5 benefits of glossing and glazing hair-care treatments

Glossing and glazing treatments not only improve your hair's look and condition, but also help lock in colour for better salon results.

Everyone desires beautiful, silky hair, but obtaining a lust-worthy mane is harder than it seems.

• Chemical processes tend to strip the hair of its natural lustre and leave tresses dull and frizzy, while tone imbalances from sun exposure and chlorine only add to the problem.

When it comes the glosses and glazes, both perform similar hair duties, but they're not interchangeable.

• Glosses last longer (roughly two to four weeks) and can adjust the overall tone of your hair.
• Glazes, on the other hand, are shorter lived and last only one to two weeks, but they deposit semi-permanent colour.
• Both, however, add a layer of shine to lifeless hair.

Here are five benefits of glossing and glazing.

Most hair processes look good initially, but they usually damage the hair shaft, leading to split ends, dullness and breakage.

• Glosses and glazes are not only safe to use, but they improve hair health, repair shaft texture and seal the cuticle for added shine.

If you're tired of that expensive salon shade fading within a week of its application, then glosses are for you.

• Many stylists finish hair colour treatments by sealing the cuticle with a gloss (which is acidic and penetrates the hair shaft), creating a barrier that locks in your desired shade and prolongs the time between salon appointments.

As their names suggest, both glosses and glazes add tremendous amounts of shine to your hair.

• Glosses tighten the hair's cuticle, allowing for a smoother shaft with better light reflection.
• Glazes coat the shaft with rich, semi-permanent colour, adding a silky topcoat effect.

If your blond colour looks brassy, it may be time to experiment with gloss.

• Due to its more permanent nature, a gloss can refine the hair's overall tone to counter unwanted cool or warm hues.
• On the contrary, if you simply want to add intensity and depth to your existing shade, a glaze is ideal.

One of the best aspects of glosses and glazes is their temporary nature. While glosses last longer, both fade away in a month or less, so there's no major commitment.

For those who prefer natural hair colour to dye jobs or are simply laying off chemical treatments for a while, a clear gloss adds a heavy dose of colour-free shine that lasts up to a month. The process leaves the shaft smooth, fully conditioned and extra soft.

Overall, glossing and glazing treatments are two of the most affordable, healthy and beautiful options for improving the look and feel of your hair.

• With their temporary and damage-free results, you're sure to benefit from incorporating them into your hair care routine.