The New Rules for Shiny Hair

The eye is drawn to all things shiny and sparkly—precious jewels and gorgeous hair included. Celebs on the red carpet display plenty of both, but their blindingly glossy locks are a lot easier to obtain in a few hours. To maximize the shine in your hair, count on these brilliant pointers to go a step beyond what you’ve tried before.

Remove Build-Up

For hair that glows like Kirsten Dunst’s, wash with an oil-based shampoo. Shu Umeura’s new Cleansing Oil Shampoo delicately removes dulling styling build-up without stripping strands of their natural dew or weighing them down. The result: hair that shines and feels amazing soft.

Iron in Sheen

As Katie Holmes proves, the smoother the surface of hair is, the more light it reflects. Try taming strands with the One n’ Only Argan Heat Ceramic Straightening Iron, which has plates coated with argan oil—a buzzed-about natural ingredient that amps up shine and keeps your mane sleek.

Spray On Shine

Rosie Huntington-Whitely models the type of dazzling hair that appeared on the spring runways. The products best equipped to impart that lasting sheen: Redken’s shine flash 02 glistening mist, a new lightweight alternative to concentrated shine serums for those with finer hair, and Wella Professionals Shimmer Delight Shine Spray, which when sprayed at arm’s length, delivers the perfect touch of gloss to any hair texture.

Add a Gloss to Your Color

For Emma Stone’s sparkling color boost, Redken Creative Consultant for Color, Tracey Cunningham, tinted the actress using the brand’s EQ Shades EQ Cream dye, the latest debut that features a creamy, conditioning formula with pomegranate oil and rice protein. Not ready to switch up your hue? There’s a clear version of the EQ Shades Cream that adds luster without any pigment.

Use the Right Brush

The secret to a brilliant blowout like Elle Mcpherson’s? Your brush. A round head with natural bristles evenly distributes the healthy oils on your scalp through your strands, from root to tip. Remember to point the blowdryer nozzle down as you move around your head—a trick to help flatten the cuticle so it can give off light—and finish with a shot of cool air to seal in lasting shine.