 |
Best Hair Shine Products
We're all searching for it no matter what our hair texture or style - soft,shiny, manageable hair that's still has movement. We've tested hundreds of shine and sheen sprays, serums and cremes and here are our best picks divided into those categories. As always, we have choices for every budget, desire and hair type!
Sprays
What we loved: The fragrance is amazing, the shine is natural and the bottle is a great size for travel or taking to the office or on the go. This spray will give your winter ravaged hair much needed conditioning. Only a few short arms-length sprays are needed! This spray works best on relaxed, curly, kinky, and thick, coarse, wavy hair.
Here's a tester review:
Tester: Multi-Ethnic (African & British), with shoulder length naturally tightly coiled fine curly hair that is relaxed.
"This is a really nice shine spray. First the fragrance is amazing - a combination of a spicy nutmeg type of fragrance mixed with a bit of floral - it stays with you a while but is not overbearing. The shine is very natural (a good thing) and shows up immediately without making the hair feel greasy and heavy (Be sure to spray it as directed on the can!). My hair was left soft and there was not a lot build up in my hair like with some shine sprays I've used in the past. I like it so much the only drawback is the can is fairly small and I think they should make another, larger size!" - T.Y.
Go--> Phyto Phytospecific Extreme Shine Spray 2.5 oz
Don't you think your friend would love it if you told her about Phyto Phytospecific Extreme Shine Spray 2.5 oz?
Bliss Lemon + Sage Hair Shine + Body Gloss
What we loved: The shine: Intense. The fragrance: fresh and citrusy at the same time. And yes, it also works wonders on dry skin without leaving you like an oil slick! Of course, that signature Bliss packaging always gets us too...This worked on every hair type - relaxed (if fine use less however), curly, wavy, straight and coarse, and even our testers with braids and dreadlocks got good results!
Here's a tester review:
Tester: African-American with dry skin on body and fine, relaxed hair that is also dry.
"I have tried a few of the other Bliss dry oil body sprays, and I must say that I am also impressed with this one! I love the spray formula, which gives your body and hair a really nice sheen but dries down much more quickly on the body than the hair so I felt like it gave my an extra conditioning treatment, without it looking too greasy. The fragrance is one that I am crazy about, as I am a real “citrus” fiend! It’s not so strong though that it would interfere with other fragranced products and is not overbearing either. On the hair, the spray feels very light, and it really made my hair shine throughout the day, even during hours in a very dry air office environment. It didn’t make my hair gummy, sticky or crunchy the way some silicone products have in the past. On the body it kept my skin soft and supple, and is really a great time saver after my morning shower. The only place where I still had to use an additional moisturizer was on my feet (which are really dry). Also, I really like that robin-egg blue + yellow packaging which reflects their spas as well - so clean and fresh looking...I love displaying them in my bathroom! A very good product and I will definitely take it on trips as well!" D.F.
Go-->Bliss Lemon + Sage Hair Shine + Body Gloss 8.5 oz
Don't you think your friend would love it if you told her about Bliss Lemon + Sage Hair Shine + Body Gloss 8.5 oz ?
What we loved: Smells great and takes away frizz but doesn't make hair greasy. We loved the green color of the bottle and we love saying Renee Furterer... The spray mist is nice and light and the shine is immediate. This also did well on every hair type: relaxed, curly, wavy, straight and coarse, braids and dreadlocks too!
Here's a tester review:
Tester: West Indian (Jamaican/Chinese) with long, naturally wavy hair that is dry and tends to frizz.
|
"I absolutely love it! This is one of my "must have" products that I use in my hair arsenal and one that I don't share (I told my room mate to get her own!). It smells absolutely amazing and is nice and light on my hair. The shine is amazing and I don't experience a lot of build up. In addition, it really does the job by having my hair shiny the entire day! I usually didn't even have to do a touch up spray when I went out at night. This is one of those "worth every penny" type of products for me!" - H.N. |
|
Don't you think your friend would love it if you told her about Rene Furterer Spray Gloss ? |
Creams
Alberto VO5 Sheer Hairdressing Weightless Leave-In Anti-Frizz & Shine Creme
What we loved: This makes the hair super soft and manageable, and the shine is very natural. Another bonus is the frizz fighting effects. This product worked on many different hair types, but thicker hair (thick relaxed, thick curly, thick and wavy, etc.) got the best results.
Here's a tester review:
Tester: Hispanic (Puerto Rican/Venezulan) with very thick, shoulder length curly hair that tends to be dry.
"This is a miracle product. This works very well on my thick, curly mane. It leaves my hair soft, shiny, moisturized, and somewhat less frizzy. The fragrance is very nice, too. I also love that it can be used on wet and dry hair. I usually use about a pea-sized amount and rake it through the back and sides of my hair. Sometimes I use a lot to make sure my hair stays moisturized (my hair gets dry very quickly) or occasionally when I blow dry. The scent fades pretty quickly on me, so it's not overpowering or strong. This makes a noticeable difference in my hair and the price is right!" L.F.
Go-->Alberto VO5 Sheer Hairdressing Weightless Leave-In Anti-Frizz & Shine Creme
Don't you think your friend would love it if you told her about Alberto VO5 Sheer Hairdressing Weightless Leave-In Anti-Frizz & Shine Creme?
Alberto VO5 Conditioning Hairdressing, Normal/Dry Hair
What we loved: We KNOW that this is an oldie with a not-the best-smell (they now have an unscented version!), but we found that this is still one of the best products for very dry kinky, super curly and very thick dry relaxed hair to create a very nice shine, condition the hair and prevent breakage.
Here's a tester review:
Tester: African-American with short, naturally kinky hair that is also color treated and dry.
"I really like this product. I remember several cousins of mine growing up that would swear by this product, and they always had great, healthy, shiny hair! Since I have cut my hair and let it go natural, I really have to watch for dryness, and make sure it's very well conditioned because I have also colored it. I was actually surprised how well this worked for me. I thought it would leave my hair greasy or oily but it did not. It left it soft, shiny & conditioned. I also tried using it a pre-shampoo treatment to really deep condition my hair and scalp. After washing (2x times is needed for sure!), I then applied a little when I let it dry and it made my hair shiny and brought my highlights out. It also stops some of the frizz that I can get on occasion. I highly recommend this." L.P.
Go-->Alberto VO5 Conditioning Hairdressing, Normal/Dry Hair
Don't you think your friend would love it if you told her about Alberto VO5 Conditioning Hairdressing, Normal/Dry Hair?
What we loved: This is another classic hairstyling product from Clairol, and it's fantastic for dry relaxed hair, both fine, medium and thick textured. A little bit goes a long way and it produces a great conditioning shine. This also works well on all hair textures that are dry and color treated, as well as a pre-braiding treatment.
Here's a tester review:
Tester: African (Senegalese) with thick, relaxed hair that is also highlighted.
"This is a very effective product - however, it is very creamy...and greasy. It makes my thick and unmanagable hair tame but I had to be careful NOT to put on too much and to concentrate it on the ends of my hair. A little, nickle to quarter sized drop will do, depending on your hair type. I recomend that you spread it all over both hands and apply to the bottom half or just the ends of your hair to give it a shine and to weigh it down if you hair poufs up like crazy. If you want to put some closer to your scalp, put only the bare minimum." - Y.D. Go--> Clairol Vitapointe
Don't you think your friend would love it if you told her about Clairol Vitapointe ?
Serums
Ojon Conditioning Shine Serum 0.5 oz
What we loved: This is by far one of the best shine serums on the market. (This is also one of the products that often goes "missing" in our office too!) It gives a great shine to the hair and also fights frizzing. It leaves hair incredibly soft and moisturized but not greasy. The smell is a nice, comforting vanilla. This worked well for dry relaxed hair, wavy and curly hair, as well as straight coarse, and fine hair.
Here's a tester review:
Tester: South American (Brazilian) with long, thick, wavy dry hair.
"I LOVE this shine serum! I'm always looking to add shine to my ease the dull and dry look of my hair. With this serum only a few little pumps were needed (and I have a lot of hair) and it made my hair so soft and shiny! The texture is nice and light so it did not feel heavy, greasy or sticky in my hair. The smell was really nice and I love the packaging which allows you to see the little water soluble cones in it." - G.F.
Go-->Ojon Conditioning Shine Serum 0.5 oz
Don't you think your friend would love it if you told her about Ojon Conditioning Shine Serum 0.5 oz?
Neutrogena Triple Moisture Healing Shine Serum
What we loved: One of the best shine serums in the drugstore category. It made our testers hair consistently soft, shiny and healthy looking with out weighing down the hair or making it look greasy. A little bit goes a long way which = saving $$! The was a great option for those with curly, wavy and naturally straight and/or coarse hair.
Here's a tester review:
Tester: Hispanic (Peruvian) with short, thick dry and wavy hair that tends to frizz. Also has highlights.
"This is a great serum. After washing my hair, I would apply a small drop to one palm and then rub both palms together. I massaged into the ends of my ear-length hair with a few strokes through the whole head and then would blow dry using a diffuser. I loved how my hair looks healthy, silky and shiny! Prior to using this product, the ends of my hair were dry and fuzzy from highlights, and sun exposure. This is a great drug store option for those looking for an effective serum." T.S. Go-->Neutrogena Triple Moisture Healing Shine Serum
Don't you think your friend would love it if you told her about Neutrogena Triple Moisture Healing Shine Serum?
Pantene Pro-V Brunette Expressions Glossing Serum
What we loved: Another great drugstore option for serum. The texture is light, the shine is very glossy and there is no build up or greasiness. This works very well on naturally straight hair and wavy hair and well as relaxed hair that is not very dry.
Here's a tester review:
Tester: Asian (Japanese) with long straight, medium-coarse hair that is also color treated and tends to be dry on the ends.
"This product is amazing! And I can't get enough of it. It's a lightweight serum that is true to it's name...it shines. The smell is amazing and I would use it like lotion if I could. I have long brown hair w/ some reddish tones(from a box)and it gives my layers a definition. Silky hair is what you get when you use this serum. Another great thing about this products is you don't need much and it is so useful. It can be used with wet hair before blow or air drying as well as on dry hair for extra shine. I didn't get a lot of build up or stickiness either which is great. A true find in the drugstore! I will definitely repurchase this product." - K.K.
Go-->Pantene Pro-V Brunette Expressions Glossing Serum
Don't you think your friend would love it if you told her about Pantene Pro-V Brunette Expressions Glossing Serum?
Gels/Pomades
Thermasilk Shine & Shape Gel, Smoothing
What we loved: This is a gel that even non-gel lovers can love! It gives great control, really tames frizzies and leaves a amazing shine on the hair. The gel is not stiff or tacky on the hands or in the hair and didn't flake off on our testers hair during the day. The worked very well for curly, wavy, natrually straight hair and coiled curls (dried with a diffuser).
Here's a tester review:
Tester: Hispanic (Puerto Rican) with shoulder length, loosely curled hair that is also highlighted and tends to frizz.
"This is probably one of the best gels I have ever used. It smells great (I love the smell of Thermasilk), has great ingredients (no alcohols OR silicones -- yay!), doesn't leave that sticky/crunchy gel feeling to my hair, and it protects the hair from heat styling. I just love this! It leaves my hair very soft and frizz-free! I used it in wet hair before blow drying and flat ironing (when I wanted a straighter look) or air dried (a curlier look). With both methods my hair looked great, was really shiny and I never had to worry about frizz. The price is also right - this a must have hair product forme now!" - G.H.
Go-->Thermasilk Shine & Shape Gel, Smoothing
Don't you think your friend would love it if you told her about Thermasilk Shine & Shape Gel, Smoothing?
 |