As far as beauty editors go, I’m a low-maintenance girlie when it comes to hair—which is why the concept of a hair gloss always felt a bit 'much' for me. I have thick, South Asian strands that are straight at the top with a slight wave running through the ends, and I never have time to style it. I’m always on the hunt for time-saving tools (like the new Dyson Airstrait), but I mostly just leave it to air dry and hope for the best. The result is often a tad bedraggled. I like to think it looks purposefully mussed and chic—the slightly slept-in, French-girl hair aesthetic is the ultimate goal—but realistically, it looks dry and damaged. Less French girl, more Hagrid.
I should also tell you that my naturally raven-black hair is bleach damaged to the hilt—I’ve been bleaching it since I was 15, and I’ve been every colour you can think of, from pink to green to grey and, now, a delicious chocolatey brown with balayage. Suffice it to say, my hair isn’t the healthiest, but I’m willing to forgo hair health in return for gorgeous colour.
Now though, at-home hair glosses are trending for their uncanny ability to overhaul sad and dulling lengths with glossy shine—no salon required. This sudden influx of glosses on the market comes as no surprise, what with the likes of ‘liquid hair’ and ‘glossed ink hair’ recently taking the beautysphere by storm. Nothing screams quiet luxury quite like a blinding shine.
I’ve happily tested multiple formulas over the past few months, and I’m completely obsessed. At-home hair glosses transform my hair with ease, making it incredibly shiny and healthy-looking, less knotty and easier to comb—even with my affinity for bleach. From Ouai to L’Oréal Elvive, multiple brands have hopped on this glossy bandwagon, and I’m here to tell you exactly which formulas are worth your money. It’s worth noting that I’ve been testing these formulas both in and out of salon environments, and while there’s no denying the magic touch of a hairdresser magnifies the effects of a gloss tenfold, these treatments dramatically improve the look of my hair at home, too.
What is hair gloss?
“At-home hair gloss treatments are designed to enhance the shine, colour vibrancy, and overall appearance of your hair,” explains Diana Pratasiewicz, head of education at Ouai.
“They work by coating the hair shaft with a clear or tinted formula that smooths the cuticle, seals in moisture and adds a reflective layer to boost shine. Some at-home hair gloss products also contain conditioning ingredients to help improve the texture and manageability of the hair. They are often used to refresh and maintain hair colour between salon visits, but can also be used on natural hair to add glossiness and vitality.”
At-home glosses are different to salon glosses, which are designed for professionals and almost always deposit colour. The at-home glosses, on the other hand, are far less potent—often depositing no colour at all. Instead, they focus on conditioning and adding shine, and they’re specifically made for more frequent, amateur use.
Who should use hair gloss?
Limoz Logli, who colours my own hair and owns a salon in Kensington, says hair glosses should be used by “anyone who wants to add shine and manageability to their hair”. Before going on to explain that they’re “particularly beneficial for those with dull, dry or damaged hair” because they help to “reduce frizz and improve overall appearance”.
“People who have colour-treated and/or have damaged hair will greatly benefit from at-home glosses,” adds Diana.
How to use hair gloss
Diana says to think of a hair gloss like a hair mask: “Depending on the type of at-home hair gloss, application instructions can differ, but they are typically the last step in the shower and applied after shampoo and conditioning.”
“Trust the process,” she muses. “It may not feel soft immediately after application, but when you rinse out, your hair will feel like silk.”
Heat styling will amplify the effects of your at-home gloss treatment, but you should also notice a difference when air drying.
Best at-home hair glosses
1. L'Oréal Paris Elvive Glycolic Gloss
This hair gloss contains glycolic acid to help boost shine in particularly porous hair. It also smells delicious and only takes five minutes to get to work, making it really, really great value for money.
2. Ouai Hair Gloss
This particular hair gloss is effective enough that those with finer hair can simply use it as a conditioner. A hydrating blend of hyaluronic acid and rice water leaves hair looking next-level shiny. Beyond that, it also delivers heat protection, so you can rest assured your blow dry routine won't be causing intense damage.
3. Paul Mitchell Clean Beauty Shine Enhancing Treatment
Formulated with borage oil and pomegranate extract, this gloss delivers a bunch of antioxidants for intense nourishment and shine. It works on all hair colours and helps to boost colour vibrancy and prevent fading, all so you can eke out the time between colour appointments for just a little longer.
4. Glaze Clear Conditioning Gloss
Executive Beauty Editor, Shannon Lawlor adores this hair gloss for making her bleach-damaged hair shine. If you have dry hair that lacks lustre, there's high chance you'll love this product every bit as much as she does.
5. Josh Wood Colour Hair Gloss
Another recommendation from Shannon is this colour-depositing gloss. "If you want to give your colour a boost between appointments, this is the gloss for you. While it doesn't come in a clear shade, it behaves like a toning hair gloss that you might experience in the salon, but it's surprisingly easy to use at home. Not only does it tone and refresh colour, it also delivers stand-out shine and bounce," she says.
