The idea of having glowing skin — the coveted, year-round, sun-kissed, and slightly tan — is the subject of many hot tips. Yet, hair can get a bit lost in the sauce until you look in the mirror and feel like your hair is locked into an endless February.
“Dull hair is just that … dull,” said Alexia Donovan, the director of client services and operations at the Barber Surgeons Guild. “It often appears unhealthy, is difficult to style, and requires a lot of work to improve the appearance. Additionally, dull hair can be more prone to breakage and shedding.”
Leave the constant shedding to the dogs. Stylists and dermatologists share tips on how to get shiny hair, from product advice to lifestyle tips that are free.
Reasons for dull hair
Before discussing how to get shiny hair, it might help to understand how your locks can become dull. The reasons for this issue can vary, so you’ll want to pinpoint the potential culprits based on your personal habits and styling routine.
Celebrity hairstylist and PURA D’OR partner Clyde Haygood said that hair can lose luster because of:
- Diet
- Water intake
- Stress
- Aging
- Pollution
- Swimming
- Sun
- Overwashing
- Shampooing with sulfates and other ingredients
- Chemical processing
- Use of styling products with alcohol and other drying ingredients
- Climate/seasonal changes
You can’t control the weather or your age, but you can take steps to reduce hair dullness.
How do I get my hair shiny naturally?
For what it’s worth, your hair is already naturally shiny.
“Our hair naturally starts shiny, but it loses this property because of the damage we do to the hair and color,” said James Kilgour, MD, a dermatologist at Stanford and the founder of KilgourMD, a skincare brand focused on scalp health. “From the environment — think sun — to heat styling and overly stripping hair products, it’s vital to first review your regimen and lifestyle and incorporate products to remedy areas of concern.”
Nowadays, products claim to do everything and anything, including reverse all of the above. However, you may not need one if you want shiny hair. Plus, a holistic approach is often best, even if you could benefit from a specific product or ingredient. Here’s how to take one.
Stimulate your scalp
The one might require a product (though you can also use your fingers). However, experts say shiny hair starts with giving your mane some TLC.
“From a clinical perspective, excess sebum can cause decreased hair growth, yet not enough can cause dull, dry, and damaged hair,” Donovan said. “Stimulating your scalp by using a scalp massager, gentle scalp scrub, or scalp laser can improve blood flow and sebum control, allowing hair to grow healthy, strong, and shiny.”
Diet matters
Like skincare, scalp and haircare is an inside-out endeavor.
“Drink lots of water, make sure you are eating the right foods for a healthy diet and proper nutrition, and take supplements,” Haygood recommended. “They really do help from the inside out.”
Be kind to your hair
“Only kindness matters” isn’t precisely the case, but going easy on your hair is essential. Donovan suggested:
- Avoiding hair-drying styling products, like those with sulfates and alcohol
- Not roughing up your hair, like drying harshly or pulling it — Donovan warns these tactics can cause breakage
- Not heat styling daily
- Air drying every other day
- Ditching overtreating your hair, like chemical straighteners and bleaching, which can worsen existing damage
Update the routine you have
You may be able to get by with the products you already have, but you need to make a few tweaks to your routine.
“I always tell people to start with proper washing — most people need two shampoos, especially if you live in a city,” said Nicky Clarke, a hair expert. “The first shampoo lifts the grit and grime, and the second one really gets that lather through.”
From there, blow-dry your hair correctly. Clarke recommends an infrared blow dryer and a boar’s bristle brush until your locks are 80% dry.
“[Let] it air dry the rest of the way,” Clarke advises. “This method actually protects your hair because of the infrared technology, and you’re flattening those cuticles down.”
Patience
Patience may be more challenging than clicking “buy” on a promising product, but you should exercise it.
“Improvement is incremental and can take some time,” Donovan said.
Still, raising concerns with a haircare expert, like a dermatologist, is never a bad idea.
“The earlier you begin to address dull hair, the better your chances of reversing it,” Donovan said.
(Give their advice some time, though.)
What is the secret to shiny hair?
In addition to lifestyle tips, the right products and ingredients can help you reclaim your shine. Experts discussed product selection and ingredients for people hoping to ditch dullness and restore the luster in their locks.
Choose the right products
A shower filled with expensive haircare products will not do much good if they don’t work for your hair type.
“For product selection, you need to really match product to your hair type,” Clarke stressed.
For instance, Clarke said that people with dry hair should use a moisturizing shampoo that controls frizz and creates shine.
“With fine hair, go for volumizing products and keep the conditioner away from the scalp — focus it on the lengths and ends,” Clarke explained. “I recommend using a wide-tooth comb to distribute conditioner evenly while you’re in the shower for longer hair. You don’t need to leave conditioner on forever — most conditioners are effective within five minutes.”
Yep — better hair is a five-minute investment away, people.
Try oils
Oils may have uses beyond aromatherapy in spas (including the at-home variety). Haygood said the first thing he does when working with clients is apply a heat shield with argan oil, which acts as a detangler, moisturizer, frizz-buster, and shine booster.
“Argan oil is one oil that is universally good for every hair type,” Haygood said. “Look for it in your haircare ingredients. It protects hair from heat and environmental damage while adding moisture, shine, and luster to the hair.”
While Haygood reports that most hair types do well with argan oil, he recommends that people with “super-dry hair” apply it whenever they can. He said the uses of argan oil can include:
- At night as a treatment
- Before shampooing
- A couple post-styling drops for more shine and smoothness
If argan oil isn’t your jam, Haygood has a few other ideas.
“Other oils you can incorporate into your routine include olive, jojoba, avocado, and grapeseed, depending on the coarseness and thickness of hair,” Haygood said.
Hydration is key
You should also ensure that you’re using products that moisturize your hair, whether they contain argan oil or something else.
“Moisturized hair has a smoother closed cuticle that reflects light and makes it shine and helps hold hair color,” Haygood explained, “Dry hair has an open cuticle that is duller and rough, giving no light reflection just like dry skin. Keeping hair moisturized and sealed is the key to shine.”
Haygood added that dry hair’s open cuticle also loses color faster.
“This leaves the hair depleted of full-color richness, making it look dull and drained of vibrancy and shine,” Haygood said. “Always condition hair after washing.”
Haygood said a moisturizing biotin conditioner can provide serious moisture and nourishment, leaving hair looking healthy. The one Haygood uses with PURA D’OR also contains aloe vera, argan oil, olive oil, and pumpkin seed oil.
Use sulfate-free shampoos
Dr. Kilgour suggests gentle, sulfate-free shampoos. Kilgour, who doesn’t have a commercial tie to brands, loves:
- Madison Reed Daily Moisture Shampoo + Conditioner
- K18 Damage Shield Shampoo and Conditioner
- The Olaplex No 4 Bond Maintenance Shampoo
“Any of these products will effectively cleanse your hair while avoiding overly stripping the color molecules and drying the strands,” Kilgour said.
Build bonds
Kilgour said that bond-building products can help hair that’s stressed by regular chemical treatments, heat styling, sun exposure, and other hair-shine stealers.
“I recommend the Olaplex No 3 Pre-Shampoo Treatment, the K18 Leave In Molecular Repair Mask, and the Living Proof Triple Bond Complex,” Kilgour said.
Closing thoughts
The quest for shinier hair is not a trivial pursuit. Dull, lackluster locks can be a sign of poor haircare and health. Consider some lifestyle and routine tweaks before throwing money and spaghetti at the wall. Air drying hair every other day and ensuring you’re drinking plenty of water can go a long way in supporting hair health (and overall health, in the case of water). Stimulating your scalp with a massager or your fingers to nix buildup and get blood flowing.
If you’re seeking products, ensure you’re choosing ones that are best for your hair type. People tend to tolerate argan oil well, regardless of hair type and volume. A dermatologist or hair stylist can help you find the best products for you. Be patient, though. Change won’t happen overnight, regardless of what the product marketing team at a brand tells you. Give it time, and speak with a professional if you’re not seeing results or have concerns.
