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Culinary

What is a Hair Gloss Treatment?

By Sonal Panse
Updated May 17, 2024
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The best way to keep hair shiny and healthy involves an excellent diet, regular exercise and disciplined lifestyle, but a hair gloss treatment can help on a short-term basis. This beauty treatment can be done at a salon or at home, using specially formulated hair gloss products. A hair gloss is a type of transparent hair dye that gives hair an attractive shine without affecting its color; if required, color can be added to the gloss. The hair gloss enhances natural hair, gives longevity to colored or highlighted hair, helps dull hair look better and, as the gloss covers the hair shaft, it also protects hair from damage.

Application of hair gloss to colored or highlighted hair can assist with adjusting the color tone. If the color is too bright, for instance, the hair gloss will tone it down. The hair gloss treatment will also keep the hair color from fading too soon.

Hair gloss can be applied both to dry hair and to recently shampooed and conditioned hair. After application, depending on the product used, it may be left on for three to five minutes or for 10 to 20 minutes, and then rinsed away. Some people warm the applied hair gloss with a hairdryer before rinsing. The effect of the gloss can last for up to two to four weeks.

Another similar hair care treatment is a glaze treatment. Hair products companies often use the terms gloss and glaze for the same products, but beauty care experts consider them to be two separate products. The difference is that glaze treatment only coats the hair shaft, rather than penetrating it as in hair gloss treatment, and consequently the glazed effect is much more short-lived.

People who suffer from allergic reactions to hair gloss or glaze products can make use of natural products like honey, fenugreek seeds, eggs and milk to give their hair that special shine. Apply a mixture of eggs and milk to the hair, leave on for around 15 to 20 minutes and then wash off with warm water. Fenugreek seeds, soaked in water overnight, are crushed and both the crushed seeds and the water are applied to shampooed hair. The mixture is left on for a few minutes and then rinsed off. Honey diluted in warm water is poured over shampooed hair and left on; there is no need to rinse it off.

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Discussion Comments

By bear78 — On Feb 22, 2013

@CopperPipe-- It does. I dye my hair at home too and I use homemade hair gloss treatments all the time.

I don't know about hair gloss shampoos but I do know that you're not supposed to use baby shampoo. My hair stylist said that baby shampoo removes hair color faster because it has a different pH that's suited for babies.

You should use regular shampoo. Organic shampoos are great too. If you have red hair for example, you can use an organic shampoo with henna which will return gloss to your hair.

Otherwise, just do a hair mask at home once or twice a week with olive oil and the yolk of an egg. Egg yolk is the ultimate gloss ingredient. It does stink while it's on your head, but the scent doesn't remain after shampooing.

By discographer — On Feb 22, 2013

@anamur-- I have. It was okay but it had too much perfume in it. I think natural treatments are better.

If you want shiny hair, add some apple cider vinegar to the water you rinse your hair with. It will make your hair very shiny.

Coconut oil is also a great hair gloss treatment. I use this once a week as a pre-rinse hair mask. I leave it on for an hour and then shampoo and condition as usual. My hair looks very glossy.

By serenesurface — On Feb 21, 2013
Has anyone tried a leave-in-conditioner with silk protein? It's supposed to make hair super soft and glossy.
By anon176633 — On May 16, 2011

@CopperPipe: Actually, I've heard that at-home hair gloss treatments come out better than in-salon ones, but I've never gotten one at a salon. I personally do my own gloss treatments with Wella Color Charm Activating Lotion and a transparent hair dye, and I can't believe how shiny it makes my hair, and it lasts a good month or so depending on how long I leave the dye on for.

But if you're not comfortable doing this yourself you can always get John Frieda clear glaze. You use it either daily in the shower or once a week on dry hair; it coats the hair cuticle with glaze and gives extreme shine, but the downside is it doesn't last as long.

By yournamehere — On Aug 17, 2010

@CopperPipe -- I think that they have hair glazing shampoos, so I'm sure they would have hair gloss shampoos.

You don't have to go to a salon if you just want a little shine, but if you really want a really good gloss treatment for your hair, you do have to go to a salon.

You said your hair gets brassy too -- have you tried using organic hair products? A lot of times the chemicals can cause your hair to get brassy, so if you switch to organic products then you might not have the same problems.

By CopperPipe — On Aug 17, 2010

Does hair gloss work as well on at home hair color? I usually dye my hair at home every month or so, but it starts to get dull and a little brassy around third week of the month.

Will a hair gloss treatment make it look better until I dye it again? Is there some kind of hair gloss shampoo I can get to keep it shiny, or do I have to go to a salon to get it done?

By rallenwriter — On Aug 17, 2010

Some leave-in conditioners also have gloss treatments. Of course, they're not as long-lasting or heavy-duty as salon hair gloss treatments, but they can tide you over in between touch-ups.

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