The Year of the Fire Horse is almost upon us, so we’re shedding dull, lifeless, and thinning hair, along with the routines that created it, with the end of the snake year. If you want the best, glossiest, and most stallion-like tresses of your life in 2026, you’ll need to get serious about scalp and hair science and stop using products that promise miracles while delivering nothing.
From the roots and scalp, to the lengths and ends, the science behind the best hair of your life in the Year of the Horse is waiting for you. All you have to do is take it by the reins, build a routine with ingredients that actually work, and prepare for hair flips so gag-worthy that people might mistake you for a real-life unicorn.
Start at the Stable: Scalp Care Is the New Haircare
A strong and healthy scalp with robust roots is the foundation of any haircare routine. You want resilient follicles that produce long, luscious hair from the nape of your neck to your hairline, and you can do this in two main ways. Firstly, block the hair loss hormone, DHT, which naturally builds up in hair follicles, and secondly, stimulate the follicles to produce hair you’ll be proud of.
Blocking DHT, the hair loss hormone
The good news is you can block DHT in a number of ways using a variety of active ingredients, all in different products and steps of your routine. These can either be supplements for internal DHT blocking or applied topically to reduce the hair loss hormone from the outside in.
Ketoconazole
Typically used as an anti-dandruff ingredient, Ketoconazole is one to look out for as it’s shown to block DHT from collecting in follicles and only needs to be used twice a week to see results. You can add this to your routine in the form of Nizarol shampoo, which can be found in drugstores or even larger supermarkets. It’s an unlikely hair loss hero, but trichologists and hair girlies alike are suggesting it in routines to reset scalp build-up at the same time as banishing the dandruff-causing yeast that lives on all our scalps. Its double-whammy effect prevents scalp inflammation and gives you solid hair growth foundation, in only two washes per week. It’s a no-brainer.
Supplements
There are multiple supplements touting anti-hair loss benefits, so choosing the right one is key. Biotin is common amongst hair loss sufferers, which is great if you have a biotin deficiency, but otherwise, it isn’t the best place to start. Natural ingredients play a role here too if you’re looking for a more holistic anti-hairloss approach—pumpkin seed oil, saw palmetto, green tea extract, pygeum bark, and stinging nettle all have an affect on the DHT in your follicles or how your body processes it. The key to any anti-hair loss supplement stack is covering multiple ingredients for multiple actions, and of course, speaking to your doctor first. Companies like Dense offer a one-and-done anti-hair loss supplement, which includes all of the above and can be used alongside stronger, prescription options. Which leads us to…
Finasteride (prescription only)
A prescription-only medication for hair loss, Finasteride is mainly used to target hair loss in men. However, some women may be able to use it, so as ever, consult with your doctor and medication provider. It works by inhibiting an enzyme that produces DHT, so it never gets a chance to build up in the follicles and cause hair loss. Telehealth services, such as Of Noah or & Sons, offer tailored, prescription solutions for men which can be as simple as a daily pill.
Stimulating follicles for strong, longer hair
Minoxidil
The main OTC and clinically proven way to stimulate hair follicles is by using Minoxidil. Usually in a leave-on treatment, Minoxidil can be used by both men and women, and works by increasing blood flow to the hair follicles—delivering the nutrients and oxygen the hair needs to grow. Whether you prefer a spray, a serum, or a foam, Minoxidil is applied to the scalp once or twice per day, and shows serious benefits for growing and keeping hair.
Aminexil
Receiving viral acclaim on TikTok, Ameinxil is another ingredient that works on hair follicles but in a slightly different way. Its mechanism in the scalp prevents collagen from hardening around the hair root, improving hair anchorage to the scalp, and strengthening hair to reduce shedding. With visible results in 6 weeks, you’ll keep more of that hard-won hair growth if you use Aminexil. You can find aminexil in Aminexil Advanced anti-hair loss activator serum, Dercos Aminexil Clinical 5, or the L’Oreal Paris Growth Booster range, in shampoo, conditioner, and serum formats for a 360 routine.
Peptides
To create a scalp environment that’s perfect for your hair growth, peptides are a must. While they all have different mechanisms, from hydration, anti-inflammatory action, or promoting growth, a solid peptide serum can work wonders on your locks. The Ordinary, Coco & Eve, and Briogeo all offer peptide scalp serums with different peptides, so take a look at what each promises and go for the one with the results you need.
The Mane Ritual: Length Care for Strength and Shine
Next, consider the structural integrity of your hair—even if you don’t colour treat, perm, or heat style. Just by existing, your hair is accumulating structural damage and this damage can undo all of your scalp care results. If you care for your skin every day, why wouldn’t you care for your hair? Bond building products have exploded onto the scene in recent history, and their less drastic but equally as important cousins, acidic glossing products, are newer on the scene but definitely here to stay.
Bond Builders
Olaplex and K18 will be nothing new to haircare efficienados, and they rightfully deserve a place in your weekly (or monthly) rotation. They work by rebuilding the bonds we break in our hair when we colour, style, heat, treat, perm, or even just wash it. Amika also carries a bond repair line, The Kure, if you’re in the market for something new. All these products work to strengthen your hair on a molecular level so it looks healthier, shinier, and Insta-ready even on your bad hair days.
Acidic Gloss Products
Newer to the market, acidic glossing products are a way to add shine and lustre to your hair, but the type of shine and lustre that comes from strength and health, not oil or shimmer. The acidic components of the gloss do two important things for the strands—strengthen internal bonds and seal the hair’s cuticle—both of which contribute to the health and condition of your hair. They’re less widely available than bond builders, but products are starting to pop up in Singapore across the spending spectrum. Try L’Oreal Paris Elseve’s Glycolic Gloss Hair serum, Redken’s Acidic Bonding Concentrate shampoo and conditioner, or Sephora Collection’s Hair Gloss rinse-out treatment.
Don’t Neglect the Tail: Ends, Breakage & Hair Fall
To stop your split ends, dryness, and damage from getting worse, the ends need specific attention. If you want to preserve length and avoid frequent maintenance trims, make oils, silicones, and head protectants the final step in your haircare routine.
Silicones & Oils
Social media has demonised silicones and oils, but they play an integral role in any good haircare routine. Oils add shine and body, and some can even penetrate the hair shaft—protecting it from water damage while washing. Silicones impart a range of benefits to your strands, depending on their structure, with some being the unsung heroes of your favourite haircare products. Amodimeticone, a silicone favoured by trichologists, is a ‘smart silicone’ that has selective binding properties, so it ‘sticks’ to the damaged sections of hair where you need the most protection. On top of this, it offers heat and environmental protection, humidity and frizz control, colour preservation, manageability, and enhances smoothness and shine. Avoiding it is literal madness, even if your favourite influencer swears they only use silicone-free products—try Fino’s Premium Touch Hair Mask, Lucido-L’s Re* High Damage Repair Hair Oil, Dove’s Elastin Long & Thick Protective Nourishing Oil.
Heat Protectants
While heat protectants should be used anywhere heat is applied to your hair, the ends are particularly prone to breakage and damage—especially if you haven’t used heat protectant over time on the roots and lengths. A leave-in conditioner with heat protection is the best, so you get the conditioning benefits plus the heat protection. For wet styling after the shower, try Tsubaki’s Premium Treatment Water or ghd’s Bodyguard Heat Protectant Spray—a dry aerosol spray to use between washes for style refreshes. Both wet and dry products will prevent damage travelling up your hair strands from the ends, and keep your locks more luscious for longer.
Mane & Tail Heroes: Tools to Detangle
Your Year of the Horse hair routine isn’t complete without the right tools for the job. Focus mainly on additional mechanical stimulation here, as well as gentle detangling so you don’t ruin all your hard-earned results by snapping your precious strands. Jing Botanics’ The Essential Detangling Brush delivers both, smoothing knots, stimulating the scalp, and supporting healthier hair from root to tip. Safe for wet or dry hair, it’s also ideal for blow-drying and styling—helping to reduce breakage, tame frizz, and transform your routine into a ritual of restoration.
Understandably, redoing your entire haircare routine can seem daunting, but each of these approaches is backed by science that truly works. And the best bit is, because they’re all proven to work, getting the best hair of your life in the Year of the Horse starts with just one addition. Be it scalp stimulation, length love, or attending your ends, start where you’ll see the most benefit and go from there. Once you’re comfortable, or once one of your current products runs out, look to add/replace a step with tried-and-tested active ingredients—not just whatever’s trending. By the time the Year of the Goat comes around, you’ll be whipping that stallion mane back and forth like the Rapidash on a runway. Enjoy.
This story first appeared on GRAZIA Singapore.
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