Anyone else have very fine, flat, flyaway beyond shoulder length hair? How do you 'do' it?

[asecretlemonadedrinker]

I hate my hair. There is no style I can have that 'takes'. I get layers cut in, hoping to look all bouncy and swish but it hangs flat, all chopped different lengths. I have every gadget going - the babyliss roller brush things does nothing, just makes it straighter and flatter. A ponytail looks severe because even 'loose', it looks very tight and slick - not in a good way. Down looks scraggly. I have just dyed it dark after stupidly using 'sun in' and it looks worse - I imagined dark locked Katy Perry, it's now more Severus Snape :(

What do you do with your hair that makes it looked groomed? I hate being so scruffy :(

I too have fine, flat flyaway vile hair and the best style for me is a short angled bob with a side fringe. I think a good cut is the answer and is better than having a daily fight with hair products and gadgets. With my hair if the cut is good I just have to give a quick blast with the hair dryer and coax the hair under with a round brush. But if its raining or windy I'm knackered because it starts to look like a swimming hat!:)

I have a bob, full fringe and long layers. Oh and my hair is dark which makes it look glossier and fuller I think. I wash it every day, blast it off and GHD it under at the ends to give it some shape.

I find ponytails on my hair look a bit naff - jealous of people with thicker hair who can do the whole cool messy ponytail thing.

Should have said - short hair is not an option. I had a bob + fringe forced upon me for years and years, until about 14 and I could chose tog row it! It's only reached bra strap 10 years on though :( I really don't suit short, and I hate it in my face.

A really good cut is the only answer & if you don't already have a hairdresser you trust then go on recommendation.I moved into another area & have finally found someone to cut it by asking several people with good cuts who cut it.The cut is key.

Also look at the shampoo/conditioner/styling products you use because if you have fine,flyaway hair like mine then you have to be careful what you use on it.

Good luck & let us know how you get on

I have just had a trim - I will try a new hairdresser I think - have tried loads and come out the same. I don't want to go the extentions route because it looks tacky on me

When I curl mine, it goes flat within an hour. How do your end of hair curls stay? I've tried everything.

I have v fine, flat hair and recently have found that using ghd's to curl and then softly brush through leaves it with lots of body that seems to last for most of the day - I find this works especially well when I don't get a chance to wash it on day 2!

Getting the right shampoo/conditioner also makes a real difference - I've started using the new-ish Pantene Aqua one which seems to lift it - also the elvive light pink one is good.

Once my hair gets to shoulder length, it looks scraggly and very thin. I get mine cut to about chin length and it immediately looks thicker.

I recently had a really good cut by a hairdresser who had similar type hair to me, she "textured" it at the back and it looks a whole lot thicker.

I also use straighteners to curl it under.

If it is very thin and fine you really do need to think about the length. Hair "breaks" once it hits your shoulders and can look straggly, so why not have it cut so it is above your shoulders but below your jawline?
I know you want a style to flatter your face but it is a mistake to not work with the texture of your hair.

I have fine hair but also lots of it. I wear mine just touching the shoulders but with long layers cut in and he also texturizes it, so that the underneath layers are shorter to help give some volume.

You might also like to think about what suits you- sometimes it's easy to get into a mind set and restrict yourself with length etc.

Redken volumising mousse
Hedgehog large ish ceramic round brush to soften and shape ends.
Incredibly decent haircut! Dont let them use straighteners as part of cutting routine as they are hiding mistakes
Are you near London? I really recommend headmasters chain. They do £25 cut standby all day tues.
Agree over length go just above shoulders.

I am near London - west London but am very willing to travel to a decent hairdressers!

Last trim was done after straightners - that was just a quickly cheapy - MIL was having hers done by a mobile hairdresser and I asked for a quick trim. Length is non negotiable, I cannot have it short - I'd honestly rather wear a wig. I might look into extensions - not like K.Price, just a few to add volume and some length to the thin bits. Does all fine hair break when it reaches shoulders? THat explains why I can't get it much beyond that, despite 10 + years of trying to grow down my back!

why are you so hung up with having it long?
How old are you?

You see, once hair gets past your jawline, the "slimming effect" or whatever is the same whether it's above your shoulders or down to your waist.

I think you are making a basic mistake trying to have a long style when your hair is not the right texture for that.
Sorry!

I dread to think what I've spent on volumising products over the years! My hair is shoulder length now, trying to grow out the bob which I loved but I fancy long hair again. The best one I've found is the nicky clarke spray in the grey bottle (about £5 in boots but quite often for sale in poundland for some reason).

If I am going out I use something like umberto giannini backcomb in a bottle underneath through the roots which is like a texturising spray, and some actual backcombing but this only works if you like the slightly messy look. Dry shampoo on the roots gives a bit of texture too. I love my heavy blunt fringe but it definitley 'takes away' some of my hair fron the sides.

Blowdrying underneath while lifting the roots does work but I don't have time to blowdry it properly most days, babyliss big hair for me just gives a smoother look and I barely have to straighten it. I have found that curls will stay if I do them with straighteners on dirty (washed day before hair) and use hairspray, they will last about 12 hours.

Annoyingling my hair puffs up as soon as there is a hint of moisture in the air but not in a good way

I am 25. In all honesty, I hate hate hate short hair. I think it look unfemanine on me. I mean, some women looks so beautiful with short hair - I just don't. I like being able to plait/tie back/style when I do manage to style it! I need it to go into a bun and hairnet for horse riding... there are a million reasons.

I have hair like that and I curl it with bog-standard curling tongs and then use environment-destroying quantities of Elnett (and it MUST be Elnett, no other hairspray comes anywhere near) to hold them. It doesn't necessarily stay curly all day but it does give it some volume/life. No hairspray = flat hair 20 minutes later.

have you ever thought about extensions ? my dd has some and they are fab, just clip in under your actual hair and it will give you the volume your looking for I think, also if you buy decent ones they can be washed and styled the same as real hair iykwim, dd curls, straightens her extensions all the time, you wash and condition them when needed.

I have hair just like yours. Wear shoulder length with a few layers and full fringe. I was told highlights give impression of more depth/texture & think it certainly stops mine from being the most drab brown.

Best products for me are Aussie Aussome Volume shampoo which is in most supermarkets & KMS add volume blow dry lotion (though it's actually a green gel & I only use blob size of £1 coin).

But hair that is somewhere between your jaw line and your shoulders isn't short!

I don't se what is nice about having long hair if it's looking like rats' tails- surely it's better to have a cut that suits your hair so the hair looks nice?

Have it just long enough to sit on your shoulders. Colour it the chemicals swell the hair shaft slightly and make it much fuller. Don't get it overly layered that will only make it thin at the ends and hard to style.