Super shiny?

[Knifegill]

What do people use for that crazy glossy look, anyway? Some kind of wax?

[Hedera]

Camera flash. ;)

[Knifegill]

:D

...............

[sarahthegemini]

If you don't have hair that is naturally super shiny, serums are great. My hair shines now but before I started taking care of my hair, I liked using a Tony & Guy shine serum.

[Esperada]

I use Aussie colour protect and shine serum with jojoba oil, smells georgeous and gives a lovely shine. I also use a jasmine scented hair oil from an Asian supermarket which again smell stunning and is very cheap too.

[ashke50]

If I do a white vinegar rinse my hair ends up very shiny. Camera flash helps too of course ;-)

[DreamSheep]

I've always found ending the shower with a cold water rinse helps too. I think it is supposed to close the cuticle which is what gives the hair shine.
That, and oliling my hair and brushing it out nicely. :)

[Knifegill]

Yay! Great ideas! I've been doing lukewarm washes to help loosen muck, but I have been forgetting to end with an icy blast. Will totally go back to it, especially with winter coming anyway.

I use coconut oil, but only brush rarely, the day before/of my shower. I'm new at this, and will next try wet-combing with conditioner in my hair.

Vinegar sounds promising. I see much use of it around here.



I'll try these things before I buy serums or oils other than coconut.

[jacqueline101]

Pantene truly natural 24 hour shine serum. It's a great product.

[Caraid♫]

vinegar rinses definitely make my hair shinier, and my hair is very dull in comparison if I skip a pre-wash coconut oil treatment. I find if I put too much product in my hair after washing though, it looks a bit bogged down and loses it's shininess. Also, brushing your hair throughout the day- my hair completely loses it's shininess when it gets tangly!

[Knifegill]

I am rather curly, so no brushing throughout the day - I haven't tried any pre-washes, either...maybe something to try in the future.

[Gertrude]

Other than serums and all that it's also optics, as in light. The shiniest hair ever, as in shampoo ads, is a dark brunette with straight hair. It reflects most light. Blondes shine less as it throws less light back and so do raven haired individuals as the black sort of absorbs part of the light. In general though very straight hair that's been combed root to tip will be shinier than any hair with a wave to it in photographs.

Up close of course it's the very health of hair you see, the sort of gloss of health. Badly put, but that's different from having a shining mane in photographs or commercials.

[Caraid♫]

I am rather curly, so no brushing throughout the day - I haven't tried any pre-washes, either...maybe something to try in the future.
Ah yes, definitely veto that bit of advice then!

[spidermom]

Pre-wash coconut oil to length gives lovely shine.

[AmyBeth]

Henna gives me crazy lit-from-within shine! I suppose if you don't want the color effects of henna, you could try a gloss or try cassia.

[Madora]

My shine is due to daily brushing...for decades..with a pure boar bristle brush.

[Creagan]

Aside from camera flash and good lighting, the one thing I do is make sure my hair is photographed the day after I wash it. Otherwise it looks kind of dull and dry. I need that second day sebum to have pretty hair.

[meteor]

- oils (pre-poo and leave-in);
- coney serums;
- sleeping on silk satin (or other smooth materials);
- smoothing hair after detangling with hands or boar-bristle brushes (if your hair is straight-ish);
- acidic rinses;
- keeping hair cuticle as intact as possible;
- not over-washing hair;
- avoiding static and static-producing materials (plastic combs, polyester clothing, etc).

[kelseyxface]

Well let's talk about hair and the science behind it!
Hair is made up of the same stuff as your nails, ever notice how your nails sometimes peel? like if you rip off the white part of your nail, there's layers to it? Your hair is the exact same way! Each little strand of hair is made up of layers AKA the cuticle. These can become raised, which is what makes hair dry/frizzy/not shiny and just feel all around bad. When the cuticle is raised the hair is unable to reflect light making it dull. Now when they cuticle is laid flat, it is much more able to reflect light and make it look shiny! (it also makes your hair super soft).

How to make your cuticle lay flat?
Well first, damaged or chemically treated hair (such as bleached hair) is less likely to have the cuticle lay flat. Now it's not impossible, but it can be a task. If your hair is not chemically treated or damaged this will be easier. First, buy a good shampoo and conditioner! Buy a shampoo that will not strip your hair - experiment! Personally I prefer organic sulfate free (or SLS free) shampoos for healthy hair, but every one is different. If you buy a good shampoo that doesn't strip your hair, it is much less likely to roughen up your hair and in turn make the cuticle raised. Secondly buy a good conditioner. This is were most of the magic happens. Notice how your hair magically feels super smooth and soft after you rinse out your conditioner? That's because conditioners make the cuticle lie flat, and in turn lock in the moisturizing benefits of said conditioner. Buying a good conditioner will make your hair soft, in turn making it shiny.

The next step is to invest in a good monthly/weekly (depending on your hairs needs) conditioning treatment. This is also completely up to your hair and body and what works best for each individual but good places to start are:
USDA organic coconut oil (use as a prewash leave in for 30mins-over night)
Avocado
Bananas
Honey
Olive oil
(all above mentioned can be made into a mix - there dozens of recipes online)
SMT method (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=128)
Cassia (often refereed to as "neutral henna" even though it's not henna. Will not stain or dye hair, although if you are a blonde it may bring out your golden tones. Lots of info on cassia in the Henna forums)
Henna (permanent hair color. Henna coats the hair shaft, helping to protect the hair and lie down the cuticle. I recently did a henna treatment over my bleached hair and wowee is it softer and shinier than it's been since I began bleaching it)
Apple Cider Vinegar rinse (use in place of a conditioner in the shower. mix 1 part ACV to 3 parts water in a spray bottle for easy application. leave in for no more than one minute. CAUTION: acv can lighten hair with repeated use, but will make hair super soft and clean)

Hope this helps!

[bunnylake]

I second the henna comment. My hair gleams, glimmers, and shines from henna. It's amazing.