You step out into the street, everyone stops. Cars come to a halt, people drop their phones, even those annoying joggers that make you feel bad for not working out stop their stupid jogging. Everyone is captivated by one thought: “Look at that HAIR!” Just then, a light breeze blows perfectly through your hair. We all want that moment… don’t even pretend you don’t. Unfortunately, stepping out into oncoming traffic is never a smart idea, no matter how fabulous your hair looks. Getting that amazing gloss you lust after though, that’s totally doable. Here are a couple of things you can do (and stop doing) to make your hair have brilliant shine.
First and foremost, you want your hair to be healthy. Regular cuts and trims will remove damaged hair and split ends, making your hair appear shinier already. Diet matters too, so make sure you try to eat healthy and drink LOTS of water. Cleanliness is also a big factor contributing to your hair’s shine (or lack thereof). A good clean with a clarifying shampoo is a great way to rid your hair of excess build up and get you back to your natural, fresh hair. Hair gets that shiny look when light is able to reflect off of the cuticle. This will be difficult if you’ve got a bunch of muck in your hair blocking the light.
Hair by Sascha Breuer on Bangstyle
When you can, avoid excessive heat from dryers and irons, as this tends to dry your hair out, removing moisture and therefore shine. Depending on your hair type, this may be more difficult for some than others. Straight hair already has a flat (in-line) cuticle, which are ideal for reflecting light and giving you that natural shine, while thicker curlier hair tends to have more texture making it a bit harder to reflect light. Using a leave-in conditioner and a good round brush that will evenly distribute healthy oils through your hair will help give you super glossy curls as it dries naturally. If you must use a dryer, point the nozzle downward towards the ends, this will help flatten the cuticle, making your hair look smooth and shiny. Some will also tell you that a quick cold rinse at the end of a shower, or a bit of cold air from the dryer will help close the cuticles and add a little shine. We prefer to keep our showers warm, but it's up to you if you want to give this a try.
