Achieving the thick glossy mane look - product recommendations?

[lechatnoir]

I have long (absurdly) thick hair but you definitely wouldn't describe it as a 'glossy mane' a la Duchess of Cambridge. My regular routine is limited to washing with whatever I lay my hands on & blasting with hair-dryer so no huge surprise it looks like a birds nest. I does look half decent with a professional blow dry but the condition is still pretty dire & in need of TLC.

I guess I need a decent shampoo & conditioner, some sort of intensive treatment or masque and styling serum/oil? Any recommendations?
Lechatnoir

I'm probably alone here, but I swear by never really brushing my hair

I comb it occasionally when it's got conditioner on but other than that never brush it. The odd time I have to blow dry it I use a brush too.

I use head and shoulders and occasional Neal's yard hair mask thing. Also the odd application of Aussie 3 minute miracle. Condition every wash.

disclaimer: I am blessed with reasonably thick, pretty much poker straight hair which never gets split ends, so adding a bit of shine is my only concern.

Does your hairdryer have "positive ions"? I have a hairdryer calle ion-shine which basically emits positive ions which are said to boost shine. If you want to stick to your routine of blasting your hair dry rather than doing a full-on blow dry then it might be worth giving yourself a head start with the right dryer.

In terms of shampoo and conditioner, do you colour your hair? If you don't, and you don't use much heat on it, you don't really need anything too fancy. If you have very thick hair ideally you'd have something that doesn't weigh it down, and something with a bit of silicone would give it added gloss. Silicone is not necessarily a bad thing - there is a reason they are in so many products, they really do help with glossiness and general softness and shine and manageability. Even the Pantene Aqua Light or something like that would be a good place to start for everyday washing - then you can splash out a bit more on a treatment and a serum.

In terms of a treatment, I really rate the Ojon hair treatment which you can get from QVC. If you did that once a fortnight you would really notice a difference.

Also, unless you have already tried Morroccan Oil, you probably should! People swear by it so much and I really like it. Its not cheap but if you are not spending loads on a shampoo and conditioner then you can probably justify it. If you actually had damaged hair I'd say try the GHD remedy cream but if you are just trying to add a bit more shine and gloss the Moroccan Oil would be great.

Tatty how often is it safe to dye hair using a semi perm colour?

Thanks all. My hair's not coloured & I only brush it the 2 or 3 days a week I wash it so can't blame either of those things. I'm going to give the Moroccan oil a go - Just ordered a 100ml bottle for £7 on eBay for (pure argan oil which i assume is the stuff) fingers crossed it does something to reduce the frizz. Will report back soon
Thanks again
LCN

I have hair that sounds like yours- thick and long and straw like texture! I tried henna for the first time yesterday. The result colourwise is very subtle, perhaps because i was too impatient to leave the mix for long enough for the dye to strengthen to full capacity or maybe as I'm dark haired with only a very few lighter hairs. But the condition is amazing! All smooth and glowy.

Once you've sorted your products out, make sure you rinse your hair thoroughly until it squeaks and then rinse with the coldest water you can bear. Wrap in a towel for a good 5 mins or so to blot out the water. Rough dry or let your hair dry naturally until it's only about 10% wet and then blowdry in sections, starting with the underneath and pinning up the top lenghts using either a round brush or good paddle brush (Aveda do a really good one). Blow drying it properly will always give your hair a better shine because it smoothes the cuticles. It will also fall nicely and have more of a bounce, thus making it look more lustrous.

Tatty means the actual brand 'moroccan oil' not the neat Argan oil produced in Morocco.

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I have hair very similar to use - I look like the one out of the Addams Family (is it Cousin It?)

Anyway I spray lots of the above on my hair (lots like 10-15 sprays) when it is wet right before blowdrying. I also put on superdrug's own brand PINK (not blue) hair serum before blowdrying.

Then when it is dry I put more of the serum very liberally on each part of sectioned hair before straightening.

I tend to use any shampoo because my hair is so awful none make a difference - but the main thing I have noticed - which I can't really explain... is that my hair only goes soft and glossy from this routine if I wash my hair with only shampoo- not conditioner. I know it doesn't make sense but conditioner makes it fluffier, and I get a much better finish if I don't use it.

I'd recommend Aveda. Their shampoos are excellent especially for non coloured hair. Dependant upon the colour of your hair, they have a shampoo to suit. I love their Blue Malva as it leaves an incredible shine on my hair.

I also liked the Ojon Tawaka range, but I think they've now run out of the limited supply of ingredients.

I do find though that what suits my hair one day may not work another day, and I do like to have three or four sets of products on the go so I can alternate each wash.

Philip Kingsley is another good range - his 'elasticizer' continually wins award after award for improving the condition of your hair.

I have long, thick, wavy hair and it's in pretty good condition. I try never to blow dry or straighten or curl except for special occasions and my hairdresser always sounds surprised that it is so strong. I'm a huge believer in protecting hair - I use Phyto Plage Protective Sun veil every day from about April to October (and it makes your hair smell of holidays), I use Aussi "mega" shampoo and conditioner (lots of places sell it, and not too expensive) and then once a week I use Paul Mitchell Super Strong Treatment.

I also find that Paul Mitchell Number Three shampoo is really good - I use it after swimming or if I've had a product-heavy day and my hair just feels a bit weighed down, but it's quite expensive and I can only justify it by eking out every last drop.

I brush my hair every night before bed with a bristle brush (it seems less greasy in the morning if I brush it) but never during the day.

A (male) friend once said to me "I bet girls hate you because of your hair, don't they?". I still think it's the nicest thing he's ever said to me!

I have long, thick, 'glossy' hair. I use Aveda Shampure shampoo and conditioer and this as a special treat every now and again.
I never blow dry my hair, except when I have it cut about every 3 months, and I only comb it when I condition it.
I bundle it on top of my head in a rough bun when it's wet, and leave till dry. Result-that 'tumbling curls' look like when the dowdy secretary whips off her glasses in a corny film!

Lots of people comment on my shiny hair (detracts from my face ! )

Do you have it cut regularly? My hair is very thick, it doesn't matter what products I use (and I have tried many) it only looks healthy and bouncy if I have it cut regularly.