So, you desire hair that appears as though you’ve been consuming incredibly effective vitamins — and you desire it in minutes. Unattainable? No way — it’s actually possible! A hair shine treatment can provide you with lustrous, healthier-looking locks, and it’s simpler to accomplish at home compared to permanent hair dye.
So, what exactly is a hair shine treatment? Essentially, it’s precisely what it sounds like: A hair shine is a temporary treatment that bestows a fresh radiance upon your hair, whether you’re amidst dye appointments or simply dealing with lackluster hair. There are two variations: transparent shines (which solely add shine) and tinted shines (which introduce a subtle alteration to the shade of your hair). Both are semipermanent, implying that the outcomes will progressively wash away with shampoo over several weeks.
Advantages of Hair Gloss Treatment
A tinted hair shine treatment can assist in rectifying the tone and rejuvenating the hue of your hair between dye appointments (without encountering the regrowth or harm associated with more enduring color), which explains why stylists frequently employ them in conjunction with root touch-ups in salons.
You can select a shade that will rectify brassiness or enhance the richness of your hair, but it’s essential to remain in proximity to the color you already possess — if you desire a significant alteration in color or a lighter shade, a more permanent dye is indispensable. Glosses can augment both the color and shine of previously dyed hair as well as untouched hair.
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Smoothes the Hair Cuticle
Does it sound too magical to be factual? Here’s how it operates: A gloss envelops the hair and fills in raised cuticles, resulting in smoother-looking hair and, if tinted, depositing a color that washes out across several weeks. More enduring formulas, in fact, open up the cuticle, enabling the pigment to infiltrate deeper into the hair shaft.
Provides Hair with Extra Luster
Gloss treatments can also aid in avoiding color fading and adding luster. “Glosses intensify luster, enhance color, and prevent fading,” suggests renowned colorist Michael Canalé. “After you dye your hair, the initial shampoo is when fading commences, so you apply the gloss over it, and it functions as a barrier.” The hair gloss treatment coats every individual strand, protecting them from environmental elements like UV rays, which cause color to fade. As an added bonus, that protective layer can also create the illusion of thicker hair.
Hair Gloss Won’t Harm the Hair
Another advantage: Glosses don’t harm your hair in the same manner as more permanent color. Even if used properly, permanent dye can still come into contact with your skin and induce an allergic reaction or scalp irritation.
They generally include substances like ammonia, peroxide, and paraphenylenediamine (PPD), which make hair more vulnerable to harm. “Semi-permanent glazes do not enter the scalp,” says Brittany King, a colorist who divides her time between Larry King Salon and Mare Salon. “And there is no ammonia or peroxide involved, so it is not harmful to your hair in any way.
Cost of Professional Hair Gloss Treatment
For the most noticeable, enduring results, you’ll likely need to acquire a professional hair gloss treatment for approximately $50–$100. It typically involves a 20- to 40-minute process and has a duration of around six weeks, says King. Some colorists will also create personalized kits for their clients and send them with instructions.
Best At-Home Hair Gloss Treatments
If neither in-salon nor custom-stylist-treatment is an option, you can purchase a DIY hair gloss kit online or at a local store and administer it at home for outcomes that will endure anywhere from one to four weeks.
Interested in the DIY route? Here are the top hair gloss treatments to try at home.
Kristen Ess Signature Hair Gloss
Target
For a user-friendly alternative that’s (added bonus!) readily available at Target, opt for this Kristin Ess hair gloss treatment that comes in transparent and tinted variations. While in the shower, you’ll combine a gloss and activator then leave the mixture on your moist hair for 10 minutes before rinsing. The results last three to four weeks.
Buy It: Kristin Ess Signature Hair Gloss, $18, target.com
dpHUE Gloss
A swift and effortless hair gloss treatment with no blending involved, this 2-in-1 product (which is offered in 10 hues or a transparent gloss) takes a speedy 20 minutes to impart a semi-permanent luster. Obtain a corresponding root touch-up kit (Buy It, $32, dermstore.com) if you also desire to permanently color any new hair growth.
Buy It: dpHUE Gloss , $37, dermstore.com
Ion Clear Semi-Permanent Hair Color
Sally’s
This hair gloss treatment has a lifespan of 10-15 shampoo sessions — or approximately five weeks if you wash your hair every three days.
Select from a multitude of tones (or opt for transparent), administer it directly from the cylinder onto moist hair, subsequently, anticipate 25 minutes to cleanse it away.
Buy It: Ion Clear Semi-Permanent Hair Dye, $10, sallybeauty.com
Madison Reed Color Enhancing Gloss
Madison Reed
If you can’t visit a hairstylist, you can still receive assistance from one: Madison Reed has color specialists on staff that you can communicate with if you need assistance selecting your color (there are seven options, plus a clear choice) or applying the product. The brand’s hair gloss treatment contains hair-strengthening argan oil and keratin. You apply it directly from the tube then wait for 25-35 minutes before rinsing it off.
Buy It: Madison Reed Color Enhancing Gloss, $30, ulta.com
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