This Cult-Favorite $38 dpHUE Hair Gloss Made My Split Ends Disappear

True life: I have dull hair. It wasn’t always this way, but a few dye jobs and several hundred hard-water showers later, my hair is cooked. Or at least, it looked cooked until I started using the dpHUE Gloss+ hair gloss. Now, my hair looks (and feels) healthier than ever, and my split ends have done a disappearing act.

DpHUE’s hero gloss product is designed for easy at-home color maintenance, and it delivers. Here are some need-to-know specs: it’s formulated without the use of ammonia or peroxide (a huge plus) and promises up to 10 washes of salon-quality shine after each use. The formula is also vegan, paraben-free, sulfate-free, and phthalate-free, and it requires no mixing or mess in the shower. The texture is similar to that of my regular leave-in conditioner: a slightly thicker, silky cream that holds its shape in my hand and emulsifies into a soft, slick spread that glides over my strands.

I’m a relative haircare newbie, so trust me when I say that it’s easy to use. It simply wouldn't be part of my regular morning routine if it took any extra time.

The gloss comes in 14 shades, but I’ve used the “Sheer” (read: clear) shade for the last six months. I apply it in the shower, around once every two weeks, to damp hair after shampooing, in place of my usual conditioner. I spread it evenly from roots to tips, with an emphasis on my mid-lengths and ends, and then leave it in for a few minutes (i.e., roughly however long it takes me to shavemy entire body, but the brand recommends at least three minutes). Then, I rinse it out. See? Easy?

My hair is pretty fine in texture, so I was worried that using a gloss would weigh it down when I style. However, I'm happy to report that this has never happened to me during all my months of product testing. DpHUE's gloss takes just as long to rinse out as any shampoo or conditioner and doesn't leave a film or waxy texture on my strands. They're just softer, shinier, and smoother than before—a holy combination in my book.

Maybe the best part? There's no learning curve. I noticed results right after the first use, but chalked it up to beginner's luck. It wasn't until I packed it in my suitcase to use before my destination wedding that I realized just how essential it was to my routine. I was in Italy for two weeks last summer, and my hair survived everything from constant beach days to chlorinated pool water without looking any duller or less healthy. This gloss is to blame. This is officially the only haircare product I think is worth recommending as we head into warmer weather—your strands will thank you.

Shop the rest of dpHUE's glosses, below.