These in-shower treatments glossify even the dullest of hair in minutes
Bringing instant gloss to your hair has for the longest time meant having two choices: a hair oil or a silicone-based shine spray. Both are effective for thick or coarse hair if used sparingly, but their richness and tendency to build up mean they can weigh hair down and leave it stringy, especially if it’s fine.
The relatively new invention of hair glosses and hair glazes, however, brings the option of shine without any of the weight. Whether you see them as wash-in glosses or light conditioners (they can easily be substituted for your regular conditioner or used afterwards), their texture is often liquid (hence the term hair waters) and they mostly avoid silicones. Instead, they deposit ultra-fine layers of conditioner and cuticle-sealing agents to make hair reflect light better and look glossy and smooth, yet bouncy, for days.
If your hair has become dull – say, if you've suffered a holiday cocktail of sun, salt and chlorine and need a full hair reset, or if your locks are not at their shiny best for any other reason, these at-home hair glosses, tried and liked by us, are worth a try.
Note that while waters tend to be cheaper, you will only get a few (between three and eight) uses per bottle depending on how thick your hair is.
8 of the best hair glossing treatments
The original gloss: L'Oréal Paris Elvive Dream Lengths 8 Second Wonder Water Lamellar Conditioner, £9.99
The first-to-market liquid hair glossing treatment, Wonder Water introduced the idea of lamellar technology in haircare, where hydrating agents and amino acids quickly form light, smoothing layers in the hair that don’t get washed out when you rinse it out after just eight seconds.
Used like a conditioner after shampooing, the candy-scented, silicone-free fluid attaches to damaged patches on the hair surface, leaving strands and ends smooth, soft and glossy – although it’s more of a soft sheen than a mirror-shine. There is a lighter Hydra Hyaluronic Wonder Water for very fine hair and a richer Colour Protect Wonder Water for hair that can do with deeper conditioning; all have their own blend of conditioning agents. There are eight doses per bottle marked up the side; one dose for fine/ medium hair and two or three doses for more textured hair are recommended.
The fruity one: Garnier Ultimate Blends Nourishing Banana Hair Drink, £9.99
An industry not-so-secret you may or may not be aware of is that L’Oreal Paris and Garnier are sister brands that often share the same technology. So these ‘hair drinks’ really are Garnier’s equivalent of L’Oréal’s Wonder Waters, with Banana the most nourishing for the driest hair. Repairing Papaya the medium, and Glowing Lengths Pineapple the most lightweight glossing rinse. All smell suitably fruity and are silicone-free. Rake through after shampooing and leave for ten seconds.
The spot-lit shine: Living Proof Perfect Hair Day High Shine Gloss, £30
If you have straight or normal to thick hair, you’ll love the hair-commercial-smooth, gleaming finish this gives. Not a liquid but a five-minute post-conditioner treatment cream, it relies on a smoothing, cuticle-sealing moisturising ingredient spiked with an optical brightener (like light-refracting particles in highlighter) to deliver its magic.
Hair does end up looking decidedly glossy and non-frizzy (we noticed the day after we used it), with the cream adding some weight and a slight straightening effect that’s probably a bit too much for very fine hair but great for all other types.
The posh gloss: Oribe Mirror Rinse Glass Hair Treatment, £63
Looking and smelling significantly more grown-up than its high-street counterparts, this lamellar liquid has a super-high concentration of deeply hydrating glycerine and a selection of protective antioxidants (and a little silicone snuck in to seal in moisture). We found it light and easy to apply thanks to the small application nozzle, which meant we could control the liquid consistency. Hair felt softer and looked shinier after the one-minute treatment than after regular conditioner. If you have thick or coarse hair, use conditioner beforehand as well.
The colour gloss: Glaze Super Gloss, £16
This glossing cream comes in 15 hair shades and one clear gloss, all designed to bring the oomph back to your hair colour. With lots of conditioning agents and oils, this is probably the richest gloss of the lot. Post-shampoo, it works as a ten-minute softening, rehydrating, glossing and colour-reviving mask. If you don’t want to deposit any colour, the transparent Sheer Glow Clear Conditioning option just infuses the brand’s Glaziplex ‘glossifying complex’ for a ten-day glazed glow.
The bond repairing smoother: L'Oréal Paris Elvive Glycolic Gloss 5-Minute Lamination Treatment, £15.99
This rich conditioning cream can easily double as a conditioner and promises to leave hair ‘as laminated’ when left on for five minutes after your conditioner and then rinsed. Much is made of glycolic acid for its link with ‘glow’ - but in hair, alpha hydroxy acids like glycolic actually work as a strengthening agent that helps repair hair bonds (a bit like Olaplex) and so helps smooth the hair shaft, allowing it to reflect light better. Most of the shine comes courtesy of coconut oil, conditioners and silicone.
The one for smoothing thick hair: Ouai Hair Gloss, £30
This is a cream treatment you apply after shampooing and conditioning and leave in for five minutes. In that time, lactic and citric acid will fortify hair, hyaluronic acid, rice water and conditioners will restore moisture and softness, and quite a lot of silicones will provide frizz-free gloss that should last three days. We recommend this for thicker hair as it risks leaving fine hair limp.
The no-wash one: Rahua Color Full Glossing Oil Mist, £58
This lightweight spritz from rainforest-friendly hair brand Rahua is a traditional oil mist, not a hair glaze. But some people in the GTG office like it so much we had to include it. It works for instant shine outside of your hair wash routine; just mix a small amount of the gardenia flower extract-infused oil with your styling products or apply directly to wet or dry hair. If you choose the latter, spray your hand evenly first and then run your palms through your strands to avoid overdosing. A little bit is plenty to bring out colour, prevent fade and add shine without grease - even on fine hair, according to our tester. This bottle will last you aeons and the scent is guaranteed to uplift.