Glass Hair: How To Get The Glossy Trend We're Obsessed With In 2023
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If you can't see your reflection in the strands of your high pony, then you haven't achieved glass hair in 2023. Allow us to introduce you to this year's hottest new look: with the right glossy products, glass hair can upgrade your regular do to an even shinier and glass-like finish. According to Shweta Sahni, National Education Manager at L'Oreal, there's a step-by-step process that must be followed for optimal results. "Glass hair, just like glass skin, needs to be really healthy to shine through. Choosing the right products according to your specific hair needs is essential," she explained to Vogue, emphasizing that the right pre-styling process will prep the hair nicely.
"Always use a heat-activating spray or cream before any heat styling. For a more put-together look, get a trim as the glass hair effect works best when your hair is at an even length." With that being said, there are a number of ways to achieve the glass hair look that require minimal effort. More importantly, glass hair does not require the pin-straight style that most hair trends require — rather, you can come as you are. Whether you've spent the summer experimenting with the zig-zag bangs technique or dyeing your hair for the first time, glass hair can quickly improve your look and give hair a healthy shine. We've gathered the information you need to achieve glass hair just in time for fall.
How to get the look
While the results of glass hair may look like you just came back from the salon, the process is seamless and easy to do at-home. To start, shampoo and condition hair with your favorite products — ideally ones that contain some form of shine booster. Once your hair is nearly dried (but still slightly damp), apply a generous amount of heat or humidity protectant and brush (or finger comb) it through the ends. Be careful of concentrating the product too much toward your scalp to avoid it looking greasy. Lastly, polish the look off with a shine spray that can double as a hair spray to ensure all-day shine. If you're more prone to using oils, use a bonding treatment to brush through ends.
According to Hair.com, further enhancements can be added through heat styling, like straightening, curling, or crimping. While heat styling isn't required to achieve glass hair, finishing hair off with a ceramic flat iron will keep frizz and other flyaway hairs under control. Once you've signed off on a hairdo of your choice, apply a finishing oil or hold spray for one final sweep across the whole head.
Recommended products
While there are no hard truths about achieving glass hair, there are a number of products that have been recommended by haircare experts. Popular blow dry concentrates can be used to protect hair and add a shiny finish to post-heat styling, such as Moroccanoil's Blow Dry Concentrate ($30). Once hair has been blow dried, use a hair serum for a finishing gloss. Kiehl's Silk Groom Serum ($30) and Smoothing Oil-Infused Leave-In Concentrate ($30) are some of the best options for strengthening keratin.
As the serum dries and provides a shiny coat to your hair, apply a mist of shine spray like Kevin Murphy's Summer Shine ($35). If your hair texture leans on the curly side, opt for a curl-friendly shine product like amika's Top Gloss Hair Shine Spray ($29). You can also opt for products that target your specific hair concerns, like reparative oils or anti-breakage serums. Once the hair has absorbed a number of products, finish off with a lightweight hairspray, like Oribe's Superfine Strong Hair Spray ($44) or Tresemme's Extra Hold Hairspray ($12).
Glass hair maintenance and upkeep
The maintenance of glass hair will likely be the most time-consuming part of achieving the look. If you're styling at home, you can preserve the shiny look for a few days with dry shampoo and using a hair wrap when you sleep. But eventually, you will need to reset with a wash and repeat the process.
Per the American Academy of Dermatology Association, hair should be trimmed every four to six weeks. While not everyone's hair requires the same level of upkeep, a consistent hair care routine will maintain hair health overtime and avoid split ends, thinning roots, and other hair care issues that could ruin your shiny hair look.
According to Hair.com, incorporating a reparative hair mask into your daily routine can keep hair healthy in between routine visits to the salon. An at-home hair mask can help repair split ends, hydrate dry strands, and generally improve the look of your hair. With that in mind, it's always best to know whether glass hair is within your budget and emotional bandwidth. Regardless of what you choose for your hair, fall 2023's newest trends will ensure the improvement of hair health after the scorching heat of summer.