Not all foggy headlights are the same problem. If the haze is inside the lens rather than on the surface, it's condensation from a seal issue — not oxidation — and no restoration wipe will fix it. Here's how to tell the two apart before you buy anything.

If your headlights look glassy and clear right after a wash but turn hazy again the moment they dry, that's not your imagination — it's an early, easy-to-miss sign of oxidation. Here's why it happens and what to do about it before it gets worse.