“Fine hair” could be considered a bit of an oxymoron—while the word “fine” can indicated something beautiful or of good nature, if you ask any fine-haired women how they feel about their hair, their answer is unlikely to be positive. Instead of their often limp, flat and thin head of hair, they dream of thick, lustrous, voluminous hair that can hold a wave or curl. Not to despair, though, all of you fine ladies. To get the
fuller, bouncy hair styles you want, you just have to use the right products and put a little more work into styling. Here’s how.

1. Use a root-boosting product

To fight the flatness that fine hair is typically known for, one product you need to use is a root-boosting spray, says Jorge Joao, owner of Koi Hair Studio in Brampton, Ont. His favourite is Redken Rootful 06 Root Lifting Spray. “Also, blow dry your hair forward or the opposite way of where you eventually want it to sit so that when you take it back, you’ve added height,” he says.

2. Get the right cut

Your experienced stylist will know that they should limit texturizing with a razor or sheers—going overboard with this type of texturizing will emphasize the fineness of your hair.

3. Utilize the right tools for the job

To build volume when blow-drying your fine hair, Joao suggests a paddle brush so that you have control over the direction of your hair at the root when blowing it dry, and then finishing with a round brush to add more movement and fullness. For your round brush, he suggests a 43 to 33 millimetre-size brush (“If you use a bigger brush, it’s tighter and you’ll get less movement,” he says.). When it comes to shampoos and conditioners, look for ones created for fine hair. They’ve been designed so they’re light and won’t weigh down your hair with heavy moisturizing agents.

4. Experiment with thickening your hair cosmetically

Four and a half percent may not sound like a big number, but when you can plump up the diameter of each strand of your hair by as much as that amount, the overall result is noticeable. From the people behind Nioxin, the three-step hair thickening system (which includes a shampoo, conditioner and scalp treatment) now comes DiaMax with HTX, a treatment that promises to give you such results. If you have an event or a hot date, you’re in luck as the treatment gives your hair thickness a boost immediately the first time you use it. How to use it? Massage the liquid spray into the scalp so it reaches your roots when your hair is wet. The thickening results will last until you next shampoo your hair.

More tips for taking your fine hair to new volumized heights on the next page …

5. Try dry shampoo as a styling agent

One of the quickest fixes for limp hair is a
spritz of dry shampoo. Look for one designed for volumizing hair, such as La Coupe Volume Refresh Dry Shampoo. It contains a blend of cleansing starches and volumizing polymers with Keratin that is uniquely different from the other dry shampoos in the range, says Charles Booth, founder of La Coupe. For the best results, shake your dry shampoo can very well and spray into the roots of the hair (hold the can about 10 to 12 inches away from your scalp). “Use short bursts, about one second long for each spray and shake the can in between,” says Booth. Then using your fingers, massage at the roots and brush through to help disperse the product. He recommends a natural-bristle brush if you have straight hair (if you have
curly hair, just use your hands to work the product through your curls). And while dry shampoo is a great solution for days you don’t feel like shampooing your hair, feel free to use dry shampoo on your freshly washed and blow-dried hair as a styling tool. “It’s the newest revolution in getting bigger hair and the texture you get is amazing. All you have to do is keep layering it on until you get the volume you want,” he says.

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