We are as passionate about the ingredients inside our products as the results they produce!
At Lee Stafford, we pride ourselves in using the best of ingredients available, whether that’s naturally sourced wonder botanicals or the latest in scientific discoveries, to get incredible performance. We want to be open and transparent to as to why we use ingredients and what they are in our products for, so indulge your curiosity with our ingredient overview.
As a cousin to the Aloe Vera, Agave flourishes in harsh desert climates by producing a highly nutritious sugar that maximises every bit of moisture from its surroundings. This keeps the plant hydrated even during prolonged periods of drought. Agave sugars provide the same healing and protection properties for hair by locking in moisture, strengthening the cuticle and essentially healing breakage. A unique ingredient that helps make hair visibly stronger, shinier and healthier.
Used in these products:
The Aloe Vera plant is commonly found in tropical climates and has been used for centuries as a healing, medicinal plant. The juice is extracted by crushing and grinding the leaf of the Aloe Vera plant, followed by a process of purification and filtering. The end product is full of natural vitamins and enzymes that help remove the dead cells from the scalp, balance out the hair’s pH to retain moisture and promote overall hair health.
Used in these products:
Lee Stafford sustainably sources its Argan Oil from local Berber women within Morocco. The kernels are gathered from Moroccan Argan trees that can live as long as 200 years and are hand crushed by the local women using traditional extraction techniques.Historically used to drizzle on food, this golden oil also has fantastic skin and hair care benefits. It is brimming with antioxidants and essential fatty acids including Vitamin E and oleic acid which protect, hydrate and condition the skin, scalp, and hair.
Used in these products:
Avocado oil is pressed from the flesh of an avocado, the most well known superfood! The benefits of avocado are never ending… rich in oleic acid and monounsaturated fats, this lightweight oil can penetrate the hair shaft to deeply moisturise the hair from within without weighing hair down. Avocado oil also naturally contains Vitamin E which helps to protect and heal hair from UV damage.
Used in these products:
Freshly bleached hair looks bright and beautiful but can discolour and go brassy over time. Purple pigments work to counteract yellow tones whereas blue pigments neutralize orange, brassy tones. These pigments deposit on the hair shaft to create icy, silver-grey shades to brighten blondes and achieve a cool, ashy look.
Used in these products:
Caffeine isn’t just great for waking you up in the morning, it is effective in promoting hair growth too! By targeting a hair loss causing hormone known as ‘DHT’ in the initial phases of hair growth, Caffeine ensures your hair follicles get all the essential minerals and nutrients required to encourage healthier, stronger hair. Caffeine also helps retain moisture rather than stripping hair of its natural oils, creating a natural shiny sheen to your mane.
Used in these products:
Derived from Copra, the dried flesh of a coconut, Coconut Oil famously has a long list of benefits. Deeply nourishing and moisturising , Coconut Oil helps to repair damage, leaving hair feeling healthy and soft with added shine.
Used in these products:
Cocoa Seed Butter is the natural, edible fat extract from the roasted seeds of Theobroma Cacoa, an evergreen tree native to the Americas. It is commonly used in producing chocolate and cocoa powder! Cacoa is also an ancient superfood ingredient known as the ‘food of the gods’, rich in antioxidant and mood enhancing properties. In hair it acts as a fantastic conditioning agent leading to less breakage and split ends in addition to helping to maintain healthy scalp oil production.
Used in these products:
Used in hair, its ability to enhance elasticity makes Green Tea Extract a common ingredient in hair care products that work to cleanse the scalp, soothe dryness, eliminate dandruff, fortify the strands, support and stimulate growth, and enhance lustre.
Used in these products:
Hyaluronic Acid is a sugar found naturally in our skin that helps keep it hydrated and plump. The HA within our bodies holds a thousand times its weight in water. When you apply HA to your skin it basically takes moisture from the air around you, leaving skin hydrated and plump, which is why it’s a good anti-wrinkle ingredient. It’s moisturising and softening properties prevent the scalp from becoming dry and flaky, providing the scalp and roots with essential nourishment.
Used in these products:
Hydrolyzed yeast protein may also be called yeast extracts. Hydrolyzed yeast proteins are obtained from the acidic, alkaline or the hydrolysis of amino acids, peptides and proteins to yield this important ingredient. In personal care products, hydrolysed yeast proteins are used in antistatic and hair conditioning products. As an antistatic, hair becomes more manageable, easy to comb and style and may also be less prone to damage from constant styling and treatments. As an important ingredient in hair conditioners, it makes hair easy to brush and hair is able to maintain its beauty even after the day is long over. It also effectively conditions hair without accumulating or clogging pores and scalp.
Used in these products:
Keratin is a protein that is a major building block of hair and nails, as well as the outer layer of skin. For healthy, beautiful hair it’s important to keep the Keratin in it strong. Over time, exposure to the elements, chemical treatments (including hair bleaching) and/or heat styling can damage the hair’s Keratin structure and leave it dry, dull, brittle and unmanageable. Protecting and fortifying the hair structure can help keep it looking and feeling healthy. Amino acids are the building blocks of Keratin which work by penetrating the hair and caring from within. Hydrolyzed Keratin helps to reduce the porosity of hair and strengthens it from within, making hair appear healthier, shinier, and easier to manage. The particles of the protein work by filling in the cracks along the damaged areas of the hair shaft to increase elasticity, boost volume, reduce frizz and restore lustre for soft effortless sleek locks.
Used in these products:
Niacinamide has circulation boosting properties so is essential to having strong and healthy hair. It enhances how hair looks and feels by increasing volume, suppleness and shine. It also helps to build Keratin, an important protein that makes up part of the hair structure.
Used in these products:
