Gloss or Glaze: What’s Best for Dull Hair?

Gloss or Glaze: What’s Best for Dull Hair?

Gloss or glaze: what is the best salon service for dull hair? After seeing a debate between two friends online, Ask the Pro Stylist decided to enlist some of her professional friends for their thoughts on the subject for today’s Q&A.

Whoop, whoop, happy Hump Day hotties and welcome to Wednesday’s Q&A with Ask the Pro Stylist. While scrolling my Facebook newsfeed, I noticed a hair color dispute regarding gloss or glaze between two friends. One posted this article to prove her point, yet I don’t know why, as I could have easily answered it for her.

However, I left it for today to write a detailed post because I felt the article wasn’t clear or informative enough for consumers. Since current hair and color trends are all about the shine, I turned to my professional colleagues from Matrix and Redken for validation, because I have noticed some beauty students look to this blog for answers, and what better answers than from the very best of the best.

It appears the author of the piece from Oprah’s network Googled her information, which is easily found on the professional Clairol site that details the difference between semi-permanent and demi-permanent colors. Confusion between gloss and glaze, or other beauty areas, arise when non-professionals use the Internet for answers to professional situations, which honestly vary from service to service and client to client.

It’s not that salons don’t want you to know, which is why colorbars have become so popular in salons, to give the consumer as much information as possible. But let’s be clear, the professionals have been trained and educated in color. Just because you read it on a website or have seen it in on YouTube does not make you an expert. And as far as taking advice from a writer on Oprah’s site who looked to her stylist for answers, or so she claims, as compared to following the advice of working professionals with celebrity clientele on both coasts, well, let’s just say I’d listen to George and David.

Gloss or glaze has been used interchangeably in the beauty world. Matrix Celebrity Stylist George Papanikolas says, “The terms are the same: usually acid based, which leaves a sheer deposit of color on the outer layer of hair. It’s the most gentle and translucent hair color. Think of it like panty hose for hair… leaves a sheer color on the surface. You can also use clear to fill the cuticle and reflect more light. I prefer to use Matrix Gloss Sync.”

George Papanikolas

Redken Master Colorist and Cutler NYC colorist David Stanko agrees, “Gloss and glaze are as interchangeable as single-process color or root touch-up. They basically mean the same…clear or ‘hint of tint’, generally a demi or semi-permanent hair color used to add shine, condition or adjust hair color tone (brassiness). This is how it is defined in the professional salon world. However in the consumer world, these terms generally use a temporary conditioner, which only lasts shampoo to shampoo. In the salon world, a glaze can last up to 2 to 4 weeks.”

David Stanko

The bottom line is a thorough dialogue needs to occur between the colorist and the guest, as I cannot stress enough; hair color should not be done at home. And to answer the title, gloss or glaze: what’s best for dull hair? The answer is both. Head to the salon to energize your color with glaze and use great hair oil for a temporary gloss at home.