This style guarantees a good hair day. Here’s how to achieve it at home

From the red carpet to the runway to social media, glassy-looking hair remains as popular as ever. We especially love singer and actor Lucy Hale’s rendition on Instagram, the work of stylist Justine Marjan.

Creating smooth, glossy hair is all about the shine factor. Hair needs to be in impeccable condition to pull this look off, so start with a neat blunt trim. As far as tools go, begin with a hydrating, shine-boosting shampoo and lightweight nourishing conditioner such as Kérastase Nutritive Satin Shampoo for Dry Hair ($58) and Kérastase Nutritive Lait Vital Conditioner for Dry Hair ($68), which will tame and smooth unruly ends and flyaways.

For extra shine, mix a few pumps of TIGI Copyright Custom Care Shine Booster ($56) with your conditioner. Gently towel-dry hair and then apply a serum such as ColorWOW Pop & Lock High Gloss Serum ($61) to damp hair. Top this up with a heat protector – we like Redken Styling Quick Blowout Heat Protection Formula ($41.50) – then comb through your hair with a wide-toothed comb to remove tangles and ensure that styling products are distributed evenly.

Next, take a round brush and blow-dryer. Focus on directing the air downwards to encourage the hair cuticles to lie flat, enhancing the reflective quality of glassy hair. Then, for the complete package, reach for your flat iron; our latest obsession is the new GHD Chronos Max Wide Plate Hair Straightener ($495). Part your hair and work the iron over small sections at a time, keeping the tool at a consistent speed and temperature until hair is poker straight.

To seal the mirror-like finish, apply a few drops of Gisou Honey Infused Hair Oil ($75) on palms and work over mid-lengths to ends. The final touch is a light blast of anti-frizz hairspray to lock in shine. You can spray it directly onto your hair, or spray your hairbrush and then brush through the ends for even distribution. It’s hard to go past the stalwart L’Oréal Elnett Satin Hairspray ($7.50).

Invest in smart heat-styling tools like the Dyson Airstrait ($749), which makes light work of hair management thanks to its ability to blow-dry and straighten simultaneously using a powerful directional airflow rather than hot plates to create shine and impeccable smoothness.

To boost longevity of your glassy blow-dry and help prevent friction frizz, sleep on a silk pillowslip. In the morning, apply a heat protectant to your hair and gently run your flat iron over the top layer of the mid-lengths to ends to wake hair up. A light pat with a reviving hair oil will also boost shine; we recommend Kérastase Première Intensive Shine Repairing Oil ($72), to minimise heat damage, splitting and frizz – all mortal enemies of glassy hair.

ASK STEPH

Will wearing a primer under my foundation make it last all day?
Primers are make-up gold. They have many uses, including combating shine by balancing out excess oil to creating a smooth base for your foundation and helping it to last. Try Smashbox Photo Finish Control Mattifying Primer, $69.

Send questions via Instagram, @mrssdarling.

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