Fine hair has got finer with age, ways to weigh it down?

[LadyDedlock]

Hi All!

Over the years my hair has become frizzier, much finer and with kinky greys. I avoid using heat and add oils, silicones help and love henna. About to add Raj Red soon ;)

My hair used to be straight with a slight wave at the neck. I loved my hair. Now, I find having longer hair helps weigh it down a bit but sometimes it can look like a spider's web. I miss my long bangs, they used to suit my face but my hair doesn't seem to fall the way it used too so they are around chin length now. I have a round face and need them to avoid a moonface look.

My hair is in great condition and I always wear a hat when I go for my walks.

Hoping to get some tips as to products or methods to try to keep my hair better behaved.

Thanks in advance :)

[pailin]

My fine hair has never been well-behaved. However, I do think leave-ins help to give it a bit more weight and make it hang together better. I've used leave - in conditioner for years; currently using oils instead. I don't use gel but you could try it. If you're having frizz problems, it may be wavier than you realize; texture can change. Giving it more moisture may help. Also when do you brush/comb? Brushing waves will give you frizz.

[lapushka]

I am F but I have a lot of it, so I can weigh it down with plenty of moisture, and that keeps the F hair in check, pretty much. My mom has i or i/ii F hair and can't weigh it down that much. She does need moisturizing products as her scalp is dry, but... She mainly uses hairspray to keep her wispies in check.

[Daydreamer.]

Shea butter can help weigh hair down. Be sure to use very little, though. Here's a link to a thread about that: http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=49798
Aloe vera gel might not weigh your hair down as well as shea butter, but it provide hold and tame frizz.

[ravenheather]

I use kinky curly knot today as my leave in. And I scrunch with flaxseed gel when I wear my hair down. For me, my fluffy frizzies are worse if I comb out my waves.

[Pearly~91]

I second Daydreamer.'s suggestion of Aloe Vera gel. My hair is mostly M in coarseness, but about 40% is F, and I am infamous for my frizzy wispies. I find that a tiny amount of aloe vera gel applied on slightly damp hair will help hold them down.

[Anje]

I'd say a heavier, more moisturizing conditioner should do it. If it doesn't, you might want to try a protein treatment and immediately follow up with that moisturizing conditioning. (Lots of F hair likes protein, though it seems like hennaheads typically like it less, and I know mine isn't fond of more than a teeny bit. But moisture afterward helps counter any of the drying, frizzing effects of the protein, and the protein seems helps hair that doesn't moisturize easily absorb it better.)

[lapushka]

I'd say a heavier, more moisturizing conditioner should do it. If it doesn't, you might want to try a protein treatment and immediately follow up with that moisturizing conditioning. (Lots of F hair likes protein, though it seems like hennaheads typically like it less, and I know mine isn't fond of more than a teeny bit. But moisture afterward helps counter any of the drying, frizzing effects of the protein, and the protein seems helps hair that doesn't moisturize easily absorb it better.)

Maybe I'm an exception, but my F hair detests protein in large amounts. In tiny amounts in regular conditioners? Fine, but otherwise? No way. :)

[Anje]

Maybe I'm an exception, but my F hair detests protein in large amounts. In tiny amounts in regular conditioners? Fine, but otherwise? No way. :)

Mine HATES it, can't even take it in conditioner for more than a couple washes. But I'm also a hennahead, and the trend I keep seeing is that hennaheads typically don't do well with protein. I'm not sure whether that's actually the cause, though, or if my hair wouldn't have liked protein anyway. I normally didn't use conditioners with protein even pre-LHC and pre-henna.

[LadyDedlock]

My fine hair has never been well-behaved. However, I do think leave-ins help to give it a bit more weight and make it hang together better. I've used leave - in conditioner for years; currently using oils instead. I don't use gel but you could try it. If you're having frizz problems, it may be wavier than you realize; texture can change. Giving it more moisture may help. Also when do you brush/comb? Brushing waves will give you frizz.

Thanks pailin! I only comb before I take a shower and then straight after, simply to detangle and distribute any oils along the hair strands that my hands may have missed. I've never tried leave-in conditioner and will look out for it. I love to experiment :D

The products I'm liking at the moment are (I'm from Australia) -

Agadir - Argan Oil Hair Treatment

OGX - Renewing Argan Oil of Morocco

My hair always looks great the day I wash but come the second day it's dry and curlier/frizzy. I wish I didn't have to wash everyday to make it look nice.

[LadyDedlock]

I am F but I have a lot of it, so I can weigh it down with plenty of moisture, and that keeps the F hair in check, pretty much. My mom has i or i/ii F hair and can't weigh it down that much. She does need moisturizing products as her scalp is dry, but... She mainly uses hairspray to keep her wispies in check.

Thank you lapushka! Moisture certainly helps my hair and it is good to hear it is the way to go for you :) I use hairspray as a last resort.


Shea butter can help weigh hair down. Be sure to use very little, though. Here's a link to a thread about that: http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=49798
Aloe vera gel might not weigh your hair down as well as shea butter, but it provide hold and tame frizz.

That is an excellent thread Daydreamer! Thank you for the tip on using shea butter, I'm going to hunt it down ;) I've tried Aloe Vera and have had the same result.


I use kinky curly knot today as my leave in. And I scrunch with flaxseed gel when I wear my hair down. For me, my fluffy frizzies are worse if I comb out my waves.

Hi ravenheather, I don't know that we have that product here but will search for it :) Thanks for the tips, noted!

[LadyDedlock]

I second Daydreamer.'s suggestion of Aloe Vera gel. My hair is mostly M in coarseness, but about 40% is F, and I am infamous for my frizzy wispies. I find that a tiny amount of aloe vera gel applied on slightly damp hair will help hold them down.

Thanks Pearly! :o


I'd say a heavier, more moisturizing conditioner should do it. If it doesn't, you might want to try a protein treatment and immediately follow up with that moisturizing conditioning. (Lots of F hair likes protein, though it seems like hennaheads typically like it less, and I know mine isn't fond of more than a teeny bit. But moisture afterward helps counter any of the drying, frizzing effects of the protein, and the protein seems helps hair that doesn't moisturize easily absorb it better.)

Thank you Anje! I like the idea of adding protein and moisturising afterwards. hmm more experimenting, we'll see how it goes ;)

[girlcat36]

My hair is extremely fine and virtually weightless. The only thing that helps is length to weigh it down.

[pailin]

Thanks pailin! I only comb before I take a shower and then straight after, simply to detangle and distribute any oils along the hair strands that my hands may have missed. I've never tried leave-in conditioner and will look out for it. I love to experiment :D

The products I'm liking at the moment are (I'm from Australia) -

Agadir - Argan Oil Hair Treatment

OGX - Renewing Argan Oil of Morocco

My hair always looks great the day I wash but come the second day it's dry and curlier/frizzy. I wish I didn't have to wash everyday to make it look nice.

I don't know any of those products, but I think it's worth just experimenting.
Wben I spend winter in a cold place (it's never cold here) I have a similar problem by the way, with my hair being great day 1 and dry on day 2.

[Daydreamer.]

Thank you lapushka! Moisture certainly helps my hair and it is good to hear it is the way to go for you :) I use hairspray as a last resort. That is an excellent thread Daydreamer! Thank you for the tip on using shea butter, I'm going to hunt it down ;) I've tried Aloe Vera and have had the same result. Hi ravenheather, I don't know that we have that product here but will search for it :) Thanks for the tips, noted! You're welcome! I hope it works for you!

[copperlites]

LadyDedlock, Hi from a fellow Aussie, over on the West Coast, with similar fine hair getting finer with age issues.
A couple of Aussie products I love are Pure brand shampoo and conditioner in Precious. Also their leave in spray conditioner called Pearl Miracle Milk.
I also make my own flax seed gel which I freeze in ice cube trays and get out one square at a time. Despite my avatar, my hair is quite curly and the flax seed really helps the curls hold without being as frizzy.

[lapushka]

Mine HATES it, can't even take it in conditioner for more than a couple washes. But I'm also a hennahead, and the trend I keep seeing is that hennaheads typically don't do well with protein. I'm not sure whether that's actually the cause, though, or if my hair wouldn't have liked protein anyway. I normally didn't use conditioners with protein even pre-LHC and pre-henna.

Maybe the henna provides enough as is? Henna is protein, no? It always dried my hair out and left it crunchy (yes besides getting it out with conditioner and such, it just left it dry for weeks after that).

I normally don't check the ingredients to an extreme amount, but in some there is protein, and since I double condition, I always follow with plenty of moisture, maybe that's why I don't notice that much?

[Anje]

Maybe the henna provides enough as is? Henna is protein, no? It always dried my hair out and left it crunchy...
No, it's not a protein. Lawsone is a pretty small molecule, actually, just two little rings. That said, who knows what else is in henna mud that might give protein treatment effects, though I wouldn't expect much that would act like a hydrolyzed protein for a protein treatment. I find it a little drying, not awful, but it depends a lot what I mix it with. Henna mixed with water isn't bad, and henna with chamomile tea doesn't seem drying at all, but henna with lemon was a nightmare of itchiness for a week.

[lapushka]

No, it's not a protein. Lawsone is a pretty small molecule, actually, just two little rings. That said, who knows what else is in henna mud that might give protein treatment effects, though I wouldn't expect much that would act like a hydrolyzed protein for a protein treatment. I find it a little drying, not awful, but it depends a lot what I mix it with. Henna mixed with water isn't bad, and henna with chamomile tea doesn't seem drying at all, but henna with lemon was a nightmare of itchiness for a week.

I was always under the (wrongful) impression it acted as a protein or was one. But then again, I have the same effect with bleach and coconut oil; can't say those are proteins either. Bleach sucks it out, and coconut oil keeps it in. :lol:

[LadyDedlock]

My hair is extremely fine and virtually weightless. The only thing that helps is length to weigh it down.

Thanks for your input girlcat. I'll never go short :)


I don't know any of those products, but I think it's worth just experimenting.
Wben I spend winter in a cold place (it's never cold here) I have a similar problem by the way, with my hair being great day 1 and dry on day 2.

Cheers pailin, glad to know it's not just me :)


LadyDedlock, Hi from a fellow Aussie, over on the West Coast, with similar fine hair getting finer with age issues.
A couple of Aussie products I love are Pure brand shampoo and conditioner in Precious. Also their leave in spray conditioner called Pearl Miracle Milk.
I also make my own flax seed gel which I freeze in ice cube trays and get out one square at a time. Despite my avatar, my hair is quite curly and the flax seed really helps the curls hold without being as frizzy.

Never heard of these brands, thank you copperlites! :)