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(Image credit: Who What Wear UK)
If there is one hair product that’s having a real moment online right now, it’s hair gloss. For the past few years many of us have been in pursuit of glass skin, our makeup bags are filled with lip oils and lip glosses and our go-to nail art? Glazed nails, of course. With our obsession with all things dewy, shiny and glossy, it’s unsurprising that we’re wanting a mirror-like shine through our hair too. Google searches for hair gloss are up 405%, and on TikTok you’ll find 13k and counting posts on the #hairgloss hashtag—I can barely scroll through my For You Page right now without encountering content creators demonstrating the almost otherworldly shine that certain hair glosses promise. But, do they work IRL? And with so many hair glosses launching I’ve been curious to find out what ones are truly the best to unlock a silky shine at home.
What is a hair gloss?
Firstly, what is a hair gloss exactly? Designed to add extra gloss and shine, at-home hair glosses are inspired by the glossing treatments that you would usually previously only find in a hair salon. At many hairdressers, you’ll see hair gloss as part of their treatment menu, which usually consists of a tinted (or clear) gloss to boost or tweak your current hair colour with a semi-permanent finish while adding a healthy lustre. Generally speaking, in-salon hair glosses will last longer than at-home glossing treatments—usually around 6-8 weeks.
However, at-home hair glosses are a great way to add extra lustre to your lengths without needing to head to the salon. They typically come in cream or liquid formula that you apply through the lengths and leave on for five minutes after shampooing. Some hair glosses need to used after conditioning, but others you can use in place of this step. Unlike hair masks, they’re a quick option if you want to add shine and smoothness to your lengths without the need to wait for ages while it gets to work. Most hair glosses last through around three hair washes, so they require topping up more regularly than in-salon hair gloss treatments.
How we tested the best hair glosses
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Our panel of Who What Wear UK editors each put a trending hair gloss to the test over the course of a month. We tested affordable options as well as the more expensive hair glosses on the market. For this review we tested the clear, non-tinted versions from each brand to test how well they added shine. Our editors have detailed their honest reviews below, alongside before and after images so that you can see the visible results. We tested on multiple hair types and have also weighed up the pros and cons for each so that you make an informed decision on which is the best hair gloss for you.
The best hair glosses at a glance
- Best Overall: L’Oréal Paris Elvive Glycolic Gloss 5 Minute Lamination
- Beauty Editor’s Pick: Living Proof Perfect Hair Day High-Shine Gloss
- Kérastase Chroma Absolu Soin Acide Chroma Gloss
- Glaze Super Color Conditioning Gloss Sheer Glow
- Oribe Mirror Rinse Glass Hair Treatment
- Ouai Hair Gloss
- Redken Acidic Color Gloss
The best hair glosses, tried and tested
1. Best Overall: L’Oréal Paris Elvive Glycolic Gloss 5 Minute Lamination
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Rating: 8.5/10
Price: £16
Size: 200ml
Pros: Affordable, leaves hair silky and shiny, corresponding shampoo, conditioner and hair serum in the range
Cons: Some reviewers say this can leave hair feeling slightly tacky
Customer Review: “I have thick wavy and frizzy hair. I use all the steps and as soon as I rinse it out my hair feels like silk and brushes so easily without breakage. I am now converted and wouldn’t use anything else!”
Our Verdict: “The L’Oréal Paris Elvive Glycolic Gloss has been a lovely addition in my haircare lineup. As a blonde, I never think my hair looks shiny (at least, not in the same way that it does on my brunette friends). To add insult to injury, any shine products I’ve used in the past haven’t lived up to their promises of a liquid-like mane, with many leaving a greasy residue. L’Oréal, however, has cracked it with this formula.
Immediately after using it, my hair looked noticeably shinier and healthier, with a bit of that elusive salon-fresh radiance we’re all after. It didn’t just look glossy either; the colour seemed more vibrant and brightened up my whole look.
The price is another plus. For the quality, it’s fantastic value—there’s plenty of formula, and you only need a small amount each time, so it feels like you’re really getting your money’s worth. The consistency is easy to work with, too, and it doesn’t weigh my hair down and it was much, much easier to wash out than anticipated, even after leaving it in for a few minutes to take hold.
The only minor drawback is that my hair did feel a touch tacky after using it—not sticky, just a little textured to the touch. Luckily, this didn’t translate into the way it looked; the finish was smooth and polished, and I found that my usual hairstyling routine actually felt faster. All in all, it’s a great pick if you’re looking to add some shine and brightness to your hair without the typical greasy downsides or spending a tonne of cash. Bravo, L’Oréal Paris.”
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L’Oréal Paris
Elvive Glycolic Gloss Rinse-Off 5 Minute Lamination Treatment
L’Oréal Paris
Elvive Glycolic Gloss Glossing Routine
2. Beauty Editor’s Pick: Living Proof Perfect Hair Day High-Shine Gloss
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Rating: 8/10
Price: £30
Size: 200ml
Pros: Silicone-free, leaves hair silky, manageable and shiny, last up to three washes
Cons: More expensive than other hair glosses
Customer Review: “I’ve got healthy hair but this took my hair to another level. It lasts about three washes as suggested and my main buying factor (over other glossing products) was that this is silicone free. My hair felt like I’d got it done at the salon even though I’d just let it air dry.”
Our Verdict: “My hair is long and reasonably thick, but a lot of the time I struggle to get shine through my lengths. While brunettes tend to have the advantage in achieving shine, I have coarse hair that—along with being bleached with balayage through the years—is looking a little lacklustre through the mid-lengths and ends. I’d heard (and seen) amazing things about Living Proof’s Perfect Hair Day High Shine Hair Gloss so I was excited to put it to the test.
Interestingly, Living Proof’s hair gloss doesn’t use silicone (which is sometimes used in hairs products and can add a temporary shine, but can sometimes build up onto strands over time and make hair look dull) and instead uses light enhancing technology to create a mirror shine that won’t create a build-up on the hair. The brand says that is can last throughout three hair washes, and I have to agree with them on this—it did last.
This hair gloss comes in a cream consistency which was easy to distribute through my hair from root to tip. I actually prefer this texture to some of the more watery liquid hair glosses I’ve tried, which tend to slip through your hands while applying (and when you’re spending a lot on a hair gloss, you don’t want it running down the drain). You use it after shampooing and conditioning the hair as a final step in your wash routine, and you only need to leave it on for five minutes, so it’s not a long, drawn-out process like using a hair mask.
Even before drying my hair, I could tell my lengths were much silkier from the treatment. As well as adding shine, this hair gloss also helps to smooth, which undoubtedly helps enhance the glossiness too. After blow-drying my hair smooth, I had noticeably more shine than usual and my hair felt smoother and my usual flyaways sat more sleek after using this. My hair had a bouncy swing to it and was noticeable shinier after using it. Because my hair is quite lacklustre generally, I wasn’t expecting a total mirror-like shine that I’d seen on silkier hair textures on TikTok, but overall I was impressed with the added gloss I now had through my lengths.
As someone with long hair, I found I needed to use a lot of the product, so I would get through a £30 tube quite quickly and would be hesitant to re-buy it regularly at that price, but I like that it lasts in between washes so you don’t have to use it every time. For that reason, I’ll be keeping it on standby on the wash days when I want an extra glossy shine.”
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Living Proof
Perfect Hair Day High-Shine Gloss
3. Kérastase Chroma Absolu Soin Acide Chroma Gloss
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Rating: 8/10
Price: £47
Size: 210ml
Pros: Boosts shine, moisturising, smoothing
Cons: More expensive than others, strong scent
Customer Review: “I’ve only used this once, but I can already see a difference. Immediately after use my hair felt softer and it was easier to brush after washing. It’s a once per week treatment so I’m not using it on every wash, however even when washing without it my hair has retained the smooth condition—it dried so smooth. Not sure how much glossier my hair is looking, but the finish definitely feels like walking out of a salon.”
Our Verdict: “Hair glosses have been on my radar for a few months since my hairdresser suggested that my dry, frizz-prone strands could stand to benefit. I have fairly thick, wavy hair that frizzes if it goes without enough hydration and as of late has been feeling particularly dry to the touch. As such, I was super excited to try Kérastase’s Chroma Absolu Soin Acid Chroma Gloss, the brand has been on my radar for a long time and the product has accumulated hundreds of 5-star reviews.
Kérastase’s hair gloss comes in a liquid form that is to be applied onto shampooed and towel-dried hair for 1-2 minutes before following with conditioner. The application was very straightforward and my hair felt instantly silkier on contact with the product. The fragrance was quite harsh with a strong chemical smell but this rinsed away after washing it out of my hair. While the instructions suggested I conditioned afterwards I felt like my hair was already far softer than usual after application and doubt it would be entirely necessary to do so.
After washing the product out of my hair I noticed that my hair was far softer than normal and was much easier to brush. I dried it with a blow-dry brush and found that it was left incredibly silky and shiny. On my dark brown hair, the shine showed up well, but I don’t know if this would translate quite as well for blondes.
The instructions recommend weekly use which will see the product last for several months, however, the £47 price tag is quite steep, but if you also have frizz-prone hair then this will certainly give your locks the moisture and shine boost that I can ordinarily only achieve with the help of a hairdresser.”
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Kérastase
Chroma Absolu Soin Acide Chroma Gloss
4. Glaze Super Color Conditioning Gloss Sheer Glow
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Rating: 7/10
Price: £16
Size: 190ml
Pros: More affordable than luxury hair glosses, comes in clear and tinted versions, leaves hair silky
Cons: Doesn’t deliver as much shine as others
Customer Review: “I really recommend this product to anyone who have little time and wants amazing hair! Since I have started using Glaze Super Gloss my hair feels so soft and smooth and it really looks healthy! I have got so many comments. I have coloured hair, it always feels dry and unruly, but with since Glaze, it has become so smooth and healthy. It’s a no brainer, super easy to use and amazing results, I would buy it again and again!”
Our Verdict: “Naturally, I have curly hair (type 3c/4a), but I often blow dry or straighten it at home. I was therefore excited to try a product that promises to leave the hair glossy and silky soft to give me salon-like results at home. You can get the product in a range of different colours (the brand describes it as a tinted moisturiser for your hair); however, I opted for the clear formula.
The Glaze Sheer Glow hair gloss is a cream-textured product in an easy-squeeze bottle. Use it after shampooing your hair. Leave it for 10 minutes and then rinse off. The application process was extremely easy and straightforward. I hate when my hair feels weighed down or less clean due to added products, but this washed out without leaving my hair feeling heavy or sticky when I blow-dried it afterwards.
The biggest difference I could pick up on was my hair’s softness. It felt extremely lightweight and soft after applying heat to my hair. I would say that the glossiness of my hair did increase slightly, but I was way more impressed with the actual texture this gloss left my hair in.
For £16, I would recommend this product if you’re looking for something to make your hair smoother, softer and easier to style. I’m also now very keen to try the tinted dark brown and black shades to add a tint of colour.”
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Glaze Hair
Super Color Conditioning Gloss Sheer Glow
5. Oribe Mirror Rinse Glass Hair Treatment
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Rating: 7/10
Price: £63
Size: 175ml
Pros: Hydrating, reduces flyaways, luxe packaging
Cons: More expensive than others
Customer Review: “I love Oribe and use many of their products—this treatment has taken a bit of getting used too! Use too much and your hair is greasy, use too little and I find it dries my hair out and accentuates my grey regrowth! When I have got the balance right, it does leave a beautiful shine (temporarily) but not massive difference from the shampoo and conditioner in the range. Probably wont be a repurchase for me.”
Our Verdict: “As someone with very straight hair, I wasn’t sure I would see much difference when adding a hair gloss into the mix, but I’ll save the anticipation by saying that I was pleasantly surprised. As someone who moves at 100 miles an hour all the time, I’m always a bit unsure about adding new steps into my routine. For my hair this could definitely work in place of a conditioner and so I think this simple and quick addition is one I’ll continue with.
After shampooing my hair I squeezed out any excess water and applied the liquid from mid-length to the ends, letting it get to work for a minute or two. Looking at the before images, it’s clear that my hair was in need of some nourishment, even if it did have a little natural shine. The most striking difference I found was the hydrating of the ends of my hair and the reduced appearance of fly-aways. The gloss definitely did its job, and I found that the shine lasted until my next hair wash but it does suggest to use this only once a week.
At £63, it is definitely a luxury addition to your hair care routine, and with the small amount you need to apply the price per use would definitely come down. If you want to indulge in serious hydration, I’d recommend this.”
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Oribe
Supershine Mirror Rinse Glass Treatment
6. Ouai Hair Gloss
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Rating: 7/10
Price: £30
Size: 177ml
Pros: Good for thick and curly hair textures, chic packaging
Cons: May be too heavy for fine-to-medium hair types as it can feel heavy in the hair, more expensive than others
Customer Review: “Amazing hair gloss treatment. I have curly hair (also bleached & colour-treated), so I’m always on the lookout for new haircare that can help in keeping my locks shiny, soft & happy. I apply this as per the instructions and it’s clearly making a difference every time I use it—when I wear it curly, the curls are clearly shinier (and not weighed down or anything like that, at least for my type of hair this is super light-weight), and when I blow-dry it the hair just looks amazing (pretty much looks like I just got a blow-dry at a professional hair salon). I’ve tried a couple of other glossing treatments before this came out, they were pretty good but this one takes the cake (can’t be without it by now, I already got a back-up).”
Our Verdict: “My hair is naturally wavy with no real pattern—I’d generally describe it as frizzy, ‘puffy’ and very susceptible to humidity, which is why I subject it to so much heat styling. The flipside of this though is that it can err on the lacklustre side, so I was really keen to see if a hair gloss could help give it a smooth and glossy makeover, not to mention tame the frizz and keep it at bay—I can’t stand when my hair doesn’t behave itself, which is most of the time.
Ouai’s hair gloss is a cream-textured product which comes in a flip-top, squeezy bottle. You wash your hair, towel-dry it, section it and apply a small amount to each section, combing it through. After five minutes, you rinse it out and continue with your routine. It contains rice water and hyaluronic acid for overall hair health and claims to add shine and heat protection, protect colour and treat damage.
The application process was easy but I fear I may have used a little too much product on each section as my hair felt a little coated and heavy—like it had product in it—as I was blow-drying it. If I didn’t apply too much, I might have messed up by spraying in my usual detangling leave-in conditioner after the gloss, so when I try it next time I’ll forgo that step.
The biggest difference I noticed was in my hair’s manageability. It definitely blow-dried smoother and straighter than usual and seemed to be easier to manipulate with my straightener. Unfortunately the frizz-control didn’t last long and I don’t think it did much to keep humidity at bay—after a night’s sleep the wave had set back in and my hair was as unruly as it usually is when I wake up. That being said, it did appear smoother and sleeker over the next couple of days after re-straightening, and the balayage tones looked more vibrant.
I’d recommend using a clarifying shampoo before this gloss to make sure your hair is free from product build-up, and next time, I’d wait until I’d finished heat styling before adding any other products to prevent overloading the hair.”
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7. Redken Acidic Color Gloss
(Image credit: Who What Wear UK)
Rating: 6/10
Price: £33
Size: 237ml
Pros: Helps to maintain coloured hair, leaves hair smooth
Cons: More expensive than others
Customer Review: “My hair is highlighted (naturally dark brunette but fully light blonde) and this has helped me maintain my colour and brightness following salon highlights whilst replenishing my hair health. This left my hair glossy and soft without tangles and maintained a salon like quality after washing.”
Our Verdict: “It’s safe to say that hair glosses are all the rage at the moment, and as someone who styles and applies a lot of heat to their hair, I was really excited to see if the Redken Acidic Color Gloss would leave my locks looking and feeling smoother.
The formula is a glassy cream-like consistency, and as the name suggests, has an acidic pH which promises to get your hair back to its healthiest pH level to seal the shine from the cuticle.
The process of applying the treatment is relatively straightforward—you apply onto shampooed, towel-dried hair, leaving it on for 5-10 minutes, after which you condition your hair and then rinse thoroughly. Redken suggests using the Acidic Color Gloss Shampoo and Conditioner alongside the gloss itself, but I didn’t have these to hand so went with my usual products.
My hair felt silky soft when rinsing the treatment and conditioner out which was promising, but after I dried my hair I’m not too sure I saw a huge difference in shine (although it did feel smoother, and smelt great).
At £33, it’s similarly priced to other products on the market. Having said that, I think I would have potentially gotten better results using the shampoo/conditioner from the same range which would push the price up.
The only other thing to note is that as the pH of the formula is acidic, they suggest using disposable gloves during application—so worth noting you’ll need to purchase if you don’t already own some. I’m keen to give the gloss another go to see if repeated use would make more of a visible difference.
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Redken
Acidic Color Gloss Activated Glass Gloss Hair Treatment
