As with most things in life, the shininess of your hair depends on several factors, some of which are out of your hands (dark tresses tend to be glossier than pale ones, straight strands are more lustrous than wavy manes, and dry-scalped girls generally don't look as luminous as their oily counterparts). Perhaps most important, however, is your hair's condition: While healthy strands are naturally shiny, tresses that endure blowouts, bleaching, or backcombing lose their luster quickly. Fortunately, though, highlight enthusiasts and flatiron fanatics needn't resign themselves to a dull-maned future. Glazes and serums can help simulate the appearance of natural light reflection, and now, there's Pantene Pro-V Ice Shine--a new, silicone-packed collection that promises to double your hair's luster after only one use.

Since my strands are naturally dry, unnaturally blonde, and blow-dried on a daily basis, I doubted that Ice Shine could do much to boost my mane's brilliance (plus, I was starting with nil luminosity, so twice the shine wouldn't amount to much anyway). A single use of the Ice Shine Shampoo and Conditioner ($3.50 each; ulta.com) seemed to confirm my suspicions--yes, my hair felt softer and smoother, and it smelled fabulous, but where exactly was the shine? Well, as it turned out, after three uses, I did see subtle improvements and, after one week, noticeable results: glossier, healthier-looking hair than I'd been sporting since my last professional glaze. When I added the Ice Shine Volume Mousse and Maximum Hold Hairspray ($3.50 each) to the mix, each product seemed to enhance my newly beaming mane (the mousse also added fullness without stickiness, while the spray tamed my pesky flyaways). And although no one will mistake me for a hair model anytime soon, Ice Shine has succeeded in taking my strands from dull to polished, which is, for me, a glacial change. --Jennifer Riley