The 13 Best Hair Products for Shine and Luster

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A variety of hair products for shine and luster on a beige background

Byrdie / Alli Waataja

We’d be lying if we said we weren’t constantly lusting after that swishy, shiny, 90s shampoo-commercial kind of hair. But in real life, shine isn’t always that easy. Faded color, textural differences, damage, weather, and other factors weigh in, zapping natural gloss and leaving the hair looking dull, flat, and a little lifeless. The good news? With a few quality products geared towards your hair type, you can achieve that glassy finish and live your best hair commercial life. 

Here, we’ve compiled the best hair products for shine and luster so you can unlock your best-ever hair game.

Best Overall

Moroccanoil Treatment Original

Moroccanoil Treatment Original

Sephora

What We Like
  • Versatile

  • Nourishing

  • Multi-purpose

What We Don’t Like
  • Expensive

Moroccanoil's OG (and arguably best) offering, this product is a versatile oil treatment that can be used in many ways and across multiple hair types. Rich in fatty acids, it's formulated to promote strong hair that reflects the light for unmatched shine. Try it as a pre-shampoo treatment or to smooth any flyaways after styling.

Key Ingredients: Argan oil | Size: 3.4 oz. | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Best Budget

OGX Weightless Healing Dry Oil

OGX Renewing Argan Oil Of Morocco Weightless Healing Dry Oil

Walmart

What We Like
  • Great price

  • Very glossy finish

What We Don’t Like
  • Too heavy for fine hair

This drugstore oil has a dry finish so it sinks in quickly but still delivers on the promise of reflective shine. Its key ingredient is argan oil, and the mist format means it’s easy to apply to thick or long hair. We love to smooth it over a ponytail or a slick bun.

Key Ingredients: Argan oil | Size: 4 oz. | Cruelty-Free: Yes

What We Like
  • Non-sticky

  • Gives hair shape and hold

What We Don’t Like
  • Could weigh down fine hair

If you prefer the flexible hold that a hair paste affords, this option from CHI is as good as it gets. The malleable formula contains silk molecules that can help to promote shine, while the non-sticky texture shapes and provides hold. Try it next time you’re attempting a sleek bun or ponytail hairstyle.

Key Ingredients: Hydrolyzed silk, panthenol | Size: 3 oz. | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Best Spray

Bed Head by TIGI Masterpiece Massive Shine Spray

Bed Head by TIGI Masterpiece Massive Shine Spray

Amazon

What We Like
  • Delivers serious shine and hold

  • Easy to use

What We Don’t Like
  • Needs to be washed out

We’re calling this mist from TIGI shine in a can. The fine spray gives the hair a glossy, silky look and a strong hold for a long-lasting finish. Great for nights out, tricky up-dos, or just anytime you want to channel Audrey Hepburn circa Breakfast At Tiffany’s.

Key Ingredients: Wheat protein | Size: 10.3 oz. | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Best for Textured Hair

Bread Hair Oil

Bread Beauty Supply Hair Oil

Sephora

What We Like
  • Light

  • Nourishing

  • Multipurpose

What We Don’t Like
  • Glass bottle can be tricky to dispense

Like a lip gloss for your hair, this nourishing oil delivers glossy, glassy strands in seconds. Because Bread's entire line is designed with coily and curly hair in mind, this product is aces for softening coarse textures, though the formula is light enough for fine to medium hair types, as well. We also love that there are no silicones.

Key Ingredients: Safflower, argan, castor seed oil | Size: 3.3 oz. | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Runner-Up, Best for Textured Hair

Pattern Argan Oil Hair Serum

Pattern Argan Oil Hair Serum

 Courtesy of Ulta

What We Like
  • Natural formula

  • Packed with nourishing, shine-boosting oils

  • Residue-free

  • Can be used as a scalp treatment

What We Don't Like
  • Relatively small amount of product

Another lightweight option designed for curls and coils is this hair serum from Pattern. Formulated with a blend of argan, sunflower, castor, sweet almond, apricot, and shea oils, this treatment provides deep moisture and a shiny boost, yet doesn’t leave behind any greasy residue. Also nice? It doubles as a nourishing scalp treatment, too. Just apply a few drops where needed and massage in. 

Key Ingredients: Argan, apricot, and sunflower seed oils | Size: 3.9 oz. | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Best Treatment

Amika Hair Gloss Mask

Amika Flash Instant Shine Hair Gloss Mask

Amazon

What We Like
  • Works in minutes

What We Don’t Like
  • Has to be used on damp hair

If you want to dramatically improve your hair’s gloss factor in minutes, try smoothing this treatment through your strands after washing and before blow-drying. It instantly moisturizes, softens, and seals the hair cuticle, giving it a brilliant shine.

Key Ingredients: Flaxseed, amino acid concentrate | Size: 6.7 oz. | Cruelty-Free: Yes

What We Like
  • Multi-purpose

  • Lightweight

  • Protects against UV damage

What We Don’t Like
  • Expensive

Light, nourishing, and deliciously scented, this oil from Ouai provides ample nourishment and a healthy-looking gloss—all without weight or grease. Its formula protects against UV damage and prevents humidity-related frizz, as well.

Key Ingredients: African galanga, ama oil, Asian borage oils | Size: 1.0 oz. | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Best Multi-Purpose

Gisou Honey Infused Hair Oil

Gisou Honey Infused Hair Oil

 Amazon

What We Like
  • Smells incredible

  • Nourishes the hair

What We Don’t Like
  • Expensive

This deeply nourishing oil treatment can be used on wet or dry hair alike to hydrate, soften, and impart a healthy shine. Bolstered with sustainably-sourced mirsalehi honey, it works to rehydrate dry, stressed, or frazzled strands without weighing them down. Use it anytime to finish and smooth or overnight as a leave-in mask.

Key Ingredients: Mirsalehi honey, argan oil, sweet almond oil, coconut oil | Size: 3.4 oz. | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Best for Fine Hair

Oribe Après Beach Wave and Shine Spray

Oribe Après Beach Wave and Shine Spray

Sephora

What We Like
  • Won’t weigh down fine hair

  • Creates movement and separation

What We Don’t Like
  • Expensive

When it comes to lustrous hair, there is a fine line between glassy and greasy, especially if your strands are fine. But Oribe’s Apres Beach Wave and Shine Spray deliver both natural-looking shine and soft texture—truly the best of both worlds. Mist it into damp or dry strands and scrunch to create beachy (not crunchy) waves.

Key Ingredients: Safflower seed oil, marigold flower extract, wheat protein | Size: 8.5 oz. | Cruelty-Free: Yes

What Our Testers Say

"Oribe's Après Beach Wave and Shine Spray elevated my rushed curling efforts into perfectly piece-y beach waves. It softened my hair and gave it a healthier feel and appearance without the use of multiple products." — Ashley Rubell, Product Tester

Oribe Après Beach Wave and Shine Spray Before and After

Byrdie / Ashley Rubell

Best for Damaged Hair

Crown Affair The Hair Oil

Crown Affair Hydrating Hair Oil

Sephora

What We Like
  • Lightweight

  • Nourishing

  • Quickly absorbed

What We Don’t Like
  • Pricey

If you’re looking to simultaneously create shine and care for dry, brittle, or damaged hair, Crown Affair’s The Oil is for you. Formulated with Japanese tsubaki seed and meadowfoam seed, it's designed to mitigate frizz, as well as strengthen, rehydrate, and soften brittle hair. It’s also very gentle—in fact, there are only five ingredients.

Key Ingredients: Japanese tsubaki seed, meadowfoam seed oil | Size: 1 oz. | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Best for Heat Styling

ghd Straight On Straight & Smooth Spray

ghd Straight On Straight & Smooth Spray

Amazon

What We Like
  • Offers heat protection

What We Don’t Like
  • Expensive

This dual shine spray and heat protectant smooths and seals the cuticle for shinier strands and a longer-lasting style. “For the best results, use it before [heat] styling—it comes armed with the brand's heat protection system, which contains protecting polymers and conditioning agents that smooth the surface of the hair and shield it up to 220 degrees,” says Jordan Thomas, ghd's national education manager.

Key Ingredients: Corn starch, castor oil | Size: 4.1 oz. | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Best for Colored Hair

Pureology Color Fanatic Top Coat + Clear Gloss

Pureology Color Fanatic Top Coat + Clear Gloss

Sephora

What We Like
  • Works quickly

  • Can be used on colored hair

What We Don’t Like
  • Expensive

If you’re between color appointments or simply want to refresh your hair before a big event, this clear gloss helps to seal the hair and reflect light for a fresher, healthier finish. Its formula—which is rich in oat milk and camellia oil—is also designed to soften strands for that post-salon feeling at home.

Key Ingredients: Oat milk, camellia extract | Size: 6.7 oz. | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Final Verdict

Your best overall product will certainly come down to your hair type and styling preferences, but Team Byrdie agrees that the Moroccanoil Original Treatment, Crown Affair's The Oil, and Oribe's Apres Beach Wave and Shine Spray are a cut above the rest. We love Moroccanoil for its versatility, Crown Affair for its high-quality ingredients and nourishing formula, and Oribe because it delivers both shine and movement in one easy-to-use product.

Meet the Expert

  • Rumbie Mutsiwa is a ghd creative artist and founder of Rumbie & Co., a salon and academy in Sydney that focuses on curly, coiled, textured, and afro hair.
  • Jordan Thomas is a stylist and the national education manager at ghd. 

What to Look For in Hair Products for Shine and Luster

Shine-enhancing ingredients

“I would recommend antioxidants such as acai extract, camu extract, urucum extract, and amodimethicone—these have deep conditioning properties, protect hair from thermal damage, and impart shine,” says Thomas. “Pro-vitamin B5 also attracts and holds moisture in the hair.”

Avoid certain ingredients depending on your hair type

“For tighter curl textures, use butters instead of serums and stay clear of most petroleum-based hair products,” Mutsiwa explains. 

FAQ
  • What types of hair products can impart shine?

    “Achieving shine is all about creating a light reflection, explains Thomas. "To do this, you need your hair fibers to align and your cuticles to lie flat. Lots of products claim to do this, but it’s important to find what is right for your specific hair type. There is a fine line between hair that has a healthy shine and hair that looks a little greasy and ready for a wash! Avoid overloading your strands with anything too heavy, especially if your hair is fine. I love using light sprays and fine mists and layering them as needed for a glossy finish."

    “When it comes to wavy, curly, and afro hair that is dry or frizzy, hydration is key," adds Mutsiwa. "You’ll find the solution in leave-in conditioners, creams, sprays, gels, defining creams, and butters. These are better designed for tighter hair textures and will support hair health for a shiny finish."

  • How often should you use hair products for shine?

    Thomas tells us this comes down to personal preference. If you have dull or colored hair, you might want to use shine-enhancing products daily—or maybe it’s just something you incorporate before an event. 

  • Do hair products for shine expire?

    Sadly, most hair products have an expiration date. Be sure to check your packaging for the most accurate timeline. And a good rule of thumb is to bin anything that changes color, smell, or texture. 

How We Researched & Tested

To compile this list, our team of editors and contributors spent hours researching the best products on the market in this category, evaluating their key features—like ingredients, shade range, or design—in addition to reviews from customers and other trusted sources. Our team also incorporated their own personal experiences testing products in their own lives. We then used these insights from our research and testing to assign a star rating from one to five (five being the best; one being the worst) to certain products on the list.

Why Trust Byrdie

Emily Algar is a journalist based in Sydney, Australia, who covers beauty recommendations for Byrdie. She has seen new hair product launches come and go and always takes note of the ones worth using for shine. For the purpose of this roundup, she also consulted with two hair experts.

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