Over the last few weeks my Twitter followers and Facebook friends have been asking me loads of hair related questions. Particularly tips and tricks on how to style very fine, limp hair. I myself have very fine hair and to be honest it's the bane of my life. As a hairstylist I have the wonderful opportunity of getting to style all different hair types every day and I must say I am constantly living in a state of hair lust. I would love to have a ginormous head of flowing curls, who wouldn't? I wouldn't even mind the accompanying frizz. When I say this to my clients they look at me horrified and try to reason with me that I have the silkiest, glossiest locks ever. If they called back a couple of hours later they would see me trying to imitate a greasy monkey (a look that I am only too familiar with)! I guess as women we all want what we can't have.
I've decided to make a list of tips and tricks that I use myself that may help all you ladies out there beat that limp feeling. These tips have been tested on my own clients and they have come back telling me about how much these small changes in their hair routine have really helped.
GET A GOOD HAIR CUT!
Sick of your hair feeling wispy? Hate looking at your rat tail ends? When a new client first sits down for a consultation and complains that her hair feels very wispy I can guarantee you that in the majority of cases the client has a bad hair cut. Different hair types need different hair cuts. Fine hair needs to be cut blunt so that the hairstyle has a bulkier look with more definition. Trust me when I tell you this, a good haircut will change your life!
Heavily layered looks should be left to thicker hair types. A cut with longer layers on a long hairstyle is a much better look. You can still create great shape by having shorter layers around the face or even getting a choppy fringe to completely change your look. On shorter hairstyles the opposite may apply depending on the style. Shorter layers create great texture and tend to be easier to manage and style.
Although an appropriate haircut won't actually physically thicken your hair, it will give it a more shapely appearance and make it so much easier to style. So the most important tip I can give anyone who has difficulty with this hair type is to find a good, professional stylist who has experience with fine hair.
BACK TO BASICS
I always tell my clients that everything starts at the wash basin. What you wash your hair with and how you do it is essential to you getting that extra day out of a hairstyle. If you have fine hair you are most definitely going to suffer from oiliness as well. This is cause by your sebaceous glands producing more oil. This natural body oil is also known as sebum. If you feel that you are really producing an excessive amount of oil more than what should be normal it may be worth a visit to your doctor as this may be a sign of a hormonal issue. However while you can't actually stop oil production all together there are so many ways that you can prep your hair to stop producing so much.
Don't use very hot water. This can dehydrate your hair and scalp which makes your sebaceous gland produce more oil thus making your hair greasier quicker.
When shampooing never scrub too hard. The really is no need to scrub like a mad woman. Your hair will be just as clean if you massage your shampoo in. You really only need to shampoo your hair once with a clarifying shampoo. This type of shampoo helps lift oil and dirt from the hair and scalp but not in a harsh abrasive way. My absolute favourite shampoo is Paul Mitchell Shampoo 2. It has definitely given me that extra day out if my blowdry since I started using it. Only condition your ends with a lightweight conditioner and on short hair I would advice you may only need to condition every second wash.
My best washing tip ever is to finish with a cold rinse. It totally seals everything and creates the best shine ever. I couldn't bear to turn the water down to cold so I throw my head over the side of the bath when I get out of the shower. You have to try this because it totally works for all hair types!
PRODUCTS, PRODUCTS, PRODUCTS
Nobody has good hair without styling products. This I absolutely swear to you. The next time you see someone with fabulous hair ask them what they use on their hair as I guarantee you that they definitely use styling products to achieve beautiful hair.
Finding the right products for fine hair can be quite tricky as you don't want to weigh down your hair. I've made a list of my all time favourite products. Some are salon brand and some can be bought in your local supermarket or chemist. I've spent years going through so many products only to be disappointed by many so these really are the best of what's out there.
Paul Mitchell Super Strength Liquid Treatment - This is a powerful leave-in remedy to reinforce and repair weakened, distressed hair, effectively strengthening and restoring hair. It revives fine, weak or chemically treated hair with marine extracts and vegetable proteins which replenish every strand while special silicones help protect the surface, leaving the cuticle smooth and healthy looking. It is also combined with UV protection to help replace lost minerals and proteins and seal split ends. This is a must if you are trying to grow your hair. It's extremely lightweight and does not cause oiliness. This product is exclusive to hair salons including Kopper Hair Cork.
Revlon Equave Two Phase - This product is amazing on fine hair that is damaged from over processing such as highlighting, straightening etc. It's lightweight and does not make hair oily. Revlon Equave is the perfect conditioner for dry hair that needs hydrating. Its to be applied on towel-dried hair and left in, this two-phase hydro nutritive conditioner contains Grape and Green Tea extracts. The blue phase nourises, moisturises and revitalises while the white phase detangles, beautifies and protects hair. This is available from selected hair salons.
Alfaparf Semi Di Lino Illuminating Strong Hold Mousse - I have spent years searching for the perfect mousse. I have finally found this beauty and I love it. This microcrystalline molding mousse adds texture and natural movement to straight hair or defines curls without stiffness or excessive build-up on curly hair. Its conditioning too so you don't get that crispy feeling. My best trick for using this product is the 'Double Mousse Trick'. Apply a good amount of the product to towel dried hair and start drying the product in. When the heavy wetness has been dried out of the hair apply more mousse. The reason for this is because when you first apply the mousse you are diluting the products strength with the water from your hair. Applying the second time makes the product stronger and gives the hair better memory to hold the style you blowdry into your hair. You can't do this trick with every mousse as most aren't as lightweight as this one so be careful or you will end up with sticky hair! This is available from selected hair salons and Kopper Hair Cork.
L'Oreal Elnett Hairspray (black label) - Most of you probably already use this as its a firm favourite with hairstylists and non-hairstylists alike. I have gone through most of the range and the black label version is by far the best as its a dry spray and there is absolutely no stickiness at all. It's the best hairspray I've ever used when wearing hair down as I'm allergic to the crispy hair look that you can get from other hair sprays. This is available from Boots and major supermarkets.
Batiste XXL Dry Shampoo - This is AMAZING! Like truly amazing. I couldn't live without this product. Not only does it absorb any oiliness like the ordinary batiste dry shampoos but this has the added benefit of adding huge volume to limp hair. I use this product all the time in the salon when creating bouncy curls or when upstyling hair. Just spray into the hair (not too close) and rub or brush it in very well. Don't worry if your hair looks a bit chalky or white as it takes up to 15 minutes for the product to absorb. This is a must, you need this product! This is available in Boots and major supermarkets.
I hope that these tips can improve your daily hair routine for the better so give them a go and let me know how you get on. If you have any questions please feel free to ask! X
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