No matter whether you have straight, wavy, curly or textured hair, we all share a common goal: shine.
After all, hair with a glossy finish is hair that looks healthy and makes us feel damn good.
The problem is shiny hair can be hard to come by. Especially if you’re unknowingly self-sabotaging with everyday habits that can rob you of a gleaming mane.
Fortunately, most of these habits are easily broken. You just need to be aware of them in the first place.
Drying your hair roughly
We understand the drying time post-wash can sometimes feel like an eternity, but tipping your head upside down and really going at it with your towel will only promote damage and ruin your shot at a shiny swish. Instead, use a microfibre towel or even an old t-shirt to absorb moisture, gently squeezing from the ends. The material will draw out wetness without creating friction or static (not to mention you’ll have less knots to contend with).
Box dye build-up
You know how hair always looks super healthy after an at-home colour? But by the second, third or fourth time round the light-reflecting shine substantially dims? That’s because applying colour on top of colour (i.e. from root to tip each time) actually creates a build-up. So rather than achieving the more vibrant colour we think we’re creating by applying dye all over, it actually masks any natural shine, producing a flat, dull finish instead.
The best way to stop this from happening is to use a hair colour remover like Colourless Max Effect in between your box dyes. It’s safe, gentle and contains no bleach or ammonia. It will simply remove the stubborn, permanent colour that’s latched on to your hair so you can reset and return to the beaming finish of that fresh first-time colour. It’s the ideal addition to your at-home colouring routine if you’re serious about shine.
Ditching your heat protectant
Let us dispel a myth for you: hair protectant isn’t a gimmick. If you don’t believe us, check out this toast test. Using a heat protect spray before any kind of hot tool styling will not only help to protect the integrity of your hair but your colour and your shine too. Don’t skip!
Forgetting about the ‘cool-shot’ button
You’ve probably heard the shine-boosting secret of finishing your shower with a cold rinse and the same theory can be applied to your blow-dry. Once your hair is 90 per cent dry, finish your styling by turning down the temp or using the ‘cool-shot’ button. This will seal your style for a smoother, shinier finish without any heat to provoke frizz or dullness. Plus, it’s a lot more bearable than icy cold water running down your back.
Are you surprised by some of these shine-stealing habits?
Avoiding dye and embracing natural grey can be hard, but it is hello shiny hair again!
I always use a heat protectant and a hair oil regardless
I always make sure I use a heat protectant, but I have been guilty of drying my hair a bit too roughly with a towel. I think we all have.
It definitely costed a lot
I didn’t realise dye build-up reduced shine, interesting!
Ha, never used cool shot.
I always forget about the cool shot button on the blow-dryer I’ll have to try and remember that as I have super thick and frizzy hair.
I think darker hair looks naturally shinier. I’ve always been blonde.
I never remember to press the cool-shot button when I dry my hair. I think I did it once and didn’t notice anything different so never bothered again lol.
Me neither….oppss
I have always used a normal towel to dry my hair. Any Beauties done a comparison between a standard towel vs a microfibre towel?
Love that toast test!! .,,,,and I really ought to use my cool shot button much more often.
Keep my hair naturally grey so I don’t use hair dyes but I need to get much more shine it always looks shiny after I wash it and dry it but I have never used the Cool Shot Button before.
I gently pat my hair dry with a towel. I don’t think it’s an issue unless I start rubbing.
I thought the hair colour remover was only if you wanted to remove the hair colour if you didn’t like it etc. I’ve never thought of using it as a reset. Might need to pick one up but it’s not something I need to rush to do. Even though I box dye at home I still only get around to doing it three to four times a year.
I only mix up half the box of hair colourant for a roots-only application. I get two recolours out of every box. I don’t need to endlessly recolour the length of my hair.
I bought an expensive microfibre hair towel many years ago. My hair dried much quicker, but it was a little short for my hip-length hair. I now buy Kmart microfibre gym towels for a fraction of the price & they’re larger, too! The texture is virtually identical to my expensive hair towel. I got sick of waiting for my good hair towel in the wash, so now I own about 5 of the Kmart cheapies. Highly recommended, cityglenda!
I’m tempted to try colourless after many years of dying my hair.
I always use a heat protector when straightening my hair but I’m finding it hard to find one that I love. The one I used to use has been discontinued and I’ve tried Treseme, Schwarzkopf, toni & guy but not a fan of them. I noticed that OGX have one which I plan on buying this week.
Better for you too. Just think of the grey as ‘silver highlights’!
The Kmart Gym towels are amazing I use them for gym for my hair and I also have separate ones that I use to dry my dogs . They also do a great job drying the glass panels in the shower.
I sometimes use a Kmart gym towel to wrap a present for a female – & I explain how good they are as hair towels. My sister used hers when my nephew was a toddler & she said it was the perfect size for him! Quick-drying, too!
Can confirm it works. Have used in the past to good effect. Particularly helpful when changing colour, but also good as a reset.
Now I spend a fortune maintaining colour and condition in salon, but it’s worth it (for me) for the professional results – I could never manage the complexities of current colour at home.
Need to get a micro fibre towel for my hair ;I’ve seen so many on the market , have no idea which one has an effective outcome
Me too Margi59 I’m starting to leave my hair grey too. It saves money ,time and my hair will be stronger too.
I need some colourless.
Thank you MerryGoRound. Good to know it does work.
I definitely dry my hair a little rough!
I totally need to try colourless between colours! This would be perfect for my semi permanent colours
I have short hair so I only need to squeeze my hair with a towel rather than rubbing it dry. I learned years ago to use the cool shot button on my hairdryer to finish off drying and styling.
I have a microfibre hair towel but I can’t use it because of pain in my hands and arms. I find it a challenge to twist and secure the towel with the hooks. This article has reminded me to buy one of the microfibre gym towels that misfortune8 has been recommending in the forums for a while.
Some good tips here 🙂
Such an interesting product
I don’t have this problem, thankfully!!! But great tips though!!!
I probably am a bit rough when towel drying my hair
I use the hair dryer on the medium setting most times.
I stopped dying my hair more than a year ago and with regular trims, my hair has started to feel so much better. I have pretty straight hair as well so I have tried to avoid using straighteners and hair driers as well, and all together my hair feels so much smoother and my split ends are starting to heal and become less.
But I always have the temptation to bleach and dye my hair crazy colours! I doubt that feeling will ever fade.
I need some colourless l.
After washing I rinse with cold water and it does seem to help. Agreed though its hard in winter!
I found that when I visited an area that had hard water my hair changed completely and lost so much shine and condition. Since returned home my shine has returned (plus I’ve been having to give it some good treatment masks which have done the trick)
You’re brave – I always say I will try this out but I just don’t have the guts to do it
Interesting article as I have been concerned about having no shine for years. Perhaps I should stop colouring but I haven’t the nerve to do it.
I really need to use heat protect spray.
I’ve followed advice from my wonderful hairdresser for many years and have no problems as her advice is exactly what is needed for me.
I use home colour to cover my greying hair. Since moving to Qld the water quality here is yukkkkkk. My hair never feels good after washing, and I now have to use the extra moisturising products to get it feeling better but never good. Love going to Sydney and washing my hair nice and clean and shiny. The hairdresser here also told me to change my shampoo to find something that works better because of the water quality. I can’t even drink the tap water and my family became unwell when they drank the water too.
Hard water is so damaging to hair, you really need to use a product that will soften hair then
a product worth checking out
I always finish up my shampoo and conditioner with cold water.
Reported spam below!
BH, please remove.
So true