14 Best Hair Glosses for Shiny Strands, Reviewed by Testers and Hairstylists

This hybrid hair savior functions as a rich reparative hair mask and a professional-strength hair gloss to give you a silky, manageable, crystal-like mane in five minutes. Covington-Bowers loves how it “really enhances color, increasing the vibrancy and longevity of your color” even though it’s clear. Besides MoroccanOil’s signature argan oil, this nourishing formula also calls upon the power of amino acids and abyssinica seed oil to deeply condition and restore curly and natural hair back to its virgin health.

Best for Gray Hair: L’Oreal Paris Le Color Gloss

• Pros: Easy to use, several shade options
• Cons: Some users complain about the color-matching process

At-home glosses usually aren’t the solution for covering grays. That said, if your goal is to enrich your silvery strands, L’Oréal Paris is one of the few brands that creates color-amplifying treatments catered to grays—and at less than $20 to boot. Covington-Bowers is a fan for this reason. “The product is super easy to use and the formula for gray-hair enhancement makes white hair very bright,” she says. There are four silver-gray hues to choose from, along with a range of options for brunettes, blondes, and redheads. Best of all, no mixing required. The formula is ready to go in the shower, simply apply as you normally would conditioner, leave on for five to 15 minutes, and rinse with water.

Best Pigmented Gloss: DpHue Gloss+ Conditioner Semi-Permanent Color

• Pros: Large color range with ample tools for color matching
• Cons: Semi-permanent dye can be riskier than a clear gloss

To extend time between your salon visits, both Taylor and Cavalcante suggest this easy-to-use semipermanent color gloss. You’ll become your own master colorist in 3 to 20 minutes (depending on how pigmented you want your hair) as the nourishing formula infuses hair with fresh color and intense shine. Cavalcante likes that it comes in 13 tones as well as a clear topcoat, to cater to a diverse range of hair colors. As with other options, you can replace conditioner, leaving hair “supersoft and hydrated,” he says. The gloss temporarily boosts color and shine for up to eight washes.

Best for Brassiness: Pureology Color Fanatic Top Coat + Tone Hair Gloss

• Pros: Simultaneously tones and glosses hair, revives warmer shades
• Cons: Some users complain the finish is too vibrant

Combat unwanted brassy, yellow, or orange tones while simultaneously bolstering radiance with this color-reviving gloss. “It has the ability to battle unwanted tones while giving you the shine you’re looking for,” says Richards. Those with blonde hair will benefit from the gold or purple gloss, while brunettes will experience a richer chocolate hue with the blue formula. If you have red hair, Pureology offers two options—a bright red and a copper, with the latter providing a more natural-looking auburn glaze. Richards adds that a single five-minute glossing session with this toner lasts up to eight shampoos, so you can feel comfortable holding off scheduling your next salon appointment. The product itself is fairly thin and runny, so you’ll want to apply this one straight to the hair.

Best Clear: DpHue Glossy Glaze

• Pros: Easy to use; enhances shine
• Cons: Strong scent

For those of us looking for a hair refresh but hesitant to mess with the color (we’ll leave the hair dye to the professionals), a clear hair gloss or glaze is essential. This one adds dimension and amps up your existing color in two seconds flat, while hydrating and softening hair with mullein flower extract and ceramides. The result is ultra-glossy, vibrant hair that looks fresh out of the salon. “I love that I can enhance my color without the risk of a faulty color match,” Cohen shares. “It’s a quick, fool-proof method for a hair refresh.” Simply apply from mid-lengths to ends, fully saturating the hair, and leave on for two to three minutes.

Best Red Gloss: Madison Reed Color-Reviving Gloss

• Pros: Enhances color, especially hard-to-achieve reds
• Cons: Application is more involved than other glosses