The Golden Rules of Glossy Hair

By Jennifer Laing

Updated July 15, 2014

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Credit: Jay Muckle

The healthy new look for hair? Glossy! Here, the tricks and product picks that will boost your brilliance.

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Put a shine on it

Like skin, hair just looks better when it glows. "Having shine means hair is healthy," says Elizabeth Tanzi, MD, co-director of the Washington Institute of Dermatologic Laser Surgery in Washington, D.C. "It reflects light, creating natural highlights and making the face appear radiant."

Hair shines best when the tiny scales on the cuticle lie flat (as is the norm with straight hair), bouncing back light rays. But, it turns out, locks of any texture can get gleaming. Here's how to add luster to the hair you've got.

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Skip the no-'poo trend

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Contrary to popular belief, frequent shampooing (even daily) won't rob hair of nurturing natural oils that enhance shine. Just pick the right suds for your texture (fine, medium, or coarse) to avoid weighing hair down.

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Oily doesn't have to mean greasy

Credit: Jay Muckle

Look for products infused with silicones or natural oils that penetrate the scalp and nourish the hair follicle, says New York City dermatologist Francesca Fusco, MD.

We like Clear Scalp & Hair Beauty Therapy Total Care Nourishing Shampoo ($5; amazon.com) with coconut oil; Biolage ExquisiteOil Oil Crème Conditioner ($15; amazon.com) is rich in moisturizing fatty acids.

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Cool it to get glossy

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Heat splinters the cuticle, resulting in an uneven, unbrilliant surface. So finish with a cool rinse in the shower—"Even just five seconds is fine," says celebrity hairstylist Sarah Potempa—and a cool shot during a blow-out.

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Add a deep-conditioning treatment

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Give shine a head start with a weekly or monthly hair mask. Kérastase Chroma Captive Shine Intensifying Masque ($34; amazon.com) also saves your dye job.

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Consider a gloss

Credit: Jay Muckle

These colorless shine boosters act like a gleaming topcoat for hair. In-shower versions, like Oscar Blandi Pronto At Home Salon Glaze ($22; amazon.com), last up to a week.

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By Jennifer Laing