I've tried a few clear rinses earlier this year. They work well for shine.
I used the Ion brand from Sally's as well as Sebastian Cellophane. I like the Ion brand because it is simpler to use and requires less steps. You apply, let it sit, rinse it out and then you're done.
For Sebastian, the instructions say to shampoo the rinse out. So you have to apply, let it sit, rinse, shampoo again, condition, rinse. (I wasn't sure if shampooing it out was necessary since it is clear, but did not want to risk damaging my hair, so I followed the instructions.) It adds a LOT of extra time to my wash day that is already long as it is.
As far as stiffness goes, there was none with Ion. I did experience stiffness from Sebastian. It felt like a hard protein treatment. I had to use my S.O.S super moisturizing DCs to mitigate it. There were MANY variables that may have contributed to the stiffness for me, so ymmv. I need try again to see if it was my process or if it's the product that caused it.
As for shine, they both work well. I could tell the difference in shine, luster, and overall smoothness of my hair. A few people mentioned my hair looked shiny both times I used it, so it seemed to be a noticeable shine.
