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How To Get Shiny, Glossy Hair: 12 Tips From The Pros + Dull Hair Causes
Hannah Frye is the Assistant Beauty Editor at mindbodygreen. She has a B.S. in journalism and a minor in women’s, gender, and queer studies from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. Hannah has written across lifestyle sections including health, wellness, sustainability, personal development, and more.
Have you ever seen hair so silky it looks like a mirror? Those ultra-glossy and shiny strands don't often come easily, even if the style appears effortless. Just like dewy, hydrated skin takes some TLC, so does shiny hair.
To come, we asked experts to break down the essential steps to revealing your shiniest strands yet. Plus, some A+ products to help you out.
What is shiny hair?
Let's be clear, "Shiny hair" is much more than a fun descriptor or compelling aesthetic—there's a reason behind the gloss. "A smooth hair cuticle is important for making hair appear shiny because light won't reflect on strands that are damaged and broken," celebrity stylist Harry Josh tells mbg.
How shiny your hair is to begin with (pre-intentional hair care) largely depends on your genetics, diet, and lifestyle habits—but more on that in a bit. Just know, there are many avenues for achieving glossy strands.
How to get shiny hair
Now let's dive into the how-to of shiny hair. Below, the best tips to take your hair from dull to dewy:
- Use a clarifying shampoo.
- Add leave-in conditioner to your routine.
- Try a blowout.
- Use silk or satin pillowcases.
- Add color to your hair.
- Try a hair gloss or glaze.
- Use heat protectants.
- Make an ACV rinse.
- Use hair masks regularly.
- Switch to a hydrating shampoo.
- Get a temporary shine spray.
- Use a boar-bristle brush.
Use a clarifying shampoo.
First up, a supercharged wash routine. "Clarifying shampoos are great when hair looks dull," hair and curl expert stylist Candace Witherspoon explains. See, too much product, be it from leave-in treatments, dry shampoo, hair spray, etc., can build up on the hair over time.
When this happens, your true strands can't shine through all of the residues. You may even feel a gritty texture on your hair, see little white specs on the strands, or experience increased tangling due to this buildup.
The answer: Add a clarifying shampoo to your routine. If you wash your hair every other day, then you can use a clarifying shampoo every other week. If you wash your hair once or twice a week, call upon the clarifying shampoo once or twice a month.
Want to learn more about these special wash products? Here's a quick breakdown.
Get leave-in products to heal the cuticle.
After you finish up your cleanse, be sure to add leave-in conditioner to your strands. The goal here is too deeply hydrate the hair, in turn, protecting the cuticle. Among simply hydrating your hair, a leave-in conditioner can even help with detangling, minimizing frizz, and styling waves or curls.
There are loads of products out there, so here are a few ingredients to keep an eye out for:
- Humectants like glycerin, aloe vera, and hyaluronic acid
- Nourishing emollients like shea butter or avocado butter
- Plant oils like meadowfoam seed oil, argan oil, and cannabis sativa seed oil
- Antioxidants from vitamin E, fruit extracts to protect from oxidative stress
Try a blowout.
You may have noticed that your strands look their shiniest post-styling, and much of that has to do with heat. "Heat tools make the hair shiny," Witherspoon explains, but not if you overdo it.
Josh agrees: "A professional blowout (especially when coupled with a trim) can make your hair look shinier." So if you need shiny strands ASAP (for a big event or important style), consider visiting a stylist for a blowout or using your own hot tools at home—just don't make it a daily habit if you can help it.
Sleep on silk or satin pillows.
Both Josh and Witherspoon agree: Sleeping with silk or satin pillowcases and protecting your hair at night is key for shiny hair that lasts a few days. See, when your strands rub against a classic cotton pillowcase, the friction may result in frizz and thus decrease shine.
mbg pro tip:
Color your hair.
Oftentimes putting artificial color back into your hair will encourage a glossier finish, especially if you're going from blonde to brunette. When you add color to your hair, that settles into cracks and holes within your strands, making them appear healthier.
However, this isn't actually going to make your hair significantly healthier, so view this step as an addition (and a quick fix) rather than the main goal.
Do a hair gloss or glaze.
Up next, we have hair glosses and hair glazes—they sound like synonyms, but they're actually a bit different. See hair glosses are typically used at the salon and involve more products such as a solution or developer. Your stylist may use a gloss to correct unwanted color, add depth to your shade, or color-correct an undertone.
Hair glazes, on the other hand, can be done at home. "A glaze is basically a semipermanent color that coats the hair shaft with shine and lasts up to a few washes," said celebrity colorist and Redken brand ambassador Matt Rez about hair glazes.
So if you're new to the world of glosses and glazes, test out the glaze first. If you want a more permanent result, opt for a gloss. For more information on both and how to decide, scan this story.
Use heat protectants.
As mentioned above, hot tools can help you get glossy strands. That being said, heat damage will have the opposite effect, so you'll want to protect your strands before styling by using a heat protectant.
"This is key, protecting your hair from heat damage is the No. 1 way to help ensure shine," Josh says. You can opt for a heat protectant mist, a leave-in conditioner with protective properties, or a hair oil if that's more your speed.
Use an ACV rinse.
The hair's pH is very important, as an unbalanced hair and scalp pH can cause irritation, dryness, dullness, and frizziness (read: lack of shine). One way to encourage a more balanced pH is by using apple cider vinegar on your strands in the form of a rinse.
The idea is that when you rinse it with something acidic like apple cider vinegar—it brings the pH back down and seals the cuticle shut, leading to shiny, soft strands.
Here, a quick DIY trick:
- Simply mix together ½ tablespoon of ACV and 1 cup of cold water.
- Apply via a spray or squeeze bottle.
- Be sure to make your rinse fresh every time you use it.
- You can use this in addition to your shampoo or in place of it, depending on your hair's oil production.
For a deeper dive into this easy DIY remedy and how often to use it for your hair type, this story will answer all of your questions. Not a DIY sort of beauty fan? No problem, there are plenty of great, preformulated options on the market that come infused with additional healthy-hair ingredients like these.
Regularly use hair masks.
Witherspoon recommends using a deeply hydrating hair treatment at least every two weeks to nourish the strands and increase shine. If your hair is on the drier side, you may even consider swapping out your regular conditioner for a hair mask completely.
For shiny locks, you'll want to keep an eye out for rich botanical oils like avocado, marula, and argan joined by healing peptides and rich plant butters. Not sure where to start? Here are our favorite clean picks.
Switch to hydrating shampoo.
While you should use a clarifying wash every once in a while to free up your strands of buildup, hydrating shampoo is the best choice for your staple cleanser. See, if you use a drying formula too frequently, your strands may appear dull.
Another tip: When you shampoo your hair, be sure to apply the product and work it into your scalp only, letting the lengths of your hair get a cleanse from the runoff shampoo. This way, your strands aren't subject to the same scrubbing and friction as your scalp.
Try a temporary shine spray.
Another temporary fix: Shine sprays. "A light oil spray is great—I love to add after styling or even to take crunch out of curls," Witherspoon says. So if you're headed to a big event, photo shoot, or you just need a momentary glossy boost, call upon shine and oil sprays.
Use a boar-bristle brush.
"Additionally, try a boar bristle brush on dry hair (if your texture allows)," Josh says. "The bristles will distribute your hair's natural oils to give an extra boost of shine," he adds. One grade-A option: Pattern Double-Sided Bristle Brush for curly, coily, and light-textured hair.
How hair becomes dull
After all of that, you may be wondering: Why are my strands so dull in the first place? This varies from person to person, but we'll touch on a few common triggers here:
- Excessive heat styling: Witherspoon notes heat damage as one of the top contributors to dull, dry-looking hair. If you know you frequently use hot tools or experience other signs of damage like brittleness, split ends, fading color, or increased tangles, you may want to limit styling to once a week or so.
- Age: Just like your skin, your hair will become drier, courser, and thinner as you age. Many of the changes will start with the scalp, so be sure to prioritize regular gentle exfoliation and hydrating scalp treatments to keep your strands looking youthful.
- Cuticle damage: Both heat damage and frequent chemical color processing can lead to cuticle damage, which, as we mentioned earlier, is the root cause of dull and dry hair. Consider taking a break from color treatments and hot tools if you're serious about getting shiny hair—think of it like a hair detox.
- Pollution: There are plenty of environmental factors that alter how your hair looks including dry, windy weather and environmental pollution. To protect your strands from these harsh conditions, look for leave-in products with antioxidants, and keep your hair covered when you're outside for long periods.
- Lack of hydration: Your hair could also be just plain dry! If you have yet to try deep conditioning treatments, hydrating serums, or switching over to an entirely hydrating hair care routine, start there.
- Nutrition: "Your diet definitely has an effect on the quality of your hair," says Josh. More specifically, "Eating whole foods like fruits and veggies with natural fats can help to make your hair stronger," he adds. A few examples include avocados, salmon, walnuts, chia seeds, oysters, full-fat yogurt, and eggs.
- Silicone-based products: Products that have too many sulfates, parabens, and silicones can cause dull hair, says Witherspoon. While silicones aren't necessarily going to damage your hair, they can build up on the strands and contribute to dullness over time.
FAQ
Is it good for my hair to be shiny?
If your hair is shiny, there's a high chance it's healthy too. See, your hair will glisten when the cuticle lies flat—something that happens when your hair is in a healthy, hydrated, and clean state. If your hair appears dull, there's a chance your cuticle has been damaged from consistent heat styling or chemical processing.
How do I make my hair shiny?
1. Use a clarifying shampoo.
2. Add leave-in conditioner to your routine.
3. Try a blowout.
4. Use silk or satin pillowcases.
5. Add color to your hair.
6. Try a hair gloss or glaze.
7. Use heat protectants.
8. Make an ACV rinse.
9. Use hair masks regularly.
10. Switch to a hydrating shampoo.
11. Get a temporary shine spray.
12. Use a boar-bristle brush.
What food makes your hair shiny?
"Your diet definitely has an effect on the quality of your hair," says Josh. More specifically, "Eating whole foods like fruits and veggies with natural fats can help to make your hair stronger," he adds. A few examples include avocados, salmon, walnuts, chia seeds, oysters, full-fat yogurt, and eggs.
The takeaway
If you want your strands to look as shiny as clean glass, you'll have to start with your hair care routine. Do your best to limit heat styling and chemical processing. Add in nourishing products like hair masks, ACV rinses, and leave-in conditioner. Be sure your body gets enough healthy fats, use a boar-bristle brush, and always sleep on a satin or silk pillowcase. The first step: a deep, clarifying cleanse—shop supercharged shampoos here.
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