Can we have a thread for those cursed with thin, fine, straight hair?

[QuimReaper]

My hair is honestly the bane of my life, and I've really lost my way with it.

I thought I'd cracked it a few years ago when I discovered heated rollers which gave it volume and shape but the shine's really worn off. It was great for a while but they absolutely wrecked my hair and now even though I've massively scaled back my usage, I have little broken bits of hair about a centimetre long all over the top of my head which looks horrific. They only lie flat if I air-dry my hair, blowdrying just makes them stand up in a halo.

Velcro rollers are good too, but they have to go on soaking wet hair and stay on for hours to work, and even then a stiff breeze takes care of all their hard work, so I can only use them when I have all day to sit around in rollers and only need to get into and out of a taxi.

I can't seem to use any kind of styling or heat-protecting product without weighing down my hair so I've always just spritzed it with water to make the heated rollers hold a curl, but I think that was contributing to the heat damage; now though, with putting the rollers on dry hair and turning down the heat on the rollers, my hair just goes flat within a couple of hours.

IT IS SO FRUSTRATING!

I think I need to go back to basics. I know there are a few of you out there, has anyone cracked it? Any hints?

The first thing I want to know is, is there a dry-shampoo equivalent for clean hair to get a bit of texture and volume going on without making the hair dull and cloggy? My hair sometimes looks its best when dry shampooed the day after styling (not always though - sometimes it just looks like a strange wispy bird's nest) but I'm loath to use dry shampoo on clean hair, I've heard it's terrible for the scalp. I'm thinking about trying sea salt spray, any recommendations? I tried that powder stuff but couldn't get along with it.

Any tips gratefully received

I'm following this thread with interest as my dd8 has really fine thin hair that always looks a bit lanky. She has been using the elvive thickening shampoo and even she has noticed the difference. I feel so sorry for her as all she wants is long thick hair but it just takes so long to grow I don't think she will ever have bum length hair!! Are there any tests I should be getting at the dr? She was practically bald at 2 so shoulder length is amazing to be honest. X

Beautifully thanks, very interesting - I can see I'd get a much better quality curl from putting rollers in dry hair, it just never occurred to me that it'd work!

soaps does thin, fine hair run in the family? It does mine so it never occurred to me to seek a medical solution. I have a very weak genetic profile: grey-pale skin, hardly any hair, weak nails, crumbly teeth. It sucks

The only good thing about being a runt is that I am naturally comparatively slim

Quim, you could be related to me

I have mine cut short and bleach the crap out of it. Hairdresser tactfully describes this technique as 'adding texture'. I get quite a few compliments on my hair but the condition is appalling - it's probably not a good solution for everyone!

My hair is fine and pretty rubbish. So I dye it pink ombre and tie it up. Hey presto, loads of people tell me how nice my hair is. Nobody had ever complimented me on my hair before, now lots of people do.

Some years ago, I got a digital perm. It is not like those fluffy traditional perms, but I had lovely, bouncy curls with lots of volume. I had it done in Asia though and guess it was developed for coarse asian hair - was advertised that it will hold for months, but in reality I only got a few weeks before the curls dropped out. But could be worth checking it out.

Katharina Ooooh that sounds interesting! Did it wreck your hair though?

A bit, not massively so but it did look a bit 'meh' after the curls had dropped out. I'm tempted to try it somewhere in Europe though where they might have more experience with my kind of hair. Had them curled recently for a party and the jaw drop reactions from colleagues - 'wow..you look..wow!' tell me that I should do something with them more often

Another with fine, thin, straight hair. Very.

I get it cut into a pixie, I do think the cut's important, or maybe it's all in my mind.
Anyway I've tried most things and nothing works. When I see a 'magic' potion for thickening hair I laugh. (old cynic)

Another fine straight hair person though mine has a really annoying flick at the front on one side due to a cow lick in my hair line.

Def genetic - I got my dad's very fine hair while my lucky brother got mum's thick, wavy texture.

I keep my hair either in a bob between chin and shoulder length, never longer because my hair starts growing upwards when it hits my shoulders which I hate, or a short layered style. It's been short and layered for about 18 months now. I've tried curling it in the past and the curls just drop out within an hour at the most no matter what I do.

The only good thing about my hair is it's really shiny and soft.

Very fine blonde hair here, also with a cow's lick. Cut is definitely the most important; I've got a jaw-length bob.

I wash it daily using John Freida blonde shampoo & conditioner (only on the ends). I use the blonde mousse too, and hang my head upside down using a Parlux hairdryer & style with a ceramic large roller brush. Then I finish with Pantene hairspray. It really helps to hold the style in place.

Gosh, I sound unhinged writing this 😂

Same problem here - tried and created every roller, curler and volumising potion I could lay my hands on. I resorted to hair extensions and have in the last couple of years found some (and a hairdresser) which claim not to damage the hair and to encourage growth underneath. My hairdresser regularly takes them all out and photographs the back of my head to illustrate that my hair is longer and (she says) thicker. Unlike my previous hairdresser, she aims to wean me down from them ...,

Tested not created!

Me too. I have static thin hair, my hairdresser is a friend and she says 'are you needing a hair pluck?' When I ring up

My hair needs washing every day but it also needs a lot of moisture as it's greasy at the top and dry at the ends.

Anyone got a baby kiss hair curler thingy???

Avoid choppy layers, the kind that are cut on an angle esp. around your face. They just reduce the bulk of your hair even more.
The green bottle Elvive shampoo is good, it has a cumulative effect the more you use it.
Mousse is best for ultra fine hair as it has no weight, use just a very little of one for volumising.
Have highlights (preferably bleached) or dye your hair all over to damage it slightly = more body.
I spray mine very lightly with a dry shampoo for extra volume on the second day, I lift up the top layer and just spray a teeny bit underneath, then you don't get the dulling effect.

Totally feeling this is my tribe. Right beautifully have ordered those rollers so now I need an idiots guide as to how to use them.

There's a kids' program on cbbc called So Awkward - the actress who plays the headmistress has very fine hair but it looks good because of the stylish cut. (Sorry, can't do links).

Maxwell you mean the Babyliss Curl Secret? I have it and it works really well, easy to use. I don't want to use it too often though, because it's still heat and damages hair I'm sure

For second day refresh, this is really good and does not make your hair matte like dry shampoo alternahaircare.myshopify.com/collections/bamboo-collection/products/uplifting-hair-spray-6-oz?variant=21238535105

I have extensions. They're hideously expensive, though. I need a better, cheaper solution. At least a wig would last longer but I just can't bear the thought of one.

Is the no shampoo but conditioner every day thing viable for greasy hair?

I also have very fine, poker straight hair. I have wasted a fortune on every type of styling 'gadget' over the years, but to no avail - all body drops out after 30 mins.

I currently have it highlighted (adds a bit of body) and cut to my shoulders, after washing I use leave in conditioner and a heat protection spray (GHD) before blow drying my hair upside down, and then just before I leave the house I dab my fingers lightly in hair wax and use it to banish the short spiky bits on top from damage / new hair growth.

It never looks fantastic, but it looks 'okay'

For those affected by static, try bumble and bumble prep spray. It knocks out static and detangles like a dream without adding any weight whatsoever. It's a brilliant product (and I don't rate any of the other b&b products so not pushing the range). I also find the aveda thickening spray and foam good. I always dry mine upside down, pulling the roots away from my head to give it some lift. Then a bit of the aveda style prep lotion just to settle it down. Still can only go 2 days without shampooing it though.

I hate my fine hair and have tried every product going but for the last year I've been wearing a clip in hair topper which has given me so much more confidence.

My hair is baby fine ,long and wavy . The first couple of days after washing it's horrible and feels brittle but by day three I am happy with it starts to feel like it's got more body and looks healthier and thicker ,so what I have been doing it is to leave it as long as possible without washing. Day nine without a wash is still better than day one ! I alternate between the L'oreal thickening shampoo and others and use hair oils like Moroccan hair oil . Also use dry shampoo if necessary close to washing again .