How Can I Get My Fine Hair Healthy?
Fine hair is a styling challenge -- it often looks flat and limp and can turn frizzy at the drop of a hat. Fine strands are also more prone to breakage, split ends and other damage. If you're longing for tougher hair, get started in the shower. The right shampoo and conditioner thickens fine locks, making them look fuller. Heated blow-dryers and curling irons can wreak havoc on delicate hair, too. With a bit of protection, though, your mane will stay strong and healthy.
Select a boar-bristle brush to help fine hair stay healthy. (Image: Polka Dot Images/Polka Dot/Getty Images)Step 1
Clean hair with a shampoo labeled "restorative," "strengthening" or "renewal." They contain ingredients that seal split ends and thicken fine hair. Once a week, opt for a clarifying shampoo to get rid of residue. Follow up with a thickening conditioner. Rinse all shampoo and conditioner out well. If your hair still feels slippery or greasy, keep rinsing.
Step 2
Blot your hair dry with a super-absorbent microfiber towel after a shower. Microfiber towels absorb water quickly, so you don't need to press down hard or rub hair to get it dry. Too much pressure and rubbing can damage fine hair or make it frizzy.
Step 3
Spritz hair with a heat-protecting spray before blow-drying, ironing or curling. These styling tools get very hot -- flat irons can reach 410 degrees Fahrenheit -- so it's vital to shield your fine hair first. Most heat-protecting sprays work by coating hair with silicone.
Step 4
Use your blow-dryer's cool- or warm-air setting, and avoid blasting hair with high heat. Heat can make your hair's cuticle collapse, causing it to look even thinner. Low or medium heat makes hair look fuller. Try an ionic blow-dryer if you have frizzy hair -- they help the cuticle lay flat.
Step 5
Avoid flat-ironing the ends of your hair. Straightening the ends can make the rest of your hair look even thinner. Curling ends inward a bit is a better idea, as it makes hair look fuller. Use a silicone-coated flat iron for better heat protection.
Step 6
Use a brush that contains nylon bristles or natural fibers, such as boar bristles. Avoid metal brushes; they heat up fast when styling and can burn the cuticle.
Things You'll Need
Restorative shampoo
Clarifying shampoo
Thickening conditioner
Microfiber towel
Heat-protecting spray
Ionic blow-dryer (optional)
Nylon-bristle or natural-fiber brush
Tip
To add volume, apply a bit of mousse or volumizing powder to the roots, then smooth some texturizing powder over hair. Flip your head upside-down and blow-dry hair at the roots.
A layered cut makes hair look thicker.
If you dye your hair, opt for multi-dimensional color. A single color can make hair look flat.
