Kérastase Gloss Absolu NZ: How to Get Glass Hair at Home

Kérastase Gloss Absolu is the range for hair that is healthy enough but looks dull. It smooths the outer layer of the hair so it reflects more light, which is the "glass hair" look. Start with the shampoo and conditioner, and finish with a few drops of the oil. If your hair is dull because it is damaged or dry, fix that first with a different range.

Updated October 2026. Prices are our live online prices.

Shine is mostly about one thing: how flat the cuticle lies. When the outer scales of the hair lie flat and smooth, light bounces straight back and hair looks glossy. When they're lifted by heat, hard water, sun or colour, light scatters and hair looks flat and matte even when it feels fine. Gloss Absolu exists to fix that second situation.

What is Kérastase Gloss Absolu?

Gloss Absolu is one of the newer Kérastase ranges, built around hyaluronic acid for moisture, glycolic acid to smooth the cuticle, and wild rose oil for softness. The textures are light. It suits most hair types, including fine hair, and it is colour-safe.

It is a finish range, not a repair range. Think of it as the polish, not the fix:

• Dull but healthy: Gloss Absolu on its own is ideal.
• Dull and dry: start with Nutritive and use Gloss Absolu Oil to finish.
• Dull and breaking, or bleached: start with Première. Shine comes back once the damage is under control.
• Dull from hard water or minerals: Central Otago bore and town water can leave a film that kills shine. Première's pre-shampoo treatment removes it, and our hard water guide explains why.

The Gloss Absolu range

How to get glass hair at home

1. Wash with Gloss Absolu Bain, focusing on the scalp. Let the lather run through the lengths when you rinse.
2. Condition with Gloss Absolu Fondant from mid-lengths to ends for a minute or two. Rinse in cool water, which helps the cuticle lie flat.
3. Mist Gloss Absolu Spray on towel-dried hair before you blow-dry. Comb it through.
4. Dry with the airflow pointing down the hair shaft, root to tip, using a paddle or round brush. Drying upwards roughs the cuticle and undoes the work.
5. Finish with one or two drops of Gloss Absolu Oil warmed between your palms, over the ends and the surface. More oil isn't more shine; it just looks greasy.

Gloss Absolu or a salon gloss?

A salon gloss (also called a glaze or toner gloss) is a demi-permanent colour service that coats the hair and refreshes tone. It gives a stronger, more immediate result and lasts four to six weeks. Gloss Absolu is the home routine that keeps that shine going between appointments. Our hair gloss treatment guide covers the in-salon side. If you're near Wānaka, book a gloss with us and use Gloss Absolu after.

Want to try it first?

The Gloss Absolu Travel Trio ($42.95) has the shampoo, the rinse-out glaze and the drops in 30ml sizes. That is enough to tell whether you like the result before you buy full sizes. If you only want the finishing step, the Glaze Drops travel size is the cheapest way in.

Gloss Absolu vs other Kérastase shine products

Several Kérastase ranges promise shine. The difference is what else your hair needs. Elixir Ultime is the classic all-rounder oil. Chroma Absolu's Soin Acide gloss is for keeping colour bright. Blond Absolu's Cicagloss is for blondes. Our Kérastase hair oil guide compares the oils side by side, and which Kérastase range covers the rest.

Gloss Absolu questions we get asked

Is Kérastase Gloss Absolu good for fine hair?

Yes. The textures are light. Use the spray instead of a cream, and keep the oil to one or two drops on the ends.

Is Gloss Absolu safe for coloured hair?

Yes. It is colour-safe and works well for keeping coloured hair glossy between salon visits. If fading is your main worry, Chroma Absolu targets colour retention more directly.

How long does the shine last?

The shine from a wash and blow-dry lasts until your next wash. Used every wash, hair stays noticeably glossier over a few weeks as the cuticle stays smoother. A salon gloss lasts four to six weeks.

Can I use Gloss Absolu Oil every day?

Yes, on dry hair as a finisher. Use one or two drops and keep it off the roots.

Every bottle we sell is bought direct from L'Oréal New Zealand and shipped from our salon on Helwick Street in Wānaka. Free NZ shipping over $75.