There’s nothing quite like ultra-glossy, high-shine hair to give us a gorgeous natural glow. Healthy-looking, shiny hair is something we all covet. It’s a simple way to add dimension to our look and looks great on super sleek straight hair or bouncy curls.
Without weekly or daily salon visits, you might be struggling to get the perfect glassy shine for your hair. But our below tips will help you achieve beautifully glossy hair at home.
Use a hair gloss treatment
A regular hair gloss treatment is the best way to keep your hair looking shiny and healthy at home. Glaze Super Gloss acts as a tinted moisturizer for your hair, deeply conditioning whilst also depositing color to add vibrancy. Our formula is enriched with Babassu Oil to nourish hair, leaving it with extraordinary softness and a mirror glaze shine.
For the best results, Super Gloss should be applied to dry or damp hair in sections. Leave it on to work its magic for 10 minutes before rinsing thoroughly. You can then style your hair as usual and enjoy the glassy shine! The effects of our Super Gloss will last 10 washes, but it’s also gentle enough to use in place of your conditioner – Super Gloss is formulated without sulfates, parabens, silicone, or ammonia, so it won’t damage your hair.
Brush your hair regularly
Brushing your hair every day will help to distribute the natural oils on your scalp to the ends of your hair, which will moisturize the strands and keep them shiny. It’s best to use a natural or boar bristle brush, as this will get closer to the hair cuticle and evenly distribute the oil for more shine. A boar bristle brush will also be less damaging than synthetic alternatives, as it is gentler and will result in fewer breakages.
Rinse with cold water
After you’ve washed your hair and used your conditioner, you should rinse your hair with cold water. This is because hot water will open up the hair cuticle and cold water will close it. This will smooth the hair cuticle and lock in moisture, helping it to look shinier.
You shouldn’t necessarily go for a full cold shower though. Using warmer water when you condition will allow the nourishing ingredients to penetrate the hair strands. Finishing with cold water seals in all those nutrients for sleek and shiny hair.
Use a clarifying shampoo (sparingly)
If product is left on your hair and scalp, it can clog your pores and stop the natural oils from your scalp reaching the hair and moisturizing it. Clarifying shampoos will clear any build-up of product, helping your hair to be shiny again. However, a clarifying shampoo should be used sparingly, as it can also strip your hair and dry it out. Start using a clarifying shampoo once a month to see the results. If you find you have a lot of product build-up, you might want to increase this to once a week.
You can make your own DIY clarifier with an apple cider vinegar rinse. Use two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar with one cup of water to make the rinse. After you’ve used and rinsed shampoo, soak your hair in the apple cider vinegar. The acid in the vinegar will dissolve any product build-up on the scalp and also get rid of any other pollutants that clog the pores and prevents shine. Rinse it thoroughly and follow with conditioner.
Use a silk pillowcase
Many pillowcases will damage your hair as the material is usually too rough and harsh. Silk or satin pillowcases are much smoother and gentler on our hair. They’ll result in less frizz and tangling, so you can wake up with sleek and shiny hair.
Silk pillowcases can also help our hair to retain moisture. Cotton pillowcases are more porous and so will take the moisture from your hair. Silk pillowcases are less porous and so won’t absorb the moisture, leaving it where it is so it can keep your hair and scalp hydrated.
Minimize heat styling…
Heat styling can take a toll on our hair, making it prone to breakages and frizz. The heat from stylers will open up the hair cuticle, which makes it vulnerable to damage. You should avoid using heat styling every day, if possible, instead opting for a natural air dry.
…And heat style the right way
When you do need to use a heat styler, you should take care to protect your hair. Using an ionic hair dryer can dry hair faster than other types of dryers, minimizing the time your hair spends under heat. It will also reduce static, to prevent your hair from getting frizzy.
You should always use the nozzle attachment for your hair dryer, as these are specifically designed to smooth hair and add shine. You could also try using a lower heat setting and holding the dryer further away from your hair to reduce the impact and damage caused.
When you blow dry your hair, you should always dry from root to end and try to keep the brush and hair dryer moving. Keeping it in one place can damage the hair, whereas continuous movement will help to smooth the hair cuticle and leave it beautifully shiny.
Wash your hair less often
You should aim to wash your hair less and definitely try to avoid washing it every day. Your hair will naturally produce oils that hydrate your hair and keep it looking shiny. Shampooing too much will strip the hair of these natural oils and leave hair dull. How many times a week you need to wash your hair will depend on your hair type and lifestyle, but ty to aim for 2-3 times a week at the most.
You should avoid using hair products that contain sulfates or silicones, as these will dry out your hair and can also result in product build-up, reducing the shine.
Eat more omega-rich food
Certain types of food can help to improve our hair’s health which, in turn, will make it look shinier. Omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids are particularly good at helping to keep our hair healthy. These fatty acids can be found in fish such as salmon, mackerel and sardines, but if that’s not to your taste, you can find fish-oil supplements that give you a boost of omega. Alternatively, you can try other foods that are packed with omega, such as avocado, walnuts, and tofu.
Don’t forget your scalp
It’s important not to forget your scalp when you’re aiming for healthier hair. A regular scalp massage can help to promote blood flow, which will stimulate the production of natural oil to hydrate the hair. It can also help to loosen any product build-up before it causes a problem.
You should also look into skincare-like products and ingredients to look after your scalp. Hair products that contain hyaluronic acid can bring the same benefits that this powerful ingredient does for our skin, locking in moisture and helping to give us a healthy, natural shine.