14 Best Hair Glosses for Shiny Strands, Reviewed by Testers and Hairstylists
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Although hair glosses have primarily been a salon service, there are plenty of great at-home options. Similar to hair masks, the best hair-gloss treatments can help boost shiny hair, extend the vibrancy of your color, combat brassiness, and add softness, says hair stylist Jennifer Covington-Bowers. Hair glazes also fall into this category and leave behind a glassy sheen while tamping down on frizz, but they’re usually clear. If your goal is to add pigment or adjust tone, you’re probably better off with a gloss. Unsure of which to select? We spoke with the professionals to share tips and tricks for finding the right one for your hair type, and then we tested them ourselves.
The best hair gloss treatments, at a glance:
- Best Overall: Ouai Hair Gloss, $34
- Best for Fine Hair: IGK Expensive Clear Gloss Top Coat, $32
- Best for Color-Treated Hair: Kérastase Chroma Absolu High Shine Gloss Treatment, $60
- Best Professional-Level Gloss: Redken Color Gloss Treatment, $38
- Best for Curly Hair: MoroccanOil High Gloss Shine Color Depositing Mask Clear, $30
- Best for Brassiness: Pureology Color Fanatic Top Coat + Tone Hair Gloss, $36
- Best for Gray Hair: L’Oréal Paris Le Color Gloss, $15
Best Overall: Ouai Hair Gloss
- Pros: Treats damage while protecting against color fading; lasts up to three washes
- Cons: Some users complain it leaves hair greasy
Most hair glosses primarily increase shine and boost color vibrancy, but this all-in-one formula from Ouai does so much more. Beyond producing a glassy effect, it prevents color fading, reduces frizz, guards against heat damage, and strengthens hair—oh, and these results last for a full three weeks. This comes highly recommended from two of our experts: Celebrity hairstylist Annagjid “Kee” Taylor appreciates the addition of nourishing ingredients like hyaluronic acid and rice water, while Rogerio Cavalcante, stylist and owner of The Second Floor Salon in New York City, says that it’s “easy and practical” since it can substitute for conditioner. Honkus also gushes about the lustrous results, saying that people regularly ask her if she just came from the salon when she uses this. The gloss feels like a normal conditioner but immediately transforms into a rich, hydrating cream when applied to the hair. It also smells divine, thanks to Ouai’s classic North Bondi fragrance.
Best for Fine Hair: IGK Expensive Clear Gloss Top Coat
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- Pros: Easy to use; suitable for all hair types; added UV protection
- Cons: Only comes in clear formula
“I never knew it was possible for my hair to shine like a diamond until I used this quick and easy gloss,” says Glamour contributor Mary Honkus. “My hair is naturally frizzy, and regular coloring exacerbates the issue. One use instantly tamped down frizz, freshened up my auburn hue, and kept my strands smooth and silky for well over a week.” A little bit goes a long way, as the creamy formula is spiked with rich botanical hydrators that protect against UV damage and breakage on top of amplifying radiance. The gloss feels like a gel-ish cream, so you can simply apply as you would traditional conditioner. Unlike basic conditioners, this jam-packed formula leaves hair glossy and bright, without weighing it down or making it look greasy.
Best for Color-Treated Hair: Kérastase Chroma Absolu High Shine Gloss Treatment
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- Pros: Quick results; multiple dosage options depending on hair type and thickness
- Cons: Pricey
Not everyone has time to wait 30 minutes for gloss to work its magic. When you want a dazzling boost but are short on time, this fast-acting treatment will give you gleaming strands in just two minutes. “This is extremely easy to use, and you get immediate results,” says Tiffanie Richards, master colorist at Louise O’Connor Salon in New York City. “Not only does it create a healthy, glossy shine, it also preserves your hair color.” After shampooing, disperse the liquid treatment from midlengths to ends. Honkus appreciates that the dosages are clearly outlined on the bottle so there’s no guessing how much you need. The formula is ultra-lightweight with a watery consistency, so it’s best applied directly onto the hair. “Unlike other glosses this transforms to a light, creamy lather—it’s so nourishing I end up skipping conditioner,” she says.
Best One-Minute Mask: Amika Flash Instant Shine Hair Gloss Mask
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- Pros: Fast-acting treatment; won’t weigh down fine hair; mess-free packaging
- Cons: Heavily fragranced
Even if you’re running late, you’ll still have plenty of time to get lustrous hair when you have this Amika gloss on hand—no excuses! The time-friendly in-shower treatment softens, hydrates, and glassifies hair in just 60 seconds. Aside from the powerhouse formula (which includes flaxseed, red wine extract, and an amino acid complex to repair and hydrate), the convenient nozzle allows you to deposit the glazing liquid right on your hair for a mess-free application. “When I don’t have time for a deep-conditioning treatment but am in desperate need of a boost, I rely on this,” Honkus says. “Plus, it’s a nice touch that the packaging is super cheerful.” This is also a favorite of Glamour senior commerce editor Jenifer Calle, who says her hair feels so silky soft whenever she uses it.
Best Professional-Level Gloss: Redken Color Gloss Treatment
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- Pros: Salon-quality treatment
- Cons: Hydrogen peroxide can be drying on the hair; strong scent
Redken has been a mainstay in Covington-Bowers’s salon for years. In fact, the brand’s professional color is her preferred hair dye to use, and she recommends this pro-level acidic glossing treatment for her clients’ at-home routine. “The results are always consistent and it adds an amazing shine,” she says. Suitable for all hair types and colors, the clear gloss utilizes a mix of apricot oil, citric acid, and hydrogen peroxide to seal hair cuticles and intensify glassiness for three days. To use, apply to towel-dried hair and leave in for five minutes—instead of rinsing, layer on conditioner first to seal in all the goodness.
Best for Curly Hair: MoroccanOil High Gloss Shine Color Depositing Mask Clear
- Pros: Deeply hydrating
- Cons: May be too heavy for finer hair types
This hybrid hair savior functions as a rich reparative hair mask and a professional-strength hair gloss to give you a silky, manageable, crystal-like mane in five minutes. Covington-Bowers loves how it “really enhances color, increasing the vibrancy and longevity of your color” even though it’s clear. Besides MoroccanOil’s signature argan oil, this nourishing formula also calls upon the power of amino acids and abyssinica seed oil to deeply condition and restore curly and natural hair back to its virgin health.
Best for Gray Hair: L’Oréal Paris Le Color Gloss
- Pros: Easy to use; several shade options
- Cons: Some users complain about the color-matching process
At-home glosses aren’t usually the solution for covering grays. That said, if your goal is to enrich your silvery strands, L’Oréal Paris is one of the few brands that creates color-amplifying treatments catering to grays—and at less than $20 to boot. Covington-Bowers is a fan for this reason. “The product is super easy to use, and the formula for gray-hair enhancement makes white hair very bright,” she says. There are four silver-gray hues to choose from, along with a range of options for brunettes, blondes, and redheads. Best of all, no mixing required. The formula is ready to go in the shower; simply apply as you normally would conditioner, leave on for 5 to 15 minutes, and rinse with water.
Best Pigmented Gloss: DPHue Gloss+ Conditioner Semi-Permanent Color
- Pros: Large color range with ample tools for color matching
- Cons: Semi-permanent dye can be riskier than a clear gloss
To extend time between your salon visits, both Taylor and Cavalcante suggest this easy-to-use semipermanent color gloss. You’ll become your own master colorist in 3 to 20 minutes (depending on how pigmented you want your hair) as the nourishing formula infuses hair with fresh color and intense shine. Cavalcante likes that it comes in 13 tones as well as a clear topcoat, to cater to a diverse range of hair colors. As with other options, you can replace conditioner, leaving hair “supersoft and hydrated,” he says. The gloss temporarily boosts color and shine for up to eight washes.
Best for Brassiness: Pureology Color Fanatic Top Coat + Tone Hair Gloss
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- Pros: Simultaneously tones and glosses hair; revives warmer shades
- Cons: Some users complain the finish is too vibrant
Combat unwanted brassy, yellow, or orange tones while simultaneously bolstering radiance with this color-reviving gloss. “It has the ability to battle unwanted tones while giving you the shine you’re looking for,” says Richards. Those with blonde hair will benefit from the gold or purple gloss, while brunettes will experience a richer chocolate hue with the blue formula. If you have red hair, Pureology offers two options—a bright red and a copper, with the latter providing a more natural-looking auburn glaze. Richards adds that a single five-minute glossing session with this toner lasts up to eight shampoos, so you can feel comfortable holding off scheduling your next salon appointment. The product itself is fairly thin and runny, so you’ll want to apply this one straight to the hair.
Best Clear: DP Hue Glossy Glaze
- Pros: Easy to use; enhances shine
- Cons: Strong scent
For those of us looking for a hair refresh but hesitant to mess with the color (we’ll leave the hair dye to the professionals), a clear hair gloss or glaze is essential. This one adds dimension and amps up your existing color in two seconds flat, while hydrating and softening hair with mullein flower extract and ceramides. The result is ultra-glossy, vibrant hair that looks fresh out of the salon. “I love that I can enhance my color without the risk of a faulty color match,” Cohen shares. “It’s a quick, fool-proof method for a hair refresh.” Simply apply from midlengths to ends, fully saturating the hair, and leave on for two to three minutes.
Best Red Gloss: Madison Reed Color-Reviving Gloss
- Pros: Enhances color, especially hard-to-achieve reds
- Cons: Application is more involved than other glosses
Red is one of the most high-maintenance colors because it fades much faster than others. On top of that, there are few at-home products that can mimic natural copper hues, making it difficult to develop a solid at-home regimen. Honkus knows the struggle: She’s been dyeing her hair red for almost a decade. After experimenting with dozens of glazes over the years, she finally found a true winner in the Madison Reed cannella hue. “This simplifies my at-home dye routine exponentially,” she says. “After using permanent dye on my roots, I run this through the lengths to revitalize my auburn hue. When I step into the sun, my hair looks like it’s ablaze, and people are fully convinced I’m a real redhead. Thanks to this I no longer go to the salon for color touch-ups.”
Best High-Shine Gloss: Living Proof Perfect Hair Day High-Shine Gloss Hair Treatment
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- Pros: Deeply hydrating; imparts high-shine finish
- Cons: Requires a lot of product each use
Living Proof’s Gloss Treatment leaves hair so shiny, it’s nearly reflective—literally, thanks to light-enhancing technology that illuminates dull hair. At the same time, the formula works to soften and smooth tired hair while boosting vibrancy and hair color for an allover refresh. Don’t be shy with the product; really coat the hair, and make sure you saturate from roots to ends for maximum results. Feel free to skip the conditioner after this one—it’s definitely hydrating enough on its own.
Best for Dry Hair: Hally Hair Fluffy G Foamy Glazey Hair Gloss
- Pros: Unique foam texture; acts as both a glaze and a gloss in one
- Cons: Only has up to three uses per bottle
This unique hair gloss treatment stands out because of its fluffy, foamy texture. “I expect foaming products to deep-clean rather than moisturize or add shine, but this pleasantly surprised me,” Honkus says. “The sudsy formula lightly hydrates strands and imparts enviable shine and, depending on the hue you choose, can also neutralize unwanted brassiness.” She uses the clear one and mentions that the results are immediate: “I could see the difference directly after heat styling my hair—it creates a cascading gleaming effect and even adds a little body, simplifying my routine in the long run.”
Best Reparative Gloss: Ranavat Mighty Majesty Glossing Hair Mask
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- Pros: Incredibly soothing and hydrating
- Cons: Not ideal for finer hair types
Bond-building technology meets the shine-enhancing effects of clear henna in this ayurvedic glazing mask. Instead of simply boosting shine, this powerful mask goes above and beyond to repair hair from the inside out, making it stronger, silkier, and all-around healthier with each use. “Using this feels like a high-end spa experience thanks to the calming jasmine scent,” says Honkus. “I found that many glosses have a chemical-y salon smell, but this one is the opposite.” Best of all, all you need is three minutes to reap the full benefits.
Your hair gloss questions, answered:
How do at-home hair glosses differ from in-salon treatments?
The main difference between professional and at-home gloss treatments is the level of customization. “In the salon, we can add more tone to enhance the color or tone it down,” hair stylist Jennifer Covington-Bowers says. “We can also use a corrective color treatment to remove brassiness, as well as create dimension or added shine. Fine-tuning the treatment to the client is something that you can only get at a salon and would be very difficult to replicate at home.” At-home gloss treatments (like the ones featured on our list), whether pigmented or clear, are “much less complicated,” but as a result have less opportunities for personalization. In short, hair glosses are meant to seamlessly fit into a simple hair care routine, so like most at-home hair products, they’re more foolproof—and easier to use—than the ones hairstylists might use in the salon.
How do you apply hair gloss?
We suggest checking the instructions of whatever gloss you’re using, because treatment lengths and amounts applied can vary depending on the formula. That being said, nearly all hair gloss treatments are meant to be applied to damp hair after shampooing—some specify that hair should be towel-dried before applying, while simply wringing out the hair is sufficient for others. Once evenly dispersed from lengths to ends, it will typically need to sit from anywhere between 1 to 35 minutes. Most hair glazes and glosses are hydrating enough that you can skip the conditioner—hough to get the best results, be sure to follow the instructions on the gloss.
How often should you use an at-home hair gloss?
There’s no one-size-fits-all answer to this question—it’s most important to follow the directions for whatever hair gloss you choose. That being said, Tiffanie Richards, master colorist at Louise O’Connor Salon in New York City, says clear hair glazes and glosses can be used more frequently than colored ones, “up to once a week” in lieu of conditioner, she says. “This will enhance and keep your strands looking nice and healthy.” You should also consider the rest of your hair care routine and what makes most sense with that—after all, too much TLC isn’t always a good thing. On the other hand, utilizing a clear gloss weekly can be a great option for particularly dry, lackluster, or damaged hair. For color-depositing hair glosses, avoid using it more than once every two weeks or so. “This will avoid over-deposit and prevent the hair from getting too opaque and inky,” she explains.
What hair types are hair glosses best for?
Good news: Our experts agree that any hair type can benefit from using a hair gloss, even if you’ve never colored your hair before. Of course, gloss treatments are great for boosting vibrancy in color-treated hair, but they are a key part of any healthy hair care routine—adding high shine as well as hydration and moisture. “The best part about a hair gloss is that it is a nourishing treatment for the hair cuticle, meaning every hair type will benefit from extra shine that the gloss provides,” celebrity hairstylist Annagjid “Kee” Taylor shares. That being said, given that glosses are so smoothing and moisturizing, they’re particularly helpful for those with frizzy or curly hair types. For fine hair, consider forgoing conditioner when using an at-home hair gloss to avoid weighing down the strands.
Are glosses good for your hair?
In addition to enhancing hair color and shine, the right gloss has actual health benefits for the hair. By maintaining color for longer, glosses help users extend time between dye jobs. This gives hair more time to heal and restore itself after the damaging dyeing process. Most glosses also include hydrating, nourishing ingredients like amino acids and conditioning agents to strengthen strands and even help reverse damage.
Meet the experts
- Annagjid “Kee” Taylor, celebrity hairstylist
- Rogerio Cavalcante, stylist and owner of The Second Floor Salon in NYC
- Jennifer Covington-Bowers, freelance stylist
- Tiffanie Richards, master colorist at Louise O’Connor Salon in NYC
