What is Korean glass hair? How to achieve it

Glass hair is exactly as it sounds: hair so sleek, smooth, and lustrous that it reflects light with a glass-like brilliance. This trend is all about straight, glossy perfection. Think of your favorite Korean stars—IU’s flawless hairstyles in her music videos or the impeccably polished hair of Song Hye Kyo in The Glory and Park Min-Young in What’s Wrong with Secretary Kim. Achieving this level of shine and smoothness requires a haircare routine just as meticulous as a Korean skincare regimen, blending precision, hydration, and high-performance products for that enviable mirror-like finish.

So, can you achieve this? It’s not impossible: It just requires effort, say the UAE hairstylists and makeup experts.

Start with a deep clean

For starters, you need to have a clear foundation, devoid of any product buildup, excess oil and dirt, explains Natasya Rehman, a Dubai-based makeup artist. These factors can fuel the dullness and hinder any sort of sleek finish. “A clarifying shampoo cuts through this buildup, leaving your hair squeaky clean, while a hydrating shampoo ensures that the moisture balance is restored, preparing your strands for the next steps,” she explains. So, look for a clarifying shampoo designed to deeply cleanse without overly stripping your hair of natural oils. Ingredients like apple cider vinegar, salicylic acid, or tea tree oil are excellent for removing buildup.

Massaging the shampoo carefully

 Massage it into the scalp, focusing on where the buildup tends to accumulate. “Use your fingertips (not nails) to gently massage the product in circular motions. This helps stimulate blood flow and ensures a thorough cleanse,” she says. Following this, rinse thoroughly, and follow up with a hydrating shampoo, which replenishes the hair’s moisture levels and makes sure your strands are soft and manageable.

Once you’ve thoroughly rinsed out the hydrating shampoo, switch the water temperature to cool. Cool water helps seal the hair cuticle, locking in moisture and creating a smooth surface that reflects light for that glass-like shine. “For those with particularly oily scalps or heavy product use, consider washing twice with the clarifying shampoo before moving to the hydrating shampoo,” she says as a pro-tip.

Apply a hair mask

After washing your hair, apply a deep conditioning treatment or a moisturising hair mask to the mid-lengths and ends of your hair. “These areas tend to be drier and more damaged, so they need the most attention,” explains Rehman.  Start by distributing the product evenly, ensuring every strand is coated. Leave it on for 10-20 minutes, allowing the mask to deeply penetrate the hair shaft. While you wait, you can wrap your hair in a warm towel or shower cap to enhance absorption. After the time is up, rinse your hair thoroughly with cool water to seal the cuticles and lock in moisture.

Pro tip: Don’t overload the scalp with masks, as it can weigh your hair down. Focus on the mid-lengths to ends for the most effective results.

Rehman adds, “Look for hair masks that are enriched with nourishing ingredients like keratin, silk proteins, or argan oil. These ingredients are known to restore moisture, repair damage, and add an extra layer of shine—perfect for getting that sleek, glass-like finish. Keratin helps smooth the hair, silk proteins enhance softness and shine, and argan oil deeply moisturizes and tames frizz.”

Leave-in conditioner or primer

Prepping your hair with a leave-in conditioner ensures smoothness and protects against heat damage. So, distribute a lightweight, non-greasy leave-in product evenly through damp hair using a wide-tooth comb, adds Rumina Singh, a Dubai-based hairstylist.

Avoid frizz with a serum or oil

Frizz can really play spoilsport and ruin the glass-like finish that you’re aiming for.  When your hair’s cuticles are lifted or damaged, it can cause strands to puff up, giving your hair a rough and uneven texture. “To maintain that shine, you need to lock in moisture and smooth down any flyaways or frizz. Using a serum or oil helps to create a polished  finish by sealing the cuticle and providing a barrier against humidity, which is a major frizz trigger," says Rehman.

How to do this

The experts explain: After styling your hair and once it’s dry, apply a small amount of hair serum or oil to your palms. Rub them together to warm up the product before gently running your hands through the lengths and ends of your hair. Focus on the areas where frizz is more likely to appear, like the crown and the tips. If you have particularly coarse or unruly hair, you can apply a bit more product, but make sure not to use too much, as it can weigh your hair down or make it look greasy.

Start with a light touch and build up if necessary. The key is to evenly distribute the product so that every strand is coated, but without overloading it.

Pro tip: For a glass hair finish, try products that contain nourishing oils such as argan oil, jojoba oil, or camellia oil. These are known for their ability to hydrate, smooth, and give hair a glossy, healthy shine without leaving it greasy.

Protect your hair

Before styling with hot tools, always apply a heat protectant spray. This forms a protective barrier, reducing the risk of damage while helping your sleek style stay intact for longer.

Dry your hair thoroughly

Before using a flat iron, you need to dry your hair thoroughly. Use a round brush and a blow dryer to smooth out your hair as much as possible before straightening.

Straightening your hair

When straightening your hair, work with small sections and slowly glide the flat iron down each one for an even, smooth finish. Keep the heat at a moderate setting to avoid damage and breakage, adjusting it upward only if needed. This way, you'll get sleek results without compromising your hair's health.

Finishing touch

Finish off your glass hair look by locking it in place with an anti-frizz hairspray, ensuring it stays shiny all day long. For that extra touch of glamour, add a few spritzes of shine spray. You can either spray it directly onto your hair or mist your brush before running it through the ends for an even, radiant glow.

If your hair has been damaged by heat styling or chemical treatments, it might be best to skip the trend for now, advise the experts. Focus on restoring your hair’s health first. In the long run, nourished, healthy hair will naturally shine brighter and look even more stunning.

What to keep in mind:

The experts explain:  Achieving Korean glass hair requires more than just the right products; it demands a commitment to healthy, hydrated hair. Glass hair is all about glossiness and shine, so maintaining optimal hair health is essential. A solid haircare routine that focuses on deep conditioning, moisturizing, and strengthening is key, explains Rehman. “ Since heat styling is often involved, always use a heat protectant to prevent damage. When styling, keep the heat low and gradually increase the temperature to avoid breakage,” she says.

Regular trims are also necessary to maintain a smooth, polished look by removing split ends. Incorporating nourishing ingredients like argan oil, silk proteins, or keratin into your haircare routine will help keep frizz at bay and enhance your hair’s natural shine. Achieving glass hair takes patience and practice, but with consistent care and styling, you’ll be able to rock a glossy, mirror-like finish that’s the hallmark of this look.