If your social media feeds are anything like mine, they’re teeming with clips of hopeful men and women flying off to Turkey for a hair transplant. They leave the country beaming, a crop of transplanted follicles marking their brand-new hairline. A few years ago, I may have been tempted to do the same; COVID- and stress-related thinning left parts of my scalp bare for a while. Turns out, I’m not alone—over 80 percent of men and close to 50 percent of women encounter hair thinning at some point in their lives, according to NYU Langone Health.
However, depending on the severity of your hair loss, you may not necessarily have to pay for an expensive visit to an operating room. In fact, there are plenty of products on the market that promise to turn back time, although it’s important to remember that not all hair growth products are created equal, and some may not have research behind them to back their claims.
But Aveda’s scientists have been on the hunt for a solution to our hair loss woes for years. The brand’s original Invati line, designed to address hair thinning and breakage, launched in 2012. However, “science is always evolving, and so are we,” says Christine Hall, Aveda’s vice president of research and development. Aveda launched the second iteration, Invati Advanced, in 2018; and after nearly a decade of research in collaboration with the University of Bradford (based in the U.K.), the company launched the Invati Ultra Advanced collection earlier this year. “This is a high-performing, multi-step system that features our exclusive triple-action Follicle Vitality Complex, and reduces hair loss due to breakage now by 77 percent,” explains Hall. The line includes two exfoliating shampoos, two thickening conditioners, a scalp serum, and a thickening foam; the shampoos and conditioners come in light formulas for fine to medium hair, while the rich versions are for medium to thick strands.
Below, we spoke to Hall and Alison Pawlus, Aveda’s principal scientist, to learn more about their latest collection, who should be using it, and why you should probably be washing your hair more often.
How did the partnership with the University of Bradford come about?
Pawlus: At Aveda, we have long understood that scalp and hair follicle health are essential for optimal hair fiber production. However, to find better solutions, we needed to know more about the basic biology of hair and scalp health and how it changes with age. The University of Bradford is home to one of the leading research institutions in the world on hair and skin biology. Over 10 years ago, we reached out to the scientists at their Centre for Skin Sciences to discuss how we can collaborate to fund this overlooked area of research. This partnership has helped inform Aveda’s in-house ingredient development.
Could you explain the findings of the research?
Pawlus: Each hair fiber is produced by a micro-organ called the hair follicle, which is embedded into the scalp, where it is supported and nourished. The hair follicle organ is made up of different types of highly specialized cells with specialized functions. By looking at cells from hair follicles from women of different ages, we can see how these cells, and subsequently the entire machinery, change with age.
Hair follicles can be thought of like a factory that churns out our hair over many years. When hair follicles are young and healthy, they are like a brand-new factory with young, vigorous workers. This new “factory” is operating at full capacity, the machinery is efficient, and the workers (cells) are full of energy, producing a consistent supply of high-quality fibers. With age, wear and tear starts to set in, impacting hair fiber quality and overall production. Just like a factory, hair follicles are influenced by their environment; poor maintenance (environmental damage or stress) can speed up the aging process. We are looking at what is happening to the individual workers and the machinery to see what is changing and what is driving these changes. By fully understanding this, we can find new and effective ways of addressing these changes.
How did the team land on the three main ingredients in the line?
Pawlus: Our scientists selected Eclipta prostrata based on its ability to support cellular health. This extract contains a unique molecule, called wedelolactone, which has gained attention from scientists around the world due to its beneficial properties. Eclipta is also one of the primary botanicals used for hair thinning and anti-aging in Ayurvedic medicine, where it has been referred to as “king of hair.”
Our team came across alpinia root because they were interested in a molecule found to be particularly beneficial for hair called galangin. This specific plant was the best source of galangin we could find, and the extract provides protection from various extrinsic stressors, including pollution and oxidative stress.
When looking at scalp and hair health holistically, oxidative stress is a driver of many detrimental changes. Our scientists screened over a thousand ingredients for antioxidant activities, and the broad-spectrum extract of ginger we used is a powerful antioxidant. It can also help support our bodies’ natural defenses against extrinsic and intrinsic stressors, which is critical to maintaining healthy hair production.
How often should each of these products be used?
Pawlus: We know that some people with thinning may be hesitant to wash hair frequently, as this can be where they observe more hair shedding, and they associate washing with hair loss. However, they are seeing hair that would be shedding anyway, and delaying washing may lead to an unhealthy scalp, which may exacerbate hair thinning. Washing hair with regular consistency for your specific hair type and texture is something we recommend in order to maintain optimal scalp health, which is crucial for healthy, strong hair.
Another tip is to use the Invati Ultra Advanced Revitalizing Scalp Serum every day, even on no wash days. The serum provides eight-hour antioxidant protection to your scalp. We know heat styling is needed to achieve many desired hair looks, so if you are using a blowdryer or other hot tool, be sure to use the Invati Ultra Advanced Fortifying Leave-In to nourish and protect your hair from heat damage up to 450˚F.
Can people utilize them to prevent hair loss if they’re not experiencing it already?
Pawlus: Invati Ultra Advanced can be used by anyone, whether or not they are experiencing symptoms of hair loss or hair thinning. We believe that early intervention with hair thinning is the most effective. This can be looked at like any other preventative beauty routine, using products to help with the health of their hair and scalp and help with the integrity of their hair to prevent future hair loss due to breakage from brushing—a common type of hair loss we experience regularly.
How quickly can users expect to feel and see results?
Hall: Invati Ultra Advanced goes to work right away. The haircare system fortifies strands to reduce hair loss by 77 percent and continues its strengthening benefits over time. When using the four-step system and Thickening Foam, users can instantly feel thicker hair up to 11 percent (like 11,000 more hairs on their head).
Aveda Invati Ultra Advanced Light System
Aveda Invati Ultra Advanced Rich System
Aveda Invati Ultra Advanced Thickening Foam
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
Carol Lee is the Associate Beauty E-Commerce Writer at ELLE.com, where she covers all things beauty and personal care. Before joining the team, she was an editor at Food Network Magazine and HGTV Magazine and ran the beauty section at The Pioneer Woman. Carol received her bachelor’s degree in Journalism from New York University and was one of the first customers to visit Glossier’s flagship store in New York’s Soho neighborhood. Over the years, she’s tested countless makeup, hair, and skin care products, and written hundreds of articles covering the beauty space, from pieces about the trendiest launches to roundups of the best products on the market. As a Korean-American, she grew up in a sea of Korean makeup and skin care products and is a bona fide expert on the ever-expanding world of K-beauty, helping lead our coverage. Additionally, she’s also always on the hunt for the perfect lipstick and watches the same few comfort sitcoms (Frasier, Cheers, Seinfeld, New Girl, etc.) over and over again.