A little while ago my hair was looking a bit dull. I had got out of the habit of using a weekly deep conditioner such as Aussie, and I really noticed the difference. I had also been trying a lot of different shampoos that are supposed to promote shiny hair without any very good results. So when I was browsing in Superdrug, a product from Shwarzkopf Gliss got my attention. This was their Hair Repair Shine Tonic, costing just £1.99 for 100ml. At that price, I didn't mind giving it a go.


WHAT IT CLAIMS TO DO

Gliss say the product is suitable for dry or damaged hair. My hair is of the combination type - dry ends that are prone to damage and an scalp that goes greasy quickly. I thought this tonic sounded perfect for my hair with the exception of my scalp, but I could avoid applying it there if need be. The actual suggestionss as to what repair the tonic will offer are a bit vague to me, going from what is on the can. Under the heading of "proven results", comes the claims that this product will give brilliant shine, and "tangible suppleness and care". I presume added suppleness would hopefully decrease breakage, but there is no specific mention of dealing with split ends or making hair stronger. I was mainly buying it for the shine effect anyway.


APPLICATION

The shine tonic cames in a fairly short and squat aerosol can. The spray is easy to use and doesn't send out too large a cloud of the stuff. This is my preference when dealing with hair products in a spray form, because too much gets wasted otherwise. Application is quick and mess free - you just need to spray it onto your finished style. There is no need to brush it out afterwards. I like the fact you can use it at almost the last minute before going out if your think your hair needs a bit of a boost. I say "almost" at the last, because it does make my hair a little damp and dark. This effect doesn't last long thankfully - about 5 minutes or so. It didn't disrupt any part of my hair , so there is no danger of having to restyle it afterwards. It feels pleasant when I run my fingers through my loose hair which is long. I worried it may produce some stickiness or an obvious residue but it doesn't. The nicest part for me is the scent though. It isn't overwhelming but strong enough to be detectable on your hair for several hours. I would describe it as lightly sweet with marzipan undertones.


DOES IT WORK?

I do think it produces some added shine, but I haven't found the results stunning. For some reason, I think the shine is more noticeable after a short delay. When I first spray it on, I can't see much difference, but when I look in the mirror later, I can see that my hair does look glossier. The result does last all day, and if I need to brush my hair or re-style it, the shine doesn't disappear. The main reason I haven't bought it more often is the fact that it makes my hair greasy! As mentioned above, my scalp always gets oily quickly, but the main part of my hair usually doesn't. Sadly, the day after using this, my dry lower hair looks almost wet, and dark. The shine has also vanished. I thought at first that I had applied too much, but I have experimented with using the smallest amount and it makes little difference. Whilst I wash my hair frequently, I don't want it to look too bad before I have a chance to wash it!


WOULD I RECOMMEND IT?

For me, the slight increase in shine doesn't make up for the other problems it causes me. I have used it to perk up my hair on occasions when I don't have time to use a deep conditioner, or between uses of the latter. However, I won't do so if I need to be up and out early the next day and won't be able to give my hair a proper wash. I haven't noticed any improvement to the actual condition of my hair, whether suppleness or otherwise. It doesn't feel stronger, and there is no decrease in breakage. I wouldn't recommend it to you if you mainly want to try it because of the "repair" labelling. It isn't expensive, so I would say it is worth trying for a quick moderate shine boost. It may suit you more than it does me, especially if your hair is very dry.

[This review also appears on Ciao, under my user name.]