Fine hair advice

[cherrypiepie]

I have very fine hair, collar bone legnth. Someone once described it as baby hair. Last had highlights two years ago so they have grown out and look quite natural. So It's mid dark-brown with lighter ends .

I wash it everyday and dry it quickly. It's doesn't hold a blow dry or any style really. Kirby grips slide out There isn't really enough to braid. It's really flat and needs constant brushing as gets really tangled. My scalp is visable at the crown and parting.

So I'm bored and need a pep up!

I'm thinking balayage with natural roots? Cut to shoulder length? Buy a revlon one step? Olaplex? Alpecin?

I'm 40 and like to think fairly stylish! I do like the balyage pics. It can't have it curled all the time as a) I can't do it and b) it will be a tangled mess! I do like it longish as have had short hair nearly all my life so would like to avoid a severe cut.

Hopeful bump

I have fine hair and I get a good weave at a Caribbean Stylist, she braids four very tight cornrows across and stitches hair extension wefts to the rows. It's not as expensive as you would think if you googled hair extensions because I think small independent salons often don't have so much online presence, the one I go to relies on word of mouth and their FB page. I pay £20 per row each has two strips of extensions stitched to it and they last ages, I get at least a couple of months wear between appointments and good quality hair can be re stitched. I don't have hair lengthened just same length as my own hair to thicken.

No style advice as I'm utterly unstylish but I've recently started using L'Oreal Fibrology shampoo and conditioner for fine, thin hair and it does make my hair look thicker.

If you wanted to disguise the parts where your scalp is visible, I can highly recommend Toppik hair fibres (other brands are available!).

Have you tried dry shampoo spritz all over and at roots? Works well for my fine hair it gives it a boost. Also washing it everyday probably makes it very soft I know it does for me

Do not get braids as suggested above your hair will snap at the weight and you will get stuck in a cycle with them. They are designed for thick course hair that can hold the weight.

Root texture spray when damp
Dry shampoo it when it's clean at the root
Salt Spray to add texture on mix lengths
Remington big hair brush thing

Get your highlights done / a balayage. Hair dye/bleach thickens each hair strand by expanding and filling it with colour.

My hair is really fine & limp, tends to be greasy but definitely better if I don't wash it every day & usually sits better on day 2, then get a day extra with dry shampoo.

I'm experimenting with the curly girl method to get some wave for volume atm. Early days but ok. Need to find the right balance of products before deciding if it's worth pursuing. I get a haircut about twice a year, love the sound of a weave but too high maintenance. I highlighted my hair for years but back to natural now & love it

Watching with interest - OP, your hair sounds identical to mine, right down to the growing-out highlights and the visible scalp at the parting.

I'm with you OP! Watching with interest. I had nano ring extensions until yesterday. They gave me confidence like I've never had... but probably about to go into local lockdown so won't be able to maintain (I got them just as hairdressers reopened) and I can't afford to ruin the little hair I have left. I ha e genetically thin hair, visible scalp etc. I'm 30. I've spent today crying at my limp, thin, horrible hair. I'm not vain really. But i am self conscious. My DP says I look better without the extensions and whilst I'm happy that I don't look a bag of shite to him... I look in the mirror and I feel ugly ☹️

Would you mind posting a photo? There’s a spectrum of density with fine hair, you describe it as “very fine baby hair” so it makes me think that you have lost a significant amount of hair? Or it has broken off?

If you have lost a lot of hair, minoxidil is possibly hair loss product that can make a difference but it’s also expensive and only works for as long as you use it. I think extensions would be the better option.

If you have a decent amount of hair, try thickening hair products like living proof thickening cream. You should always get a blunt hair cut (no layers). It would probably be best to stay away from colour to avoid breakage.

Minoxidil is possibly the only product that makes a difference*

(As there has been studies on it, whereas other products are generally just anecdotal feedback)

Following...
Can anyone recommend a good root texture spray?
Mine is wash everyday or it looks greasy and shit left down. Sometimes looks greasy by the end of the day if it's been washed in the morning.
Was a bridesmaid once and the hairdresser doing all our hair advised us to wash it the day before so it "held the style better". How I laughed!! (Narrator: she washed it that morning)

My best advice is to treat it like silk. Have a very blunt cut. Don't heat style at all. Use sock buns etc to create heatless waves and body.
Dying can help add texture but be very wary of overdoing it as often fine hair just can't take it. My hair is dark so I use henna to thicken and add richness to the colour without damaging it at all.
It's tempting, but I'd actually say don't go down the extensions route. Reason being that when they are removed the difference will kill your confidence.
Use shampoos and conditioners that are free from silicone. They really weigh fine hair down.
When washing, wet hair, put conditioner the ends and don't rinse out, shampoo top of head and let the suds rinse down to the bottom to remove conditioner. Condition ends again. Fine hair is so fragile it's important to protect the ends as much as possible.
Sleep on a silk pillowcase. Don't tie the hair up too tightly.
Dry shampoo makes a massive difference to volume of the hair, but I save it for special occasions as it's important not to clog the scalp up or dry out the hair too much.

My hairdresser recommended Nioxin. I use level one but dependent on the fineness of your hair, you may be better looking at level two or three.

Even after my first wash, I felt like I had new hair. It was so much thicker and voluminous. I've not been using it long enough to say whether my hair is growing in thicker. But it definitely works aesthetically.

You can get a trial kit from Amazon for about £20, which is what I bought as I didn't want to spend a fortune before knowing it worked.

Some amazing ideas and advice and sorry to those who are in the hair nightmare boat with me. My hair just exists and is either up or down! I have just put it in the tiniest top knot ever in a baby scrunchie in the hope I will wake with rubenesque curls.

I'm pretty sure it would snap to have cornrows and a weave and I didn't think I would be able to maintain extension.

I will have a look at the products. I don't use conditioner just a shampoo at the moment or a 2 in 1. I get 20 hours out of a hair wash then it's hat time

I don't think it hair loss per se. Baby hair was a comment 20ish years ago but it just sounded so right! I will find a photo tomorrow and work our how to pixelate my face.

I'm torn on the colouring - yes will make it thicker but I have had bleach -highlights- in the past and has snapped but may be that was just too many highlights and too much flat iron curls.

Now, I'm thinking box dye to thicken it up?

@sakuramiyagi I have ordered the starter kit thanks!

Don't use straighteners on fine hair.

Pre curly girl where I'm using mousse etc I only used slaw free shampoo & that helped a lot. My fine hair is also greatly improved by a good diet. Even a multivitamin may help.

Sls free

I've tried loads, nothing much works. Fell for a Sali Hughes recommendation last week, and of course it didn't work!
Will I ever learn?

I find if I wash it less often, the texture is better. And using this:
www.superdrug.com/Hair/Hair-Styling/Hair-Styling-Spray/Jerome-Russell-Bstyled-Volumising-Spray/p/789812

I find some shampoo bars rather than ordinary shampoo work well - currently using olive oil soap! It doesn’t leave your hair as lifeless. You need a decent conditioner though or it goes staticky.

@peoplearepeople... agree with all you say, there. Excellent advice.

Thanks everyone! I have decided on the following Plan of Action

1. The nioxin
2. Revlon blow dryer thing
3. Get colour consult see if they can do a natural root balayage not using too much harsh bleach and not have it cut short (so I can have a plan be if it damages it)
4. Buy a texturising salt spray
5. Buy a silk pillowcase.
6. Hair nail skin supplement if ok with ttc.

I can't leave it longer between washes it - like pp I got up at 5 am on my wedding day to wash hair. It would literally be dripping in grease.

I will try a shampoo bar and if anyone can recommend any silicone and sls free shampoo that would be awesome 😎

I hope the revlon thing doesn't end up with the heated rollers (too heavy)
The wand ( annoying) and the hot styler (rubbish).

Looking for recommendations for a silk pillow case too.

I can't post a decent pic at outing sorry - I should have change user name then I could have.

Definitely recommend the green people aloe shampoo and conditioner for a silicone and sls free option for fine hair. I’ve used it for years (and occasionally deviate but always come back)

Honestly give the dry shampoo a bash too, it would combat the grease problem and give your hair texture and volume

@cosmo30 I do use Bastiste but I have dark hair its really obvious and the coloured one you can see on my scalp. I tend to use them in the evening for a pep up rather than get a whole other day from them.