble and bumble’s products banished limp locks — one panelist even had a co-worker ask if she’d changed her style because her hair was so notably different. Take note: While these products thickened blond hair well in our labs, they did not boost the diameter of gray hairs much.

3. Nice Scent
Paul Mitchell Tea Tree Lemon Sage Thickening Shampoo and Conditioner ($11.50 shampoo, $12.50 conditioner; salons)

This hair-care duo received one of the highest scores from our testers for its lemon-sage scent. Further, Paul Mitchell’s shampoo and conditioner set earned excellent marks in the lab for its ability to thicken blond hair. Though these products weren’t able to thicken gray hairs as well, they still got great reviews from our consumers: One liked how her hair really felt clean, while another commented that these products didn’t weigh her hair down.