If you have naturally quite rubbish hair …..

[Ohmygoshposh]

Do you bother with it, and how does it make you feel?

I have pretty rubbish hair. Doesn’t grow long, thin, frizzy/curly, snaps easily, never looks healthy.

Over the years I’ve not bothered with it, I guess because it always looks a bit rubbish, it feels hopeless spending money on it so it continues to be crap, so it’s a vicious circle.

I’ve recently been feeling really low about how I look, had a baby, turned 40, lockdown happened……etc Feel like I’ve totally lost my way.

So I decided to make an effort and treat myself to a trip to the hairdresser

I had my first ever professional dye job (only ever done box dye before at home) and a restyle. Spent 4.5 hours in the salon and cost well over £100.

I just naively expected to emerge from the salon feeling a million dollars. But I was so disappointed with the new hair do, and wanted to cry. I tried not to show my dismay as I’m sure the hairdresser (who was lovely) had done her best - it’s not her fault my hair is just naturally crap.

Didn’t help that the lady next to me in the salon had amazing hair and left swishing her mane like Kate Middleton! That’s how I want to feel!

So if you have crap hair, how do you deal with it?! I guess I just need to accept what I’ve got, kind of in the same way someone whose always been a size 16 needs to stop hankering after being a size 8 and learn to dress for their body shape & feel good.

Not even sure why I’m posting, just gutted I spent 5 hours and over £100 on treating myself and came away feeling rubbish .

Aww sorry you’re feeling down about your hair. I’m sure there’s a style/colour that would suit you. Would you feel comfortable to post a picture of it? Then maybe you’ll get some good suggestions.

I have rubbish hair too OP. So thin and flat. I just put it up every day and forget about it. Struggle to believe anyone could make it look good

How old is your baby? My hair went to shit for months after I had both of my kids

My hair is like that too. Curly, fine, refusing to grow.I must admit that I have sort of given up with it, I wash it and trim the ends a bit, and that is it ! However I do feel like maybe having some colour might give it a bit more volume, I might do that perhaps.
When I was younger and thin I had it cropped, and that is the haircut I was most happy with. Not sure I can carry it off now I am older and fatter though.
So I am no help, as I feel the same. ( I actually feel embarrassed going into a salon, with all the swishy types having blow dries ).
But if you post a pic (edit your face out) then there may be someone who can give advice on style and colour.

I have rubbish hair. It always made me feel dream and frumpy. I'd i didn't bother with it just. £10 dry cut a local old dears salon.

But then I visited another fancier more mainstream salon and had a consultation with the top stylist (on whim as was there for a brow wax) and first she cut it then did a whole head colour and do some freehand bits. Then eventually she did a strand test to see if could withstand balayage. She did the balayage and it really is low mainentnentc so had it done a year of and like how it has grown out.

It feel better and not frumpy. Do I feel amazing - no. She said lots of the clients have hair extensions.

I also invested in a revlon one step and found mid priced shampoo (Kristen ess in boots) rather than Aldi value stuff. Hair oil is also a Miricle and I'd always avoided it - I got a travel size from hask in boots and it was so good to use on wet hair before blow drying

Good luck

Oh I also scored some Aldi fake olaplex. I like that so I'm going to invest in some proper olaplaex

I have genuinely considered a wig but am a bit scared of the idea

Another crap hair victim here too. It's always been fine and shite but lately it seems to have got even worse.

I've invested in some vitamins, some iron tablets, and purchased some redken shampoo and some olaplex. I'm not using any heat on it, and being reeeeally gentle when brushing/washing.

I also use Alpecin shampoo and I had a good 4 inches cut off (it's now just below my chin).

Hoping all of the above with added protein in my diet will make a difference in 6+ months or so.

If you are serious about doing something about it you need to be prepared to pay some fairly big bucks. Get yourself to a top hairdresser or even a Trichologist to see what they recommend. It will likely be that you need to tackle it over a number of visits.
My hair is awful naturally. Wavy/curly/straight/dry-all in one head of hair at various points.
About ten years ago I realised id made it worse by dying and having it thinned out and layers put through it. So I cut it all off to the shortest point and over two pain staking years grew it out all at the same length and with no die but regular conditioning treatments. It was not a good two years style wise for me! When it was a chin length Bob I had keratin straightening (or Brazilian blow dry) which made a huge difference. I take collagen and I avoid putting heat on my hair where possible. All of which has made a massive difference. It's by no means perfect-but it is much better than it's ever been. But it's effort to get there!

I paid £400 for extensions. Best decision ever.

I've got approx 4 hairs to my name- it is so fine its unreal. I've never dyed it as I don't think I could be bothered with the upkeep. I often wonder if the right cut would improve it but nothings really made any difference so far.....

Do you have fine hair? I don't think my hair would be able to withstand the weight of them so very jealous of you

Ha I really relate to looking round at others in the salon with amazing long hair. And also that no matter what they do, they can't literally work miracles. It's always my face looking back! I often have to wait a little for my hairdresser and see what's she's done on others. But over time I've had to accept that my hair needs to be kept pretty short, what works on others doesn't work on me. It really does help to find a genuinely talented hairdresser who knows how your hair kinks and your face shape. Mine isn't as good at colour, personally I think they are slightly different skills.

Id save your money and keep using the aldi one. Ive had the real Olaplex and it wasnt worth the money.

Mind is crap, thin, non descript. I make the most of it. Go to the hairdressers every six weeks have different cats have highlights and low lights very occasionally.

I'm Surprised at your attitude. Re not making the effort. why? at least make the most of what you've got. I've always been like that: I'm not very beautiful, I'm not very tall, I'm quite short but I've got great eyelashes so have them dyed. Great boobs. Hourglass figure. and I tried to dress nicely and I make the most of what I've got even though it's not that great. why are earth would you not do the same, naturally?

Go to a local hairdresser and build up trust. explain to them exactly how you live, your life, whether you're prepared to do any Styling, or any treatment, and if you're not tell them so. and say that you hate this bit, but what can they do? when you find someone that you trust they will tell you how to make the most of what you do have, however bad it is.

Ive got ultra fine hair and about 6 strands on my head

Ive had great lengths hair extensions for 10 years, give them a go, they changed my life!

My hair is thick but it's a frizzy mess that is naturally neither curly nor straight. I was addicted to my GHDs for years but obviously the heat wasn't great.

DH bought me a Air-wrap and it's made so much difference to the condition of my hair, it looks super healthy now.
I still haven't mastered the curling bit tbh but the dryer and brushes are so quick and gentle. It was expensive but worth it to me, I've had it years now and spend very little on my hair otherwise.

Thanks all

I’ve had a play with my hair this evening & feel slightly better. I think one issue is the hairdresser tried to blow dry it curly, but really to get nice defined curls my hair needs to air dry naturally.

She also used a product I didn’t like which left my curls feeling very product-full, like I couldn’t run my fingers through them. I tend to prefer products that leave my hair softer like a leave in conditioner, rather than a sea salt spray or gel which makes my hair feel quite coarse and sticky.

I think I probably needed to have given the hairdresser more guidance, she’s not a mind-reader after all, poor lady!

@EricNorthmanYesPlease oh interesting. Can't get the Aldi one anymore it was a special buy that was really hard to get hold of. Was it that shampoo and conditioners?

You've just had a baby. My hair went curly with each DC but only for the duration of the pregnancy. For DC3 it was so curly at the roots I had it cut really short.

So, while you may not be happy with your hair, you can take one of two approaches. First, fake it, get extensions, dye it etc etc. Second option is to get enough sleep (with a baby!), eat a good diet, don't drink or smoke, and find a good hairdresser who is brilliant at cutting hair and can make the best of your natural hair.

Tape in extensions are great for fine hair they are very lightweight compared to other types.

My hair is similar to yours although wavy rather than curly. A few years ago I spoke to my hairdresser about it and she suggested tape-on hair extensions. I thanked her for the suggestion and said I wasn't really interested as they always seemed a bit grotty and obviously fake (I'm not really into hair & makeup etc so I have limited knowledge on these things, I always associated hair extensions with super long hair and very grown out roots where you can see the beads) 😆
Anyway she showed me a photo of a friend of hers who had even thinner hair than me (and mine is really thin) and she had the tape-on extensions and they looked fab. Her hair was in a short bob and she showed me a 'before' photo too and there was a big difference and they looked really natural.
I went ahead and got them done and I was really pleased with them. They didn't feel heavy and because the tops are tape rather than the beaded clips it wasn't at all uncomfortable to sleep on.
As your hair grows the tape will become visible but the hairdresser can take them out and then re-fit them - up to 3 times I think which really saves on cost.
You have to use a special shampoo and conditioner to prevent the tape losing its adhesive but they were pretty low maintenance.
I know what it feels like to feel crap about your hair, I couldn't really style mine before as it was so thin so it was great to have the thickness and I kept my hair at shoulder length so there wasn't a drastic change in terms of other people noticing.

I really dislike leaving the hairdresser due to the product/weirdness of the styling but it will probably look really nice when you next wash/style it yourself.

I have very fine, wavy hair and at the moment these things help:
A Dyson hairdryer (only use at my DM's. Massive difference when I do)
A proper bristle brush and/or an Aveda paddle brush
VO5 heat protector
Argan oil shampoo and conditioner from Waitrose
A bit of Wonderbalm after drying
Aveda volumising spray

I have very fine hair, and also not a huge amount of it (very thin on my crown.)

I bought a rotating hot brush to help give volume at the root and get it glossy and shiny. Game-changer! Looks much better than I could ever style it with a hair dryer...