What will make my hair shiny

Once a week, follow these steps to deep condition your hair: Wet your hair. Comb 1 to 3 tablespoons Cover your hair with a shower cap or plastic wrap. Let it sit for up to 30 minutes. Shampoo your hair. You may need to wash it two or three times to remove the oily residue. Method 2. Apply leave-in conditioner while it's wet. If your hair is on the dry side, it may look a little dull after it dries. Using a good leave-in conditioner can keep it from getting dried out and dull. While your hair is still wet, apply a dime or quarter-sized amount of deep conditioner to your hair.

Use a comb to comb it down to your tips. Let it air dry. Sure, a Brazilian blowout will leave your hair looking shiny and sleek, at first. After awhile, blowing out and straightening your hair will damage it and leave it looking dull and rough. When you allow your hair to air dry, you don't risk causing damage. After a few weeks or months, you should start to see a noticeable difference in the texture of your hair: it will be softer with more shine.

Avoid using heat styling tools as much as possible. Straightening irons, curling irons, and so on provide temporarily pretty results, but in the long run they'll leave you with dull hair.

For the best result, twist your hair into a loose bun or braids to keep it from frizzing as it dries. If you have curly hair, gently squeeze and sculpt your hair into the desired shape before drying. Use a finishing oil. Once your hair has air-dried, smooth finishing oil through your locks. A good finishing oil will add instant shine and protect your hair from damage. Wait until your hair is fully dry for best results.

A little goes a long way, so use no more than a dime-sized amount or so, depending on the length of your hair. You can buy a special hair oil, or use one of these oils as a finishing oil: [4] X Research source Olive oil Argan oil Almond oil Jojoba oil Caster oil Coconut oil.

Try a shine serum. This is a product that has been formulated specifically to add shine to your hair. Shine serums contain silicones and other ingredients that cause your hair to look instantly shiny. Most shine serums can be used on either wet or dry hair. Using a shine serum every day could end up having the opposite effect of what you're going for. The silicones that make your hair shiny build up in your hair over time, causing it to look dull. You might want to save serum for special occasions only.

Look for a serum that's alcohol-free. Alcohol can cause hair to dry out. Keep frizz to a minimum. Frizz is the enemy of shiny hair. A halo of frizz makes hair look dull and rough instead of shiny.

Whether your hair is straight or curly, you can tame your frizz in the following ways: Wash your hair with cool water. The cool temperature helps your hair shaft lie flat, rather than standing up.

You'll be amazed at what a difference this easy step makes. Don't towel dry your hair roughly. Pat it dry gently, then let it finish air drying. Towel drying roughly puffs up your hair and makes it frizzy. Switch from a brush to a wide-tooth comb. Brushes tend to break hair, especially when it's curly or wavy. Broken hair strands will stand up and turn into frizz. Use a wide-tooth comb. Detangle when your hair is wet, starting at the tips and working up to the roots. Sleep on a silk or satin pillowcase.

Curly heads know that this trick does wonders for frizzy hair. Cotton fabric absorbs moisture, leaving your hair dry and frizzy. Satin or silk will preserve your hair in its natural, non-frizzy state. Get regular trims. Removing frayed split ends goes a long way toward making your hair look shinier. Ask your stylist not to use chemicals and heat styling tools on your hair.

Style your hair. Many people think that foregoing heat means not styling the hair altogether, but air-drying requires a bit of effort to come out well. Apply a light hold product and use your fingers to part your hair as desired. Then, comb it into your desired shape. As it dries, secure sections by twisting them, clipping them, or tousling to your satisfaction. When the moisture has evaporated, refine the shape with your fingertips and a dab of hair oil. Method 3. Shampoo less often.

Washing your hair too often strips your hair of sebum, the natural oil that protects it and keeps it healthy. Stripped hair breaks easily and looks dull and dry. To keep your hair glossy, shampoo no more than once or twice a week.

It may take up to two weeks or longer for your hair to balance out and get used to being washed less frequently. Be prepared to wear your hair up during the transition time. In between washes, you can perk up your roots by using dry shampoo.

This absorbs oil without stripping your hair. Use natural products. Washing and styling your hair with chemical-laden products can damage your hair over time.

Many shampoos, conditioners and styling products have ingredients that might be contributing to the problem. Look for all-natural products that don't contain the following ingredients: Sulfates. These are commonly found in shampoo. They are harsh cleansers that strip your hair of natural oils.

These are commonly found in conditioner and leave-in shine products. They eventually build up in your hair and make it look dull. These are commonly found in gel, hairspray and other styling products.

They dry out your hair over time. Avoid harsh treatments. Dyeing, bleaching, and permanently straightening or curling your hair can have damaging long-term effects. Altering your hair from its natural state will eventually cause it to get dried out and prone to breakage. Avoid harsh treatments whenever possible. Henna dye can be extremely drying as can other natural dyes, such as metallic salts.

A demi- or semi-permanent hair color is good low-damage option. Use honey or chamomile tea as a natural lightener. Have a healthy diet and lifestyle. No matter what you do to your hair, it won't look naturally shiny unless you're healthy from the inside out.

Eating well and staying hydrated have a big effect on the way your hair looks. Try eating more of these foods for the healthiest possible hair: Fish, beef, poultry, eggs, legumes, and other foods that are full of protein. Hair is made from protein and it immediately suffers if you aren't getting enough. Eating energy-rich carbs in combination with protein can be especially effective. Avocados and nuts. These contain healthy fats that make your hair look full and shiny.

Nutrient-rich plants. Leafy greens like spinach and kale are especially healthy for hair. Drink a lot of water. When you're dehydrated your hair loses its luster and starts looking limp. Drink plenty of water to keep your hair healthy. Make sure you get 8 glasses a day. Eating water-heavy fruits and vegetables can also help hydrate you.

Choose watermelon, berries, apples, cucumbers, lettuce and cabbage. Drink herbal tea and other caffeine-free tea for additional hydration. Protect your hair from outside elements. The sun, extreme temperatures, and environmental pollutants may be making your hair look less than optimal. Protect it from getting damaged by taking the following measures: Wear a hat when the sun is strong. The sun is a powerful force, and it can damage your hair if you don't protect it.

Wear a swim cap in the pool. A couple times a week is a good frequency; run the oil through your ends and hit it with a warm blow-dry to set the shine. While brush strokes may be a bit extreme, Marsha Brady was on to something with her nightly hair routine.

The sebaceous glands produce natural oils to lubricate the scalp, and using your natural scalp oils to share the sheen is an effective tactic for shiny locks. The best strategy? According to Outen, darker hair reflects the light more than translucent lighter tones. Using a semi permanent that sits on the outside of your hair strand fills up all the gaps in the cuticles so your strands will reflect light more evenly.

Despite the term beauty sleep, in real life, we typically roll out of bed with weird grooves etched across our faces and hair that's visibly less shiny than it was the night before. Not only are silk pillowcases what you would imagine Disney princesses to sleep on, they also help maintain gloss levels so you wake up looking more like one.

Hana Hong headshot. By Hana Hong February 18, Save FB Tweet More. Next wash day, incorporate a lightweight conditioner filled with nutrient-rich oils like avocado or olive oil that help smooth out the tiny cracks in the hair follicle that often contribute frizz and dullness.

For extra sleekness, treat your hair to a hydrating mask like Oribe Masque for Beautiful Color once a week—— or as often as needed. OK, so we have to admit depending on who you ask this next tip can be seen as an urban hair myth. But, experts do confirm that a cold-water blast can help seal in shine and minimize excess frizz. Then, wash your hands again and rinse with cool water to find that they remain soft.

Bonus: It keeps color in the hair longer, too," Marinelli confirms. A little bit on damp ends or dry hair goes a long way, remember 1—3 pumps is truly all you need. Finer, straight or wavy textures can follow-up with a brush as needed. When it comes to drying your hair, going cool pays off. And, whenever possible air-drying can not only preserve your delicate strands but enhance your natural texture too.

When it comes to blow-drying, Marinelli has some key advice. Consider adding a humidifier to your haircare arsenal — it can help add extra moisture to dry strands while you chill out indoors. It not only smells amazing, but it gives your humidifier an extra boost to combat the dryness in the air," says Marinelli.

Healthy, shiny hair starts from within and a long-term commitment to a well-balanced diet. Whether you take a multivitamin or consume them through your food iron-rich foods include leafy greens, fish, beets, beans, and meat , "consider a diet full of vitamin A, vitamin C, silica, and omega-3 fatty acids to support shiny hair growth," advises Dr.