Does your hair lack the shine that you desire? Here are our glossy hair hacks and home care products that will get your hair looking light reflective and bring back that ultra glossy look.
Firstly, think of your hair as being covered in little tiles. These are called cuticles scales. If they are lying flat all in the same direction, without any missing tiles then the surface of that strand of hair is smooth and will shine, resulting in beautiful glossy hair. If you have missing tiles or they are lifted, then your hair will be dull and then the surface of your hair will not shine.
Heat damage, vigorous brushing, over processing/over-use of colour products and a lack of moisture will all leave your cuticles raised and rough, so here are our solutions.
- Always shampoo your hair twice. The first shampoo will remove styling products and some of the excess oils your scalp produces whereas the second will really clean away all environmental build up and ‘squeak’ your hair clean. If your hair texture feels rough before conditioning, then it is likely that you need to intensify the moisture content in the shampoo you are using. For this, we love the Keune vital nutrition range, which has so many moisture adding options.
- Apply a salon quality conditioner or masque which is more concentrated and has more specific ingredients for your hair type. They are designed to last so you do not need handfuls, a little goes a long way. Conditioner should feel like it is smoothing the surface of your hair and really soaking in during the application, it should not feel all slimy like it is leaving a residue with loads of it sitting on the surface of your hair as this will be too cosmetic and block the shine. Salon quality products are water activated and the hair becomes silky on the rinse off as only the excess product is removed once they have deposited their nutritional properties. Think about this when you are applying your conditioner, ‘soak in, silk out’ and you will experience what we mean.
- Detangle your hair gently using a flexible brush designed to be used on wet hair. We love the wet brushes we have available to purchase in salon. Start at the tips of your hair and work up to the roots gently teasing out knots. If your hair is long applying a leave-in detangler at this stage to help the brush glide through. Hair is most vulnerable when wet, so this is the time to be gentle and not rough with it. Attacking your hair will damage the cuticles, roughing them up so they do not light reflect and shine.
- Apply a cream or liquid heat protector to wet hair before applying any heat. We love the Kérastase Thermiques range of products as there is a solution for everyone – blondes, coloured hair, strengthening and frizz fighting.
- Blow dry your hair, adding a finishing serum or oil at the finish. Believe us, not all oils are the same. It is essential to take advice from your stylist to avoid costly mistakes when purchasing. The weight of the oil should be matched to your hair type and density. You should only need a dot or two applied to your fingertips and worked through your lengths and ends. An oil is an investment piece in your hair care kit, those with good qualities are not cheap – but are oh so worth it! Experience the feel of the correct oil for you in salon on your next visit. Many of our oils are available as ‘Indulgent’ treats on your in-salon Treat card, so ask your Stylist to help you choose. An oil should not be heavy or leave a residue, it should enhance shine and moisture, adding a polishing to those cuticle scales.
If after following the advice above at every wash, you are still not shiny and glossy, then speak to your Stylist about a colour gloss service. This is the celebrity favourite to maximise the gloss, available in 100’s of shade combinations and even in clear. A gloss service applied every 6 weeks along with your haircut will deliver the sparkle your hair needs to shine.