What is glass hair?
Glass hair is a polished hairstyle with a glossy mirror-like finish. First seen in 2018 on Kim Kardashian, glass hair is known for looking healthy and ultra-shiny, like a piece of glass. This elegant style, minimalist style is characterized by: Mirror-like shine: The glossy appearance of this style is why it’s called glass hair and is its most important aspect. If you don’t have the shine, you don’t have glass hair. Smooth and silky texture: Next up for glass hair’s defining characteristics is its extremely smooth and silky texture. Blunt ends and precise styling: Glass hair was originally a straight bob or lob with very blunt ends and a sharp center part. However, modern glass hair can be any length and can have waves and curls. Optimal hair health: One of the main ideas behind the glass hair trend is that it’s what hair looks like at its healthiest. The best way to get that look is to take care of your hair and keep it as healthy as possible.
How to Get Glass Hair
Shampoo, condition, and towel dry your hair. Wash your hair with a shampoo formulated to help moisturize and enhance shine. Todd recommends following up with a high-quality conditioner that nourishes and moisturizes your hair. Soak your hair with clear, warm water to release oils and open the cuticle. Lather a quarter-sized amount of shampoo through your hair, gently massaging your scalp and roots. Then, smooth the lather through to the ends. After shampooing your hair, be sure to rinse it thoroughly before applying conditioner. Condition your hair from the mid-lengths to the ends. Allow the conditioner to sit on your hair while you finish the rest of your shower. Rinse out the conditioner with lukewarm water and gently squeeze out any excess water. Press a soft microfiber towel around your hair and squeeze. Don’t rub your hair dry as this can rough up the texture and cause frizz.
Apply hair primer, serum, or a heat protectant. With these types of products, a little bit goes a long way. Start out with a pea-sized amount of hair primer, a few drops of serum, or a light spritz of heat protectant. Todd recommends choosing styling products containing polymers to enhance shine and reflectivity. Heat protectants shield your hair from any heat tool that you may use to style your hair, including flat irons and blow dryers. It preserves moisture and reduces breakage. Use a hair serum to help smooth hair, eliminate frizz, and boost shine. A hair primer helps create an even humidity-resistance shield on your hair strands that helps your style last longer. It may also act as a serum and heat protectant, saving you from buying extra products. Depending on your hair texture, you may only need one of these products or all three. Those with fine hair may only need a primer, while people with coarse hair benefit from layering products.
Blow dry your hair using a flat brush. Blow dry your hair straight by sectioning off a piece of your hair and positioning your brush near the roots. Turn the blow dryer on medium heat. Hold it 6 inches (15 cm) away from your hair with the nozzle angled down. Slowly run the brush through your hair, following it with the blow dryer. Continue sectioning off your hair and smoothing it dry with the brush and blow dryer until your hair is 100% dry.
Straighten your hair in small sections with a flat iron. To straighten your hair with a flat iron, start by dividing your hair into 4-6 sections. Use a hair clip to hold the top sections of your hair out of the way. Choose a 1-2 inch (2.5-5 cm) lock of hair. Place your flat iron 1-3 inches (2.5-7.5 cm) above your scalp. Close the two heated sides together, with the hair between them. Slowly run the iron down the length of your hair, keeping the same amount of pressure on the hair at all times. Repeat with all remaining locks. Heat your flat iron to the lowest setting for thin hair, medium heat (about 300–350ºF / 150–177ºC) for average hair thickness, and high heat (400–450ºF / 200–232ºC) for thick hair. Don’t start straightening your hair if it’s not 100% dry. Using a flat iron on wet hair can cause damage.
Apply hair oil or shine spray to finish your style. Rub 1-2 drops of an ultra-light hair oil between your palms. Then, smooth your hands over your hair from the mid-lengths to the ends. Or, spritz a shine spray over your hair, focusing on the middle of your length to the ends. Be conservative when using hair oil. Start with a drop or two and add more if you need it.
(Optional) Use a semi- or demi-permanent hair color or hair gloss. Semi- and demi-permanent hair colors add shine and condition hair while adding color that washes out after 3-12 shampoos depending on the product you choose. A clear hair gloss is a type of semi-permanent or clear treatment that evens hair tones and adds shine. Because these products don’t use the harsh ingredients in permanent hair dye, they are gentler and less damaging to your strands than full-process color. EXPERT TIP Jasmin Todd Jasmin Todd Curly Hair Specialist Jasmin Todd is a Curly Hair Specialist and the Owner of Austin Curls in Austin, TX. With over 20 years of experience, she specializes in cutting and styling naturally curly hair. Jasmin trained at the world-famous Ouidad salon and is Ouidad certified. In 2022, Mane Addicts named Austin Curls as one of the Top U.S. Salons for Curly Hair. Jasmin Todd Jasmin Todd Curly Hair Specialist Glass hair is a refined hairstyle characterized by a high-gloss, mirror-like finish. This sleek and polished look is achieved by creating extremely smooth strands that reflect light, showcasing the health and moisture of the hair. Additionally, colored hair can enhance the reflective qualities of glass hair, resulting in a lustrous and eye-catching appearance.
(Optional) Get a keratin treatment to enhance your hair’s shine. Keratin treatments cut down frizz, smooth your hair, and amp up shine. This treatment is performed in a salon, and the results can last up to 6 months. Keratin treatments can cost from $82 - $400 depending on your location and the exact service you receive. Be aware that keratin treatments can damage the curl pattern on those with curly hair.
Glass Hair Care & Maintenance
Keep your hair clean and moisturized for more shine. Maintain the health and luster of your hair by washing and moisturizing regularly with products designed for your hair type. The frequency of washes depends on your hair type. If you have oily hair, washing daily keeps your hair looking its best. Wash dry or color-treated hair every other day to 2 times a week to prevent stripping natural oils. However, if you start to see flakes in your hair, wash more frequently. Use a leave-in conditioner on the ends of your hair for light moisturization on normal to dry hair types. If you have fine hair, skip the leave-in conditioner. It can weigh your hair down and make it look greasy.
Use a silk hair wrap or pillowcase at night. Sleeping on a silk pillowcase is not only luxurious, but it also helps prevent frizz. Tossing and turning can rough up your hair and deposit all your natural hair oils onto a traditional cotton pillowcase. A silk pillowcase reduces friction, causing less damage to hair follicles and existing strands. Silk hair wraps are especially good at protecting natural curl patterns and blowouts overnight. Long-term use of silk wraps and pillowcases may help maintain the quality of your hair.
Touch up your style with a flat iron or hair oil. If you notice creases and frizz in your hair, tame your strands with a flat iron. However, keep the temperature as low as possible and only use the straightener on sections that need it. Using hot tools on second-day hair can cause damage. Use a dime-sized amount of hair oil on your mid-lengths to ends to help keep your hair healthy and shiny and frizz-free. Don’t put oil on the roots of your hair, and avoid layering it with other products. This can make your hair look dirty and greasy.
Get regular trims to keep ends neat and healthy. If you have the traditional glass hair bob or lob with blunt ends, have them trimmed every 4-6 weeks. Regular trims also help your hair look shinier because you remove the dull, damaged parts.
Best Length & Texture for Glass Hair
Glass hair is achievable by all hair types at any length. However, people with straight and fine hair will have the easiest time getting the look. The main trick to achieving glass hair is to keep your hair healthy and moisturized. Use the right products for your hair type and avoid texturizing products, like salt sprays. Here are tips for those with other hair types. If you have a natural hair texture, avoid using water-based products to straighten your hair. The water will bring your hair back to its natural textured state. If you have coarser hair, keep your flat iron below 400 degrees to avoid frying your hair. Look for silicone- and sulfate-free shampoo. Silicones and sulfates leave a dulling film on your hair. If you have thin hair, use only lightweight products to avoid weighing it down and making it look more greasy than mirror-like.
Glass Hair vs. Liquid Hair
Liquid hair is like glass hair with more movement. While glass hair is known for being completely straight and smooth, liquid hair is characterized by a fluid-like movement. Think of glass hair as stick straight and a little stiff, like a reflective pane of glass. Liquid hair is all about how your hair flows like water over your shoulders. Liquid hair is softer than glass hair. It looks lived-in and slightly undone like it’s bouncy and soft to the touch. Liquid hair is shinier than glass hair. While glass hair might look like a mirror, liquid hair takes it to the next level by being so shiny it almost looks wet. Glass hair tends to be shorter than liquid hair. Originally, glass hair was a way to make bobs and lobs sleeker and shinier because it’s more difficult to keep longer hair pin-straight.
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