STYLE

It's official: Hair gloss has officially taken over the TikTok beauty community. You've likely seen girls all over your FYP giving themselves shiny, hydrated and healthy hair. And guess what? You can do it from your very own home...if you do it right, that is. Presenting our step-by-step guide for your DIY hair gloss, feat. allll the secrets straight from a professional hair colorist.

Pick your product

First, you'll need to choose a hair gloss that matches your mane. There are many different types of glosses on the market, but the ones  professionals prefer (or at least the ones that come closest to salon-level) use developers—aka compounds that help process the hair gloss solution.

One of our fave affordable gloss options is the Ion Demi Permanent Intensive Shine Cream from Sally Beauty (which pairs perfectly with a level 10 developer). Pro tip: Double-check the package's label to ensure you are getting a clear hair gloss, particularly if you just want to add some shine without any extra color. 

Ion Demi Permanent Gloss, $10

 

 

 

 

Sally Beauty 10 Volume Developer, $5

Snag your supplies 

For best results, we recommend grabbing: 

- Gloves

- Hair gloss cream/solution

- Developer 

- Brush (makes application easier!)

- Squeeze bottle or small plastic bowl (also makes application easier!)

- Shower cap or hair cover

Salon Care Extra Wide Jumbo Tint Brush, $2

 

 

 

 

 

Salon Care Narrow Tip Applicator Bottle, $3

Time to apply 

Mix one part of your hair gloss cream with two parts developer (for example, one ounce of hair gloss should be mixed with two ounces of developer). You can mix these in your bowl or squeeze bottle, which makes measuring products and product application easier. If you are mixing them in a squeeze bottle, cover the top with your finger and shake until the mixture looks thoroughly combined. 

Now it's time to throw on those gloves and separate your hair into two sections (see below).

Squeeze the mixture onto your hair using the bottle or scoop up some of your product from the bowl and use the brush to evenly distribute from the root of the hair to the ends. Make sure each hair strand is entirely and evenly coated. 

Your hair should look wet and every single strand should be covered from top to bottom. Then, secure your tresses and put on a shower cap or another cover for your hair. Allow the gloss to process for 10-40 minutes. 

Hop in the shower

Hair glosses can be drying, so as you rinse out the product, it's important to add some moisture back into your hair. You'll want to use a gentle hydrating shampoo and conditioner, and you could even add a hydrating mask if you have naturally dryer hair.  

 

 

L'ORÉAL hydrating mask, $10

Cue the styling sesh

After the shower, it's time to heat style. Heat styling directly after using a gloss treatment can lead to shinier results, says professional hair colorist Lucille Javier. The easiest way to dry and heat style your hair is using a round brush dryer.  

Revlon round brush, $35

Peep these FAQs...

Will this affect my wave or curl pattern? 

Hair glosses will not affect your wave/curl patterns. Any hair type can benefit from a hair gloss treatment!   

How often can you do a hair gloss?

You should not be doing them more than once a month at most.  

How long does gloss last?

"Gloss treatments typically last a couple of weeks to a month depending on how often you shampoo and heat style," says Javier. If you wash your hair less frequently, the results will last longer (but please still wash your hair regularly, even if you have done a hair gloss!). 

Show us your hair gloss results on IG @girlslifemag for a chance to be featured!

Check out more hair care tips below:
⭐️ A step-by-step tutorial for styling wavy hair
⭐️ Want more hair volume? The secret is tress prep
⭐️ Add these hair trends to your "try now" list

Slider image: @ellianawalmsley_
Top image: @byalexmk

by Lila Walter | 10/20/2024