I’ve been growing out my gray hair naturally since 2017 but no matter how much time goes by, I still miss that just dyed salon feel. So I tried a hair glaze on my gray hair and was blown away by the results. By: Lisa Fennessy, gray hair guide, clean beauty expert, and founder of The New Knew. Whether you want to believe it or not, gray hair is actually different from hair that is rich in pigment. Sound familiar? It does to me.
When I colored my hair, I used to love stepping out of the salon and running my fingers through my hair. It felt so soft and it looked so shiny. I thought that feeling was gone forever for me but I WAS WRONG. Last time I was at my hairdressers, I asked her if a hair glaze (sometimes called a hair gloss) would be an option for me and she gave me a resounding “YES!”.
What a hair glaze is and how it works
A hair glaze is a demi-permanent hair color SANS THE COLOR! So you get all the bennies of coloring your hair but without actually coloring your hair. The only downside is my hairdresser said this would only last for about 4-8 weeks depending on how much I wash my hair. It’s not glaring but I can kind of see that my hair looks sleeker and more shiny in the after pic. What I can’t see though is how smooth and healthy it feels.
There is no way to get the longevity of a salon hair glaze without a developer and this is where it gets dicey. Developers work by getting glossing ingredients into the cuticle (vs just sitting on top). The main active ingredient is typically a low-volume hydrogen peroxide solution (usually around 1.5%-4%) combined with penetration enhancers and stabilizers like EDTA compounds, petroleum-derived ingredients and undisclosed fragrance-all which you’ll find on our No Thanks List. That’s the long and short of it. And while no truly better option for hair dye has been innovated yet, hair glazes typically do not need to penetrate like a permanent, color depositing dye (and there are no permanent dyes to factor in), the percentages of these questionable ingredients are, in fact, lower and of slightly less concern to me.
The other question I got was if you could do a salon-level glaze at home. I don’t like DIYing anything when it comes to my hair but YES if you want to do a demi-permanent treatment like this, you can definitely do it yourself. I would recommend getting a consult from your hairdresser the next time you are in to see what off the shelf product they would recommend specifically for you. That being said, you can easily include glossing ingredients in your daily hair care to get instant (albeit, short term) shine.
At-home options and daily care for gloss and shine
This lightweight leave-in mist strengthens and repairs hair from the inside out using peptide tech that actually binds to keratin. Translation: less breakage, more bounce, and stronger strands over time AKA the building blocks for shine. I can’t live without this.
A rinse out hair masque that’s powered by Ranavat’s proprietary Veda4 Bond Strengthening Complex! I was blown away by how well this works. The texture is thick and creamy with good slip and makes my hair shiny, smooth and it actually does feel stronger, not just moisturized. The ultimate multitasker, every single person on our team is obsessed with this stuff.
I was not a fan of hair oils until I met this one. It’s featherlight, non-greasy, and gives my hair an INSTANT, healthy, shiny finish without weighing it down. Packed with antioxidant-rich oils like cranberry seed, sunflower, and macadamia, plus UV protection, this formula smooths frizz, repairs damage, and boosts elasticity. Even Nic, who has fine hair, swears by how light it is. Magic!
Here’s why it made my top products of 2022 and I’m still raving about it to this day. Now I glaze my hair every time I go to the salon. Every three months I go in and get a trim, metal detox and glaze with custom toner and I feel ok about this knowing what I know about the ingredients (it’s all about balance my friends!).
Gray hair specifics and expert insights
As someone who’s lived with gray hair for 7+ years, I don’t take this category lightly. I went gray at 39 and have made it my mission to figure out exactly what this hair type needs to thrive because trust me, it’s not the same as pigment-rich hair. I’ve tested dozens (and dozens) of products, written hundreds of reviews, and talked with thousands of women going through the same shift. My reviews are grounded in personal experience, ingredient deep-dives, and a clean beauty standard that doesn’t cut corners.
One of my favorite beauty hacks is this homemade hair lamination mask. It is a quick, inexpensive DIY hair gloss recipe that uses a natural product (gelatin) to seal and smooth hair. Hair lamination uses clear gelatin to coat hair with a clear finish that protects, adds shine, and makes hair easier to style. Gelatin is perfectly safe for hair and is the key ingredient in hair lamination. In addition to being used to treat hair, gelatin is used by many to help nail growth.
My dermatologist, Dr. I only use melted virgin coconut oil. It is clear and smells fabulous (like coconut of course). Avocado oil and grapeseed oil could also be used. The photo below was taken after I did a homemade lamination mask treatment. The gelatin mixture should be applied to the hair while warm before it has time to cool, after which it won’t be usable. The photo (below) is what my leftover gelatin mask looked like after a few hours at room temp.
Practical takeaways and recommendations
If you are too busy to make your own gloss or just prefer to buy products that are ready made, one of my FAVORITE hair glosses is at most drugstores or beauty supply stores. It only takes one step. I hope you find this information helpful in achieving shinier, healthier hair.
Place 1/2 cup water in the microwave; heat 1 minute or until just boiling. Remove from microwave; add gelatin, stirring until dissolved. Add oil, stirring until dissolved. When cool enough to apply, comb or "wet brush" through hair (concentrating on dry areas and ends). Cover head with a wet, hot towel for at least 15 minutes (reheating towel as needed). Wash hair with regular shampoo and conditioner.
