There are lots of ways to treat your hair to increase its shine and softness, but hair gloss treatment is one of the most affordable and effective. You can do it at home or you can visit your local salon and ask your stylist to do it for you.
But what results can you expect from gloss treatment for hair, and is this a successful way to improve the way your hair looks and feels?
In this article, we run through everything you need to know about hair gloss treatments and reveal why this short-term solution is a great way to add a touch of class to your hair.
What is a gloss treatment for hair?
So, what is hair gloss treatment? It’s a semi-permanent option for treating your hair, capable of adding shine to improve its appearance. Though it’s sometimes confused with hair dye, it’s different and shouldn’t be used in the same way.
While hair dye essentially stains your hair, gloss improves its shine and can even improve the health and nourishment of your hair when used alongside other products.
Most hair gloss products contain ingredients like amodimethicone and behentrimonium chloride, which are responsible for adding shine and softening your hair. When used semi-regularly, hair gloss can also protect your hair from the sun’s UV rays, making it a great product to consider if you spend a lot of time outdoors during the summer months.
Types of gloss treatment for hair
There are two primary types of glossing treatment for hair. The first is clear gloss, which you can use to add shine to your hair, even if you don’t want to enrich your hair’s color. This is the option to go for if you want to enhance your hair without altering its structure or long-term color scheme.
The other option is color gloss. In addition to adding shine to your hair, color gloss can refresh or even change your color. Some people prefer color gloss as it combats dullness and helps to top up your hair’s color without requiring dye or any other product application.
Pros & cons of hair glossing treatment
Here are some of the pros and cons of going for a hair gloss treatment to improve your hair’s shine and softness:
Pros
✅ The main benefit of hair gloss is that it brings additional shine to your hair, which is perfect if you feel as if your hair is looking flat and dull for whatever reason.
✅ If you want to restore some of your hair’s natural color, you can invest in a gloss with color that’s a much cheaper and easier option than fully dyeing your hair.
✅ Hair gloss has restorative properties, which can help to hydrate your hair, reduce frizz, and nourish your cuticle and follicles.
✅ When you apply hair gloss correctly, you’re likely to see extremely quick results, with most people seeing a notable difference in shine within just 20 minutes of application.
Cons
❌ If you don’t apply hair gloss properly, it can result in stains on the ends of your hair, which you may need to remedy with another treatment.
❌ Glossing your hair isn’t a permanent solution, and to see significant improvements over the long term, you will need to apply the gloss regularly, which can get expensive.
How does hair gloss treatment work?
The best way to increase the shine on your hair is to schedule an appointment with your stylist and request the type of hair gloss you require: clear or color. At the start of your appointment, your stylist will likely wash and condition your hair with nourishing products to ensure your hair is not dehydrated.
Then, the stylist will towel-dry your hair and while it’s still damp, they will apply the gloss from the root to the tip. After application, they will leave the gloss on your hair for between 15 and 20 minutes to work its magic, before removing it.
As mentioned, you can expect to see results relatively quickly, with most gloss treatments delivering results within 30 minutes.
One of the main drawbacks of going for professional hair gloss treatment is the cost, which can be up to $100, considerably more than an at-home glossing treatment for hair.
How long does gloss hair treatment last?
Once you have correctly applied the gloss to your hair, you will likely see results within 30 minutes. In this respect, it’s one of the quickest ways to achieve instant shine and is an excellent option if you want to enhance your hair before a special event.
If you go to the salon and receive a professional hair gloss treatment, you can expect the results to last for at least one month and perhaps up to six weeks, though it might be slightly longer, depending on your hair type.
If you opt for a home treatment, as we introduce below, you can expect the shine to remain in your hair for between one and four weeks.
Best hair gloss treatment at home: Is it possible?
Most people go to the salon for hair gloss treatment as it yields the best and longest-lasting results. It also ensures that you get the most for your money, and when hair gloss is applied by a professional stylist, you can be confident that it will be effective.
However, if you want to take responsibility for hair gloss yourself, there are several products you can order at home. Some of the biggest brands offer hair gloss products that you can order online or buy from your local drugstore, which are reasonably easy to apply.
The best at-home hair glossing treatments are paraben free and infused with products like coconut and avocado oil, which have nourishing properties and help to enhance your hair while adding shine and color, depending on the product you use.
Alternative ways to help your hair shine
While we think that hair gloss treatment is a great way to add shine to your hair, it’s not the only method available to you. Here are some alternatives that are worth considering:
✅ Wash your hair with a clarifying shampoo: The products that you use to wash your hair significantly impact its shine. A clarifying shampoo helps to remove product buildup and prevents your scalp from looking oily and greasy. Therefore, it can add shine to your hair.
✅ Dry your hair with an ionic hair dryer: Switching from a standard dryer to an ionic blow dryer can also result in shiny hair. Ionic technology creates negative ions that neutralize the water molecules and evaporate them much more effectively. Being able to dry your hair on lower heat settings also prevents your hair from losing moisture, which prevents frizz. The Laifen Swift Special is the best ionic hair dryer for shiny hair and is a simple way to improve the way your hair looks after washing and drying it.
✅ Improve your diet: Your diet will also have a big impact on the way your hair looks and feels. Fatty acids are important for hair, as are healthy fats found in fish, avocado, and olives. Other hair-healthy foods include eggs, nuts, and blueberries. While these foods may not improve the shine of your hair on their own, they can boost your hair’s health, which can help it to look glossier.
✅ Apply a semi-permanent hair color: While you might not want to permanently alter the structure and color of your hair, a semi-permanent hair color treatment might be a viable solution. This can add brightness and color to your hair for a period of six weeks or more, during which you can decide whether to go for a more permanent color treatment.
Final words
Ultimately, hair gloss treatment can be an extremely effective way of increasing your hair’s shine. If your hair looks dull or flat, you can ask your stylist to apply gloss, which will nourish and replenish your hair, helping it to look much healthier, without significantly altering its structure.
While you can use at-home hair gloss treatments, you will see much better and longer-lasting results if you visit a professional salon. You can also follow our tips above to improve your hair’s health in the longer-term, without having to return for subsequent hair gloss treatments at added expense.
