Is shiny hair a myth?

[lithostoic]

My whole life, I've NEVER had shiny hair despite having a straight hair type. Not even as a kid when it was even straighter and much silkier. Is shininess just unattainable for most people? I'd like to think I take good enough care of my locks for them to be shiny.

[-Fern]

Only oils make my hair shine. And only certain oils, at that (coconut oil actually makes my hair look duller). It sounds dubious when I say it like that, but I get complimented on it a lot, actually. :o (And heat straightening makes my hair shiny, but I haven't done that in YEARS now.)

[Sarahlabyrinth]

Try a little - A LITTLE - mineral oil stroked through your hair. Like a couple of drops on your fingers and stoked over the surface of your hair. It does wonders for mine.

[missrandie]

My hair is almost reflective in how shiny it can be. I think it depends on the person, honestly.

[neko_kawaii]

Define shiny. My hair doesn't seem shiny, until you realize that pictures of it are reflecting surrounding colors, like the sky.

[M.McDonough]

No, it's not a myth. My hair is shiny. But I think it's either natural or it depends on your diet.

[Nadine <3]

I don't think it's a myth. My hair is definitely shiny.

[Jumper]

I think it's dependent on the individual. Some hair is just naturally shinier than others.

My wurly hair is definitely not as shiny as my sisters straight hair, in spite of the superior care I take of it.

[Silverbrumby]

My whole life, I've NEVER had shiny hair despite having a straight hair type. Not even as a kid when it was even straighter and much silkier. Is shininess just unattainable for most people? I'd like to think I take good enough care of my locks for them to be shiny.

My hair is moderately shiny. It just depends on how clean it is. BTW, Cassia henna (no color) makes your hair really shine. I've used it a few times and people tend to comment on it. But I'm lazy. And it's a pain to put on. So if you wanted a temporary experience of shine you could get some from a health food store or maybe even amazon.

I've found the quality of products to be very good from this company. And you can order samples to see how your hair reacts.

http://www.mehandi.com/shop/cassiaobovatabuy.html

[mssummerrose]

I think it has to do with the texture of the individual strand. A kinky strand is not going to reflect light the same way a round, straight strand will.

[ravenheather]

My hair is shiny. It's also slippery. I think it's hair type.

[Arctic]

Not a myth, like already many have said. I also assume it's about individual hair type characteristics. Colour also affects this, and often darker colours seem more shiny.



I think it has to do with the texture of the individual strand. A kinky strand is not going to reflect light the same way a round, straight strand will.

Straight hair is not neccessarily round in diameter. And kinky hair can most definitely shine. And, in addition, also straighter hair types can be kinky.

I agree that kinky strand reflects light differently than non-kinky hair of otherwise similar texture; it can be more sparkly and sheeny, but these qualities shouldn't be left out from the definition of shiny. Shiny, sheeny, mirror-like, sparkly, diamond dusty... they are all facets of the same phenomena, that is, strands reflecting light.

[sumidha]

I also think it's a texture issue... If the individual scales on each hair strand are laying flat, they'll reflect more light, versus if they're roughed up. So maybe that's a porosity thing?

Either way, my hair's not particularly shiny, unless it has a ton of oil in it. :)

[chen bao jun]

My hair is shiny. And I'm a tightly curly. Some curlies definitely have shiny hair. In fact, its one of the characteristics that curlies are told to look at, to define the characteristics of their hair, other than curl size--sheen because its something that makes hair look and behave differently, apart from curl.

My hair always has it. It actually looks shiny when its not in good shape. Before I knew how to moisturize, when it felt very dry and was actually damaged, I couldn't get people to believe it was damaged, because its naturally so shiny and people equate shine with 'health' (due to hair commercials). My hair does not look shinier when I straighten it. It's a quality it always has. You can see this in the photo (which is old, but I'm stuck with it, can't figure out how to change them) of my bun in my avatar--shiny, curly hair, and that doesn't even show how much shine it has IRL..

Soo...
You can generalize about hair according to hair type. But then you will meet an exception, every time.

I've definitely seen other straighties whose hair has no sheen, naturally. If it's really important to the OP, she can try some of the suggestions made and report back which works to help others in the future with the same problem. If it is a problem. I think that without hair commercials (there was an interesting post linking recently to a youtube vid showing all the fake things they do), no one would care.

[Eastbound&Down]

My mom used to put my sister and I in vinegar baths when we were kids for dandruff and our hair would glow! I still use it sometimes if I have a dandruff flair up.

[Anje]

I've always had shiny hair that garnered comments about me trying out for Pantene commercials and the like. (I always quipped that I didn't like their products, so no.) Henna has since cranked that up another notch. So no, it's not a myth, but some hair is naturally shinier than other hair. Mine is rather fine and has been auburn or darker all my life; both fine hair and dark hair tend to show more shine. Until recently, I almost never used silicone products, so that isn't really a contributor here.

[chen bao jun]

I do use a vinegar rinse nowadays, having learned about taking care of my hair.
Maybe that helps? Though it was shiny before, as I said.
I am also a lo-po, so those cuticles are on there TIGHT. That may have more to do with it than curl. I also do (although its greying fast), have very very black hair. I do notice that the darker the hair is, the shinier it looks.

ETA: My hair's coarse,t hough, Anje.

[Anya15]

It depends...my hair is 2b/2c and VERY shiny. I think it has to do with color, too, my hair is naturally black.

[Anje]

ETA: My hair's coarse,t hough, Anje.
For every trend, exceptions abound, right? :) My guess is that a tight cuticle does a lot, and dark hair shows bright reflections as more contrasty than light hair does. I don't know if there are tendencies for some hair types to have tighter or looser cuticles or not.

[Deborah]

It's a very individual thing. Some folks have hair that just shines naturally. Some don't. The right care for your individual hair can probably help your hair looks its best, and may make it shinier. But some hair just doesn't reflect light, so it is not shiny, but it may be beautiful in another way. I hope you find a routine that makes your own hair look its very best. :flower:

[chen bao jun]

I don't know about the cuticles either. I know a lot of people become high porosity due to damaged hair (maybe that's why people associate hair without sheen as damaged?) but don't know if some hair types are naturally high porosity without damage or why some people are naturally lo-po.

Maybe one of our 'hair scientists' can check in.

In my case, the tight cuticle was actually blocking moisture out. I'd do all these things to condition and moisturize and my hair was still dry as a desert and felt horrible. I had the wierd situation of feels horrible, looks good--and only when I learned that I need heat to open the cuticles up or nothing will get inside did my hair condition change for the better. But it was shiny the whole time!

Probably because of how my hair works, the feeling of softness is way, way more important to me than the appearance. I'm also a tactile person... I can never quite understand why people are complaining about how their hair looks, so long as it feels good...to me, the feel is of #1 importance (and I'm always jealous because even though I now have soft feeling hair, it often seems that most people's hair is much softer than mine, regardless of 'texture' or 'curl pattern'. I think this is a function of being coarse. Those of us with coarse hair tend not to have soft hair, it's like strength was traded for feel. Oh, well.

[Caraid♫]

I use only a vinegar rinse in place of conditioner these days and my hair is pretty shiny! I actually find that oil only helps my hair look shiny when it's particularly dry. If I try a pre-shampoo oiling when my hair doesn't need it (or also if I use too much conditioner) than it just makes my hair look limp instead of shiny.
But mostly I think it's just ceratin hairtypes are shinier than others' as others have said :)

[maborosi]

My hair is really shiny, but I think a lot of that is due to the color and texture. When it's a darker color like it is now, it is VERY shiny and reflective, especially after a clarifying wash.
Cones, oils, and herbal treatments can also give hair lots of shine as well.

[meteor]

There is so much natural variation in human hair, and I think a lot depends on how exactly hair grows out (some hair is simply naturally shinier, I believe). Maybe because some hair's cuticle layer is thicker and smoother or has more natural intecellular lipids? I don't know... :hmm:

But I think low-porosity, virgin hair is more likely to be shiny, because cuticles are intact and lie tightly down. The same hair that is damaged (even if it's only from old age, weathering and sun damage) is less likely to be as shiny.

Product build-up and mineral build-up will also dull the shine, especially if it's left to sit in hair for a long time.

My hair shines the most when:
1) it's very clean (freshly washed) or
2) I use some oil (preferably, mineral or one of those lightweight oils with polyunsaturated fats - grapeseed, safflower...; penetrating oils, like coconut, aren't the best for this particular purpose),
3) I use a bit of silicone serum.

When I was getting highlights added here and there, it definitely took away some of the natural shine, not only thanks to peroxide, but also thanks to breaking up the overall color pattern and making hair lighter (darker colors reflect light better).

Obviously, smooth, non-frizzy and detangled and (in some cases) brushed straight hair shines more than tangled/teased/texturized/volumized hair, because the strands are well aligned.
But for curlies, untouched (or sometimes twirled or wet-set) clumps usually shine more than broken up (e.g. brushed) curl pattern.

I don't understand why finer hair would be shinier than coarser hair though? :oops: Could somebody please explain? :flower: Assuming that coarse hair simply has a much larger diameter than fine hair (other things being equal), I imagined that smooth coarse hair might actually be more likely to be "glassy"... Kind of similar principle as with big, wide slab(s) of mirror reflecting light versus the same area covered with vertical narrow mirror blinds (http://s.blindsgalore.com/media/trt/0712041l0.jpg), which would not reflect light as well, because the surface is more "chopped", "broken up" vertically.
(Also, personally, I have lots of fine hair and lots of coarse hair, too, and my coarse hair is super-glassy and smooth, while my fine hair doesn't really shine that much, it kind of floats and looks more voluminous/puffy than smooth. :hmm:)

For increasing shine, I'd recommend:

- clarifying and chelating hair with products that are a great match for your hair, using acidic rinses;
- avoiding all damage (to prevent cuticles from lifting up and chipping - this breaks up reflective surface, obviously);
- avoiding disturbing wave/curl pattern, avoiding static and frizz and all friction-inducing, volumizing stuff (maybe, but not always, go easy on proteins);
- using more moisturizing, anti-static, anti-frizz products and fewer volumizing products;
- using some silicones and oils, especially if you are going to comb/brush hair;
- avoiding all dulling products, all deposits have a potential to dull the shine (the less product you can get away with, the better);
- sleeping on silk/satin (anything that provides glide and keeps hair smooth) and avoiding anything that roughs up the cuticle.

Also, while looking up pictures of hair under a microscope for the Hair Science Thread, I came across some good pictures that show how thoroughly degreased hair can shine a lot more versus less cleansing options (conditioner, clays, oat water, water only, shikakai, etc):
http://www.thenaturalhavenbloom.com/2014/02/does-co-washing-really-clean-your-hair.html, http://www.thenaturalhavenbloom.com/2014/02/can-you-really-wash-your-hair-with.html
http://www.thenaturalhavenbloom.com/2014/07/can-you-wash-your-hair-with-baking-soda.html, http://www.thenaturalhavenbloom.com/2014/11/caucasian-hair-cleansing-shikakai.html
http://www.thenaturalhavenbloom.com/2015/05/hair-science-how-well-do-mild-cleansers.html

At the same time, a coat of oil (well spread!) will add shine and lubrication and obscure the irregular roof-shindle-like surface of the cuticles: http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DN7jKvm-q0A/VVrwc3WFt5I/AAAAAAAABEo/iWovKInflUU/s320/oily_roots.jpg

So oils (and other products) are tricky and can be both dulling and shine-enhancing, so use sparingly! ;)

I would imagine that virgin, low-porosity (cuticles intact and lying down) hair can shine more if it's just clean, thoroughly de-greased and clarified. While more damaged (with chipped cuticles) hair might shine more with some products (maybe proteins) patch-repairing the surface: see more images of this (http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xi8DeGzoaos/UizHARrJ00I/AAAAAAAAAoM/HQ3PIrAb1Ik/s320/porosity_and_film.jpg) here - http://science-yhairblog.blogspot.ca/2013/09/more-about-protein.html

(Oops, sorry for the novel! :lol: )

[Persiangirl01]

My hair is definitely naturally shiny. I have found that hair products really dulled that shine, now that I use none and shampoo and condition with natural shampoo and conditioner only. I see my hair is even more shiny than before!

[Wusel]

My hair is naturally extremely shiny. People think I color it or put colored shine spray on it or have extensions... It's shiny like a dog's nose :)

[Estrid]

My hair glitters, no shine normally. But if I braid it right after it is somewhat dry from washing and keep them in for a while it will be shiny. I'm not completely sure how it works, but I think that it got something to do with how ordered the hair strands are, like, if I braid my hair they are all in the same way, kinda... yeah...

My hair usually gets less shiny if I brush it, probably because it makes my hair poofy.

[turtlelover]

My hair is shiny when blow dried straight if it is not layered much. Layers and wave kill the shine, as does texturing and point cutting. Cones help, too, or oils. Semi color helps as well.

[rhosyn_du]

My hair is fairly shiny as long as I let it clump and wave naturally. If I try to straighten it, whether by brushing, blowdrying, or flatironing, it loses its shine.

[morrigan*]

I use only a vinegar rinse in place of conditioner these days and my hair is pretty shiny! I actually find that oil only helps my hair look shiny when it's particularly dry. If I try a pre-shampoo oiling when my hair doesn't need it (or also if I use too much conditioner) than it just makes my hair look limp instead of shiny.
But mostly I think it's just ceratin hairtypes are shinier than others' as others have said :)

Avc rinses work for me to. Ofcorse henna helps too.

But too much product buildup on hair and maes it dull.

[stelz]

Kind of side-tracking here, but does anyone remember (a lonnnnng time ago) a shampoo called Bright Side? It had something called "optical brighteners" and it gave my already shiny hair an absolutely metallic sheen.
The downside was that conditioner killed the effect, so as my hair got longer and required conditioner, I switched to Helene Curtis Everynight stuff. But I still wonder what was in that shampoo!

[cathair]

I think it depends I the quality of the light around you.

Bright sun, camera flash, etc shiny hair. Standard indoor lighting, overcast day you'd never believe my hair could shine it looks so dull.

People in hair ads are under immensely bright studio lighting, almost blinding. Perhaps your hair would also shine in these conditions OP?

[Daydreamer.]

Nope. My hair is shiny, especially after a wash. Oils can help boost shine, but be sure to use a little.

[lapushka]

Eerrr, I get shine towards the end of the week, when my hair is smoother, my waves have sagged a little, nah about mid-week, I'd say. It is slightly dryer/duller right after washing, but still shiny enough. I mean, hair is not a mirror, if you want a slick sheen on it, you'd need to use oils or pomades / brilliantine.

But just a few drops of oil, spread through palms and coated on *dry* hair, not wet (because the most important purpose for that is to lock in moisture); that should do it.

[Hairkay]

I'm another tightly curly whose hair shines. My hair is at it's best freshly washed. My hair is clingy but has a somewhat silky feel (that must be why plaits/twists start unravelling) except at the very ends of the hair. I oil the hair ends daily. I've had few people in the summer look at me in amazement and ask why my hair looks like that. Family just mumble yes that's my hair. It's nothing special to them.

When I was a teen one of lil sis's friend's complained to her about me plastering my hair with grease. I'd never done that. She assumed the shine was because I'd gone overboard with vaseline/coconut oil. I'd only use a small fingertip on my whole head of hair and sometimes I'd forget to put that in. It was the same my sisters, many neighbours, friends and most school children had used. We lived with bright tropical sun everyday. Big sis's hair has a sheen best seen when hair is in small/medium plaits/braids. Now that she keeps it relaxed and well cared for it shines. Lil sis's hair doesn't shine. It kind of confuses me to find out how much 4a she's got and how much 3c. Hers is fluffy and looks best in small/medium twists. From what I've seen I suspect my hair is low porosity which may be why it shines.

[chen bao jun]

Yep, mine is silky feeling too (and does the unravelling thing also, alas). I do have to oil the ends (last 2-3 inches) because of damage. They definitely don't get greasy--in fact the oil soaks in right away and they are often still dry and crackly. (going to cut those off one day--maybe soon--when I reach a hair goal--)

I've never been accused of plastering my hair with grease, fortunately, and actually greasy looks quite different than shiny. Shiny like, comes from the inside. I remember back in the late 80's, early 90's when jherri curl and wave nouveau and those kinds of hair relaxers were in style. It was like, everybody had greasy hair all of a sudden (nasty). but people's hair didn't look shiny because of the grease. that greasy looks goes in and out of style, I guess--you see it in 1920's silent movies a lot too (the men especially, that "Valentino" look, all slicked back and like a grease bomb wiht that brilliantine Lapushka is talking about) and I guess it was popular in the Victorian age, since they had to invent anti-macassars--cotton things for the backs of chairs to soak up hair grease so as not to ruin the furniture.

I should think hair without shine was much better than greasy hair--and I repeat, I think the longing for shine is a hair commercial phemenom. Cathair is right, bright lights are used for those, as well as lots of silicone, fans, etc. etc.--the girls in those commercials don't usually have very good hair, either. It's just about impossible to be a model of any kind (or an actress) and have even half-way decent hair. It gets styled way too much, and dyed different colors for jobs, and people experiment on it in various ways that just aren't good for hair. But people are there who know how to create illusions--illusions so good that they make people who actually have nice hair (us on LHC, not to be vain but its true) feel inferior and less beautiful than the mirage.

[sarahthegemini]

My hair is super shiny :shrug: When it was damaged though and I was first starting to care for it, I used sweet almond oil for shine. It was wonderful. I don't need it now though as my hair is healthy.

[Mimha]

No, it's not a myth. Shiny hair is a sign of health and good nutriments balance : when your health is good, you build healthy hair, with regular keratin structure. Your hair is both flexible and resistant (= has body and bounciness). Dull hair is frequently a sign of stress, exhaustion, and/or bad nutrition. The alimentation is crucial to grow healthy hair. I have noticed on myself a tremendous change from the period when I suffered from a lot of deficiencies, ate bad and did not get neither proper rest nor proper exercise. My hair is so much better now than a few years ago, before I had a medical check up and was diagnosed with bad digestion problems. My hair was dull, brittle and see-through. Now it is soft, abundant and shiny. For that, (I mean, for my health, but hair quality improvement was an unexpected and so welcome consequence), I had to do major changes in my life. Especially nutrition : go to low carb, fresh organic fruits and vegetables, and no more sugar and processed/fast food. Reduce all chemicals in my life. My liver was overwhelmed and I was soooo exhausted !... I had frequent acne eruptions, and both dry and oily skin. I suffered from hair loss. I was depressed and anxious all the time. So yes, definitely : shine is a sign of health. It is the same with the animals fur. When our cat is sick, its fur looks dull. When she is full of life, her fur has sheen and vivid colors.

Well, I also want to ponder this by saying that the level of shine may depend on the hair type too, of course, and on the color. Some hair types and some hair color reflect the light better than others. Everybody is different and so our hair are. Some people have more or less shiny hair. But if you are not on the shiniest side, you can still see if your hair is healthy or not. If your hair "just hangs there" looking lifeless and anaemic, or if you have abnormal shedding, or if it's getting shorter without you to trim it, it's probable that you are not on the top of your shape. It was definitely the case for me.

[meteor]

Kind of side-tracking here, but does anyone remember (a lonnnnng time ago) a shampoo called Bright Side? It had something called "optical brighteners" and it gave my already shiny hair an absolutely metallic sheen.
The downside was that conditioner killed the effect, so as my hair got longer and required conditioner, I switched to Helene Curtis Everynight stuff. But I still wonder what was in that shampoo!

I have never heard of Bright Side, but a google search brought up these ingredients: http://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/L9AAAOxyaTxTPsah/s-l1600.jpg (from http://www.ebay.com/itm/LOT-OF-2-vintage-Bright-Side-Shampoo-6-oz-NEW-colgate-palmolive-/161333640077)

It looks like a very cleansing formula. I don't see any special ingredients that would add a metallic sheen. It does have drying alcohol very high up on the ingredients list (# 3), as well as liquid petrolatum (# 5) - unusual formulation by today's standards for shampoo..., but alcohol is probably there as a solvent to help thin out that mineral oil? :hmm:

Most "brightening" shampoos are just clarifying and often chelating formulas. ;) Chelating is important for removing those dulling deposits (copper, iron, chlorine) - esp. helpful for blondes (since lighter blonde shades can be extremely easily stained by anything, compared to darker colors).

By the way, there are a ton of shimmer/shine depositing products out there (e.g. this Kevin Murphy Shimmer.Shine (https://prettymessymellon.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/kevin-murphy-shimmer-shine-spray.jpg), Redken Diamond Oil Spray (http://cdn3-www.thefashionspot.com/assets/uploads/gallery/shine-serums-and-sprays/redken.jpg), serum and S&C (http://beautyreform.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/IMG_00011.jpg), etc...), with little pearly/golden specks, etc - usually in the forms of serum oils, hair sprays and other leave-ins/styling products... Also all those dry conditioners (http://www.linda.com.mx/liquidkeratin/_files/products/images/normal/1_1_0_12-keratin-infused-shine-and-moisture-renewing-dry-conditioner.jpg) that are becoming popular - they are primarily marketed for creating shine on "unfresh" hair. I've never tried them and can't comment. But I don't imagine that they can create that same natural shine that one gets from clarifying/chelating hair.

I really think low porosity and intercellular lipid content are likely the cause for natural shine. Many (most?) people who grow out dye/bleach/perm, etc, notice that their virgin roots grow in extremely glossy and shiny compared to their more porous (damaged) ends.

Another huge factor I forgot to mention is, of course, the cut! If one has lots and lots of choppy layers, the surface is broken up and won't reflect light as well as if the same hair was in a graphic, one-length cut. In the latter case, the outside surface stays untouched, therefore more reflective.

By the way, I think a lot depends on perspective of what is "great shine". For example, I know some people with wigs from synthetic hair, and those wigs have a very strong shine (especially in some lights) - that material shines a lot more than any natural shiny hair in the room. It doesn't mean that natural hair isn't shiny in comparison, it's just a different type of material reflecting light differently :) , the same goes to heavily used brilliantine over super smoothed out hairstyles and "wet looks". It's just a different way of reflecting light! :flower:

[Hairkay]

Yep, mine is silky feeling too (and does the unravelling thing also, alas). I do have to oil the ends (last 2-3 inches) because of damage. They definitely don't get greasy--in fact the oil soaks in right away and they are often still dry and crackly. (going to cut those off one day--maybe soon--when I reach a hair goal--)

I've never been accused of plastering my hair with grease, fortunately, and actually greasy looks quite different than shiny. Shiny like, comes from the inside. I remember back in the late 80's, early 90's when jherri curl and wave nouveau and those kinds of hair relaxers were in style. It was like, everybody had greasy hair all of a sudden (nasty). but people's hair didn't look shiny because of the grease. that greasy looks goes in and out of style, I guess--you see it in 1920's silent movies a lot too (the men especially, that "Valentino" look, all slicked back and like a grease bomb wiht that brilliantine Lapushka is talking about) and I guess it was popular in the Victorian age, since they had to invent anti-macassars--cotton things for the backs of chairs to soak up hair grease so as not to ruin the furniture.

I should think hair without shine was much better than greasy hair--and I repeat, I think the longing for shine is a hair commercial phemenom. Cathair is right, bright lights are used for those, as well as lots of silicone, fans, etc. etc.--the girls in those commercials don't usually have very good hair, either. It's just about impossible to be a model of any kind (or an actress) and have even half-way decent hair. It gets styled way too much, and dyed different colors for jobs, and people experiment on it in various ways that just aren't good for hair. But people are there who know how to create illusions--illusions so good that they make people who actually have nice hair (us on LHC, not to be vain but its true) feel inferior and less beautiful than the mirage.

Yes greasy does look different. My hair was dry to touch and there was no grease residue or sticky look. This girl just wanted to find a reason why her hair and mine were not the same. Models do have it hard on their hair and their skin. When I left my hair loose on holiday a family friend said it looked kind of like jheri curl. I had just water washed, put coconut oil on the ends and left the hair to fall as it may. The curls clumped into ringlets on their own. It air dried that way and that was it.

[spidermom]

Is the title an actual question? That's so odd: "is shiny hair a myth?" Do your eyes not tell you that there's a lot of shiny hair out there, not to mention on LHC?

[bunneh.]

I don't think it's a myth, but I do think it varies a lot based on genes, general health, health of hair, what you wash it with (buildup,...), what you use on it (conditioners, oils, herbs,...). My hair got shinier after using henna and right after using oil in my hair it looks very shiny. Mineral oil is supposed to be great for shine, but like other oils, you shouldn't use too much. Occasional clarifying would definitely help (clarify/wash the entire length, not just scalp) because it gets rid of the buildup that might be mattifying the hair.

[stelz]

I have never heard of Bright Side, but a google search brought up these ingredients: http://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/L9AAAOxyaTxTPsah/s-l1600.jpg (from http://www.ebay.com/itm/LOT-OF-2-vintage-Bright-Side-Shampoo-6-oz-NEW-colgate-palmolive-/161333640077)

It looks like a very cleansing formula. I don't see any special ingredients that would add a metallic sheen. It does have drying alcohol very high up on the ingredients list (# 3), as well as liquid petrolatum (# 5) - unusual formulation by today's standards for shampoo..., but alcohol is probably there as a solvent to help thin out that mineral oil? :hmm: ...

OMG. That's actually horrifying. And they claimed to be "organic" for awhile, too. LOL.
I do remember getting a lot of split ends just before I switched. Thought it was just that I need to condition. Mind you, my hair was only CBL when I used to use that stuff. It DID do what it said -the lighter hairs looked like tiny gold wires rather than being invisible among the darker ones. Not worth it at all, though.

[parkmikii]

I don't think it's a myth, but I do think it varies a lot based on genes, general health, health of hair, what you wash it with (buildup,...), what you use on it (conditioners, oils, herbs,...). My hair got shinier after using henna and right after using oil in my hair it looks very shiny. Mineral oil is supposed to be great for shine, but like other oils, you shouldn't use too much. Occasional clarifying would definitely help (clarify/wash the entire length, not just scalp) because it gets rid of the buildup that might be mattifying the hair.

Agreed. Henna helps, moisturising also helps ^^

[mary*rose]

meteor, even if it was a novel, I enjoyed reading it haha.

I agree with what's been said about a light layer of mineral oil, as well as vinegar rinses. I did AVC rinses for awhile in high school, and I remember it amping my shine.

If you have straight hair, OP, I really think a BBB would do wonders. I'm NW/SO, so my hair is actually usually shiny (although also clumpy) from the natural oil in my hair, but man it looks REALLY shiny after I use a BBB on it.

[lithostoic]

Is the title an actual question? That's so odd: "is shiny hair a myth?" Do your eyes not tell you that there's a lot of shiny hair out there, not to mention on LHC?

It was a exaggeration, no need to be snotty.

mary*rose Yeah, definitely a lot of people saying ACV is the answer! I've been using a bbb for a while but I've been neglecting it lately because it never seemed to do anything but make my wave pattern disappear and frizz :c

[mary*rose]

It was a exaggeration, no need to be snotty.

mary*rose Yeah, definitely a lot of people saying ACV is the answer! I've been using a bbb for a while but I've been neglecting it lately because it never seemed to do anything but make my wave pattern disappear and frizz :c

Haha so no, spidermom, it's not a serious question :)

Ah, my bad, lithostoic. I thought I remembered you saying you had straight hair somewhere. Wooden/horn combs might do the same thing, but not mess up your texture. I use a wide-tooth wooden comb, and I don't really notice my hair getting shiny until after I brush it, though.

[Sarahm]

It was a exaggeration, no need to be snotty.

mary*rose Yeah, definitely a lot of people saying ACV is the answer! I've been using a bbb for a while but I've been neglecting it lately because it never seemed to do anything but make my wave pattern disappear and frizz :c

Stretching washes made my hair shiny (+ organic, silicone free shampoo and conditioner). A lot of people seem to recommend mineral oils or coconut oil for shiny hair, but I think your own natural oils might work better. Just a thought, though.

[lithostoic]

mary*rose Good idea! My bbb is mainly a cat brush now haha.

[Ingrid]

My hair is pretty shiny, but I do find when I'm sick it tends to look more dull. Henna and cassia also make hair noticeably shinier.

[spidermom]

It was a exaggeration, no need to be snotty.

mary*rose Yeah, definitely a lot of people saying ACV is the answer! I've been using a bbb for a while but I've been neglecting it lately because it never seemed to do anything but make my wave pattern disappear and frizz :c

Well o.k., but what part was snotty? I didn't know what you were talking about.

[pahbee]

I guess it's genetics. I see a lot of people walking around who have hair that's way straighter, healthier, bouncy, and yes--shinier than mine.
Mine isn't shiny most of the time, but if I'm in the right weather/humidity conditions while my hair is air-drying, it can be shiny--sometimes.

[Stray_mind]

I think it depends on a lot of things, like genetics, diet, the use of products... My hair is not particularly shiny in the shade, but when it's in the light, it shines nicely.

[CurlyCap]

Some people have hair that when clean just reflects light well. It's the structure of their hair and how it reflects light. Others have hair that doesn't do that.

Shine can also be achieved by coating the hair with something that reflects light. So products, oil, or letting sebum build up on your hair will make it appear shinier.

My hair is matte. Very matte. Healthy, happy, growing....but no natural shine. I think that if left alone, no styling or primping or babying, it looks like dark brown raw cotton. And I find that very pretty. But it's so fragile if left like that so I style/set it. My hair is almost always coated with something to make sure it is moisturized so my hair styles make it look like I have reflective, dark black hair. It's a very pretty fashion lie!

[mary*rose]

Stretching washes made my hair shiny (+ organic, silicone free shampoo and conditioner). A lot of people seem to recommend mineral oils or coconut oil for shiny hair, but I think your own natural oils might work better. Just a thought, though.

I second this! That's why I suggested the BBB, because I've been using it on my unwashed hair, and it does wonders for shine.

[AmyBeth]

My hair was always fairly shiny, even in a damaged state, but henna has given me an unreal shampoo commercial shine! Cassia can do much the same without the color committment.

[Crystawni]

I'm a shiny. :)

Actually, my hair glints in sunlight. It's all virgin, and many-coloured, and doesn't need direct light (sig. pic coily tendril), products or oils for it to look glossy, although I sometimes use oil on the very ends to keep tangling at bay.

Oh, and my white hair is just as shiny as the rest (see sig. pics).

[AJNinami]

My hair's never had a lot of nice attention since before I bleached it, so I'm not sure if it was just so severely damaged or something else, but my hair has never been shiny since I was a young child (3 or 4) with very fine hair. People would often tell my I had "Kesha" hair because it had no shine to it and looked so coarse and roughed up all of the time. No matter what I did my hair wouldn't shine. My bleach is actually much shinier than my natural hair growth coming in. It's weird but sometimes people just don't have super-shiny hair. I'm slowly getting used to it though, and oil certainly helps.

[spirals]

My hair doesn't shine and hasn't since I was a child. It was straighter then; I got the tighter waves in puberty. I do notice that my coarser hairs are shinier than my medium and fine ones. They are also darker. But overall, unless it's heavily oiled and straighter--often due to being bunned or braided for several days--it doesn't shine on its own.

The one thing that did help was gel with glycerin in it. It was meant to make hair shinier and it did. When it was shorter I used to scrunch conditioner and gel into sopping wet hair and then towel it. On wash day my hair was like a mirror. I wouldn't do that now because I brush and bun. I didn't then. I let it air dry and it was never combed outside the shower. By the time wash day came I had some tangles. I could do that at APL.

[meteor]

Maybe one of our 'hair scientists' can check in.

Not a hair scientist :flower:, but I've posted links to a few studies on hair shine over at the Hair Science Thread that might be of interest to some on this thread, as well :) :


Hair Shine: BACK TO INDEX (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=136845&p=3187906&viewfull=1#post3187906)

- Diffraction of light by the cuticle structure of hair: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17728929

- Study of hair shine and hair surface smoothness: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19450419

- Influence of internal structures of hair fiber on hair appearance. I. Light scattering from the porous structure of the medulla of human hair: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11919644
"Hair with a porous medulla gave a whitish and lusterless appearance because of light scattering from the fiber center, whereas in the cases without pores, a clear and brilliant appearance was observed. [...] Both contrasts in lightness and apparent color (chroma and hue) decreased in the hair with medulla pores, and the decreases in contrast caused a whitish and lusterless appearance. [...] The histogram was further analyzed by hair care behavior of individual panelists, and it was found that the pores in the medulla can be generated in a heat-drying process."

- Influence of internal structures of hair fiber on hair appearance. III. Generation of light-scattering factors in hair cuticles and the influence on hair shine: http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.553.9320&rep=rep1&type=pdf, http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14528388
"The effects of thermal treatments on hair fiber induced by blow-drying have been investigated. It was found that the hair shows whitish and powdery appearance after heat drying, especially when dark hair is rapidly dried from a wet condition. For all kinds of hair, the appearance of numerous glittering speckles was confirmed on the cuticle surface by optical microscopic observations. SEM images of hair transverse and longitudinal sections with glittering speckles revealed that the splitting of cuticle layers generated by blow-drying occurred not only at the outermost parts of cuticle cells but also at the inner parts of the cellular interfaces. The release and uptake of moisture through fiber surfaces induces deformation of cuticle cells, probably because of anisotropic swelling or drying of the cells. The cuticles with glittering speckles are found to be fragile and are easily damaged in combination with other mechanical stresses such as combing force."
The glittering speckles are observed to a high degree just after an abrupt change in moisture occurs. The moisture content will soon be in equilibrium, and thus these speckles almost disappear within ten minutes. These structural changes in hair cuticles are believed to occur in a daily hair care routine, but they have been unnoticed thus far because deformation of cuticle layers will disappear upon relaxing at high humidity conditions or wetting with water."

- Patterns of light interference produced by damaged cuticle cells in human hair: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17728927
"The strong patterns of light interference appeared only in cuticle cells that had been damaged either mechanically or by thermal stresses. Cuticle cells that were not damaged did not produce this phenomenon. The zones of light interference on the hair surface were seen to extend to cuticle sheath areas whose damage was not apparent when analyzed under the Scanning Electron Microscope. The presence of oils and other hydrophobic materials in the hair had a strong effect in the appearance or disappearance of the interference patterns."

- Analyzing the laser-light reflection from human hair fibers. I. Light components underlying the goniophotometric curves and fiber cuticle angles: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12858229

- Analyzing the laser-light reflection from human hair fibers. II. Deriving a measure of hair luster: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15037922

- Studies of light scattering from ethnic hair fibers: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15037920

- A new multifunctional, shine-enhancing emollient: PPG-3 benzyl ether myristate: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15645090

- Optical properties of hair: effect of treatments on luster as quantified by image analysis: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14528387
"The procedure was employed to assess the luster of natural white, light blonde, light brown, medium brown, and dark brown hair, and revealed an increase in luster indices in proportion to an increase in fiber pigmentation. Cosmetic oils such as phenyl trimethicone, amodimethicone, and castor oil were also found to increase the luster of hair as a result of the change in contrast between specular and diffuse reflection. Styling resins such as butyl ester of PVM/MA copolymer, vinyl caprolactam/PVP/dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate copolymer, and isobutylene/ethylmaleimide/hydroxyethylmaleimide copolymer were shown to increase hair gloss by a similar mechanism, as evidenced by calculated higher values of the Stamm and Reich-Robbins luster parameters. An effect of hair dulling by deposition of micronized ZnO at various concentrations, as well as by synthetic sebum, is also discussed."

- Formation of nanostructure on hair surface: its characteristic optical properties and application to hair care products: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17728928
"Uneven structures on hair fiber surface, such as lift up of cuticle or build up of hair spray ingredients, generally cause a diffuse reflection which results in a dull and unhealthy appearance. However, in the case of finer structure than wavelength of visible light, the optical properties change significantly. An application of the phenomenon to hair care products is reported in this paper. Formation of the fine structure on hair surface was achieved by only a shampoo and rinse-off conditioner system including amino-silicone."

- New luster formula for the characterization of hair tresses using polarization imaging: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19450417

- A reciprocal lattice approach to assessing the luster of hair fibers, based on scattering by periodically deformed cylinders: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15645101

- Structural colors in nature: the role of regularity and irregularity in the structure: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16015669

[MandyBeth]

Very fine, blue black hair. It's also damaged, thanks to slow growth rate and medication side effects.

If it's natural colored, there's a sheen but not the high gloss. If I use flash, it washes the color out too much.

The dye (Manic Panic Raven and After Midnight) is freakish shiny. As in my braid picture showing the purple is without flash, just overhead light. With flash, you just get a white glare. It's fun.....

[seaweed_maenad]

I feel like my hair has gotten way shiner over the course of the last 6 months from switching over to CWC, regular oilings, acv & chamomile tea rinses, and all the lovely extra stuff that makes your hair happy people talk about around here. It seemed like a gradual process for me but now I let my hair down and I'm shocked at how much healthier it is.

[a.steeez]

No i dont think its a myth shine is reflected light off of a closed cuticle, which means hydration! My hair was dull and damaged i did one coconut oil treatment and it was sooo shiny! I highly highly highly suggest doing one. Get a nice organic cocnut oil that is organic and also cold pressed not refined with heat. I have virgin and unrefined, its expellar pressed. Its not the best but i dont have good access to natural foods stores. Its made by la tourangelle and it works amazing try it!

[Ackvelina]

Shiny is a myth for my hair.

I have coarse(ish) hair in the 1c/2a limbo. If i get to shine it just looks like i poured a gallon of oil in it, witch probably is what i had to do to make it shine. Shine is just something that happens to others, like silky soft hair and fluffyness.

[Darkhorse1]

Hair shine is a balance between color and texture. Curly hair can appear dull because it doesn't reflect the light the same as straight hair. The same with some shades of blond. Darker colors tend to show of the light best, but remember this: In those ads for shampoos you see on tv? They have a million strategically placed lights and white boards to bounce the light off of to make the hair shine. So, between all the variables of color/texture, lighting and how the light bounces off your hair also has a huge play in the 'shine' appearance.

If hair seems dull, you could clarify to make sure it's not overloaded with product. Shine is created by a flat cuticle on the hair shaft. Any damage that creates breakage (think of a fraying rope) will appear duller---but hair would have to be in a severe state to not show shine.

Some mousier brown colors don't not show shine very well---doesn't mean your hair isn't healthy :)

[Hairkay]

I'd say the difference between how some curls shine and how some straight hair shines is like this;

Disco mirror ball shine = curls

http://www.electrosupplies.co.uk/Stage-Lighting-&-Effects-Mirror-Balls-And-Motors-Mirror-Balls/c5_109_2129/p16525/5cm-(2%22)-Plain-Glass-Mirror-Ball/product_info.html

loose waves and straight hair = silver bauble
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Silver-200mm-baubles-x-2/dp/B018PI72V8/ref=pd_sim_sbs_201_3?ie=UTF8&dpID=41xH0T9ljVL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR107%2C160_&refRID=0B092M8ZGHSM8NJT528Y

[cocoahair]

My hair has a shine to it but I think I am in the sweet spot for it having very dark brown hair that is very straight. I do a cold rinse after I wash and ACV to improve on my shine as well.

[Petulia]

This thread made me think of a certain hair video that's been going viral: http://i.imgur.com/BdxO5RU.gifv
What does everyone think? Is it real? :undecided
I can only dream of hair so shiny :(

[Anje]

This thread made me think of a certain hair video that's been going viral: http://i.imgur.com/BdxO5RU.gifv
What does everyone think? Is it real? :undecided
I can only dream of hair so shiny :(
Yeah, I'll bet it's real. Get someone with shiny 1a hair, maybe put shine serum on it and flat-iron it besides.... You'll get that.

[spirals]

This thread made me think of a certain hair video that's been going viral: http://i.imgur.com/BdxO5RU.gifv
What does everyone think? Is it real?
I don't know, but the comments are hilarious.

[seaweed_maenad]

Hmm.. I bet her hair has been through keratin straightening...

[pailin]

I think that's one reason why hair straightening is SO unbelievably popular here.

[Echileruwen]

Hmmm. This thread got me thinking. I just tried the product that I bought for bringing out the shine in my dog's coat on my own hair. (The things I do when I'm overtired!) It feels softer and it's a little shinier. The ingredients are: water, conditioning agents, silk protein, oat protein, soy protein, aloe vera, chamomile extract, papaya leaf extract, panthenol, minerals, and fragrance. Don't tell anybody, but I plan to use it again. My hair feels ultra soft and it did add to the shine. Just don't tell anybody what I used. (OK, I'm overtired, remember?) :p

It works better than my leave-in conditioner and didn't make my hair look greasy. I need to get some more of this stuff.

[spirals]

Hmmm. This thread got me thinking. I just tried the product that I bought for bringing out the shine in my dog's coat on my own hair...Just don't tell anybody what I used. (OK, I'm overtired, remember?) :p


Girl, you know people on here put Monistat on their heads. :rollin: I'm sure no one will bat an eye. Well, maybe non-LHCers. Your secret is safe with us! :lipssealed:

[endlessly]

I don't think shiny hair is a myth at all, but I suppose it depends. There are a lot of factors working against "shiny" hair: hair color, products used, hair health... just to name a few. As a brunette, I've always been told my hair is "ridiculously shiny" (to quote a few coworkers), whereas a few of my blonde coworkers often complain about their hair appearing dull or too ashy. I also try to stay away from dry shampoo, gels, and mousses because those can dry out your hair and instead, use a variety of oils and butters.

[yahirwaO.o]

I don't know, but the comments are hilarious.

LOL those comments made me almost pee!!!!! Ha ha ha. :happydance:

Well shiny hair is not a myth. I always took for granted that dull straight hair was because of super hard water, too much pollution or some heat damage going on. And I've seen curly hair with shine but honestly dont care the shine factor when you have texture.... just rock the texture and it would look gorgeous!!!