Having a bad hair day? These superhero shampoo and conditioner duos are ready to come to the rescue, writes Alice Ryan

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Philip Kingsley Density Thickening Shampoo and Conditioner, £25.50 each, philipkingsley.co.uk

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Formulated with fine, fragile and thinning hair in mind, these companion Thickening formulas take a scientific approach, both deploying hyper-branched polymers and hydrolysed pea peptides to plump up and strengthen strands from inside as well as out. The shampoo also gently exfoliates the scalp (via BHAs), while the conditioner replenishes lipid loss in locks (via biomimetic ceramides). Don’t be blinded by the science, though: the short story is that, used together, this shampoo and conditioner leave hair looking and feeling more fulsome from very first use. Cumulative effects impress too - far less split ends and shedding.

ESPA Optimal Hair Pro-Shampoo and Pro-Conditioner, £22 each, espaskincare.com

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Packed with plant-based actives - including amino-acid-rich quinoa protein (to smooth and shine) and lipid-loaded Inca inchi oil (to nourish and strengthen) - ESPA’s Optimal duo is the equivalent of skincare for hair. Coming from a brand best-known for its natural beauty products, that’s little surprise. The shampoo leaves hair squeaky, literally, while the conditioner feels cosseting; the result, once dried, is hair that’s noticeably softer, shinier and frizz-free. A bonus: both products contain pink grapefruit oil, so smell divine.

Faith in Nature Coconut Hydrating Shampoo and Conditioner, £6.50 each, faithinnature.co.uk

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Organic coconut oil, mainstay of many a beauty product due to its nourishing qualities, is the main player here: delivering a big hit of hydration, it makes these products a must for anyone struggling with dull or dry hair. As ever with Faith in Nature, a famously earth-kind brand, both shampoo and conditioner are 99% naturally derived, free from nasties (notably parabens and SLS), certified vegan and cruelty-free and made ethically here in the UK. They leave hair softer, shinier and smelling like a tropical island - lovely. And all for £6.50 a pop.

Fekkai Technician Colour Extended Colour Vibrancy Shampoo, £20, and Conditioner, £22, feelunique.com

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I’ve been (fake) blonde since my early teens but, as my long-suffering hairdresser will vouch, have a tendency to neglect my colour between appointments. The result? A blonde that soon becomes more brassy than classy. This duo from Fekkai has been a game-changer, though: designed to work on all coloured hair, whether blonde, brunette, black, red or even platinum, it uses a patented Keraguard complex to prevent fade for up to eight weeks, alongside mirabelle plum seed oil, known to boost vibrancy. My blonde is noticeably cleaner and clearer when I use it, plus my hair looks shinier and silkier too. The sweet fruity/creamy fragrance is a treat, too.

SBC Hydra-Collagen Super Boost Shampoo and Conditioner, £18.60 each, sbcskincare.co.uk

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We’ve all read about the benefits of collagen for ageing skin - but what about the benefits of collagen for ageing hair? Suffolk-born beauty brand SBC, famed for its bath, body and skincare collections, has answered the question, by creating a collagen-enriched shampoo and conditioner duo specifically to aid ageing locks. Along with the headline ingredient - marine collagen, which contains eight essential amino acids known to bind moisture and boost suppleness - they employ keratin to strengthen, and marula, kukui nut and passion flower seed oils to variously smooth, nourish and control flyaways. Despite the richness of the formula, both shampoo and conditioner are remarkably lightweight and leave hair with swish as well as shine. They also smell seriously pretty: grapefruit, gardenia and vanilla.

athletia Scalp Care Shampoo, £32, and Scalp & Hair Treatment, £35, athletia-beauty.co.uk

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Infused with eucalyptus, cedarwood, lemon and ginger to soothe mind as well as hair and scalp, this duo, a recent launch from Japanese beauty and wellbeing brand atheltia, is basically a spa treatment for your bonce. Formulated with naturally-derived actives and free from chemicals, including usual suspects silicones and sulphates, the shampoo targets both general grime and any excess sebum, while the conditioning treatment, which you’re invited to massage into the scalp to stimulate circulation, boosts moisture and manageability. The spa-inspired scent, which has athletia’s signature MTA Natural Oil at its heart, invites deep breaths; a moment of calm for you, as well as your hair.

Batiste Original Dry Shampoo, £4.99, and Leave-in Dry Conditioner, £4.95, Boots stores and boots.com

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Batiste is the world’s number one dry shampoo for a reason: it’s brilliant. A few spritzes, directed at sectioned roots, and day-old hair looks freshly washed, flat hair is volumised and fine hair has body - I swear by this stuff when putting hair up. The brand has now taken dry hair-care to the next level by introducing a companion conditioner range which, especially handy for the long-haired among us, swiftly banishes bed-head, both detangling and giving sheen to roughed-up tresses. A foam formula which you rub between palms then run through lengths and ends, it’s available in three scents, including floral Blush and exotic Tropical. For me, though, the classic Original, my favourite in the shampoo, can’t be beaten: it’s got that washing-fresh-from-the-line thing going on.