The Secret to Shiny, Healthy-Looking Hair: Tips You Can Start Today

Wondering why your hair always seems to look dull and lackluster? Shiny hair can be difficult to maintain – from UV exposure and a dry climate to heat styling, chemical processing, and bad hair care habits, there’s so much out there that chips away at your hair’s natural gloss to leave locks looking drab and dreary. 

The big question is…what can you do about this? Follow these tips from Nubi and you’ll soon be rocking the shiny hair of your dreams! 

Reset With a Clarifying Shampoo

No matter how much you try, you’ll struggle to achieve shiny hair if your strands and scalp are overloaded with buildup. A regular shampoo will only remove so much of this, which is why a full reset with a clarifying shampoo can be helpful.

Clarifying shampoos provide an even deeper cleanse than regular shampoos. This is why they shouldn’t be used too often – a couple of times a month is usually sufficient. With sebum buildup and product residue quickly dulling strands, this will make a big difference to how glossy your hair looks. 

Only Use Moisturizing Shampoos and Conditioners

If a clarifying shampoo should only be used a couple of times a month, what should you wash your hair with in between that? The answer is simple – a moisturizing shampoo. In fact, your conditioner should be intensely moisturizing too. 

One of the biggest secrets to shiny hair is moisture. The more hydrated your hair is, the shinier, fuller, and more lustrous it will look. Shampoos generally dry out the hair, which is why a moisturizing formula is essential. Round off your hair-washing routine with a moisturizing conditioner, and this will help to ensure that your strands feel deeply hydrated for days.

Figure Out the Best Wash Routine for Your Hair’s Needs

Over-washing has been in the headlines quite a bit lately. Many were initially shocked to learn that washing their hair too often not only causes dullness but also leaves the hair more brittle and prone to damage. It all comes down to how over-washing removes too much sebum, which essentially acts as a natural strengthening conditioner for your strands. 

So, how often should you wash your hair? There’s no single magic answer. It depends on so many different factors, from your hair type to your environment to your lifestyle. Ultimately, you should only wash your hair when it actually needs to be washed. If shampoo day rolls around but your hair still looks clean and fresh, give the shampoo a miss and reassess the next day. 

Be Careful When Drying Your Hair

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In order for your hair to look shiny, your hair cuticles, which form the outermost layer of each strand, need to lie flat. This then allows your hair to properly reflect light, giving it the vibrant sheen you’re seeking. 

Dry your hair incorrectly, however, and you could end up interfering with how your cuticle layer sits. Roughly scrub your hair with a terrycloth towel or utilize the incorrect blow-drying technique, and frizzy hair won’t be far behind. 

Instead, when drying your hair, be as gentle as possible. Blot and squeeze, rather than rub, when you’re using your towel. When blow-drying, keep the nozzle pointed downward since this is the direction in which you want your hair cuticles to lie to keep them flat. A pro-level blow dryer, like Nubi’s Blow Me Away dryer, will bring you results much faster. 

Don’t Allow Heat to Damage Your Locks

Although blow drying can be helpful in the quest of achieving shiny hair, let’s not forget that heat can cause some serious damage. Once the effects of heat take their toll, your hair will turn dull, rough, and brittle. 

The solution? Always use a heat protectant. These products are designed to coat strands, taking the full force of the heat so that the hair beneath doesn’t end up burning. Try to apply your heat protectant while your hair is still damp after being washed. Wet hair is more permeable than dry hair, which will make it easier for your heat protectant to penetrate your strands. 

Use a Shine-Boosting Hair Serum

There are a number of shine-boosting hair care products out there. They usually contain ingredients that have light-reflecting properties. This is how they’re able to instantly bring about shinier locks. 

While some people favor shine-boosting sprays, we’d recommend first trying a shine-boosting serum. Why? Because most hair serums designed for this purpose also offer additional benefits, such as hydration and strength support. This way, you won’t just be adding shine cosmetically. You’ll also be giving your hair the nutrients that it needs to look naturally shinier in the long run. 

Deep Condition Once a Week

We’ve already spoken about how important it is to have a moisturizing conditioner in your hair care routine. However, a deep conditioner is a useful tool, too. They’re more intense with their conditioning efforts than a regular moisturizing conditioner, making them great for giving the hair a big moisture boost every once in a while. 

Experts generally recommend deep conditioning once a week. Again, deep conditioners are available in different formats, so pick the one that works best for you. Whether this may be a hair mask, a leave-in conditioner, or anything else, it will leave your hair feeling deeply hydrated and looking much more vibrant. 

Brush With Boar Bristles

The sebum produced by your scalp travels down to your strands, providing natural shine. This is why we advised against over-washing your hair – you’ll only be removing this sebum before it has the chance to properly coat your strands and give them their natural gloss.

If your hair is particularly thick or curly, it can take even longer for the sebum from your scalp to reach the ends of your hair, which are usually the driest and dullest parts of the hair. Brushing your hair helps to speed this process up, especially if you use a boar bristle brush. The keratin structure of boar bristles is very similar to that of human hair, making these bristles much more effective than synthetic alternatives when it comes to distributing sebum. Brush your mane with a boar bristle brush each day, and you should notice that it immediately looks a little smoother and shinier.

Switch to a Silk Pillowcase 

Earlier, we mentioned how roughly rubbing your hair with a towel causes hair cuticles to stand up straight instead of lying down flat. This happens when your hair experiences any sort of friction, which is something that pillowcases often cause. 

Although cotton and other similar materials may feel smooth to the touch, they’re actually quite rough fabrics. Each time your strands rub against them, friction is created. Switch to a silk pillowcase, however, and you’ll wake up with smoother strands each morning. Rather than rubbing, hair glides over silk, meaning less frizz when you wake up. Silk is also less absorbent than cotton, allowing your hair to retain more moisture while you sleep.

Start Eating More Hair-Friendly Foods

Hair care is usually associated with certain products and techniques. However, your diet has a huge influence over the health of your hair, too. Certain foods, such as those high in sugars, will only cause problems for your mane, while others do the opposite, providing essential nutrients to boost shine and health. 

So, what should you be eating more of if you’re hoping for shiny hair? Start by making sure you’re consuming plenty of protein. Eggs and other lean protein sources, like fish, should be prioritized. Biotin, which comes from nuts, seeds, eggs, and oily fish, is also important. Your hair also needs a good dose of healthy fats – again, oily fish are rich in these, as are walnuts and flax seeds. Finally, make sure that your hair is receiving plenty of vitamins and minerals. Fruits, leafy greens, and other vegetables tend to provide plenty.

Add Highlights to Your Mane

Want to know a secret to giving your hair some instant shine? Have some highlights put in. They’ll create contrast in your mane, providing a variation of color that effectively catches and reflects light. Single, flat hair colors tend to absorb light – highlights break this up, making it easier for light to bounce off your strands. 

Of course, chemical treatments aren’t going to do your hair any favors in the long run. If you’re opting for this method, go the extra mile when it comes to conditioning and caring for your strands to prevent the chemicals from wreaking too much damage. 

Stop Touching Your Hair

Do you often touch your hair? Whether you’re constantly running your hands through your mane to give it some extra volume or you find yourself twirling a few strands around your finger whenever you’re concentrating on something, this habit will hinder your attempts to achieve shiny hair. 

How? Each time you touch your locks, oil ends up being transferred between your fingers and your strands. Not only can this leave the hair looking dull and greasy, but it also disrupts the natural moisture balance of your mane. In the long run, this will make your hair more prone to breakage, while also affecting how elastic your strands feel.

Schedule a Trim

The ends of the hair tend to be dry, mainly because it takes so long for sebum from the scalp to reach those tips. This is why split ends are so common. The lack of moisture causes those ends to fray and snap. This causes light to reflect unevenly, giving the hair a dull finish. 

A trim can quickly put a stop to this. By removing those unhealthy split ends, your hair will immediately take on more bounce and vibrancy. Not only will it look shinier, but it will also feel much healthier.

Achieving Shiny Hair With Nubi 

There are so many routes that you can take if shiny hair is your aim. While each of the tips that we’ve shared above will help on its own, try combining a few together for an even deeper and longer-lasting shine. 

Click here to boost your hair’s natural shine with Nubi’s bestselling hair products.