@audreyvictoria_ [1] 💦hair washing hack that’ll give you super soft & shiny hair✨ #hairtok [2] #hairhack [3] #haircareroutine [4] #haircare [5] #hairtutorial [6]
♬ original sound - Ian Asher [7]
I already have a pretty intense hair-care routine [8], but I'm always looking for ways to improve it, whether that's using less heat [9], trying out new products, or testing various hair hacks [10]. I've been in LA for most of the summer, and I've noticed the water here is different from the water in San Francisco, where I usually live. My hair has felt dry and straw-like [11] almost every single time I wash it, and products that normally leave it feeling silky smooth in San Francisco don't always do the trick in LA. So when I swiped onto a TikTok hair hack that promised super-shiny and soft hair, my interest was immediately piqued.
In the video, TikTok user Audrey Victoria [12] showcases the hair-care routine that leaves her hair shinier than a new car off the lot, and when I tell you her results make the "liquid" hair trend [13] look like child's play, I'm not kidding. The reflection was blinding. The video has over 1.4 million likes so far, and tons of commenters said it worked for them, so I decided to try out the hack for myself.
Typically, when it's time to wash my hair, I start out by doing a scalp treatment [14] and a hair mask while my hair is still dry. From there, once I'm in the shower, I shampoo my hair twice (upside down — I told you, my routine is intense), focusing on the scalp, and then I apply conditioner to just the ends of my hair. After letting the conditioner sit for anywhere from two to 10 minutes, I rinse everything out with cold water.
Image Source: POPSUGAR Photography / Renee Rodriguez
To test this hack, I needed a wet and warm cotton T-shirt, so I had to bring one into the shower with me. To start, I shampooed with the R+Co Bleu Essential Shampoo [15] ($59) like I normally would (except just once instead of twice), then I rinsed it with warm water. Then I applied the R+Co Bleu Essential Conditioner [16] ($59) and combed through my hair with my fingers. From there, I took my cotton T-shirt and soaked it in the hot water from the shower, wringing out any excess so it wasn't dripping. Next, I wrapped my hair in the T-shirt and stepped out of the shower to let it sit for 30 minutes. To help me keep track of time, I set an alarm and moseyed around my house for a half hour. Once the timer went off, I hopped back into the shower and rinsed my hair using cold water.
Letting my hair sit in the T-shirt for 30 minutes was definitely the most annoying part of the entire process, but having to get into a cold shower after hanging around my house with a wet T-shirt on my head was a close second. I usually try to switch the water from hot to cold every time I wash my hair anyway, but there's something about getting into a shower that's already cold that was absolutely not fun.
Image Source: POPSUGAR Photography / Renee Rodriguez
I considered letting my hair air-dry after testing this hack, but since I only wash my hair twice a week at most, I needed to style it so it would last me through the next few days. However, other than using a heat protectant, I decided not to prep my hair with any other products because I wanted to see if the hack truly worked.
I gave myself a blowout using my regular Dyson Airwrap, and I noticed while I was styling my hair that it felt softer than it usually did. Once everything was dry and styled, I took a few minutes to survey my results in the mirror and noticed my hair also looked shinier than usual. The real test was asking my boyfriend, who is extremely well-versed with the health of my hair (although not by choice), if he noticed a difference. When he agreed it was extremely soft, shiny, and definitely better looking than usual, I knew the hack had worked.
Although I don't plan to use this trick every single time I wash my hair (who has that kind of time?), I definitely will for special occasions. If you've been dealing with dry, dull hair, this hack is worth a try.