How Often to Use Hair Gloss
I’m such a fan of hair gloss. It’s one of those “low effort, high reward” hair products. Hair gloss adds shine, refreshes color, and makes your hair look healthier almost instantly, while also being insanely easy to do at home (and way cheaper than the salon alternative).
I’ve shared my results of quite a few different hair glosses here on my website, but the question I get asked a lot is how often you should actually use a hair gloss.
Some glosses have a tint (hence the comparison to hair dye), but even using a clear gloss too often can still lead to build-up or worse, end up making your hair look duller instead of shinier.
Below, I share exactly how often to use hair gloss based on your hair type, plus signs to watch out for so you don’t overdo it.
how often to use hair gloss (without overdoing it)
As a general guideline, most people should use hair gloss:
Every 3–6 weeks for maintenance
Every 2–3 weeks if your color fades quickly
Approximately once a quarter, or every 3-4 months if your hair is ultra-fine or prone to build-up
This is the general guideline to follow, but ultimately, your ideal schedule depends on your hair type and goals.
what hair gloss actually does
Hair gloss is such a fun and unique hair product. It works to smooth the outer layer of your hair, adding shine and brightness. Some glosses are tinted, so they’ll also refresh the tone of your hair.
While hair glosses do not permanently change your hair color, the truth is that all hair color fades over time. Hair gloss helps give your color a boost in between appointments (thus letting you go longer in between touch-ups, too).
clear vs tinted gloss
Even if you have all-over hair color (especially for grey coverage) I personally recommend clear glosses instead of tinted glosses! Clear glosses are going to add shine and dimension to your hair, while being easy to use and almost impossible to mess up.
Tinted glosses, on the other hand, are fussy and I hear more horror stories than success stories. The box will tell you one thing, but you can still end up with too dark or too warm of a shade, which can be hard to get out. If you want a tinted gloss, I recommend going to the salon.
how often to use hair gloss by hair type
fine to medium hair
If your hair is fine or gets weighed down easily (like mine), stick to using a gloss every 4-6 weeks.
Every 4–6 weeks
Using gloss too often can make your hair feel coated or greasy, weigh it down and reduce volume, and lead to faster build-up. Overall, using a gloss too frequently will. make your hair feel dirty, dingy, and weighed down.
As someone who washes their hair every, I use a gloss every 5 weeks (this one is my favorite for fine hair). If you don’t wash your hair as often, you could probably go every 6 weeks. I recommend starting less often (6 weeks) and working up to 4 weeks. If you are craving more shine, add in a lightweight hair oil as the finishing step of your styling process.
thick or coarse hair
Those with thick or coarse hair are able to use hair gloss more often. This is because thicker hair can handle more product without getting weighed down. Additionally, thick or coarse hair often benefits from the extra smoothing that a hair gloss provides.
I recommend using a gloss every 3-4 weeks; those with extra-thick, dry hair can maybe stretch it to every two weeks, but because glosses aren’t the cheapest, I think 3-4 is the best option.
Fortunately, thick hair can handle ultra-nourishing glosses, not just those that deposit shine. This one is a dream and well worth the money; my mom has thick, heavy hair and anytime she uses it, her hair gets incredible bounce and shine. A little goes a long way, even with thick hair, so it’ll last a while.
color-treated hair
Hair gloss is especially helpful for refreshing faded tones and keeping color looking fresh between salon visits. While some say that glosses can reduce brassiness, that hasn’t been my experience (though on the bright side, they don’t make your hair more brassy).
I already mentioned why I don’t recommend tinted glosses, so this recommendation is for clear glosses. I am anti-tinted gloss, so I recommend asking your stylist should you want to use one.
For those with color-treated hair (especially blonde, brunette, or red tones), use a hair gloss every 4-6 weeks, or at the halfway point between your next salon visit. Lived-in color is super popular now, so it’s not uncommon to go 3-4 months between visits; you may end up using a gloss twice if you so desire.
I get my highlights touched up every 8-10 weeks right now, so using a gloss every 4-5 weeks is my sweet spot.
As far as my favorites, I love this gloss by Davines as my ultimate shine-enhancing treatment. It’s expensive, so I try to save it for special events or when I have family photos or something (or around the holidays). For my “regular” gloss, this one by Amika is great for all hair types, easy to use, and only takes a minute or two to really work its magic.
signs you’re using hair gloss too often
Even though gloss is relatively gentle, overuse can occur. Keep in mind that my above recommendations are guidelines; you may need to scale back a little based on your personal lifestyle and haircare routine (hard water exposure, how often you wash your hair, how much you sweat, if you live in a humid area, etc.)
Signs that you are using a hair gloss too often include:
Hair feels coated, greasy, or heavy
Hair looks dull instead of shiny
You can feel product build-up
Reduced volume
Harder time styling hair, or the styles don’t last like they used to
If this happens, scale back your usage and use a clarifying shampoo occasionally.
If you currently feel like you have too much gloss in your hair, don’t panic! It will obviously wash out within a few washes. Use a lightweight conditioner instead of anything too heavy, skip the treatment mask this week, and if you aren’t already, add in a clarifying shampoo every week (or every other week). I have dealt with the “too much gloss” side effects before, and I think the worst thing you can do is over-wash your hair to try to get it out ASAP. Avoid further damaging your hair or increasing odds of breakage by riding it out; it’ll be gone within a week tops!
when to use hair gloss in your routine
Hair gloss is typically used after shampooing. Some glosses are meant to be used before conditioning, whereas others can be used in replacement of your conditioner.
My tips:
If you aren’t supposed to use conditioner, make sure to gently brush out your hair as some glosses can cause a couple tangles.
Because my hair is prone to breakage, I’ll use a teensy little bit of conditioner to brush out the tangles; it doesn’t weigh my hair down.
More gloss does NOT mean more results! Using too much gloss can make your hair greasy or weighed down. Use just what is recommended, and take your time working it in versus adding more product.
If your hair needs extra hydration but you aren’t supposed to use a conditioner after your gloss, follow-up with a leave-in conditioner once you get out of the shower.
how long the results last
Most hair gloss treatments last 2-4 weeks, depending on how often you wash your hair and your lifestyle (ex: swimming in the summer, lots of UV exposure, etc.)
The more frequently you wash, the faster a hair gloss will fade, which is why some people use them more often. That said, I recommend using a hair oil in-between gloss to keep your hair shiny.
is hair gloss damaging?
In my experience, no. Most modern hair gloss formulas are ammonia-free, contain low (or no) peroxide, and are formulated to be conditioning.
That said, overusing any haircare product can lead to build-up or weakened strands, so spacing it out still matters.
Hair gloss is one of the easiest ways to improve how your hair looks, but more isn’t better. Overall, you should start with every 3–4 weeks, then adjust based on how your hair responds. Use it often enough to maintain shine and color, but not so often that your hair starts to feel coated or heavy.
