If you’ve ever had your hair colored in a salon, you’re familiar with the ultra-glossy finished look, which happens to be a 2025 hair trend. You leave the salon with a radiant shine, but after the first few washes at home, that reflective quality can start to dull. If you’re looking for a way to keep your hair looking its best without booking another appointment, I have good news. The Marie Claire team tried and tested the best hair glosses at home and chatted with a roster of expert stylists to vet and deliver you the best options to recreate that salon shine.
Yes, they add luminosity, but the best hair glosses can also be an important step in your color routine—almost as crucial as finding the best shampoo or leave-in conditioner for your colored hair. And no, they’re not all sticky, mix-it-yourself formulas that require too many extra steps. Many modern gloss formulations can be used in place of a conditioner, work quickly, and are supercharged with hydrating ingredients that smooth frizz and fight the look breakage. As Lucille Javier, a colorist at the Mark Ryan Salon in New York City, puts it,“[the gloss] helps maintain your unique color and the vibrancy of the colors.” They’re basically the cherry on top of any good dye job.
To prove it, the team tested 14 of the top products on the market for a few weeks to give you our official list. We also chatted with expert stylists to discuss what to look for in the best gloss. Keep scrolling for real-life reviews, a breakdown of the key ingredients to look out for in each formula, and the best tips for achieving healthy, high-shine hair (no matter your texture) every time you wash.
The Best Hair Glosses and Glazes
- Best Overall Hair Gloss: dpHUE Gloss+ Semi-Permanent Hair Color and Deep Conditioner
- Best Hair Gloss For Fine Hair: IGK Expensive Hi-Shine Gloss Treatment
- Best Hair Gloss for Curly and Wavy Hair: Oribe Curl Gloss Hydration & Hold
- Best Silicone-Free Hair Gloss: BREAD BEAUTY SUPPLY Mini Everyday Hair Gloss Oil
The Best Hair Glosses
Other Hair Glosses I Love
What to Look for in the Best Hair Gloss
- Color Selection: The glosses on this list were all tested in clear shades, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t buy a tinted version if you need it. Glosses aren’t meant to radically change the color of your hair—they can boost your color or give your natural shade a shiny boost. Consider your preferred shade before you buy: if you’re looking to adjust the color of an existing dye job, buy one or two shades that you think will work for the best results.
- Ease of Application: There are several ways to apply hair glosses, so make sure to find one that will fit seamlessly into your routine. Many options on this list are designed to be applied in the shower, left on for a few minutes, and then rinsed out thoroughly. Others are made to be applied to dry hair to boost shine and reduce frizz instantly.
- Key Ingredients: In addition to their shine-giving properties, many of the formulas on this list include ingredients that soften, moisturize, and protect hair. Consider your hair’s needs before you buy one.
Who Should Use Hair Gloss?
Who benefits from hair gloss, you ask? «Anyone, honestly,» says Travis Ogletree, a stylist based out of Los Angeles. «It’s a perfect, fairly affordable service that can add shine and impact with little commitment.»
Ideal candidates for gloss are those with color-treated hair that’s lost some luster. For instance, hair glosses can especially benefit blonde hair that’s gotten a little brassy or brunette hair that’s dulled or gone ashy. However, your hair gloss should not be used to cover grays. If that is a service you’re looking to have done, Ogletree recommends talking to a professional and asking for «brightness around the face frame area since that’s a common area for grays first to appear,» he says. «That way, when the gloss fades and your gray comes in, it will look much less harsh and buy you a bit of extra time before you feel you need another gloss.»
Hair Glosses vs. Hair Glazes
Simply put, the main difference between a hair gloss and a hair glaze is the potency of each product. A hair gloss is what it sounds like—a product that only touches the hair’s surface—while hair glosses penetrate strands as a semi-permanent hair color.
Hairstylist Olivia Casanova says that hair gloss “usually lasts around 28 shampoos.» Assuming you wash your hair four times a week, your gloss will last around seven weeks before you need a re-up. However, this varies depending on the product you buy—make sure to carefully read the application directions to get the best outcome.
Is Hair Gloss Good For Your Hair?
Yes—when used correctly, hair glosses are unlikely to cause damage to your hair. Some forms of hair gloss—often used as a color depositing shine for salon use—are not damaging. This is because, unlike hair toners or other color-depositing mixtures, many hair glosses don’t require hydrogen peroxide or other chemical developers.
Why Trust Marie Claire
Julia Marzovilla is the Fashion E-Commerce Editor at Marie Claire, bringing a decade of experience to this story. She is also a regular hair gloss user after dying her hair several times in the last year.
We also tapped three experts to find you the best, safest hair gloss recommendations from across the internet. They include colorists from top salons in New York City and Los Angeles and our team of makeup-savvy editors who try and test the best new launches in every category.
How We Tested
After chatting with our experts and doing our own independent research, we selected 14 testers to test our hand-picked hair glosses in one shade: clear. Our independent testers (plus several Marie Claire editors) then reviewed their glosses based on their application process, how long the results lasted, and how each affected the health of their hair. Our testers reviewed the products over three weeks and shared their feedback with us to compile this list.
Meet the Experts
Olivia Casanova is a master colorist and stylist with over ten years of experience. Born and raised in New York City, she travels between NYC and Los Angeles, having worked with the likes of Maluma, Pauline, Ducuret, the Princess of Monaco, and more. Her work has also been featured in fashion magazines all over the world.
Travis Ogletree is a Los Angeles-based colorist and founder of Treehouse Studio. He earned his cosmetology license specializing in color at Paul Mitchell, and apprenticed at top celebrity salons including Andy LeCompte and Salon Benjamin. As a third generation colorist, he developed an interest in hair and beauty at a young age. His artistry is deeply tied to an appreciation for music, fashion and design, all of which are reflected in his style and sensibility.
Travis specializes in all techniques of coloring, including his trademark viral “California brunette” and “California blonde” processes. As a content creator, he has collaborated with major brands including Oribe, L’Oréal, Davines, K18, Matrix, IGK, Tresemme and Briogeo.
Lucille Javier credits her ability to customize the perfect color for each client due to her delicate and thoughtful consultations. She specializes in color corrections, double processes, creative color and in free-hand painting. Her color techniques utilize her keen eye for shade and color definition combined with traditional painting techniques.Lucille has completed rigorous assisting programs in Los Angeles and in New York, 15 years of experience and she proudly calls herself a Creative Colorist. In this time she was able to build her expertise in hair paintings, while working with top celebrities, models and influencers that’s has built her extensive portfolio. Lucille has a diverse skill set along with her natural artistic ability to paint customized color for her clients. Whether natural or creative color, her goal is to suit their own taste and needs that exceeds expectations.