Curly Hair Shine

Curly locks are to die for, but they do lack the shine of pin-straight hair. The reason is simple: Curls scatter light at different angles, while straight hair's smooth surface reflects light. But don't despair. Caroline Beckering, who trains hairstylists across the country, recommends a heat-activated salon treatment, like Sebastian's Colourshines, for a super-gloss that will last from four to six weeks. Colourshines penetrates the outer layers of the hair, suffusing it with proteins and conditioners, and topping it with a reflective coating. Beckering also recommends using a texture transformer, like Ecoly's Willow Bark Texturizing Spray Gel, on wet hair to give your curls hold without stickiness. More shine-boosters: Let your hair dry naturally as often as possible. If you must blow it dry, use a diffuser to reduce frizz. When your hair is about two-thirds dry, work in a high-shine gloss, like Vavoom Glazing by Matrix, from roots to ends. And once your hair is dry, don't over-brush or otherwise torture it.