I have very fine hair, which has a very slight wave to it (not enough to be awesome, just enough to be annoying). I don't have a lot of love for my hair - it's pretty limp, hates most products, and I have never had a style that I truly love.
I made the leap to a professional blow dryer in November, and it has made a huge difference for my hair. I bought a Solia (can't remember which one), and my stylist has commented that my hair feels so much healthier. It dries a lot quicker and smoother. The only problem I have is that on the high setting, it can tangle my hair up very quickly, since it's so fine.
I have a cheap straightener. That should be my next investment. I'll take rec's.
I switched to sulfate-free shampoo too, which I really like. Nothing fancy - Trader Joe's brand works for me.
I have tried multiple times to drop down to washing less, but the fact that I swim so much really messes that up.
I have a hair dryer (purchased at Costco) and I also have a styling brush.
I love the styling brush because after blow-drying, my hair sort of turns into a fluffy mess. The styling brush makes everything look neat with sections curled under and out.
I have very fine hair, which has a very slight wave to it (not enough to be awesome, just enough to be annoying). I don't have a lot of love for my hair - it's pretty limp, hates most products, and I have never had a style that I truly love.
I made the leap to a professional blow dryer in November, and it has made a huge difference for my hair. I bought a Solia (can't remember which one), and my stylist has commented that my hair feels so much healthier. It dries a lot quicker and smoother. The only problem I have is that on the high setting, it can tangle my hair up very quickly, since it's so fine.
I have a cheap straightener. That should be my next investment. I'll take rec's.
I switched to sulfate-free shampoo too, which I really like. Nothing fancy - Trader Joe's brand works for me.
I have tried multiple times to drop down to washing less, but the fact that I swim so much really messes that up.
What a timely post. I'm sitting under a hood at the salon.
I decided to put my straightener out to pasture a year ago and just do curls. I found a stylist with curly girl training.
A lot of what she has taught me in in "The Curly Girl Handbook."
I've used Aveda's Be Curly line, and most recently Deva Curl. I'm almost out, so I'm going to spring for Mop Top today. She says it's the best and I always like my hair when she washes it with that.
I need help getting some volume at my roots. I have long, straight hair and the top is always flat flat flat. I have long layers and an angle in the front so it's not too heavy and weighed down, but that doesn't seem to help.
I'm extremely low maintenance (wash, brush, air dry) but I'll consider spending a little more time on my hair if there's something that works.
I would use a root lift spray (I've tried several - I like Living Proofs and Aquage's the best) first... I think it works better with blow drying, but I let my hair air dry frequently too because I am lazy and wash at night, so sometimes I skip blow drying. But, for best volume results, I find that root lift + blow dry with cool shot set does the most. I like the other two things I do (amp + after styling, which does help if you air dry and a teasing comb), so you could try that too if you want to stick with air drying. I'd say 50% of the time, I skip blow drying but still use a root lift and then style with the amp + and use a teasing comb.
This is the amp stuff which if you prefer to keep air drying, it's probably a good solution. You put a small amount on your finger tips and kind of scrunch it into your crown. The cool thing is that later in the day, if you do the same motion (the scrunching, but without product) it lifts it up again if it has started to fall.
With the amp and root spray, will I still be able to run my fingers through my hair without feeling sticky? Every time I try a root lifting product I get that gross sticky feeling which is why I've shied away from them.
I would use a root lift spray (I've tried several - I like Living Proofs and Aquage's the best) first... I think it works better with blow drying, but I let my hair air dry frequently too because I am lazy and wash at night, so sometimes I skip blow drying. But, for best volume results, I find that root lift + blow dry with cool shot set does the most. I like the other two things I do (amp + after styling, which does help if you air dry and a teasing comb), so you could try that too if you want to stick with air drying. I'd say 50% of the time, I skip blow drying but still use a root lift and then style with the amp + and use a teasing comb.
This is the amp stuff which if you prefer to keep air drying, it's probably a good solution. You put a small amount on your finger tips and kind of scrunch it into your crown. The cool thing is that later in the day, if you do the same motion (the scrunching, but without product) it lifts it up again if it has started to fall.
With the amp and root spray, will I still be able to run my fingers through my hair without feeling sticky? Every time I try a root lifting product I get that gross sticky feeling which is why I've shied away from them.
I put the amp on dry hair so no crunchiness there. The root lift does feel kind of sticky crunchy as it dries but once I brush my hair after it's mostly dry it goes away. I wash and dry at night so I can let it dry for a long time.
I have fine hair with some natural wave and it keeps curl well also.
Washing: I wash every 3-4 days, sometimes as long as 5 days if it's over a weekend. I wash with 1 TBS baking soda in 8 oz of water (using a picnic ketchup squeeze bottle) and condition with Loreal Professional Expert Vitamino Color Conditioner. I color treat my hair and my hair stylist has approved.
Product: I use Loreal Professional Mythic Oil on wet hair for additional conditioner and smoothing. If I use any other product (I rarely do) I will use Loreal Texture Expert Mousse.
Tools: I use Hot Tools CeramicTI Tourmaline Curling Iron in 1-1/2 in barrel for bending and beach waves, and 1 in barrel for soft curly waves. I use a flat iron to achieve a blow out look and volume at my roots. I need to look at a new one, likely go with Chi or Hot Tools. I use a blow dryer to just dry my hair and style my bangs. I'm looking at upgrading to a salon grade blow dryer.
Favorite hair blog with tutorials: www.thesmallthingsblog.com/ The curly and wavy hair tutorials, curling with a flat iron, getting volume with a flat iron are my favorites. Also all the updos. Secret: You get volume, not through product, but by teasing.
The biggest difference I've seen for my hair is to stop washing with shampoo and stop washing so frequently. I used to have greasy, limp, fine, flat hair. Now I have quite a bit of volume, shine, and texture. I think the change in what I wash with has helped, combined with not blow drying every day.
Post by debatethis on Apr 16, 2014 15:42:33 GMT -5
www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000ASDGK8/ref=wms_ohs_product?ie=UTF8&psc=1 I have this hair dryer and it's great. My stylist recommended it for me since I didn't want to drop $$$ on a professional one. Three years later, it's still going strong. I can definitely tell the difference if I use it vs SIL's when we visit or something.
Post by debatethis on Apr 16, 2014 15:49:14 GMT -5
Ooh I have a question. I have LOTS of fine blonde hair, but it's so fine that it looks rather thin/limp a lot of the time. I've got the postpartum hair loss crazies going on, and the spots on my crown where hair is starting to grow back in are looking rather Einstein-esque with frizz and flyaways. Any tips to get them to lay down?
My hair dryer died this morning. Considering I've had it since college, I consider this a win.
Does the hairdryer really matter? Or is that something I can get a crappy version of and be fine?
I have curly hair and straighten my hair with a blowdryer, followed by a flatiron. For me, good tools seem to really make a difference. I had been buying higher end flatirons for a while, but just recently upgraded from a crappy hairdryer to a good one. The new one leaves my hair so much smoother and shinier, makes it much easier to go over with a flatiron, and dries my hair faster even at a lower temperature than my crappy one.
Ooh I have a question. I have LOTS of fine blonde hair, but it's so fine that it looks rather thin/limp a lot of the time. I've got the postpartum hair loss crazies going on, and the spots on my crown where hair is starting to grow back in are looking rather Einstein-esque with frizz and flyaways. Any tips to get them to lay down?
Mine is fine and prone to frizz, too. My stylist suggests a conditioner without silicone, then not washing it out all the way. Non-silicone conditioners won't weigh your hair down when you do this.
For frizz after it's dry, she says a bit of coconut oil on your palms run through your hair will help. It may look greasy at first, but will be absorbed.