How To Add A Great Shine To Your Hair

Want great shine? Even perfectly healthy hair can get dull without a little extra something, especially if you do not use shampoo with silicone-based ingredients as these are made to promote shine, however they also result in a multitude of other hair care issues if you don't know how to use them.

There are so many better ways to get that gorgeous shine that will really make your hair "pop". For this article we're going to assume that your hair is already healthy and just needs the shine added back in, if this is not the case you may want to research the different ways you can improve your hair's health through dietary supplements and adding moisture and protein as well as cutting out "hair care" routines that damage the hair.

Common Problems That Prevent Hair Shine

When the cuticle (outside layer of the hair shaft) does not lie down flat, it can cause dullness and a course texture. This is a very simple one to fix, just rinse your hair in cold water when you're finished washing to make the cuticle lie flat. It's the same as closing the pores in your skin and will also help keep the hair from getting damaged from gunk or snagging.

The next problem that generally affects your hair's shine is buildup. This can be buildup from hair products, environmental factors such as smoke or smog, or just plain stubborn dirt and gunk. Many people who use only conditioner and no shampoo often have some dullness problems because there are no harsh detergents stripping everything out of the hair...no, you don't have to go back to the shampoo!

Steps For Natural Hair Shine

About 1tsp of apple cider vinegar diluted in 12ozs of water makes a great finishing rinse. When you've already washed and conditioned and have washed those hair products out, pour this dilution through your hair then rinse it in cold water. Now we're talking SHINE!

Some of the favorite hair shining oils are jojoba, coconut, olive, grapeseed and even broccoli seed oil.

A few drops of essential oil can smooth the hair out, help prevent tangles, and really bring out the shine. Just apply a couple of drops to your palms, rub your hands together and then finger-comb through your hair (it should be groomed with a high-quality wide-tooth comb first). If your hair is wet and you have never used oil before, stick with just a couple of drops until you know if your hair will need more or not - it may not feel like much, but it only takes a tiny bit to coat lots of hair. If dry it will be much easier to tell how your hair is reacting to each amount of oil, just bear in mind that what you see is what you get, this stuff doesn't do any drying or anything so make sure you continue spreading the oil thinner until you get the look you want. Some of the favorite hair shining oils are jojoba, coconut, olive, grapeseed and even broccoli seed oil.

Additional Hair Shine Secrets

Honey is another big favorite in the shining arena. Typically, you'll want to add a couple drops of honey to a bottle of conditioner. Shake vigorously to make sure the honey is dispersed throughout the conditioner, then condition as normal. Honey also takes a big role in deep moisture treatments or super conditioning treatments.

You might also try taking silica along with your normal daily supplements as this is known to decrease hair loss and promote shine. If none of these suggestions work for you, there may be some other problems that need to be addressed that could be affecting your hair's ability to shine. Some hair, namely coarse hair or that found in people of African descent, is simply not meant to shine...instead, these types of hair should have a nice velvety sheen to them.