Dull, Lackluster Hair? This Treatment Adds Volume & Shine In One Use

I knew aging would come with inevitable changes to my skin, but I hadn’t prepared myself for impact it would haveon my hair. Even years before menopause, many women (yup, myself included) experience thinning, loss of volume, and a shift in texture from soft to dry.

Yet still, few of us give our aging scalp and hair the same level of care as our skin. Case in point: I’m 35 and I only recently started paying closer attention to my hair health when I noticed my strands looking dull and lackluster.

Thankfully, a combination of lifestyle considerations and the right products have helped restore volume and shine to my mane. In fact, Verb’s Ghost hair treatments had a visible impact in just one use.

What is Verb?

Verb was founded in 2011 with the mission to provide the best hair care products at an affordable price point. The brand makes shampoos, conditioners, hair masks, styling products, and more.

Every formula is made without gluten, parabens, or harmful sulfates. Verb is PETA certified cruelty free, and its products use science-backed ingredients for healthier hair.

I love that the brand has different product collections for specific hair concerns.

The options:

You can choose products from multiple lines if you have various concerns you'd like to address, but for the purpose of this review I tested five products from the Ghost line.

My hair before Verb

I have what I like to call combination hair. It’s not curly but it’s not straight. When air-dried, my hair has a fair amount of frizz—so most days I blow dry, which leaves me concerned about inevitable heat damage.

As mentioned, I’ve started to notice in recent years that my hair has less of a natural shine and tends to look a bit dull and lackluster. I installed a shower filter in 2023 and it made a significant difference (e.g. reduced shedding, boosted hydration, etc.), but I’ve yet to find a topical hair care line that really wows me.

Before testing Verb, my hair care regimen was pretty basic: shampoo and conditioner and the occasional scalp scrub. I'd tried to incorporate hair masks for extra hydration and shine, but every mask I've tested has been a bit too heavy for my fine hair.

How I tested Verb's ghost hair care

I spent the past three weeks testing the Verb Ghost products, incorporating them into my regular hair care routine. I did two to three washes per week with the Verb ghost shampoo, and I used the Verb ghost mask one time each week. For the washes when I didn't use the mask, I used the Verb ghost conditioner instead.

I used the Verb ghost heat protectant before each blow dry (two to three times per week)—and (spoiler alert:) I loved the hair spray so much I used it every day.

The Verb Ghost hair care line is formulated to add weightless moisture, frizz control, and shine to fine hair (music to my ears since my hair has been looking less and less shiny).

The ghost products are infused with natural ingredients such as moringa oil (to smooth and remove frizz), green tea extract (to protect the hair), sunflower seed extract (to deeply nourish and detangle), and pro-vitamin b5 (to retain moisture and give hair a smoother appearance).

My results from testing Verb's ghost hair care

The first thing I noticed about the Verb ghost shampoo was its thin consistency. Instead of a traditional gel soap, the shampoo's texture is thin like water—so be careful not squeeze too much out of the bottle.

As soon as I massaged the shampoo into my hair and scalp I knew the formula was an upgrade from any drugstore variety. Despite the thin consistency, it works into a great lather!

And while other soapy shampoos can be difficult to rinse out, this one gave me no trouble (i.e. no knots, tangles, or buildup). Instead, my hair felt smooth and nourished thanks to the formula's moringa oil and sunflower seed extract.

Now, time for the product I was most excited for: the mask. I tested this out the very first day I received my shipment. Per the bottle's instructions, I applied the mask though the mid-length to the ends of my hair, let it sit for five to seven minutes, and rinsed thoroughly.

When rinsing the mask, I could tell my hair was holding more moisture than with a typical conditioner. Most importantly, my strands didn't feel weighed down. Of course, the real test was seeing how it would dry.

I applied the heat protectant (a cream formula) to my damp hair and went about my typical blow dry routine. I'll admit I am always hesitant to use creams post-wash (fine hair problems), but the protectant felt nice and light.

The verdict: I couldn't stop running my hands though my hair as it dried! It's been years since my hair has felt this soft.

I'll typically need to run a flat iron or my favorite infrared brush through my strands post-blow dry just to add some shine and remove the frizz, but after just one use of the ghost shampoo and mask my hair looked so smooth and shiny.

The best part? It still didn't feel weighed down by the mask or heat protectant.

I'm not usually a hairspray girl, but I gave myself a light spritz to lock in the style and shine—and I was impressed again by the weightless formula. Suddenly I understood the meaning behind the "ghost" name.

I love that the ghost hairspray doesn't add any crunch or residue; it simply acts as a protective invisible layer to maintain your style throughout the day.

What I'd change about Verb

While I love that Verb uses natural ingredients I was slightly turned off at first by how long some of the ingredient lists are. That said, I have peace of mind knowing each formula is free of parabens, sulfates, and harmful ingredients.

The takeaway

Since adding the Verb ghost products to my routine, my hair is looking shinier than it has in years. Plus, I love knowing that the natural ingredients are promoting long term hair health. If you're still using drugstore hair care, consider this your sign to make the swap—and you'll be fielding hair compliments after just one use.