I wasn't blessed with thick full strands of hair. I have very baby fine hair, I have a good amount of it, but it doesn't matter how many strands are on your head when it’s as fine as mine. So what does having fine hair mean in terms of management, and styling? Well, it’s a whole different ball game. Fine hair is prone to getting oily faster, falling flat easier, breaking easier, not holding styles, and sometimes needing special products. So here are a few different tips and trick I have acquired over the years, through talking to a stylist, as well as my own trial and error.
First, let’s talk about shampoo and conditioner, as well as how often you should wash. Lots of shampoos have certain chemicals that not only strip your own natural oils but leave behind a chemical build up in their place. If you look at the list of chemicals in shampoo, chances are there are several ingredients you don’t understand what they are or what they mean. I generally feel, if I don’t understand the majority of the ingredient list when I purchase products, it can’t be all that good for you. So asking around, I found that good shampoos to look for when you have fine hair are sulfate and paraben free. We are going to see more and more shampoos that are sulfate and paraben free as more and more people realize how bad it is for you. I use The Honest Co Shampoo and body wash combo, which you can find at www.honest.com and I also use Chii Luxe Thirst Relief, however, there are many shelf brands that are sulfate and paraben free as well. The Thing is… sulfate free shampoos don’t lather up as well, so be conscious of this when using. You will be tempted to use more of the product, but you don’t need to, just use the same amount you regularly do and work it in, if you're concerned you didn't get it good enough, rinse and repeat. I love the Honest Co shampoo, but it hardly lathers at all, which was discouraging, until it started drying, and my hair felt weightless. To avoid unnecessary damage or wear on your ends, apply and focus the shampoo at your roots, and length of the hair, and avoid really working into the ends. Your ends will get all the shampoo treatment they need as you rinse.
Many people say if you have fine hair to skip or use very little conditioner. THIS IS NOT TRUE! Conditioning is a very important part of your hair care routine, you just need to know how to use it right. Best thing to do is use conditioner primarily for your ends. That is the oldest part of the hair, the most weathered part, which means it needs some TLC. Avoid applying it toward the roots, as it will weigh down your hair. I like to comb my conditioner through my hair in the shower, and I rinse it out, pretty quickly after I apply it. You don’t really need to let it sit there.
Now really with all hair types you should NOT wash it every single day. Any stylist will tell you this, and honestly the day after a shampoo day is usually your best styling day. You should wash your hair every other shower, or less frequently if you can get away with it. (Fine hair unfortunately can’t go to long before we need it.) One hair stylist I went to, who had fine hair as well said on her between shampoo days, she just wets it, runs some conditioner through it real quick, and go. She said her between days are her best days. She also rinses out her conditioner quickly after she applies it. You hair really needs its natural oils, and a break for harsh stripping shampoos, styling products and heat.
Which brings me to my next point. Styling. TAKE IT EASY LADIES! Guys really don’t care about our fancy styles. Most can’t tell the difference between braids or twist. Have fun crazy hair styles for you, but keep the abuse on your hair to a minimum. With fine hair, you need to use low heat with your curling iron, flat irons, and hair dryers. It’s tempting to turn it all the way up and go, but it damages our already fragile hair so much faster. Also all hair type should keep the heat off your ends. When curling your hair, straightening or blow drying never apply to heat source directly on your ends. There are different curling techniques that start at the middle of your strands, or look into using the wands. If you have time, its best you let your hair, air dry as long as you can before you blow drying. This is less time, with less heat J
Other hair care tips for fine hair is making sure you get you ends trimmed. You don’t need to do it every six weeks, your hair will tell you when it needs to be tended to. When it won’t hold style, when it falls flat, when the ends feel dry and course are good indicators. Talk to your stylist or salons you frequent to see what treatments they have to get rid of buildup. Just remember, your hair isn't like skin, it doesn't heal itself when it gets burned or damaged. Once the damage is done, it’s done. There is no shame in skipping a style, and subbing a cute ponytail, or skipping a wash or two, and pulling it back, or doing a braid. So many times, I have has friends or classmates complain that their hair is oily, and you can’t even tell. Moderation in the key in all aspects of life.
I hope these generalized tips help people who struggle with fine hair like I do.
Truly yours
Jessi Harm
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