If you have an Instagram account or follow any A-list celebrity religiously, you’ve likely seen glass hair—even if the name doesn’t ring a bell. Glass hair describes a specific high-shine look that can upgrade your favorite haircut, giving it a dazzling modern finish.
While the reflective hair trend first kicked off in 2018, we’re still completely obsessed with it—and we’ve long sworn by using shine-enhancing hair products like hair serums, oils, and sprays to get the look at home. Of course, there’s a bit more to nailing (and maintaining) the look than applying a hair oil. Below, you’ll find our full glass hair guide, complete with an answer to “What is glass hair?” and a breakdown of four different ways to try the trend. Read on and get ready for your hair to shine to the high heavens.
What Is Glass Hair?
Glass hair is a sleek, smooth, shiny style inspired by the reflectiveness of glass. The trend is an offshoot of the glass skin trend, which similarly centers around visibly clear skin with a dewy glow. Once glass skin became widely popular, different variations of the trend began to pop up, and it extended into various categories, like hair. We first saw the shiny look applied primarily to blunt bob cuts, but the trend has since evolved to encompass all hairstyles, from asymmetrical lobs to princess-length hair. No matter what length you’re working with, you can rock glass hair to give your strands a healthy look with lots of luster.
If you have dull strands, your stylist may suggest a shine service, such as a Redken Shades EQ Hair Gloss or a professional hair glaze, but you can totally get the look at home, too. More on that next.
Good hair day by @taylordidmyhair.
How To Get Glass Hair
You can achieve glass hair a number of different ways using glossy hair treatments and shine-enhancing formulas. Below, we break down some of your options.
For instant glass hair…try a shine spray
If your mane lacks that glass-like reflective shine, one of the quickest and easiest ways to get the look is with a few spritzes of shine spray. All hair types can use a shine spray like Redken’s Shine Flash Hair Spray for instant, lightweight shine. Plus, this spray also helps smooth and tame frizz and flyaways, contributing to the perfect glass-inspired look.
You can apply the shine spray to dry hair as the last step in any routine. To maximize your glassy finish, wash your hair with a smoothing shampoo and conditioner, like the Pureology Smooth Perfection Shampoo and Conditioner, first. After washing, let your hair air dry, or use a heat protectant and blow out your hair. Among our favorite protective formulas is the Redken Iron Shape 11 Thermal Holding Heat Protection Spray, which offers 450°F heat protection and helps further boost shine.
Pro tip: To keep frizz and flyaways under control, apply a few spritzes of shine spray to a round brush and gently roll it over the surface of your hair.
For color-treated hair…try a hair gloss
As beautiful as your hair looks immediately post-salon appointment, after a few weeks, your strands may need a pick-me-up. One of the best ways to both revive dull-looking, color-treated hair and give your locks a glass-like finish is to use a hair gloss. The Kérastase Chroma Absolu Soin Acide Chroma Gloss Hair Gloss strengthens and seals the surface of the hair fiber to protect color and leave a high-shine finish. In fact, it amplifies shine by up to 70%.*
To use it, start by washing your hair with the coordinating shampoo. Then, saturate the mid-lengths and ends of your hair with the gloss, taking care to avoid your scalp. Leave it on for just one to two minutes, then rinse and style as usual.
Good hair day by @maitesophiac.
For dry hair…try a hair oil
Oils are another great option for really amping up the shine. They can be particularly beneficial for those with parched, dry hair as they also offer a dose of nourishment. Try Shu Uemura Art of Hair Essence Absolue Nourishing Protective Hair Oil, which adds shine without weighing hair down. The formula with japanese red camellia oil also tames frizz and instantly hydrates, making hair more manageable.
Another option we love is the Kérastase Elixir Ultime Original Hair Oil. The iconic formula with wild camellia leaves hair up to 10x stronger*, 10x smoother*, and with 92% more shine.** It’s also now refillable, so you can stock up as needed while curating a more sustainable routine.
To take your glass hair to the next level, try straightening your hair before you apply the hair oil. While glass hair can be achieved with any texture, flat ironed strands really give off a smooth, glassy effect. Use the L'Oréal Professionnel Steampod Hair Straightener + Curling Iron while running a flat brush through your hair. This helps smooth hair and eliminates any knots, so your glass hair is as sleek as possible.
After, run a small amount of hair oil through the mid-lengths and ends of your hair. Distribute the product evenly with the help of a wide-tooth comb. Keep in mind, there’s a fine line between shiny and greasy. We advise starting with a pea-sized amount of the product and then adding more if needed.
*vs non-conditioning shampoo
**vs unwashed hair
For long-lasting glass hair…try a glossy hair system
While there are a lot of products you can apply for a quick, glassy look, it can sometimes be even more effective to build a complete regimen with a system of glossy hair products. This is an especially good option if you want glass hair to be your new norm rather than a trend you try for a special occasion.
Revamp your routine with Redken’s Acidic Color Gloss collection. The line features a shampoo, conditioner, hair gloss, and a heat protectant, all of which have an acidic pH and help seal the cuticle and deliver molecular-level shine. Used together, hair is left up to 76% shinier.* And the gloss alone helps provide glass-like shine for three days.**
On your next wash day, apply the Redken Acidic Color Gloss Sulfate-Free Shampoo, then rinse out. Follow it with the Redken Acidic Color Gloss Activated Glass Gloss Treatment, applying it to your mid-lengths and ends. Let it sit for five minutes, then layer the Redken Acidic Color Gloss Conditioner on top. Wait one to three minutes and rinse. From there, you can style your hair as you like, but we suggest a sleek blowout. Before breaking out the blow dryer, apply the Redken Acidic Color Gloss Heat Protection Leave-In Treatment to protect your tresses.
Follow this complete routine once a week. The rest of the time, you can use the shampoo, conditioner, and leave-in without the hair gloss.
*Acidic Color Gloss Shampoo + Glass Gloss Treatment vs. unwashed color-treated hair
**Based on consumer test, Acidic Color Gloss Glass Gloss Treatment
Good hair day by @hairbyebonyvallender.
How Much Maintenance Does Glass Hair Require?
Giving your hair a glass-like finish is the easy part; keeping that look requires some maintenance. Exactly how much depends on which method you use to get the look. The effects of a shine spray may only last a few hours, depending on the formula. Whereas doing a hair gloss or using a whole glossing system may provide a more lasting effect.
If you go the traditional route and also get a blunt, geometric bob (the style most often associated with glass hair), your look will be higher maintenance. You’ll need regular trims to maintain the shape of your cut. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, your hair grows an average of a half-inch per month. So, if you want your hair to look as blunt and glass-like as possible, expect to head to the salon for a trim every four to six weeks. We recommend booking regular salon appointments further out so you aren’t caught unprepared when your hair starts to look grown out.
Pro tip: An at-home bond repairing routine can also help ward off split ends between trims so your blunt cut appears less frayed. We love the Redken Acidic Concentrate products. Featuring Redken’s Bonding Care Complex, the line reinforces hair’s weakened bonds to help damaged hair become more resilient against future breakage.
Next Up: 12 Ways To Score Shiny Hair
Want to head to a pro to achieve glass hair? Our salon locator can help with that.
Header photo credit: @hairbyebonyvallender
