A step-by-step guide to achieving the coveted glass hair look

Not too long ago, the K-beauty trend of ‘glass skin’ took over our social media feeds. The trend focused on skin that was radiant, completely poreless, and almost translucent, which could be achieved by layering products on your skin in a particular order. Soon after, this trend gave way to numerous others including the now popular ‘glass hair’. 

The concept of having luminous hair is not a new one, but the term ‘glass hair’ takes it to a whole new level; it’s about achieving hair that resembles a glass surface when it reflects light. This look is polished, sleek, and mirror-like, it’s almost as if someone poured liquid gloss all over your strands. And achieving this look is not as simple as applying hair serum. It takes effort and consistency along with a a generous dose of TLC. 

If you want your hair to look like you’ve just walked out of a hair spa, then keep reading. We’ve broken this head-turning trend down into five rather simple steps that you can easily do at home. 

Step 1: Use a moisturising shampoo and conditioner

The first step is to wash your hair with a hydrating shampoo followed by a conditioner. If you have dry hair, use a deep conditioning mask and let it sit for 5-10 minutes. After thoroughly rinsing, towel dry your hair to get rid of excess water. Your hair should be damp but not dripping wet. This sets the base for achieving that coveted glossy finish. 

Next, apply some shine-boosting hair serum to combat the frizz monster and add a sheen to your hair. Once done, go in with some heat protectant to shield your strands from high temperatures from styling tools. The use of these two products is a non-negotiable as they will protect your tresses from damage and improve their overall appearance.

As an additional step, if your hair tends to behave like a rebellious teenager, you can also apply some hair primer to ensure that your strands are prepared for the heat-styling tools and that they remain glossy and manageable. This will ensure a more seamless and polished look.

Step 3: Give yourself a blowdry  

Here is where it gets slightly tricky. Once you’ve prepped, protected, and primed your hair, comb through it with a wide-toothed comb to ensure there are no tangles. Then, section your hair and use a round brush and blow dryer to give yourself a blowout. 

Okay, we get it, this is pretty daunting to do at home even if you’ve observed hair stylists at the salon numerous times. A good rule of thumb to follow is that no matter how you are moving your brush, always keep the nozzle of the dryer parallel to your hair and pointed downwards. This is so the hot air is distributed evenly throughout the section without puffing your hair up.  

Step 4: Go in with a flat iron  

This step is key to achieving the ‘glass hair’ look. Start by dividing your hair into very fine sections (it won’t work if you iron large chunks together). Then begin straightening your hair until it is pin-straight. Make sure to keep the iron at the same temperature and use it at the same speed throughout. This is to get an evenly straight look and to avoid overexposing sections to any more heat than they need. 

Step 5: Apply hair spray or hair oil to seal the look  

Seal the glass hair look with some drops of hair oil or a few spritzes of shine spray to add that final dose of shine. And voila! 

Also Read: 

How to make your hair colour last longer than most people's relationships

Can hair supplements actually help grow hair?