The $30 treatment TikTok swears will give you the shiniest hair of your life.

Thanks to our brand partner, L'Oréal Paris

After nearly a decade working in beauty, I've tried almost every shiny hair product there is. It's kind of my niche beauty interest area.

So when I saw people — including the TikTok-famous trichologist (that's a hair doctor!) Abbie Yung — talking about an affordable gloss treatment you can do at home, my shiny hair senses started tingling.

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Review the @L'Oréal Paris UK Elvive Glycolic gloss Shampoo🫧🧴. #shampoo #productreview #curly #curlygirl #hairtok

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The products in question? The L'Oréal Paris Elvive Glycolic Gloss range. The viral claim? To give you "the shiniest hair of your life".

So, I spent a week trying the full range to find out if this at-home hair gloss routine really delivers salon-worthy results on a budget — and most importantly, if it lives up to the hype.

What is the L'Oreal Paris Elvive Glycolic Gloss range?

Salon and professional hair brands have been leaning into the "skinification" of haircare for a while now, but as all good things do, these types of skincare-inspired formulations for our hair are trickling down to the masses via accessible brands.

The L'Oréal Paris Elvive Glycolic Gloss range is the perfect example. The routine goes a little something like this:

Step 1. Glycolic Gloss Shampoo, $18.99: A sulfate-free shampoo with a two per cent Gloss Complex that foams to a luscious lather to cleanse the hair and scalp while boosting shine.

Step 2. Glycolic Gloss Conditioner, $18.99: A lightweight conditioner with a 14 per cent Gloss Complex that works to smooth the surface of the hair, without weighing it down.

Step 3. Glycolic Gloss Lamination Treatment, $29.99: A nourishing five-minute wash-out gloss treatment with a 17 per cent Gloss Complex that "laminates" the hair for a smooth surface that reflects light for a super shiny result.

Step 4. Glycolic Gloss Leave-In Hair Serum, $29.99: A leave-in shine serum with a 14 per cent Gloss Complex to coat the hair for even more shine.

Image: Supplied

Designed for dry, porous hair, every product in the four-step routine is formulated with different percentages of glycolic acid, a common active ingredient known for smoothing and brightening dull, uneven skin, and at a low pH, which helps the active ingredients penetrate deeper.

In the same way it does for our skin, this Gloss Complex helps deliver shinier-looking hair that lasts by smoothing and sealing uneven hair cuticles that can cause hair to appear dull and lifeless. This is the trick to getting hair so shiny, it should come with its own warning.

The results.

Before we get into my thoughts, let me tell you about my hair type. I have fine hair, but a lot of it. It's naturally wavy and prone to frizz, and I currently wash and blow dry it two to three times a week.

When trialling this range, the first thing I noticed (other than the cute blush pink packaging) was just how lightweight the product textures are. While ultra-dry or damaged hair types might need more creaminess, they're perfect if you've ever found that hydrating, nourishing haircare products weigh your hair down or leave it looking greasy.

Now to cut ahead to the results. When used altogether for the first time, my hair looked significantly smoother and shinier. I'll let the before and afters do the talking.

Before and after using the L'Oreal Paris Elvive Glycolic Gloss range. Image: Supplied.

Onto each specific product, starting with the shampoo.

I enjoyed how this shampoo lathers as soon as you start working it into the scalp. I shampooed twice and my hair and scalp felt clean, but not stripped down. Definitely does what it says on the bottle.

The conditioner is more lightweight, but oily or fine-hair folks will love how it conditions the hair without heaviness.

My favourite product from the range was the Glycolic Gloss Lamination Treatment.

Some at-home gloss products I've tried have a watery consistency or nozzle applicators which look handy but are actually hard to use. I love how this treatment feels and applies more like a conditioner. 

I'll be honest; when I read the instructions and saw you needed to leave it in damp hair for just five minutes, I was sceptical. But I trusted the process and loved how smooth and soft it made my hair feel. It also reflects light beautifully.

I mean COME ON. Look at that shine! Image: Supplied.

Finally, the leave-in hair serum is unlike other hair serums I've tried. I stuck to the instructions and only applied two pumps to damp hair before blow drying, as I've found in the past, overusing these types of products can make hair feel a bit straw-y. 

Alongside the Gloss Complex, the product contains a pearlescent shimmer, which gives you that extra hit of shine. I even went back in and gently pressed two more pumps of the serum into my dry hair as a finishing product.

Isn't she pretty?! Image: Supplied.

The final verdict.

These shiny hair products deliver exactly what they promise, and at a price my debit card really appreciates.

Did they give me the "shiniest hair of my life" a la TikTok claim? Yes, I can confirm they came pretty close to the shine I've experienced after a salon gloss treatment.

If you have fine hair or normal to oily hair, you can use all of these products in your routine for shinier-looking hair. 

For those with really dry or damaged hair, I recommend subbing the Glycolic Gloss Treatment into your existing routine to dial up your shine. 

It's the product from the range that impressed me most, and the one I've reached for consistently since finishing this product trial.

Shop the L'Oréal Paris Elvive Glycolic Gloss range online or at your nearest Chemist Warehouse.

Feature Image: Supplied.

Discover the L'Oréal Paris Glycolic Gloss range, this innovative haircare collection is infused with Glycolic Acid, an ingredient renowned for its exfoliating and smoothing properties. It works by penetrating the hair fiber, sealing the cuticles, and deeply conditioning from within. The result? Hair that reflects light like never before, boasting an intensely glossy finish, improved smoothness, and incredible softness. Elevate your hair game and unlock radiant, salon-worthy shine with every wash. Say goodbye to dullness and hello to ultimate gloss!