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An influx of innovative hair treatments now promises to promote thicker, shinier locks. Choose from easy-to-apply glosses that deliver the much-admired “glass hair” effect, micro extensions that will perfect the shape of a cut, or curl aids that will promote your natural waves. According to celebrity hairstylist Sam McKnight, “Great hair is a powerful mood booster—it really is everything.” Here’s a six-point guide to great hair in 2025.
To repair is to care
As with so many things, “beautiful hair is all about balance,” says Tom Smith, trend forecaster and international artist in residence at London’s Billi Currie salon. Of all the bad things (the color, the heat), it is worth noting the good things (the treatments, the decorations). Olaplex stands out for its intensive restorative treatment in the salon, but its Hair Perfector Number 3 Smith recommends it as “the most effective way to strengthen hair from home.” By repairing the internal bonds of the hair shaft, she explains, damage is undone, making hair look better and easier to style.
For those of us who don’t use at-home treatments, a simple solution is to dampen your hair, run it through your hair and pin it while you exercise, and then wash it. For something even faster, Bumble and Bumble Bond-Building TripleBond Flash Rinse, launching in January, will work instantly (just apply it and then rinse it off, before conditioner or anytime). VirtueThe Damage Reverse Serum from is equally well regarded.
Benefit and shine
The skincare obsession with “glass skin” (hydrated, radiant) has given way to “glass hair,” says Zoë Irwin, creative director at John Frieda. In the living room, she suggests the juan frida Radiance Reset, which focuses on exfoliating the scalp, removing product buildup from the hair, followed by strengthening and moisturizing treatments. For an almost cosmetic finish, she continues, brands are creating temporary glosses for the home, such as living proofThe new High Shine Gloss and redkenAcid color glitter.
Living Proof Perfect Hair Day High-shine Goss, £30, spacenk.com
Gisou Honey Infused Hair Oil, £35, cultbeauty.es
For a more nutritious emphasis, look for Gisou‘s Honey Infused Oil: A flagship product from this viral brand founded by sixth-generation beekeeper Negin Mirsalehi (16 million likes on TikTok and counting). Or, Irwin suggests using Sam McKnight‘s Love Me Do Nourishing Shine Oil: Spread a couple of drops of oil on the back of a flat brush and spread it through styled hair for “a really high shine.”
Scalp focus
“The scalp and its microbiome are the gateway to healthier hair,” says Sam McKnight. Try massaging a couple of drops of nourish‘s Root Cause Prebiotic Nourishing Serum on your scalp. Or try Neville Hair and Beauty’s Scalp Facial in their London salons – it combines exfoliation, steam treatment and shiatsu massage.
For thicker, more lustrous locks, Tom Smith recommends Calecim Professional Advanced hair system. Containing a patented ingredient, PTT-6, which is used to treat hair loss, it is an at-home or in-salon treatment that promotes growth and fuller hair.
Increase volume
“The bang bang is everywhere,” says McKnight, who brought big hair styles to the SS25 catwalks. “Velcro rollers have been part of my equipment for over 40 years; I count on them to lift the roots and achieve a supermodel style.” he has created The great set to make things easier for the rest of us. Spray Modern Hairspray on sections of dry hair and then roll; 15 to 20 minutes under the hood (which is inflated with a hair dryer) and that’s it.
Meanwhile, Dyson has created chitosantheir first foray into styling products, using ingredients derived from the oyster mushroom for a line that focuses on long-lasting, flexible (rather than crunchy) hold. For maximum volume, apply your Pre-style cream to damp hair; blow dry, perhaps with the volumizing brush on Dyson’s recently updated AirWrap, or with the round brush attachment on the new Hersheson Multitasking tool and finish with the Post-style serum.
Length and power
Hair extensions are more common than you think. “New clients are surprised by how natural they look,” says Jaime Hunt, extension consultant at Hershesons. A basic treatment involves placing four ultra-thin ribbons discreetly above the ears to enhance the fullness of the hair around the face; Applied in 30 minutes, they last eight weeks between new applications (from £160). “People think they have to accept thinner hair; “A few fillers and they come out feeling and looking fantastic.” Billi Currie’s Tom Smith personalizes even more, applying small custom hair strands that bond to natural hair with grain-sized keratin bonds. Used expertly, they can enhance fullness in certain areas of a hair, help a bang fall straight, or refine the shape of a cut.
Air dryer treatment
Smith also suggests letting go of style. A developing category of “air-dried” creams, such as evo Curl definer with full recoil or JVN hair Complete Air Dry Cream aims to nourish hair’s natural texture, encouraging it to dry into natural curls or beachy waves (depending on your texture type), rather than wild frizz. Apply to brushed, wet hair and do nothing.