If you’ve been searching for something (anything!) to tame your frizz and undo years of damage, you might look to a hair gloss treatment for healthier hair. These buzzy products are a “quick, safe way to add instant shine,” Elena Ruiz, a hair colorist at Voel Hair Studio in New York City, tells SELF. That may seem too good to be true, but scroll through TikTok and you’ll find plenty of before-and-afters to convince you that a single bottle can provide an intense shine that no hydrating mask, serum, or oil seems to match. Yep, even for folks with dry, split ends or super-curly hair.
Whether you’re tempted to buy an at-home treatment or book an appointment at your local salon, the appeal is undeniable. But while a gloss can fool others into believing you’ve magically mended your strands, the real question is: Can this service actually repair damage, or is it just a cosmetic fix? In other words, is a hair gloss treatment for healthier hair even a thing? We asked experts (including dermatologists) what these hair products can and can’t do.
What does a hair gloss do, exactly?Most hair transformations (like dyeing, bleaching, relaxing, or perming) work by opening the outer layer of your hair (a.k.a. the cuticle). That way, the product can penetrate deeper into the hair shaft, Uchenna Okereke, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in Boston, tells SELF. While this can lead to desired results that last, it can also weaken your strands over time, leading to split ends, damage, dryness, or brassiness.
A gloss, on the other hand, is a semipermanent treatment that sits on top of the hair, coating each strand with conditioning ingredients and sealing moisture in for a sleek finish, Dr. Okereke explains. The smooth surface helps light bounce off your hair more easily, she adds, creating a glasslike sheen that should last four to six weeks—though your mileage may vary depending on how often you shampoo, what kind of gloss you use, and whether you hit up a pro for the job.
“Think of it as a top coat, like when you get your nails done,” Ruiz says. As a bonus, some glosses are pigmented, so they’re perfect for anyone hoping to enhance the vibrancy of their natural hair color.
So will it actually make your hair healthier?A gloss can definitely make hair look silkier. But no, it won’t fix any existing damage, Lindsey Zubritsky, MD, a board-certified dermatologist at Premier Dermatology and Skin Cancer Center in Ocean Springs, Mississippi, tells SELF. That’s because, as we mentioned, these treatments only coat the surface—so it’s really more of a short-term cosmetic improvement.
Source : Self.com