What is Glass Hair and Can Anyone Achieve it?
On reflection.
The glass skin trend—where the complexion is so even and well hydrated that it reflects light—is a decade or so old and shows no signs of waning. Now, there’s glass hair. “It’s all about creating an ultrasmooth, mirror-like finish that reflects light evenly across the hair’s surface,” explains celebrity hairstylist and Chatters ambassador Cindy Duplantis. “From a technical standpoint, we’re working to align and smooth the hair cuticle so that each strand lies as flat as possible. When the cuticle is sealed, and the surface is uniform, light bounces off more efficiently, creating that high-shine, ‘liquid glass’ effect.”
Getting that finish largely comes down to the health of the hair, points out Armineh Damanpak, Joico Canada‘s artistic ambassador, and you’re not going to get it just from straighteners or a blowout and shine spray. “Glass hair really starts in the shower. Healthy hair with a smooth, intact cuticle is always going to reflect light better than damaged hair covered in shine products,” she says. Hair colour can make a difference too. “Any colour that tends to be deeper and richer in warmth and tone gives more reflection, and colour that’s lighter and has an ashy tone can give more of a matte reflection,” Duplantis says.
The look is not limited to people with straight hair. “Whether your hair is curly, coily, wavy, or straight, the goal is really the same: healthy, hydrated hair with a smooth cuticle and maximum shine,” Damanpak says. “On textured hair, the reflection may look a little different, but you can absolutely achieve that glossy, light-reflective finish without compromising.”
Duplantis recommends starting with a moisturizing shampoo to hydrate the hair and soften the cuticle. Follow with a conditioner daily, and once a week, a deep-conditioning or gloss treatment. Before heat styling, use a heat protective product (some hair dryers can get up to 120°C, which means they’ll dry your hair faster but can fry your locks and burn your scalp).
“Technique is just as important as the products you’re using. A lot of people think they’ve sealed the cuticle during a blowout, but there’s definitely a difference between drying the hair and truly smoothing it,” Damanpak says. “Using proper tension, directing airflow down the hair shaft, and taking the time to fully refine each section is what creates that reflective finish.”
If you’re aiming for a really sleek finish, Duplantis says you can use a straightening iron. “Working in small sections and using consistent tension will create the most polished result.” A shine spray is the finishing touch for controlling frizz and protecting against humidity.
Ready for ultimate shine? Here are nine products to try.
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Aveda Miraculous Oil High-Shine Hair Concentrate
Smooth down flyaways and frizz with this light oil, which also acts as a heat protectant. Apply a small amount on damp hair before styling. The concentrate has a floral aroma of lavender, ylang-ylang, and petitgrain, designed to be calming.
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Traditional straighteners use hot metal plates and are used on dry hair, but this uses only air and straightens while it dries. This means it’s less hard on hair (the brand claims there’s zero heat damage), and you save time by not having to get the look in two stages.
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Garnier Fructis Diamond Sleek Shine Coat Smoothing Spray
The combination of a keratin smoothing complex and argan oil is supposed to keep the hair sleek even in high humidity. Apply on towel-dried hair before blow-drying and flat-ironing for maximum smoothness.
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GHD Helios Advanced Professional Hair Dryer
The hair dryer currently favoured by Duplantis, this has a precise nozzle so you can concentrate air where you need it, includes a cool shot setting for added shine, and is powerful, light, and quiet.
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John Frieda Frizz Ease Smooth-Boosting Treatment
Use this mask weekly instead of conditioner. It is designed to strengthen hair and improve its elasticity as well as smoothing it, with effects lasting through up to five washes.
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Dyeing and excessively heat styling hair can break the chemical bonds in hair, which causes dryness, frizz, and lack of elasticity. This weekly treatment is designed to rebuild those bonds with a protein called arginine, and it also has moisturizing moringa seed oil.
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Kerastase Gloss Absolu Bain Crème Hydra-Glaze Anti-Frizz Shampoo
Minimize frizz from the first step with this creamy shampoo, which is designed for thick, frizz-prone hair. It contains glycolic acid for exfoliation, hyaluronic acid for hydration, and wild rose in oil for fragrance and anti-frizz.
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Oribe Mirror Rinse Glass Hair Treatment
An intense treatment for every hair texture (straight, wavy, curly, and coily), this smooths the cuticle to make strands more reflective, hydrates the hair, and detangles too. Use instead of conditioner if you have fine to medium hair, or as well as if your tresses are thick, coarse, or dry.
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Your hairbrush is your secret weapon in getting smooth hair. This round brush has flexible bristles that grip the hair, and a medium-sized diameter that means you can use it for drying bangs as well as the rest of your ’do.
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