Shiny hair: we all want it, don’t we? But how do you get it, and how do you keep it? After many long hours in my stylist’s chair, she’s given me loads of useful tips for banishing dull, lifeless hair, and I’m delighted to share them with you! Here are 15 tips for shiny hair… enjoy!
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1. Don’t over-brush
My grandmother used to brush her hair one-hundred strokes before bed each night to keep it shiny, but did you know that doing this can actually damage your hair? If you want shiny, healthy hair, don’t over-brush. And when your hair is wet, don’t use a brush at all, but rather a wide-tooth comb. This will help prevent split ends, which can make your hair look dull.
2. Don’t over-wash
The first time my stylist suggested skipping days between washings, I freaked out. I didn’t want dirty hair! But she brought up a good point: unless you use a lot of product, or have short or naturally oily hair, you really don’t need to strip your hair by washing it every day. In between wash days, if you’d like, you can use a dry shampoo to absorb some of the excess oil.
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3. Use a Cold Rinse
If you want the shiniest hair in the world, then when you do wash your hair, rinse with cold water. Eek! Cold water in the shower! But the cold water helps seal your hair, making it look smoother and shinier.
4. Condition Well
Not only will conditioner help prevent frizz and static and fly-aways, but it will also help give you shiny hair! Pick a conditioner that is made for your hair type, though, or you’ll risk an overly-shiny look (aka GREASY).
5. Be Careful with Heat!
I know you love your blow-dryer and your flat-iron, but girl, all that heat can damage your hair, making it brittle and dull. For shiny hair, limit your use of heat styling tools to the days when you need it. I mean, if you’re just sitting around the house in your jammies watching re-runs of True Blood, do you really need to flat-iron your hair?
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6. Keep Trimmed
Again, split ends make hair look dull, so to keep your hair looking its shiniest, keep the ends trimmed. This is especially true if you have short hair. If you’re trying to grow it out, you might be tempted to skip the trims, but this will only lead to breakage, more split ends, and the end of your shiny hair.
7. Go a Shade Darker
For some reason, even the glossiest of blonde hair can look dull, not shiny. Light tends to reflect better off of darker hair, so you may want to consider going a little darker. Plus, if you’re going darker, rather than stripping the color out of your hair to go lighter, you’ll do less damage to your hair, which again, will make it shinier.
8. Use a Shine-enhancing Product
My favorite hair care products are from the Bumble & Bumble Let it Shine line, including the shampoo, conditioner, and finishing spray. Why? Because, as the name implies, they make my hair so shiny! If you want shiny hair, try a line of products designed to make that happen.
9. But Don’t Use Too Much Product!
Be careful though! Too much product, from conditioner to finishing spray, can dull your hair, and take the shine away, even if the products are designed for shine.
10. Try a Hot Oil Mask or Treatment
Every weekend, my daughter and I do a home spa day, complete with mani-pedis, avocado masks and a hot oil treatment for our hair. The hot oil treatment, once a week, gives us both shiny tresses, exactly what it’s designed to do!
11. Coconut Oil
Coconut oil is an amazing thing girlies, it's not just great for your skin, but it's also fantastic for your hair! A little on the ends, a bit through your hair and you've got an awesome leave-in conditioner that will leave your tresses shiny and soft!
12. Hair Serum
You remember how I said that you shouldn't load down your hair with a bunch of products, but hair serum is one of those things that you need! Just make sure you use it once in a while and that you try to find one that is light, airy and doesn't weigh your hair down!
13. Vinegar Treatment
Did you know that vinegar is one of those things that can knock any residual shampoo buildup that is in your hair? Girlies, this is the answer to your prays of buildup! All you do is mix two cups of apple cider vinegar, one cup of water and rinse your hair with the mix. Leave it in your hair for about 15 minutes before you can rinse clean with warm water!
14. Be Choosy with SHampoo
Your shampoo is something that you should be a bit choosy with if you're looking to have shiny hair. You want a shampoo that is packed with nutrient-rich formula, such as, avocado oil, olive oil and even shea butter! That way, everything will be moisturized even before you condition!
15. Don't Rub
Finally girls, I know it's tempting to rub your hair while it is wet, but instead, just pat and blot it dry. Squeeze a little bit, but don't rub, as your wet hair is super fragile and any friction will roughen up the cuticle!
With so many ways to get shiny, glossy tresses, I can’t wait to see you glow! Which of these tricks have you tried, and what did you think? What’s your secret hair-shine weapon or product? Please share — I’d love to try something new.
This post was written in collaboration with editor Heather Jensen.
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