Shiny hair has never not been covetable, but right now we seem to be taking our obsession with glossy, liquid-like locks to new extremes. From the runways to social media (the hashtag #shinyhair has 2.5 billion hits on Tiktok) blindingly shiny hair is officially everywhere.
The best way to achieve your shiniest, slinkiest hair? When you ask the internet, the instructions are clear: simply switch your shampoo, marinate your head in a hydrating mask, stop straightening (and blow-drying, while you’re at it), book in for a trim every month, and use as many spendy styling products as you can get your hands on.
Back in reality, we know those ‘healthy hair’ rules aren’t always easy to stick to – I certainly don't follow them religiously. Early Monday mornings require help from the hairdryer, and a little experimental styling can be truly joy-inducing, especially after a week of working from home with a greasy slick-back.
Read Next
However, refusing to follow the rules with the diligence of an angel doesn’t mean glossy hair – the kind that would make a Hadid weep – is out of your reach.
The solution lies in a few clever quick fixes, all of which can be found on the digital shelves and come in at a price that feels surprisingly sensible. Read on for the shiny hair short-cuts that really, honestly, work – trust me, I've tried them all...
How To Get Shiny Hair
1. Lamellar Treatments
My number-one shiny hair how-to is something you may have previously overlooked. Lamellar waters have been around for a while – Kérastase’s in-salon only K Water was the first – but a few new blockbuster launches have really pushed this smart technology to the fore. Essentially, these liquid conditioners work as a surface shiner, slicking over the outer core of each strand to instantly moisturise and repair any dry or damaged areas. They're best applied in-shower, and will do their finest work in less time than it takes for you to shave your legs.
Trust me when I say: the results are remarkable, especially when it comes to reducing frizz and adding a reflective shine you can really see once your lengths are dry. There are now plenty on the market I'd happily recommend, but the one you'll find permanently in my shower is Matrix's Shine Rinse: it smells more sophisticated than most, and the glassy sheen is major. If you colour your hair regularly, try Davines' slightly richer option to soften those struggling strands.
L'oreal Elvive Wonder Water
The one that went viral, L'oreal's Wonder Water really does deliver on its promise to make hair silkier and shinier in just eight seconds. It's brilliantly affordable – not to mention effective – but be aware of the strawberry-sweet scent: you'll either love it or hate it.
With a subtler, salon-style scent, Matrix's lamellar water is sure to impress the masses. It's effortless to apply, a cinch to rinse out, and even extra-long hair will get 12 uses out of the bottle.
With more of an oil-rich texture than the others, Davines' offering packs a hydrating punch on long, thick and coarse hair types. it features the brand's favourite roucou oil for smoothing, and a fruit acid to instantly seal each air cuticle, enhancing shine once dry.
2. Colour Glosses
For something that lasts longer, these innovative at-home toners essentially combine a glossing treatment with a conditioning mask, imparting softness and shine alongside a sheer veil of light-reflecting colour. They won’t change your existing shade completely, but rather tint it, making browns and reds richer and blondes more vibrant.
Aveda's option is perhaps the quickest way to revive your colour and make dry ends shine. It works just like a nourishing mask, but makes your colour richer and glossier too. With shades for both warming up and cooling down your tone, it's an all-round winner.
Josh Wood's Gloss is a fan favourite for good reason. Use it once a week to tone down brassy blonde or to deepen that Dua Lipa-inspired cherry red.
Huge in the States, Dp Hue makes some seriously cult colour-enhancing treatments. This root-fading, length-brightening treatment comes in a host of shades as well as a clear iteration, which simply adds glassy shine to all tones and types.
If you're hoping to neutralise warm, brassy tones, try this one. The blue iteration balances out warmth in dark blonde and brunette shades, while the purple works like magic on bright, icy blondes.
3. Shine Serums
A good old serum is still one of the quickest, easiest ways to get shiny hair in seconds. Most are based around silicones, which have a bad rep in 'clean' beauty circles, but the fear is largely unwarranted. Silicones are a safe, extremely common cosmetic ingredient that, in hair serums, bring remarkable gloss as well as shielding strands from frizz.
They’re brilliantly effective at adding artificial shine to the surface of the hair – but be wary of any product that promises to work on your hair's health, because frankly that probably isn't true. Think of a serum as a top coat for your hair, and you’re on the right track.
Sam McKnight never lets us down, but his latest launch is one seriously worth trying. Unlike most oils, this one is as light in texture as water, so works on even the finest of hair, and imparts mega shine as well as that signature green vetiver scent.
This is, in my humble opinion, one of the very best hair products in existence. Yes it's pricy, but the bottle will last you six months and, honestly, nothing makes my dry, frizzy hair look better.
Don't let the name fool you here: this serum will not magically fix your split ends, and nor will any product for that matter. What Kérastase's latest launch will do, however, is make dry and damaged hair look instantly healthier, with a shine to rival that of your mate that has never met a bottle of bleach.
An affordable hero, this wont' quite deliver the conditioning benefits it implies, but it does make dull hair seriously shiny.
4. Oil Sprays
If your hair is especially dry or damaged, an oil mist is the best way to add aesthetic shine while simultaneously nourishing parched patches. One with a decent nozzle will deliver a fine, even veil of conditioning oil that sinks into thirsty strands without making your roots look oily. A particularly good move after a straightening session.
For textured hair, acclaimed stylist Charlotte Mensah knows best: this Finishing Mist is a finer version of her beloved Manketti Oil treatment, hydrating and glossing coils and curls without adding weight.
A new favourite of mine, the Naturelab Perfect Shine Oil Mist is one for those with very thick hair to try. There's a marmite-grade floral scent, but the shine it delivers is guaranteed to please. Just be sure to hold the bottle at arm's length before spraying, or you'll end up with greasy patches.
Here's a shine-enhancer with benefits: Bumble and Bumble's reflective mist is infused with UV protection, which is more important for your hair than you may have thought.
Blended with a cocktail of nutrient-rich plant and flower oils, Ceremonia's concentrated oil mist will nourish parched strands while imparting an enviable gloss. It's rich and heavily hydrating, so spray from arm's length, and keep it in your bag for top-ups throughout the day.
5. Glossing Treatments
Hair-glossing treatments are a new, rapidly growing, category in the hair market – and many of them are satisfyingly speedy and brilliantly effective. Each one works in a different way, but the common aim is to seal each strand with a truly glassy finish. The star of L’Oreal Paris’ new line, Glycolic Gloss works by flattening the rough surface of a frayed hair strand, meaning it can reflect the light to the best of its ability. Another standout, Ouai’s hair gloss delivers instant shine, long-term strength and frizz-smoothing power that lasts for days.
With hyaluronic acid and strengthening rice water, this wash-out finishing treatment smoothes frizz and adds shine while making hair more resilient over time. It's especially good for thicker hair types.
Amika's sweetly scented shine enhance is more treatment-focused, so works on making thick and frizzy hair feel softer and more manageable. The shine is a (very welcome) bonus.
L'Oreal's phenomenally effective new launch looks like Pepto Bismol, smells like strawberry shortcake, ad leaves hair so shiny you genuinely won't be able to stop staring at yourself.
Roberta Schroeder is the Senior Ecommerce Editor at Harper's Bazaar, ELLE and Esquire, overseeing shopping strategy and content across fashion, beauty, and travel. Roberta has reported on everything from market-leading skincare brands to the world’s most iconic fashion pieces, while also regularly updating a range of shopping guides, including LED masks, heritage cashmere brands and niche new dress brands to know.
Roberta has more than 15 years' experience in the luxury sector, spanning editorial consultancy, trend forecasting and journalism. Over the years, she has worked for global brands including Farfetch, Chanel, and Vogue.
When not testing beauty products, trialling trends and curating content that spotlights the very best in fashion and beauty, Roberta can usually be found trawling resale sites and vintage stores for a long-coveted designer find. Follow Roberta on Instagram at @roberta__schroeder
