Several Tricks To Thicken Fine Hair

One of the things I've always had a problem with is how fine my hair is. There are so many different hairstyles that I have tried out over time and I always seem to stick to the same one as there are not many that work with my hair thickness. However, I have found several tricks to help my hair appear thicker and feel a lot more fuller than it actually is. I've experimented with several shampoos and other hair products, and I've only found a couple that actually work well. 

Which shampoo and conditioner to use?

There are a wide selection of different shampoos and conditioners that you can buy which vary with the brand name and hair type. Finding the shampoo and conditioner best for your hair type can take a long time as there are a lot of them out there. It took me a long time to find a shampoo and conditioner that works well for me as I found most of them were too pricey to just try out. It's only recently that I've discovered a shampoo and conditioner within my budget that works really well.
I use the L'Oreal Elvive Fibrology Thickening Shampoo and the L'Oreal Elvive Fibrology Thickening Conditioner.

L'Oreal Elvive Fibrology Thickening 
Shampoo and Conditioner 

I decided to try out the shampoo and conditioner as I saw them advertised on TV. I had heard that they were supposed to be quite good, although I was still doubtful whether they would work. Originally I didn't think the products were going to work as I didn't see how a shampoo and conditioner could make your hair look any thicker than it is. However, after using the products a couple of times I noticed the texture of my hair felt an incredible amount thicker. To make sure the products were working I tried using an old shampoo and conditioner for a few days. When I went back to using the new products there was an obvious difference in the texture change. 
I have been using the same products ever since I tried them out. I recommend these products to anyone looking for an affordable shampoo or conditioner to help give their hair more volume and fullness. I often tend to buy several at a time when they have good offers on. You can pick them up in most well-known supermarkets and health and beauty stores such as Tesco, Asda and Boots.  

Blow-drying hair

I find that the technique used to blow-dry my hair is one of the most effective ways of making my hair appear thicker. Why is that you may ask? Well it's a combination of the brush, the heat and the angle you dry the hair at.
When my hair is wet I brush my hair threw gently using a shower comb. 

I purchased this Shower Comb from Asda.

I use a comb instead of a brush as the teeth of the comb are wider than regular hair combs - This helps with knots and reduces the amount of hair loss. I then tip my head upside down and use my fingers instead of a brush/comb to dry the hair. The hair dryer I use is quite powerful as this helps with the volume and gives the hair a wilder appearance. 

I use the Andrew Barton hairdryer as
it is powerful and gives off a
good amount of heat.

I then attempt to scrunch my hair with my hands while drying it as this also helps with volume. Drying the hair upside down helps to give the roots a lift as the heat from the hair dryer styles the hair into position. After drying the hair I brush it through like normal using the shower comb.

How to reduce hair shedding

My hair sheds an awful lot, especially when I brush it too much. I'm always finding pieces of hair on my clothing and on the brush after I have used it. There are several different things I have tried doing which has reduced a considerate amount of hair loss:

Avoiding electrical hair styling devices 
I never use any heat styling devices on my hair besides a hair dryer. I found that every time I used curling tongs or hair straighteners it would cause my hair to break. Another disadvantage to using the devices on my hair is that it makes the hair look limp and reduces the thick texture after blow-drying the hair.

Not dying hair too often
I've dyed my hair for about 5 years now. I only have about 8 foils put in on the top section of my hair as I have it highlighted with bleach which is bad for it. However, since I started having the few amounts of highlights put in, I noticed that the beach helped to thicken the texture of my hair as before it appeared extremely limp naturally. I try to leave my hair for at least 4 months before getting my roots dyed as over dying the hair can damage it causing breakage. 
If you dye your hair or you are thinking about it, I recommend only having a small amount of highlights/lowlights put in. This may help the limp appearance of your hair and may increase the volume slightly. The one thing NOT to do is over dye it - you don't want to reduce or damage the hair anymore if you are already having problems with it. If you are going to have your hair dyed then I also recommend getting it done by a hair dresser, don't attempt to dye it yourself as it could go horribly wrong.

Don't over brush the hair
Whenever I brush my hair, pieces endlessly fall out. This happens with pretty much everyone as it's something we can't help, but there are ways of decreasing the amount of hair that does fall out. 
Instead of using a hair brush to brush my hair I use the shower comb that I mentioned in the 'blow-drying hair' section of my blog post. I find that the shower comb is better suited to my hair type than a regular brush as the shower comb doesn't pull out as much hair as the regular brush does and it detangles knots well. It also helps to keep volume in the hair.
Backcombing is really bad for fine hair (so I suggest not to do it) as it gets knotted easily and can leave it in a broken and damaged condition.  

Giving hair a break
I wash my hair everyday as it gets greasy quickly due to it being fine. Washing the hair too often is bad for you though as the hair needs natural oils to stay healthy and strong. To make sure I don't over wash my hair I have at least one 'break day' a week to keep it in a good condition - this will be on a day of the week I'm at home where I don't have to go out. There tends to be more than one day in the week where I won't wash my hair and want to go out. If I do go out without washing my hair then I will use a dry shampoo on it.
Dry shampoo makes the hair feel and appear fresh. It also gives the hair texture which is a bonus for fine hair as it adds more volume.
I use the Batiste Dry Shampoo Light and Blonde as the roots of my hair look darker when they haven't been washed - it adds a tint of blonde back into my hair, causing it to lighten slightly. 

The Batiste Dry Shampoo Light
and Blonde.

Most other dry shampoos are just as good, only I find the one I use works best with my hair colour. I recommend finding one that works with the colour of your hair.
When my hair is looking unhealthy and I feel it could do with a good treatment, I like putting hair oils on my hair and leaving it over night. 
I use the Advance Techniques Daily Shine Dry Ends Serum from Avon.

The Advance Techniques Daily
Shine Dry Ends Serum from
Avon that I use.

Natural oils are also good for repairing and keeping the hair healthy. I recommend using an Olive oil or Coconut oil on the hair over night. The advantages of using natural oils are that they are more beneficial for you than hair oils and they are quite likely to be found around a household.


I hope you have enjoyed reading this blog post and that some of my tips have come in useful somehow. If you have any of your own tips that you wouldn't mind sharing or want to ask me some questions, you could always leave a comment below. :)


Lauren
xoxo