Lips that are too thin cheekbones that shine, and nails that reflect light… it looks like beauty is in love with shiny things and that doesn’t seem to be changing. Hair is no different Google says that searches for glass hair products in the UK have gone up by 400% in the last three months, and there’s a good reason for that. Many people want to get their hair back to its shiny state during the dry grey days of winter.
What does glass hair mean? “Glass hair is all about how light bounces off of it. “You’re more likely to get the ‘glass’ hair effect when the hair is in good shape says Zoë Irwin, the creative director at John Frieda Salon.
Aaron Firmstone, national lead hair educator at Bumble & bumble, says This effect is achieved by light being able to reflect seamlessly down the hair from root to tip.”
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Some types of hair look shinier than others. “Heather Shaw creative director of advanced education at Francesco Hair Salons, says, “Darker shades of brunette will often look like they have a more reflective glass like finish, but that’s just how the light bounces off the hair.”
According to Susann Hohlfeld technical education director at Aveda Lifestyle Salon and Spa Covent Gardens, straight smoothly blow dried hair is also likely to reflect the most light However curly and wavy hair can also achieve a luminous glass-like effect The highs and lows of the waves catch the light, which makes dynamic reflections that make hair shine in a way that is both bright and three dimensional.
How to get glassy hair
1. Regular trims
“The first thing is to keep your hair hydrated so you don’t have to use very heavy shine sprays and creams,” Irwin agrees Getting your hair cut often is a good way to get it to shine naturally. When you think about split ends and broken hair it doesn’t make hair look like glass.
2/Increase moisture
All hair types will benefit from hydrating ingredients, but curly hair needs special care to make sure it stays shiny and bouncy without feeling greasy. Look for things like shea butter, avocado oil, and castor oil.
Shaw, who likes Wella Professionals Ultimate Smooth and Briogeo Curl Charisma says “It’s best to avoid brushing the curls after you’ve combed them through the first time. This will only make the frizz worse Don’t be afraid to layer your styling products I love using an oil to finish. Use a styling cream that is especially good for curls Put the product on wet hair but don’t touch it too much or work it too hard.
It’s a good idea to do a deep treatment once or twice a week for all hair types to take care of the strands from the inside out You don’t want anything too heavy but you do need to keep your hair healthy Irwin says Virtue Healing Oil is great for sprinkling on your brush and working it through the middle and ends of your hair and then blow drying it in.
3/Think about your colour again
It’s safe to say that no one wants to leave the salon with dull hair. However make sure to tell your colourist that you want extra high shine glossy colour as most salons offer this as an add on to your appointment.
The demi permanent colour at Aveda is made with moringa and kukui oil, which wrap around the cuticle instead of going through it This helps to smooth the hair fibre and reflect light. Hohlfeld says You can use our clear shine treatment on its own or as part of a colour service to improve tone, smooth out texture and boost high gloss shine.
Wella’s in salon Shinefinity colour line makes a glossy top coat and John Frieda Salon’s Liquid Blonde and Liquid Brunette colours are meant to give hair a glassy finish It is done by mixing colour pigments with conditioning treatments and a gloss.
4/Make an appointment for a professional treatment
There are a lot of salon only treatments that give your hair a lot of shine no matter what colour it is Glosses are usually semi permanent, so one way to keep your hair looking liquid is to keep getting salon glosses. Irwin says that getting a gloss every six weeks can be thought of as a cosmetic treatment When you get a facial it feels great at first, but you might find that the blocked skin cells come back and you need to get the facial done again.
Radiance Reset is the hair facial that John Frieda Salon offers The protocol cleanses, strengthens, and makes the scalp a healthy place to be while also nourishing the hair Wella’s Smoothfiller is a good choice if you’re worried about frizz It gives your hair a shiny finish that still looks natural. Clients can expect frizz control and resistance to humidity for up to three months Shaw tells Bazaar UK. This definitely helps create the perfect base for mirror shine results.
5/Use a glaze at home
Glazes were very popular in the past, but it looks like this shine boosting formula is making a comeback for 2026. They add moisture and work best on products that will last up to 10 washes. Irwin says Glazes are more reflective than masks, so they will give you that gloss look much more than just a mask alone.
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6/The last touch
Now that your hair is in great shape, use a light oil or a glossing serum to give it a shine that looks like it’s from another world Think of it as putting balm on healthy skin it makes the hair look shinier and adds moisture.
