Are the women in the hair-care commercials real? We’ll never really know, but ultimately we’ll still do anything to achieve those flowing locks that seem to have shine that mimics a mirror. With heat and high humidity practically a guarantee that we feel powerless against our hair, we’ve dug up the tips to help glossy hair go from being Mission: Impossible, to being a no-brainer (but we certainly welcome Tom Cruise to come along anyway).
Choose the right shampoo and conditioner
With so many options available, keep it simple. A moisturizing formula goes a long way. It can be tempting to want to give your hair a good clean and get rid of all the product residue from that bridesmaid up-do you had yesterday with an ultra-cleansing formula, but glossy hair gets started with the natural oils that your head produces. Proteins that your scalp produces help strengthen strands. Using a clarifying shampoo may strip too many of these away. If possible (and maybe only in the summer when it’s hotter than heck outside), rinse product out with cool water. Leave your conditioner in longer, and focus especially on your ends. A leave-in conditioner works wonders once you’ve towel-dried your hair, and conditions ends long after your hair is dry.
Stop neglecting your trims!
Every 6-8 weeks, get those ends trimmed off. Damaged, dry ends are a dead giveaway for unhealthy hair. Broken strands don’t reflect light. Blow dryers also contribute to drying out hair (well, duh) and making it look more damaged. Shower in the evening, and let hair air dry. This minimizes damage so that your hair can stay strong.
Flat-iron
Yes, we did just say to avoid heating tools, but a flat strand creates more area in which to reflect light (read: shiny!). It’s important to only iron hair that is completely dry, and use a heat protecting spray before you give it a go. Ceramic plates protect against damage from excessive heat. One might say that a ceramic flat-iron is an investment piece, and we couldn’t agree more.
Vitamin E
Your scalp might be hungry, and increasing your circulation via Vitamin E helps grow hair. Vitamin E serum is easy to find at the drugstore, or you can go rogue and open a vitamin E capsule, rubbing it directly onto your roots.
Lightening fiend? Try a glaze.
Packed with conditioners and available in clear or pigmented, a glaze seals in your colour. You can choose to get a stylist to do this, or get an easy kit at your drugstore. Choose your next box of dye with a shine or gloss treatment infused into it. This will minimize peroxide damage, and keep your hair shaft closed and less prone to breakage.
