Glossy, glass-like hair isn’t just covetable—it’s a sign of healthy strands. But figuring out how to get shiny hair is more than just choosing the right shampoo and conditioner. It’s a balance of moisturising, styling, and some insider hairstylist tricks. If your hair is looking flat, there tend to be a few typical causes. “Dull hair can be the result of damage or buildup,” says professional hairstylist Hyeri Sung. “Things like heat styling, colour treatments, and even hard water can roughen the cuticle so it lacks shine.”
Here’s the good news: Achieving shiny hair is way simpler than you think. From easy-to-copy tricks (seriously, how do hairdressers get blowouts looking so shiny?) to product recommendations, read on for everything you need to know about how to get shiny hair.
Choose your shampoo and conditioner wisely.
Your shampoo and conditioner is the basis and first step to getting sparkling, shiny hair. “Use a hydrating shampoo and conditioner regularly,” says Sung. She recommends “focusing on ingredients that help nourish and smooth the hair cuticle.” As for what ingredients to consider? Humectants like hyaluronic acid to attract and retain moisture, oils like squalane or rosehip to nourish and add shine, and more. Plus, keep an eye out for words like gloss, hydrating, shine, and glass on the label to know that you’re picking a winner.
Rinse hair with cool water.
At the end of your shower, “do a cool-water rinse when rinsing out conditioner,” says Jenna Spino, stylist at Maxine Salon in Chicago. It can promote smoothness by helping to “seal the cuticle and enhance shine,” says Sung.
Deep-condition weekly.
Though nourishing and moisturising your hair with your regular conditioner after every wash is a necessity, you can switch it every few days with a deep conditioner, hair mask, or similar nourishing treatment. Both stylists recommend doing this weekly to keep hair hydrated.
If you want to get glossier hair naturally, you can skip the store and DIY a hair mask at home. Use ingredients like coconut oil, avocado, honey, olive oil, or aloe vera to get serious shine and smoothing benefits.
Don’t skip heat protectant.
To put it simply, “Keep your hair healthy, as healthy hair equals shiny hair,” says Spino. But how can you keep your hair healthy? An easy way is to “always use a heat protectant before using styling tools,” says Sung. This prevents damage from hot tools, which can make hair look dull.
Redken Quick Blowout Heat Protectant Spray
Use a clarifying shampoo.
If you aren’t familiar with clarifying shampoo, it’s a deep-cleaning shampoo that helps remove excess oil and buildup from your scalp and strands. “Use a gentle clarifying shampoo to help with buildup if you use a lot of styling products,” says Sung. It’s important that you don’t overuse clarifying formulas so you avoid stripping the hair of its natural oils (it’s not an everyday shampoo). Reach for this when your hair is feeling dull, heavy, and weighed down—likely every few washes or as needed.
Give yourself a salon-worthy blowout.
Is it possible to duplicate a hairdresser’s ability to make your hair look super shiny at home? We asked both stylists how they create a glassy, reflective blowout, so we can attempt to re-create the look.
“I focus on creating tension with a round brush during the blow-dry because it lays the cuticle flat and smooth,” says Sung. “I prep the hair with a heat protectant (I use minimal styling products), and then finish with some cool air to lock everything in place.” At the end, she gives hair a quick mist of shine spray to get “that sleek and healthy finish,” she says.