When applying a gloss at home, Ionato says to make sure your hair is damp, and towel-dried - not wet. "Don't apply anything to soaking wet hair to avoid diluting the formula," says the expert. Then, leave the gloss on for 15-20 minutes before washing it out.
(The term is often used interchangeably with “glazing” or “color glazing.”) Essentially acting as a top coat of sorts, glosses are great for clients who complain about dry, dull, or lifeless hair.
Wash and Condition Your Hair
The toning gloss is made to be used on clean, damp hair, so add it right after your shampoo and conditioner routine.
Apply two full coats of your chosen gloss or eggshell paint allowing each one to dry in-between.
However, if a gloss is left on too long, it can alter your shade and get too dark. Fortunately, glosses are temporary and will lighten up with shampooing, says Tardo. The more you shampoo, the faster it will lighten, so don't worry too much.
If your hair is dirty, oily or has excess product or if you use products that contain silicones, like many shine serums, you can give hair a light shampoo before you apply the gloss. You'll still want to shampoo again and condition after it has processed to make sure all color has been completely removed.
Does hair glaze or hair gloss damage your hair? Both glossing and glazing are safer than permanent color, says Lumzy. If you're looking for the gentler alternative, a hair glaze is the way to go. But, if you're looking for more color or to cover grays, head to the salon for a hair gloss.
Since it's a form of demi-permanent haircolor, a hair gloss fades gradually over time. This means you won't get any of the harsh root regrowth that comes with permanent haircolor. A gloss will last anywhere from 4-6 weeks, the perfect amount of time to try out a new shade while achieving shiny, healthy-looking hair.
Glaze, gloss, and toner are all basically the same thing. “Toner” is and older term for a process that was simply used to counter-act unwanted hues. Today, we say “Glaze” for a process that is similar, but is used more for enhancing color or as a color treatment on its own.
"A hair gloss adds shine and smoothes down the cuticle of the hair, but it can also add or remove tone from the hair as part of the color process," explains Lauren Miller, hairstylist at Nashville's Element Salon.
The intended result of a hair gloss is to make your hair shinier and vibrant. But that's not all. It also helps reduce frizzy hair, split ends, and dryness. Depending on the type of hair gloss treatments, you can also use them to tone the color of your hair.
Is Hair Gloss Damaging? Hair gloss seals hair cuticles and conditions your hair, and is far less damaging than regular hair colours. Regular hair colours contain ammonia and hydrogen peroxide that open up the cuticle layer, allowing the dye to penetrate the hair shaft.
Helps Smooth Frizz and Flyaway Hairs
Gloss treatments provide a boost of intense conditioning for your hair by closing tightly around the hair shaft and cuticle. The result is smoother hair with less frizz, fewer flyaway hairs and touchable smoothness, making your hair more manageable and easier to style.
How often should you gloss? Javier says that your glossing cadence depends on how complicated the color is, but every four to six weeks is a good rule of thumb.
Korab says a DIY hair gloss treatment could result in a darker color than you want, but if you really must get the job done at home, start off with clear gloss, so that color mishaps can be avoided. That said, you'll likely get the best results from a salon.
A Gloss Can Cover Grays
Ionato says this is something that should be done at a salon for all-over gray, but for root coverage, you can apply a semi-permanent brown gloss at home. "That'll be more of a long-term solution than the color sprays on the market."
Gloss paint drying times
Allow a good 4-6 hours for these to be touch dry and 16-24 hours before you think about applying the second coat. All solvent based paints should be applied with plenty of ventilation unless you want a headache from the fumes, so remember to open those windows!
First, remove any loose paint around the chip before using the fine grit sandpaper to gently blend in the edges of the chip. Next, clean and apply a thin coat of undercoat with the one-inch brush. Finally, let it dry, gently rub down and repeat with another layer of undercoat and then the gloss.
Choose a suitable primer based on the surface you're painting. For example, gloss is mainly used on wooden skirting boards or ceiling cornices, so a specialist wood primer is the best choice.
Hair gloss can also help combat sun damage in the form of brassiness, and it can add volume and texture due to the cuticle being raised when a coloring treatment is applied.
Load the brush with your gloss paint and wipe away any excess, then begin painting very gently and lightly in long strokes to achieve one final coat with the gloss and avoid brush marks.