7 Things Every Fine Hair Gal Needs To Know

Because if you’re reading this, you’re probably one of the many, many women in this country who laments the fact that your hair is on the too-skinny side. In the big scheme of things, fine hair is more of a nuisance than a catastrophe. But try telling someone who spends hours trying to create lush, massive beach waves, only to see them go limp an hour later. Or whose ponytails needs 10 revolutions of the hair tie to keep it secure. Or how about those hot, humid days when “deflate-gate” has nothing to do with football, but rather with the reaction of your hairstyle to the soggy air? Well stop despairing. Fine hair can look fuller with these seven strategies!

Shampoo Wisely

The first step when choosing a shampoo is to determine if your fine hair is oily or dry. Then pick the right shampoo for your hair type. A shampoo for fine, oily hair will gently remove excess oil and lightly moisturize without weighing down your fine hair.  If you have oily hair, you will likely need to shampoo every day; if your hair is dryer, you can shampoo less frequently or try a dry shampoo to absorb excess oil, dirt and odor, they also can help to volumize fine hair texture.

Second day hair is a boon for fine hair in the sense that it can help beef up your texture. But if your hair is fine and oily, it’s not always the best idea. Enter cleansing conditioners. These gentle, low-sudsing formulas cleanse gently without stripping your hair, making them the ideal compromise between shampooing and skipping your shampoo entirely. There are even cleansing conditioner formulas made specifically for fine hair!

Rethink Your Conditioner

For years, the relationship between women with fine hair and conditioner has been complicated. You love the soft, silky feeling of conditioned hair, yet you run the risk of those conditioners causing your fine texture to lay flat or look greasy. So more often than not you skip it, even though your hair needs moisture. Now, though, there are new conditioners created just for fine hair, and they’re really radical. They’re so weightless you can even put them right on your scalp, and they leave hair shiny, smooth and soft without squashing delicate strands.  What’s more, these new products understand that there are many, many types of fine hair—including dry, frizzy and chemically treated—and there are formulas that specifically address each need.

Find a Hair Stylist Who Gets You

Haircuts for fine hair come down to two important factors: length and layers.  Regarding the former, pros know that really long, one-length hair will make fine hair look finer and flatter.  The weight simply drags your hair down and causes separation at your scalp. The best length for fine hair is a lob or swingy bob, which just happens to be today’s trendiest haircuts, so go for one of them! Hairstylists also recommend lightly layering the hair, which helps make the texture bouncier and more voluminous.  Layers should be placed inside the hair, not on the ends, which are best cut blunt, and not too close to the scalp, for maximum movement and volume.  For more hairspiration, check out which one of these cute and easy hair styles could be perfect for you.

Choose Hair Styling Boosters

If you have fine hair, hair styling products aren’t an option—they’re a must. They serve several important purposes. They physically heft-up fine hair by enveloping each strand. They contain holding ingredients that help your styles last. And they protect your hair from damage and breakage.  Among the hair styling products that count as a fine-haired girl’s best friends are:

1. Salt Spray —Salt-infused sprays help give fine hair the texture it needs for roughed up shapes and beachy waves.

2. Root Boosters —The benefit is in the name! These formulas pump up the volume at the roots, where you need it the most. Apply section be section across the top, then lift each section with a small comb as you blow dry.

3. Volumizing Spray —These formulas actually plump hair all along the hair shaft for a huge infusion of bouncy body.

4. Texturizing Spray – Targeted aerosols build texture into hair, and at the same time, they lock in your style without dragging it down.

5. Hair Mousse —Foams for fine hair are dry and lightweight enough to help produce airy texture.

Hang Back on the Heat

A little goes a long way when it comes to the temperature of your dryers and irons so dial down the heat. If your tools are too hot, you run the risk of scorching and breaking your fine hair, which will cause it to look even thinner! Your thick haired sisters need lots of heat to get through the thicket while drying, but lucky you! You can blow dry and be out the door in no time, even when your dryer is set to medium. 

When you do blow dry your hair, first apply your root booster and volumizing mousse and then grab a very large round brush. Start from the bottom and lift each section up from the root as you dry. Work up the sides, lifting and pulling the hair away from the root. On the top sections direct each side in the opposite direction of the finished style, still lifting up from the scalp. Then flip the hair back to the original side. For a real boost, once hair is dry, wrap a few top sections around large Velcro rollers while they’re still warm and let them cool around the rollers. Remove and fluff!

Try This Fine Hair Hack

Here’s a secret known by all of the hairstylists who work on photo shoots and at fashion shows to boost fine hair. They use mini crimping irons to place teeny tiny creases in the hair, right at the roots! You can’t see them, but they act like little support systems to hold the hair up. Here’s how you do it. Pull up the very top section of your hair and clip it away. Divide the hair just underneath into small, narrow sections. Mist the roots with a heat protectant spray that also provides some hold. Slide a mini-crimper into the section, right at the root, and press it down for three or four seconds. Slide it down and press again, just below the first crimp. Do it once or twice more, depending on the length of your hair. Work around your whole head like this. Once all your roots are crimped, use your fingers to ruffle and blend the creases. Then release the top section, which will hide the crimped texture, and finish your style.

Boost Your Hair with Hair Color

Modern hair color is a fine haired girl’s best friend. That’s because it actually surrounds and expands each hair so it appears thicker and fuller. A masterful hair stylist will also be able to use hair color to create an illusion of fullness. For example, if your hair is dark, she may suggest lightening it or placing lighter highlights to reduce the contrast between your hair and scalp. Or, you might opt for a dimensional coloring technique like balayage or color melting that will create a thicker overall look.