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I have very fine, very straight hair and hair care has been a total nightmare. I am sure those with frizzy, thick hair will always want the straight hair but with the amount of styling products and tools on the market today, frizzy and thick is definitely the way to go over straight and fine any day. Although thick and straight or loosely curled is the best.
Here are the dos and donts of hair if you have very fine hair like mine.
Do not curl your hair every day
This was a trap I used to fall in, to make up for really straight hair which almost looked flat, I thought the answer was to add curls, but the amount of damage curling does is unbelievable. Looking after your hair and letting them grow without any products is much better for the hair.
Do not spend on overly expensive curling iron and straighteners
What was even worse than curling every day was that I was won over by the high heat marketing that came with ghd’s and other expensive curling irons and straighteners, only to learn my straight and fine hair do not need that much heat to curl.
An inexpensive option like Remington curling iron was just as effective and much better for my hair for frequent use.
A word of caution, if ever you decide to get your hair professionally done you will find the hairdresser does not care much about the amount of heat they use and the back combing. Of course they have high heat professional equipments but the damage they will do from the constant pulling will last longer for you so politely ask them to reduce the heat and go easy on the backcombing.
Blow dry on low heat
With fine hair, you probably don’t need to blow dry at all but if you must then use low heat. It will take you slightly longer to dry them but it will be worth it once you start noticing the difference and how much thicker your hair feels.
Also sometimes heat settings are pre-set and are either too hot or too cold, try to get a hair dryer which gives you a greater number of heat settings if possible but don't worry about the power. Many will charge more for Watts ie 2400W would be more expensive than 1875W but in my experience you really don't need anything too powerful as your hair will likely dry quickly anyway. Something functional like Remington Impact Resistant Hair Dryer is just as good.
Also when blow drying, turn your head upside down and as tempting as it may be to go for a professional blow dry at the hairdresser, try to avoid it. Excessive blowdrying will only damage your hair.
Always use a detangling brush and spray
No matter how hard I try to wash my hair in a way that they don’t get tangled, they always do and it’s because they are so fine. Many would tell you to skip washing and use dry shampoo instead but that is a terrible idea. Fine hair gets greasy quickly and attracts a lot of dirt. Dry shampoo leaves a white residue on the hair especially since many have talc. In addition they probably come with all types of chemicals which are bad for your hair.
Instead its better for you to wash your hair and make sure you use a detangling brush and spray to avoid breaking your hair and thinning them even further.
Detangling brush
There are many different types of detangling brush on the market and I have tried many but the best by far is the Tangle Teezer The Original. It fits in the palm of your hands perfectly and can be used on wet and dry hair.
I normally use it on semi dry hair with a detangling spray. You will find Tangle Teezer also do brushes for other hair types like thick and curly but the original is the best for fine hair.
Detangling spray
Given how important a detangling spray is I am surprised it isn't more commonly used. For some reason they also seem to be marketed for children instead of adults but they are absolutely wonderful.
Look for one which doesn't leave a heavy residue or make your hair greasy. With fine hair this is often a problem and over conditioning can give you issues with making them greasy too. So you need the right balance. The Original Sprout Miracle Detangler for Kids works well (yes you can use it on adult hair).
Do not use bleach or dye
Let’s face it, when your hair is that fine there isn’t much you can do it. Layers will thin them out even more. The best thing is to have a simple straight cut. However this makes going to the hairdresser boring especially since they charge the same regardless of whether your hair is fine or not so it is tempting to get it coloured instead and you may well be tempted to bleach. Try to avoid it if you can and if you are going to do it then make sure you look after your hair even more.
Use oil on your hair
Add some oil like castor oil, because your hair have also been dried out slightly for the dye, it can handle a tiny bit of grease but avoid making the roots look greasy.
You can get castor oils which can not only be used on the hair but easily applied to hair and eyelashes to thicken them too.
Other oil types work too like mixing rosemary oil with almond and applying it to your hair.
Conclusion
With fine hair you have to look after your hair more than other hair types. Simplicity is the best for this hair type. A simple hair cut, no dying, no products, allowing it to dry naturally. Then when you have a special occasion you can style it if you absolutely must but I am sure you look beautiful with your straight hair as they are.
