Glass Hair: 5 Ways To Try the Trend at Home

Scoring glass hair is easy with the right products on hand. Learn how to get sleek, glossy hair at home in five different ways.

By Margaret Fisher & Powered By L’Oreal Professional Products Division

Update Date: 09 Dec 2024

What Is Glass Hair?

Glass hair is a sleek, smooth, shiny style inspired by the reflectiveness of glass. The trend is an offshoot of the glass skin trend, which similarly centers around visibly clear skin with a dewy glow. Once glass skin became widely popular, different variations of the trend began to pop up, and it extended into various categories, like hair. We first saw the shiny look applied primarily to blunt bob cuts, but the trend has since evolved to encompass all hairstyles, from asymmetrical lobs to princess-length hair. No matter what length you’re working with, you can rock glass hair to give your strands a healthy look with lots of luster.

How To Get Glass Hair

You can achieve glass hair a number of different ways using glossy hair treatments and shine-enhancing formulas. Below, we break down some of your options.

For instant glass hair…try a shine spray

If your mane lacks that glass-like reflective shine, one of the quickest and easiest ways to get the look is with a few spritzes of shine spray. All hair types can use a shine spray like Redken’s Shine Flash Hair Spray for instant, lightweight shine. Plus, this spray also helps smooth and tame frizz and flyaways, contributing to the perfect glass-inspired look.

You can apply the shine spray to dry hair as the last step in any routine. To maximize your glassy finish, wash your hair with a smoothing shampoo and conditioner, like the Pureology Smooth Perfection Shampoo and Conditioner, first.

For color-treated hair…try a hair gloss

One of the best ways to both revive dull-looking, color-treated hair and give your locks a glass-like finish is to use a hair gloss. The Kérastase Chroma Absolu Soin Acide Chroma Gloss Hair Gloss strengthens and seals the surface of the hair fiber to protect color and leave a high-shine finish.

For dry hair…try a hair oil

Oils are another great option for really amping up the shine. They can be particularly beneficial for those with parched, dry hair as they also offer a dose of nourishment. Try Shu Uemura Art of Hair Essence Absolue Nourishing Protective Hair Oil, which adds shine without weighing hair down.

For long-lasting glass hair…try a glossy hair system

Revamp your routine with Redken’s Acidic Color Gloss collection. The line features a shampoo, conditioner, hair gloss, and a heat protectant, all of which have an acidic pH and help seal the cuticle and deliver molecular-level shine. Used together, hair is left up to 76% shinier.

How Much Maintenance Does Glass Hair Require?

Giving your hair a glass-like finish is the easy part; keeping that look requires some maintenance. If you go the traditional route and also get a blunt, geometric bob (the style most often associated with glass hair), your look will be higher maintenance. You’ll need regular trims to maintain the shape of your cut.

Pro tip: An at-home bond repairing routine can also help ward off split ends between trims so your blunt cut appears less frayed. We love the Redken Acidic Concentrate products. Featuring Redken’s Bonding Care Complex, the line reinforces hair’s weakened bonds to help damaged hair become more resilient against future breakage.