I was asked how I make my hair so shiny. I thanked for the compliment and then came up with the idea for this post (since the topic arouses so much interest). I have a few tried and tested hacks and want to share them with you! Curious about the hair shine-boosting tricks?

Why some hair types get more shine than others?

In order to be shiny, hair must be smooth so closing cuticle scales is a must-do. If you don’t know what I mean, read about hair porosity online. I’m not going to write about it because it’s a quite broad topic, and today I’m focusing on something different. Simply put, smooth hair reflects sunrays much better. Therefore, when hair’s damaged, it’s also dull. The curl reduces the shine, too, so girls with curly hair often complain about dull strands. Straight hair reflects the sunlight more strongly; sunrays go in different directions in case of curls.

This explains why colour-treated hair is more glossy. Special, after-colouring conditioners close hair cuticles for smoothness. The secret of luminous colour-treated hair – revealed! But how to explain that dark hair is usually shinier. Nothing unusual here either. Dark pigment absorbs more light (similarly to black) and gives an impression of an intensified and shinier colour. Too bad for blondes.

How to increase hair shine?

I’m a great fan of simple methods. They usually turn out to be more effective than the most expensive professional cosmetics. Home hair shine-boosting methods have never let me down. Changing a few habits is enough to spot the difference.

• Deliver repair and nourishing – healthy hair is smoother.
• If you don’t want curls that much, give up on them.
• Smooth your hair, blow-drying from roots to ends.
• Regularly remove the styling product build-up.
• Use a flat brush with short teeth.
• If you have colour-treated hair, intensify the shade with a special shampoo.
• Use cool water for the final rinse.
• Go for natural hair nourishing and smoothing oils.

HOME REMEDIES FOR SHINY HAIR

If it’s not enough and we want to shine even more, we can reach out for home masks and rinses that increase gloss. Everything’s better than cosmetics that are filled with silicones and other substances which build up on hair. In my opinion, trying out DIY products is much better cause they’re cheaper and natural for the hair.

Here are my methods for adding hair shine:

1. Vinegar mixture – I mix a litre of boiled water with two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar and rinse hair after every washing. Effect? Hair reacts to the acidic pH like in case of low temperature and gets smooth and glossy.
2. Castor oil – I love this simple oil because it works wonders. It doesn’t just boost shine but also stimulates growth and reinforces. Everything depends on the way you apply it. If increasing shine is your main goal, mix a few drops of castor oil with water or hydrosol (e.g. rose water). I rub a minimal quantity of the mixture into hair from mid-lengths to ends. Less means more here cause castor oil can weigh strands down.
3. Honey – I use it in two different ways, depending on what I feel like. I usually add it to home masks as it’s an amazing nourishing and moisturising ingredient. Honey works wonderfully when I use it in a mixture for rinsing the strands after washing. I prepare it like the one with vinegar – mix a litre of warm water with a spoon of natural honey.
4. Egg yolk – I might say I inherited this method from my beloved grandma. I used to give her a surprised look every time she would rub the egg yolk into her hair. Now I do the same thing but I mix one yolk with olive oil. This is my recipe for hair shine-intensifying mask. Remember that too much protein may be harmful so use the egg yolk from time to time, only when your hair’s well-moisturised.
5. Flaxseed – for glossy hair, I make a flaxseed gel. How? I pour some flaxseeds with tepid water and leave for the night – the gel is ready in the morning. You can make it faster. Pour the seeds with water and simmer until it hardens. Use the gel as a separate product or add it to home mask. Interestingly, you can make a flaxseed-based rinse, too. I mix a spoon of the gel with a litre of water and rinse hair out.
6. Liquid paraffin – it’s a great moisturising product. I wouldn’t recommend applying it directly to hair but it works spectacularly as a base for a DIY mask or rinse-out mixture. To be honest, every shine-enhancing ingredient can be used for rinsing the hair.
7. Egg white compress – egg yolk and white have similar properties. I sometimes use it in a very simple way. I beat the whites and mix them with olive oil. Next, I use it like any other rinse-out mask.
8. Fruity mask – fruit intensifies hair gloss, too. That’s why it’s worth adding to DIY masks. If I have fresh fruit at hand (half of banana, avocado, melon) and other ingredients (a spoon of olive oil, three spoons of natural yoghurt), I treat myself to a fruity haircare. I leave the mixture in for 15-20 mins, rinse out and blow-dry the hair.