Achieving the Perfect Glass Hair Look is Actually Really Easy — Here’s How to Do It

If you’ve been on Instagram at any point in the last year (and let’s face it, you know you have), chances are you’re already quite familiar with the “glass hair” trend. First coined by Refinery29 in 2018, glass hair refers to those smooth, impossibly sleek styles that appear so glossy and luminous that they actually mimic the appearance of glass (cool, right?). It’s a look that has dominated social media feeds and red carpets alike in recent months and one that doesn’t appear to be slowing down anytime soon if the hashtag #glasshair is any indication. Still, for those of us who don’t have a glam squad at our beck and call, achieving that enviable glass hair look can be a bit of a challenge. That is, until now. 

At the risk of tooting our own horn, we recently launched our first fully customizable hair serum and as it turns out, it’s actually really helpful when it comes to mastering the sleek, glass hair look of your dreams. Skeptical? Below, we’ve outlined our go-to glass hair routine to show just how easy it is. All you need is your customizable hair serum, a blow-dryer, a flat iron, and a good brush. Read on to learn more!

In the shower

While some hairstyles actually work best with 2nd-day hair, the glass hair look is not one of them. For the shiniest, sleekest results, it’s best to start with clean strands that have been washed with a shine-enhancing formula like Function of Beauty’s customizable shampoos and conditioners. In addition to being super moisturizing and free of any harmful ingredients, our formulas also give you the option to add up to five hair goals, including everything from shine and anti-frizz to hydrate and fix split ends. For an added boost of glass-like shine, try one of our all-time favorite hair hacks: rinsing your hair with cold water. By finishing your shower routine with a cold rinse, you’re actually helping to seal your hair cuticle so that it lays more smoothly, which in turn will help it to better reflect light so that it appears more lustrous.

Post-shower prep

Now for the fun part: applying your hair serum! While your hair is still damp dispense the recommended amount of your formula into your hands and gently rub them together for a few seconds to help activate the serum. Once warmed up, gently apply the serum from the mid-shafts to the ends, being careful to avoid the scalp as this could cause your strands (especially those with naturally fine, oily hair) to appear flat and greasy. For added moisture, shine, and heat protection, you can also apply your customizable leave-in treatment as it will provide a protective seal around your strands that will not only help prevent heat damage but also help your hair cuticle to lay flat for an ultra-sleek finish. 

Perfect your blowout

When it comes to mastering glass hair, it’s essential that you get your blow-drying technique just right. The key is to make sure that you’re smoothing the hair cuticle down as you go so that it dries smooth and flat. To start, be sure to attach the flat nozzle to your hairdryer to help direct the flow of air. Using a large, flat brush, gather a small section of hair at a time and point the nozzle down onto the hair shaft. It may feel time-consuming, but by doing so you’ll be helping to keep the cuticle layer as flat and tight as possible so that you can spend less time on the next step. 

Straighten up

Should your hair still need a little help reaching its straight potential, don’t worry, that’s what your flat iron is for. Start by running your straightener over small sections of your hair (only where needed), being sure not to hold it over one spot as this can not only cause kinks in your hair but also unwanted heat damage. If your hair requires a little bit more effort to straighten, you may also want to consider brushing your hair as you straighten it by running a flat brush through your hair and immediately following it with your flat iron. 

The finishing touches

To help lock in your sleek new look, we suggest finishing your routine off with another round of hair serum by running a small amount through the mid-shafts and ends. Just remember, a little goes a long way here, so be wary of overdoing it. Should you just want to tame a few random flyaways, we recommend rubbing a small drop or two of serum through the palm of your hands and then, using two fingers, gently apply it to the strands using a pressing motion anywhere you want added frizz control. The result will be 100% glass hair perfection. See, now wasn’t that easy! 

Ready to make hair serum a part of your daily hair care routine? Head here to start customizing your hair’s perfect formula!