How to Get Shiny, Silky Hair in 12 Steps
Who doesn't want silky, shiny hair? That shampoo commercial-worthy gloss and bounce is at the very top of the list when it comes to hair goals. And anyone, no matter their hair type, can achieve it with the right products and regimen. It's all about care and consistency – so let's take a look at the steps you need to follow...
1. Book in For a Salon Glaze
First on the list is your most foolproof glow booster. Veiling hair in a translucent veil of color with unrivalled radiance, a hair glaze salon service lets you unlock healthy-looking hair in the space of a lunch break. For the glossiest finish with shine you can feel, ask your Wella Professionals stylist for a SHINEFINITY Color Glaze. The zero lift, zero ammonia treatment comes in a wide range intermixable shades, so you can give every color a glow-up.
You can also ask for a clear SHINEFINITY Glaze if it's tint-free shine you want. In just 10 minutes, dull hair will appear transformed with a light-reflective finish. Find your nearest Wella Professionals salon with our Salon Finder, and reveal your most radiant hair yet. This service suits everyone.
2. Trim Away Split Ends
While you're at the salon getting your SHINEFINITY Glaze, ask your stylist for regular trims. They'll cut away stressed ends in minutes; a quick step that instantly makes your hair silkier. If you're worried about losing length, request a Cut & Seal Service. They'll treat clean, wet hair to a misting of ULTIMATE REPAIR Miracle Hair Rescue, then target and trim just the very tips for an 'invisible' cut.
3. Gloss Your Hair at Home
You can also try an at-home hair gloss. Whether you're refreshing color-treated hair or enhancing your natural hue, the Color Fresh Mask will have your shade looking more luminous in under 10 minutes. Combining a delicate tint with nourishing oils that make hair smooth and shiny, it comes in 13 shades. Choose from natural blonde, red and brunette tones or a selection of vibrant bolds.
Once you’ve got your shade, all you need to do is smooth the mask through just-shampooed hair, allow it to develop for 10 minutes, then rinse to reveal instant shine. Used once per week, it ensures locks always appear ultra-glossy. No wonder this easy-to-do glaze is a must in any shine-enhancing kit.
4. Focus On a Regimen for Nourished Hair
Whether you have straight hair, wavy hair or curly hair, nourishment is your key to shine. That's why the ULTIMATE SMOOTH regimen focuses on moisture to give you that exquisitely soft feel. From the Shampoo to the Conditioner, each step is boosted by hydrating Squalane and Omega-9, so dull, frizzy hair is kept at bay from one wash to the next. After cleansing with this dream duo, blot your hair dry with a microfiber towel or cotton T-shirt; a quick trick that's gentler than rubbing with a towel, and leaves strands perfectly prepped for styling.
5. Give Your Scalp Some TLC
Healthy hair begins with a healthy scalp, so if yours is feeling tight, dry or flaky, make sure you add a rebalancing shampoo to your hair care product kit. You don’t need to use it during every wash, but you should reach for it on those days when your scalp craves TLC. Here’s how to pick your scalp-balancing wash:
If you use tons of product: Try the INVIGO Aqua Pure Purifying Shampoo; a detox for locks that rids your scalp of residue to reveal ultra-clean, lightweight, shiny hair.
If you have an irritated scalp: Think dry, itchy and imbalanced. The INVIGO Senso Calm Sensitive Shampoo is perfect for gentle cleansing that purifies and calms.
6. Add a Smoothing Hair Mask to Your Regimen
The antidote to frizzy hair and the answer to a silky mane is a hair mask. No hair care regimen should be without one, and our go-to for smoothing care is ULTIMATE SMOOTH Mask. In 10 minutes, the indulgent cream delivers deep, inside-out nourishment to amplify your hair's natural glow, so lengths appear visibly smoother and shinier – perfect for a weekly hair treatment. For best results, squeeze out excess water before you apply it, and wrap your lengths up in a towel while the mask absorbs.
7. Give Clean Hair a Cooler Rinse
After rinsing out your conditioner, hair mask or gloss with lukewarm water (never hot water), turn the temperature down and give clean strands a blast with cold water. Why? Because cool water encourages the hair cuticle to lie flat, which creates a smoother, shinier surface that reflects the light beautifully.
8. Then Blast Hair with Cool Air
If you’re heat styling your hair, try switching to the cool setting on your hairdryer to lock the final look in place. You’ll find a cool shot on the Sahira Light Hairdryer, which gives a similar effect to a rinse with cold water. That means shiny, light-reflective strands with less frizz between washes.
Image Credit: @biancahdrs
9. Apply Heat Protection Before Using Hot Tools
Whether you're loyal to your blow dryer, obsessed with your hair straighteners or can't be without your curling iron, you need a heat protectant in your gloss-boosting, shine-enhancing kit. Enter ULTIMATE REPAIR Protective Leave-In. Not only does it protect against hot styling tools up to 230°C/450° F, but it also shields your hair from damage caused by UV rays and makes frizz history. A silky hair essential. Plus, because it's a delicate cream, it feels instantly nourishing. Hair experts love this one for salon blow-dries, and you will too.
10. Apply Nourishing Hair Oils
Your hair follicles naturally produce oil to keep your strands healthy and protected. This oil travels down from the roots to the tips, giving hair its natural shine and luster. But when damage happens, essential, nourishing oils can be stripped from the hair cuticle, leaving it looking dry and dull. So, how do you top those oils back up? The quickest way is by applying a hair oil to your lengths and ends, like ULTIMATE SMOOTH Miracle Oil Serum. Not only does it add instant shine and softness, but a drop or two also gives you 96 hours of frizz control*. Plus, it protects against UV and heat damage, making it a daily essential. Apply it to clean, damp hair before blow-drying or use in between washes for a smooth hair fix.
11. Style with a Boar Bristle Brush
When hair is wet, a wide-tooth comb is your tool of choice for gentle detangling. But, once it's dry, a boar bristle brush is your go-to for smoother hair with a natural shine. The special bristles help to distribute sebum – your hair's natural oils – through your lengths for lustrous shine, while also taming frizz and keeping tangled hair at bay.
12. Add an Extra Boost of Shine
Shine spray is the finishing touch to your radiance-boosting regimen, but not just any mist will do; EIMI Glam Mist is your go-to. It's 'beautiful hair in a bottle', veiling dull strands in instant, lightweight luminosity. Simply mist it through styled, dry hair, gently brush lengths, and you'll be ready to glow. It even safeguards strands against the effects of humidity, so you'll see less frizz and fewer flyaways. No styling product kit is complete without it.
Looking for more ways to care for your hair? Discover our complete collection of Hair Care Guides, featuring tips for every hair type and concern.
* When using Miracle Oil Serum.
