Translated by Bethszabee Garner
Videos of perfectly smooth, shiny hair scrolling by in a loop, with icy highlights and flawless blow-dries... On social media, the hashtag #glasshair has racked up millions of views. This style, reminiscent of a polished mirror or the smooth surface of glass, has become the holy grail of hair in just a few months for those who dream of total glow, from the scalp to the tips. While it embodies minimalist perfection in appearance, this effect is actually the result of meticulous work. We break it down with hairdresser Brice Goliard.
Glass hair: a viral trend born out of the “glow” love
“Glass hair” has its origins in the Korean aesthetic of ‘glass skin,’ the smooth, radiant complexion that many seek to achieve with their skin. Transposed to hair, the principle is the same: to display a supernatural shine. “Glass hair, like glass skin, aims to show that you are healthy and that your ‘glow’ is radiant,” explains Brice Goliard. “You see it a lot in videos on social media, with girls with very long hair, often in a classic cut, butterfly style.”
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The (technical) art of a perfect blow-dry
Although this technique may seem easy to master at first glance, achieving a true “glass hair” effect is not a simple matter of drying your hair at home. It is a precision job that involves several steps: preparation, blow-drying, straightening, and finishing. “To create the glossy, ultra-smooth effect, you need good products!” insists the pro. “A round brushing brush, a hair dryer that boosts shine, and a pass with a straightening iron are essential. Straightening the hair increases shine.” But the tools aren't everything. The raw material—the hair—must be carefully prepared. ”The glass hair look depends above all on healthy hair. A good shampoo with conditioning properties, a moisturizing mask, a heat protection spray before blow-drying, and above all a serum after, on dry hair. I like to use Vitamino Color Spectrum, not just on colored hair. It protects the fiber and gives incomparable shine.”
How to show off your glass hair? Less is more! “I suggest a slight layered cut, straight hair without too much fuss. This look is much more noticeable on long hair.” Be careful, though, as not all hair textures react in the same way to light or heat styling tools: ‘The effect is more visible on natural, healthy hair, and much less on bleached or sensitized hair,’ warns the hairstylist. “What's more, the shine will be more noticeable on straight hair with a slight wave. On curly, frizzy, or even very dry hair, the shine will be more diffused.”
Check out our selection of must-have products to get the glass hair trend for yourself…
Featured image credit: Kérastase / L'Oréal Groupe
