Help with flat limp hair

[pancakechops]

I've always had fine, flat hair but I've put a bit of weight on recently and in photos I can't get over how bad my hair looks now. Maybe because when I was slimmer I could carry it off but now my face is a bit rounder my hair looks even flatter if that makes sense.

Anyway I'm working on losing weight but that's another story.

How can I style this awful hair? Because it's fine it gets greasy very easily and I end up washing it every day. Then I straighten it because I don't know what else to do with it and when it's freshly dried it's frizzy and an odd shape. But I hate it straight too because the ends look frazzled and it's even flatter.

I am so envious of people with lovely long thick hair. I've always longed for that. Mine just feels so lank and lacking in style. I had it cut into a bob a few years ago but ended up hating that too. When I put it in a bun I look like miss trunchbull. Help!

In terms of the grease, I find that applying dry shampoo to clean hair (rather than waiting until it gets dirty!) really helps - it sort of absorbs the grease as it's produced I think. It also makes the hair appear more voluminous at the root.

Curls are generally better for creating the illusion of volume. Have you ever tried a heatless curler? They can be difficult to get the hang of but I find the curls turn out really nice when I leave it in damp hair overnight!

You say the ends are frizzy so I don't know how you feel about heat tools.. but again for voluminous curls/blowdry type look I always use large rollers after curling it - so curl, sort of catch the curl in your hand until it cools, stick the roller in.

Also blunt cuts always make the hair appear thicker

I haven't tried these but am constantly bombarded with ColorWow products on Insta. https://uk.colorwowhair.com/products/style-on-steroids-texture-spray
https://uk.colorwowhair.com/products/flat-hair-volumizer-extra-large

Oh also clarifying shampoo - if you have hair that gets greasy easily, it might be beneficial to give that a try maybe once every couple of weeks

Do you blow dry or air dry after shampooing ? Always blow dry, at the very least the roots.

only condition the ends

Clarifying shampoo every third wash, dry shampoo before it gets greasy, apply at night, don't brush out, leave it in overnight, volumising powder along the parting, apply and turn head upside down to rub in. After washing always finish drying with a hair dryer, I brush it against the direction it's styled in, looks odd but it's before bed so it doesn't matter. Sometimes I gather it into a ponytail perched like a unicorns horn on top of my head and sleep like that, a bit of dry shampoo in the morning and it calms down but has volume. Also using those curly shaped hair ties while twisting my damp hair into a loose bun gives me wavy hair in the morning. O used to use heated curlers but they were to much hassle for me. Best of luck. It's a constant battle.

This is the easiest styling tool ever and will make your hair much more voluminous.

https://www.superdrug.com/electricals/hair-stylers/curling-wands/mermade-hair-double-waver-pink-dreamy-medium-sized-waves/p/838035

How much conditioner do you use? If you're washing your hair every day, your hair might be absorbing too much conditioner which then weighs it down. I have fine hair too and have to really watch the conditioner, or it ends up plastered to my scalp!

Have you considered curling rather than straightening? It might give your hair a bit more volume and texture.

https://www.beautycos.co.uk/schwarzkopf-osis-dust-it-mattifying-powder-4382

Haven’t tried it myself but Caitlin Moran mentioned it as the basis of her bouffant in The Times a few days ago.

Try the Curly Girl Method on your flat hair, it may give it a bit of body.

Can you just style it with a round brush and hairdryer rather than straightening? We have similar hair and it’s hard work isn’t it. The V05 dry backcomb spray is amazing (I don’t backcomb but spray onto my roots) has been a game changer but sadly discontinued. Looking for an alternative. I’ve got a short blunt bob and that’s helped too.

Condition your hair first, leave in while you shower, then shampoo. My hair is very fine now but it's not greasy anymore since I started washing it this way in my early 30s.
Dry shampoo has also helped with appearing thicker. Try not to wash my hair more than twice a week and use a vitamin E spray in the summer to help keep cool.

Dye it. Your hair sounds exactly like mine was. I tried everything, it just always looked lank and greasy. When I started going grey I started dying it and it looks so much better since then. I've been dying it for about 15 years now so perhaps there are new products that have come out since then that are worth a try first, but as a last resort dying it does work. Obviously it damages the hair, but I'd rather have damaged hair that looks nice than perfect condition hair that looks awful.

I have very fine hair although mine isn’t dead straight naturally.

I also find that colouring it adds thickness (and depth, if you have highlights).

I wash mine every morning but only condition the ends a couple of times a week. If I’m going out socially, I’ll shampoo it twice and not condition it which gives me the most volume.

I use TIGI Bedbead “queen for a day” thickening spray. It’s the only one I’ve found that works for me. Spritz the roots before blow drying (I even use it and leave it on days I’m at home and not blow drying my hair, stops it being so fly away). I use a rounded brush to life the roots when I blow dry.

I find a slightly layered cut that falls just below the jaw is most flattering to my chubby chops. If it gets much longer it drags my face down and is harder to keep looking in good condition. I never straighten it, it looks too harsh on me.

Another vote for using a dry shampoo, Batiste do quite a range now and having tried others, I still go back to Batiste.
Got2Be styling powder at the roots also works for me (from Boots, think it’s a Schwarzkopf brand), and avoid shampoos with silicones.
I’m currently using some from the Highland Soap Company which I found on holiday. It’s lovely.

Batiste volume spray works for me. And massage your scalp in the morning, and periodically throughout the day.

I only use conditioner on the ends but maybe even that is too much. I never thought of using dry shampoo before bed, will definitely give that a go. I am overdue a good cut and colour but within weeks of an expensive haircut it looks the same again. I would love to have low maintenance but luscious long hair.