This In-Shower Treatment Is My Secret to Glass Hair

Until I "got into" skincare, I belonged squarely in the camp that disregarded all skin products as variations on moisturizers made for old ladies and hormonal teens, that leaned on marketing above all else. But then 2017 happened, and a few things changed.

One, the marketing (while still a factor) got a facelift. It shifted towards the early-20s to early-30s demo to which I belong and, naturally, my interest was piqued. Two, Reddit came into my life, and I spent all of my spare time sopping up any information possible on r/SkincareAddiction — I learned what niacinamide was and how not all skin types are created equal. And three, I actually gave it a try.

It turns out, to my inner skeptic's astonishment, it is possible to effect change on your physical appearance with the right product and habits. Not to brag, but my skin is positively beaming now. When this reality really sank in, tackling my other arch nemesis seemed totally doable.

I'll spare you the details of my hair's cringe-y history (see: bad haircuts, bleaching, and chemical treatments, i.e. the usual suspects), and instead I'll just get to the good part.

Through a ton of trial and error over the past year, I've just about done the unthinkable, and achieved glass hair. Skincare stans will remember the era of glass skin — a micro-trend born of K-beauty that heralded the utmost shine and moisture — and glass hair is its follicular counterpart.

The keystone in getting this look is a single product: Kevin Murphy Crystal Angel. It's essentially a hair glaze, but an extremely potent one. It's moisturizing enough that I can use it in lieu of conditioner, and it contains a high volume of silicones (the good kind!) that coat and smooth out the follicle. Whether I air dry or use a hair dryer, the entire length of my below-the-shoulder hair is more glisteny and 'Herbal Essences commercial circa 2001' than is has ever been in my adult life. It's not quite this, but it's close.

To buy: $55; walmart.com

The only rub about this product (okay, two maybe) is that it's a bit expensive. At $40 per 8.4-ounce bottle, it's not something I like to use every single day. But the thing is, I don't need to use it every day. One five-minute masking sesh in the shower lends me enough shine for at least a week.

The other hurdle is that this can actually be pretty difficult to find. It's a salon product, so there are only a few places you can buy it online. Lucky for you (okay, me) I've found it for sale at Walmart right now.

My hair is back to its natural dark brown, so I use the clear Crystal version, but any blondes (bottle or otherwise) out there might be interested in the Cool Ash or Sugared Angel, and for a rose gold tint, check out Autumn.