Headlight Magic™
A yellowed headlight is not dirty and it is not scratched. The lens is polycarbonate with a factory UV coating on the outside, and once that coating breaks down, the plastic underneath starts to oxidize. The haze you see is the surface of the lens itself wearing off.
This matters because it informs what needs to be fixed. Cleaning won’t do anything. Polishing takes the oxidized layer down but leaves bare plastic exposed, so it just comes back. Headlight Magic™ is GT Tools®' answer: a lens restorer that clears the oxidation, followed by a UV protective coating that replaces the lost factory coating.
Restoration, Not Sanding and Buffing
Most headlight work is abrasive. You step down through grits, polish the lens back to clarity, and hope the result holds. It is slow, it needs a machine, and the finish depends heavily on who is doing the work.
Headlight Magic™ works chemically instead. The lens restorer is sprayed on and worked in with a prep sponge, which means the result is far less dependent on technique and it does not need a polisher. For heavily degraded lenses the DIY kit includes a fine grit foam pad for a light cut first, but the system is built around the restorer doing the work.
The practical difference is throughput. A detailer or a glass shop adding headlights as an add-on service benefits from a process that a new technician can run on their second day.
One Set or Eighty
The range comes down to volume, and there are only three things to choose between:
The Headlight Magic™ DIY Kit does one set. It holds 1 oz of lens restorer, 1 oz of Stay Clear UV coating, a mist nozzle, prep sponge, fine grit foam pad, applicator wipes and spout caps. Nothing else is needed. It works on headlights, fog lights and tail lights.
The Headlight Magic™ Pro Kit is rated for up to 80 sets. It carries 16 oz of lens restorer, 16 oz of Stay Clear UV coating, spray nozzles, UV spout caps, isopropyl alcohol and eight lens prep sponges. The technician supplies gloves, water and shop towels, and nothing else.
The Stay Clear UV Plastic Protectant is the coating on its own, four 4 oz bottles with spout nozzles. Shops get through protectant faster than restorer, because the coating goes on every lens and also suits plastic trim that is sound but exposed. This is the restock item.
The UV Coating Is the Step People Skip
It is also the step that decides whether the job holds up.
A restored lens with no protective coating is bare polycarbonate facing the sun, with less protection than it had before you started. It will haze again, and sooner than the factory finish did. Shops that skip the coating to save a few minutes are the ones fielding calls from unhappy customers.
It’s extremely important to apply the UV coating only after the surface is restored. The protectant is not a restorer and will seal in whatever haze is left underneath.
Shop Headlight and Plastic Restoration
How does a full restoration system compare with a bottle of polish? See professional headlight restoration vs. standard polish.
Working at volume, or on lenses too far gone for a chemical restorer alone? See headlight repair equipment and supplies for the sanding and polishing route, with pads and discs and restoration accessories to go with it. Doing one car? DIY headlight restoration is sized for a single job.
The full range, glass and plastic, is in glass and plastic restoration.
Our Products are Designed, Engineered, Forged, Machined, Assembled, and Shipped with pride in Durango, Colorado, USA.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Headlight Magic™ need sanding?
Not as the main step. The lens restorer removes oxidation chemically rather than abrasively, which is the point of the system. The DIY kit includes a fine grit foam pad for lenses that need a light cut first, but most lenses do not get sanded at all.
How many headlights will the Pro Kit do?
Up to 80 sets. That is GT's own rating for the 16 oz bottles, and it is the number that decides which kit you want: one car is the DIY kit, a service line is the Pro kit.
Will it work on fog lights and tail lights?
Yes. The system is made for polycarbonate and plastic automotive lenses, which covers headlights, fog lights and tail lights. It is not for glass, and it is not for interior parts.
How long does a restoration last?
It depends almost entirely on whether the UV coating went on. A lens restored and left bare can start hazing within months, because the restoration removed what was left of the factory protection. A lens finished with Stay Clear holds up substantially longer, and reapplying the protectant periodically extends it further.
Can I use the protectant on its own?
Only on a surface that is already clear. Stay Clear is a protective coating, not a restorer, so applying it over a hazed lens seals the haze in. On plastic trim that is sound but sun-exposed, applying it on its own is exactly right, and it is the cheapest way to avoid needing a restoration later.
What does a technician need to supply?
For the Pro Kit, gloves, water and shop towels. The DIY kit needs nothing beyond what is in the box. Work in a ventilated area and keep the product off skin and eyes.
