Essentially, a hair gloss is a type of non-permanent hair dye. Rather than simply dyeing your hair a different color, a hair gloss adds shine and adjusts the color of your hair, says celebrity colorist Jennifer Korab.
SUBTLE COLOR CHANGES
By adding a gloss, your stylist can tone down that yellowness and add in a new hue. So, the hair will still be blonde, but the gloss will allow your stylist to make the color either more golden, ashy toned blonde or any other variation they choose!
What it does: Applied in the salon or at home, a gloss adds shine and penetrates the hair cuticle to deposit a small amount of color. This brightens old hair dye or prevents it from dulling in the first place.
This is because dye pretty much just stains your hair, while gloss helps with shine and can help even, darken, or brighten your existing color.
"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.
In fact, you can apply a gloss to any hair colour, whether it's naturally grey, previously coloured, pre-lightened, or has never even touched a drop of dye. On grey hair, a glossing service will gently shift the shade and correct any unwanted tones Opens in a new tab, allowing you to refresh your client's silvery hue.
How Often Should You Get A Gloss? Hair gloss will save you major time and money, but since these formulas aren't permanent, you'll still need a refresh every few weeks (six to eight, depending on how often you wash your hair) to keep your strands from looking dull and your salon color vibrant and toned.
After: “I glossed her darker to create a brunette fall look without losing dimension and contrast,” he says. “The gloss darkens hair while adding shine and making her hair feel much softer and silkier.”
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.
Gloss and toner are like the hair color version of that—they seal the deal. To get a little more specific, they can neutralize brassiness for lightened hair, enrich your color (whether natural or dyed), help camouflage greys, and so much more.
Gloss treatments usually last about four to six weeks before washing and fading out on their own, so they're perfect for the darling who can't commit. For best results, use sulfate-free products that are made for colored hair.
Hair gloss is meant for when your natural hair color is a little dull or needs some vibrance. It doesn't lift color like permanent hair color does, it just adds a nice sparkle to your hair.”
Typically, a hair glossing service lasts 6-8 weeks- just in time for your next salon visit! As everyone's hair has different needs, you may need to schedule in for a gloss more or less often depending on your hair's porosity (more porous hair may need a gloss more often to keep locks looking fresh).
It Removes Brassy Tones
When yellow or orange tones start to crop up, a hair gloss works like a colour corrector to neutralize the warmth. Clients should opt for this treatment to keep tone in check in between appointments, so they can keep that tell-tale brassiness at bay for longer.
Wait to wash
As a general rule, the less you wash your hair, the longer your color will last, but the first day or two after a service is an important time, as the strands absorb color, toner, or gloss. If you need to wash your hair, try a cold-water rinse instead, skipping the shampoo altogether.
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."
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.
Yes, you can. In fact, you can apply a gloss to any hair color, whether it's naturally gray, previously colored, pre-lightened, or has never even touched a drop of dye.
For grey hair coverage, we generally recommend that you aim to color slightly lighter than the natural hair color level of your client. In this case we would suggest you go for a color starting in level 6 (Dark Blonde) or 7 (Blonde).
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.
Apply two full coats of your chosen gloss or eggshell paint allowing each one to dry in-between.
What Is A Hair Toner or “Gloss” Treatment? A toner is a semi-permanent color treatment applied in the salon (usually at the shampoo bowl). It is applied after highlights or as a standalone service and then rinsed out. Glosses last about four to six weeks and can be applied as a tinted color or in clear.
Hair gloss treatment, be it tinted or clear, generously coats each and every strand of the hair. It lifts the hair cuticle, which makes the hair look thicker and fuller. Plus, hair gloss not only adds more volume to the hair but also makes it stronger.
For the most noticeable, lasting results, you'll likely need to get a professional hair gloss treatment for around $50–$100.
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.