If you’ve been on social media lately, you’ve seen the glass hair trend. But how do you get ultra-shiny hair? With hair gloss! Here’s how to do the process at home.
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Feel like you’ve been doing EVERYTHING right (healthy diet, healthy hair care routine, protecting hair at night, daily scalp massages, etc…) but your hair just doesn’t have the shine you’re dreaming of?
If your hair looks dull and just kind of…”meh”, you’ve got to add one of these treatments into your wash day routine!
The secret to getting that super shiny glass hair look you’ve seen all over the internet is simpler than you might think.
You can easily do a hair gloss treatment at home and get noticeable results instantly – all you need is one product.
This super popular hair treatment is all the rage, and for good reason. Let’s get into what a hair gloss actually does, and how to use it!
What Is Hair Gloss?
Hair gloss is a semi-permanent hair treatment that adds shine, and can add color.
There are two types:
- Clear glosses that only deposit shine
- Color depositing glosses that slightly alter your hair color
A hair gloss coats and penetrates your hair, leaving it looking smoother and feeling softer.
It’s sort of like a top coat for your nails, but for your hair!
Many people are amazed by their hair glossing before and after results, often seeing a dramatic improvement in shine and overall hair health.
These treatments typically contain ingredients like:
- Amino acids and protein to strengthen hair
- Silicones for shine and smoothness
- Colorants, only in color-depositing glosses
- Nourishing oils such as argan, castor or jojoba
- Humectants such as hyaluronic acid for moisture
The Benefits of Using Hair Gloss Products
1. Adds Shine: The most obvious benefit is in the name – gloss! This treatment makes your hair look shiny and silky.
2. Enhances Color: Whether you have natural or colored hair, a gloss can enhance and refresh your color.
3. Reduces Frizz: By smoothing the hair cuticle, a gloss can help get rid of frizzy hair.
4. Conditions Hair: Many hair gloss treatments contain conditioning agents that can improve hair health and make it softer.
5. Defines Curls: Those of us with curly hair can find that hair glosses make the curls look more defined, and leaves them bouncy and shiny.
6. Less Damaging Than Dye: For those looking to slightly alter their hair color, a gloss is gentler than permanent dye.
7. Quick and Easy: You can use a hair gloss at home, and the process only takes a few minutes!
The Best Hair Gloss Treatments
These are some amazing products for getting the liquid hair trend look, without going to a salon!
They’re used in the shower, either between shampoo and conditioner, or after using both. Always follow the instructions on your specific product for best results!
I love in-shower hair rinses like this because they’re easy and quick.
You typically only need to leave them on for a few minutes (or seconds!) to work their magic, and you’ll be left with silky shiny hair.
Which one of these will you try?
1. OUAI Hair Gloss
Not only does this gloss contain hyaluronic acid, but it has rice water too! This is the perfect blend of hydration and strength. Great for treating damaged hair, plus it’ll help protect colored hair.
2. Moroccanoil High Shine Gloss – Clear
This mask softens hair, seals the cuticles and gives instant shine. The one I linked is clear so it won’t change your hair color, and it can be mixed with their other color depositing shades if you want to customize a color.
3. Oribe Mirror Rinse Glass Hair Treatment
The shine from this hydrating gloss lasts through 15 washes! It smooths the cuticle to give you a super reflective shine, and you only need to leave it on for up to one minute.
4. Drybar Liquid Glass Instant Glossing Rinse
For use between shampoo and conditioner, this rinse is full of amino acids to help strengthen the hair, and make the hair silky. It’s part of an entire Liquid Glass hair care collection, all designed to give you shiny, smooth hair.
5. Paul Mitchell Clean Beauty Shine Enhancing Treatment Gloss
You can get this one in 5 shades: Clear (no color, just shine), Cocoa (for light to medium hair), Truffle (for dark brown hair), Vanilla (for blonde hair) and Cinnamon (for reddish brown hair). It’s deeply hydrating, and vegan-friendly.
How to Maintain Your Shiny Hair
Aside from a hair gloss, you’ll want to use some sort of finishing spray or serum to a) add even more shine, and b) shield your hair from moisture that’ll cause it to frizz up. A couple of really great products for that are:
Color Wow Dream Coat Supernatural Spray 200ml
The viral anti-humidity spray that gives you waterproof hair. It provides heat protection, and it’s heat activated so you blow dry it to get the amazing results its known for. It also comes in an Extra Strength formula, and there’s a Dream Coat for curly hair too!
Olaplex No. 9 Bond Protector Heat Protection and Frizz Reduction Nourishing Hair Serum
This serum provides heat protection, and creates a shield to protect hair from pollution. It’ll help reduce frizz and keep your hairstyle looking sleek.
You May Also Like: The Ultimate 10 Step Hair Care Routine for Intense Hair Growth
Hair Gloss vs. Glaze
These terms are often used interchangeably, but there is a difference:
Hair Gloss: Typically lasts up to 4 weeks, penetrates the hair cuticle slightly, and can subtly alter hair color.
Hair Glaze: Usually lasts around 1 week, coats only the outside of the hair shaft, and doesn’t alter hair color (just adds shine).
Tips for Shiny Hair
Once you’ve done a hair gloss treatment, you’ll want to maintain that beautiful shine for as long as possible. Here are some glossy hair tips to add to your routine:
1. Use gentle shampoo: Harsh, deeply clarifying shampoos can strip your hair of its natural oils, and make your hair dry and less shiny. If you have naturally dry hair, opt for gentler, sulfate-free options. If you find that your hair feels and looks super healthy when using sulfate-containing shampoo, then keep doing what you’re doing!
2. Limit heat styling: Excessive heat causes damage, makes your hair dull – which is the entire reason for using the gloss! When you do use heat tools, always use a heat protectant and the lowest heat setting that’ll still achieve the style you want.
3. Regular deep conditioning: Keep your hair full of moisture with weekly deep conditioning treatments and hair masks.
4. Protect your hair while sleeping: Use a silk or satin pillowcase to reduce friction and moisture loss, and to maintain your hair’s glossy finish.
5. Use products for shiny hair: Such as shine serums or leave-in conditioners, to maintain your results between gloss treatments.
Glass Hair Product FAQ’s
A hair gloss smooths the hair cuticle, adds shine, and can deposit semi-permanent color. It improves the overall appearance and feel of your hair.
Typically, an at home hair gloss can last up to 4 weeks. If you get a salon treatment, it’ll last around 6 weeks.
You can use hair gloss for gray hair, however the color change with gloss is subtle. It likely won’t completely cover them the way regular hair dye would, but it can blend them into the rest of your hair so they’re not as obvious.
Definitely, and there are many at home products you can use. Keep in mind that the results won’t be as long lasting as a salon treatment.
Aside from the gloss products, you can also use moisturizing or smoothing shampoo and conditioner, a deep conditioning mask, and a leave-in serum or spray. These will all help to boost shine and softness!
Hair gloss treatments are generally gentle and safe. However, as with any hair treatment, there are a couple of things to be aware of:
1. Allergic reactions: While rare, some people might be sensitive to ingredients in hair gloss. It’s always a good idea to do a patch test before a full application.
2. Color deposit: Some glosses, especially darker ones, might deposit more color than expected. If you’re worried, start with a clear hair gloss or consult a professional.
Hair gloss treatments offer a fantastic way to enhance your hair’s natural beauty. Whether you’re looking to add shine, tame frizz, or subtly change your hair color, this could be the perfect solution!
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