Shampoo ingredients you should avoid ‘at all costs’ for ‘glass-like’ hair

Hair trends come and go on social media with looks such as curtain bangs and bouncy blowouts being particularly popular in recent years.

One trend that’s having a moment is the glass hair trend. The look involves having hair that’s so shiny it almost looks like glass.

Glass hair is usually styled and treated until it’s super smooth, sleep and polished so it looks almost reflective like glass.

To achieve glass-like hair, you need to treat your hair to make it soft and shiny.

With this in mind, Dr Balwi, a hair transplant surgeon at Elithair has shared exclusively with Express.co.uk which ingredients in shampoos people should avoid “at all costs” if they want shiny hair.

He said: “Ingredients such as Sodium Lauryl Sulphate (SLS) or Sodium Laureth Sulphate (SLES) are harsh on the hair follicles and are responsible for stripping away its natural oils.

“Whilst they’re excellent at removing oil and dirt, they also remove the natural oils that keep your hair moisturised and healthy.

“This stripping effect can leave your hair dry, brittle, and more prone to breakage.

“Sulphates can also be harsh on the scalp which can lead to irritation, itching, and inflammation for some people with sensitive skin or conditions like eczema or psoriasis.

“Over time, sulphates can weaken the hair structure, making it more susceptible to damage.”

Dr Balwi said another damaging ingredient in shampoos is silicone. Despite silicone leaving hair looking shiny, the effect is just temporary.

So while in the short-term you will have shiny, glass-like hair, it will quickly turn heavy and dull.

Instead of using shampoos that contain these harsh ingredients, it’s best to look for shampoos that are sulphate and silicone-free.

He added: “Proteins, vitamins and natural oils will lead to shiny, glass-effect hair.”

When browsing for shampoos, look for ingredients such as organ oil, green tea extract, silk proteins, vitamin E and hyaluronic acid.