Lots of fine hair... how to make it not look limp when long?

[Odie]

Hi everyone! Let me state up front that I didn't find what I was looking for using the search feature. If someone could point me in the right direction, I'd be grateful. :)

I have very fine hair, but aparantly I have a lot of it. Confused the heck out of me as a kid - one hair stylist would say I had thin hair, and the next was "Oh my gosh you have SO MUCH HAIR!". How could hair be thick AND thin?? :confused: But eventually I figured out that they were both right.

I have always wanted long hair. My problem is that once my hair gets past shoulder length, it's so thin that the weight of it pulls it down and makes it limp. I'm not a small individual either, so thin limp hair looks even worse because my shoulders are so broad. So I've been keeping between chin and shoulder length.

Is it possible to grow my hair out (heck, at this point I'd be happy with bra strap length) and not have it look like an old wet mop??

[Kris Dove]

My hair is very fine too, but if I wear it down I tend to leave it in a braid or a bun for at least an hour or so beforehand as the bun/braid waves give it volume.

(Either that or I use straighteners on it, but that's a bit naughty and should only be done for special occasions!)

It is totally possible to grow very fine hair long- mine is currently BSL but it has been classic length and in great condition in the past.

[Amara]

There are a bunch of people here with fine, long hair... including me! I seem to have a decent amount of strands of hair, they're all just very skinny. :D I usually like mine with braid waves or bun waves - that gives a lot of volume, which my hair holds nicely because of it's fineness, I think. There's a lot of chatter going around the media about fine hair/thin hair needing be kept short... but that's silly. Then you just have short fine hair, or short thin hair. :)

[plainjanegirl]

Maybe try using a volumizing shampoo.

If you blowdry you could do so with your head upside down.

[Themyst]

I have also had hairdressers tell me I have fine hair, but a lot of it. It is so fine that it gets tangled quite easily. It can look flat because the length does pull, but I use mousse and hairspray to help. And the fearsome dryfryer.

[free_hug]

Member search option!

On the menu on the top you go to members, then on the menu up on the right (hope it's easy to follow and i hope i remember well) you choose "advanced search", and you can just look for members with fine and ii or iii hair. There's a lot of them, many sporting loooong hair, and you can ask them, see their dos or read their routine...

...well, if you stick around long enough to post 25 times ;)

[saskia_madding]

This is going to sound crazy, but you know what made the difference for me? Borax. I mix it with water and use it in place of shampoo and it has completely stopped the sores that used to appear on my head. It also really slowed down my shedding.

But the weird thing is that borax also made my hair have a lot more volume because it wasn't weighed down with so much product residue. I'm now actually looking for ways to make it look MORE weighed down!

I'm not small either, so I know what you mean about long, limp hair. All I'm saying is maybe you could take a look at your products and see if any of them might be weighing down your hair.

[ChrissieM]

I have lots of fine straight hair as well, and there are days that it just wants to lay there and not have any volume at all, and there are days that I have more volume and it looks thicker. "Volumizing" shampoos never really made a difference for me. What works for me is moisturizing cone-free conditioners. My hair tends to be dry, and the moisturizing conditioners keep it from breaking easily. My current favorite is Suave Naturals Vanilla Floral, which seems to be more moisturizing than the rest of the line. Bun waves are great, too. If I know I'm going out or want fancier hair for awhile, then I put my hair up in a cinnabun with a fork for the day and later I have DREAM hair. :)

[motormuffin]

If I want volume in my hair and my waves to show I use 'natural' shampoos and conditioners, something like Burt's Bees. If I want my hair flat, smooth and straight, I use 'cones' or something like Pantene. Just in general this is what I have found for me...both work for my hair but do different things. Have you tried using a different type of shampoo and conditioner?

[Charlotte]

I also have very fine hair and not a super amount of it either (2.25" ponytail circumference). I am now wearing it up most of the time as it can seem to look extremely limp when down unless freshly washed.

Braid waves always make me look as though I have twice as much hair. So does dry shampoo believe it or not. If I put dry shampoo in my hair on day three to soak up/remove the oil on my scalp, I can get another two days out of my hair before washing again AND it looks extra thick also. :)

[Odie]

Wow, thanks everyone :)

I forgot to mention that my hair grows perfectly straight... it has NO wave or curl to it at all.

I also use a volumizing shampoo, but it doesn't do a thing for me.

I may try the sleeping with a bun idea, once my hair grows out more. Right now it's just above shoulder length.

[laurachiplock]

I have fine hair & what has worked somewhat for me is:

-no silicones in hair products. I hate the way silicones make my hair feel
-Aveda & Renee Furterer Hair products
-shampoo bars with vinegar rinse or natural shampoos. Use alone or condition FIRST, then shampoo
-If you have time, bun waves are nice, but, they never last long on my hair....

The Borax thing I never heard, but I may be tempted to try it just once....

Good luck!

[Fireweed]

I have never heard of using Borax and was woundering how much to use.

[Eilean]

I have never heard of Borax either. What works for me is natural shampoo and conditioner, for example from Aubrey Organics. I used to used voluminising shampoo but it did not at all work for me, in some cases it made my hair even worse.

[Anje]

I've gotten stylists remarking on how much hair I have, and it's not even thick... just 2.5 inches in circumference. But it's fine, and once you get your hands in it, it's remarkable how much hair there is.

Not putting conditioner on the roots can help with volume, as can washing with shampoo bars. (DH likes shampoo bars for this reason!) Lightweight conditioners are good too, and you can always dab a bit of heavy-duty condish on your ends. Unfortunately, it seems to me that anything that creates volume creates flyaways, and killing the flyaway hair deflates the rest of it, too.

Mostly, though, I just wear it up.

[Peggy E.]

Have you considered trying rag curls? Anytime I had an occasion to wear my hair down (I always have it up) I would do it in rag curls. The curls added more body and lasted longer than what I could get from braid waves.

NW/SO has totally changed the texture of my hair - now it is thick with almost too much body. This is a pretty drastic option, requiring quite a bit of mental preparation, so I'd give the rag curls a try.

[Odie]

I'm actually reading the NW/SO thread right now... I know my hair gets really greasy and stringy when I don't wash it, and being so fine it again becomes an added weight problem. My hair really isn't long enough to put up right now either. I also worry that people will presume that I'm not showering, even though I am and just not washing my hair.

[Peggy E.]

And mine looks and feels great!

Isn't it weird and wonderful, how we are all so different one from the other? That means there's lots of advice to consider - some works, some doesn't, but you will no doubt find something that will get the results you're hoping to achieve.

edited to add: NW/SO is not simply a "never wash your hair" program. There's a lot of work involved, as you know, Odie, from following the thread. I mentioned it here rather in passing, as a method that's worked for me with hair that had been much the same as the original poster seeking assistance and advice.

She was looking for solutions and this was what worked for me. But I would never want to give the impression that I would ever advise anyone to simply stop washing their hair!

[Odie]

Are there basic step-by-step type somewhere as to how to start NW/SO? I read people saying things about massages, something about brushes (BBB?)... but no general "Here's the basics on starting and proper maintenance"

[Eilean]

Have you considered trying rag curls?

Sorry but what are rag curls?

[saskia_madding]

people curious about borax - I have been through a major ordeal with my hair in the last few months and borax saved me.

I didn't know SLS was bad for hair until I joined this forum. I didn't know SLS was an anti-fungal until I stopped using it and switched to a scalp cleansing Aubrey Organics shampoo. About four days in my scalp started itching like crazy, I got open sores on my head, and a TON of hair fell out. I lost almost an inch on my circumference!

When using SLS I had to shampoo every other day or else my head would get itchy. If I waited more, I'd get the open sores. But SLS cleared it up as long as I washed every second day.


I tried everything to avoid going back to SLS:
- dandruff shampoos
- ACV
- tea tree oil
- grapefruit seed extract
- essential oils

Nothing worked! Until borax. It makes me hair super soft and has completely banished the open sores on my head.

I know there are mixed feelings on borax, but I'm going to keep using it as a stop gap measure until I can try some Indian herbs and hopefully they can take the place of borax.


To use - I bought a small ketchup bottle like this:http://www.thekitchenstore.com/ta12ozkesqbo.html

I fill up the bottom to about a centimeter with warm water, shake it up, and then apply it to my scalp in the shower.

[Eilean]

I read into Borax but all I could find was a detergent chemical which is highly toxic. That's not what you're on about, is it? :eek:

[Eilean]

Sorry I have to edit this: Borax is not actually toxic. I got that wrong.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Borax

[Eilean]

Oh I wish I could edit my posts just yet. Sorry!!

Or do you mean the homoeopathic Borax?

[saskia_madding]

Nope, just regular borax, although I haven't heard of homeopathic borax. That sounds interesting. Do you have a link for it?

I was talking with my friend about borax and she said it much better than I could have:

"According to the earthclinic expert, borax has the same toxicity as salt and has a pH of 8.6. According to Wikipedia, borax is a base, not an acid, and has a pH of between 7-10. Borax is not the same thing as boric acid, which can be toxic. I have also read that eye irritation is caused by boric acid, not by borax.

Also, this: http://mysite.du.edu/~jcalvert/phys/boron.htm

Borax is necessary in small amounts for plant growth, one of the 16 essential nutrients. In larger amounts it is poisonous to plants, and the range can be small. For peaches, 1 ppm is required, but more than 5 ppm is toxic. If the signs of boron deficiency are noted in plants, a boron supplement can be applied. Borates can be used as non-toxic and non-specific herbicides.

Borates are non-toxic to animals. The LD50 (dose at which there is 50% mortality) for humans is about 6 g per kg of body weight. Anything above 2 g is considered non-toxic, and borates are only 2 to 3 times as toxic as aspirin. Therefore, you are pretty safe unless you eat a pound and a half of borax for a snack.

Borates are more toxic to insects than to mammals. The boranes and similar gaseous compounds are quite poisonous. As usual, it is not an element that is intrinsically poisonous, but toxicity depends on structure.

I obviously am careful about borax around my cats, I don't want them to inhale any or get powder on themselves that they might lick off. But I am perfectly comfortable using it on myself, especially externally, since borax is so commonly used in a huge range of personal care products, and it is highly effective for skin and hair issues."

[marikamt]

I am the exact same way...... fine hair but "lot's of it".....
I am learning to love/ accept my natural hair since I have joined here.... I have found that not using SLS or cones helps me a lot with volume....... I still am not nuts about it, but I wear it up a lot on a day to day basis..... when I am going "out" or want it to look extra nice, curls help a lot.... am trying to stay away from heat (although I will use it) and am experimenting w/ bun waves, braid waves and rag curls.... someone suggested magnetic rollers to me, so I am going to get some and try those......

[Eilean]

Thanks Simone for your explanation about Borax. The homeopathic Borax is normally used against gastro-intestinal irritation, that's why I was a curious to find out whether you might be using it for your hair :D . A link.. hang on.. maybe this one?

http://www.hpathy.com/materiamedica/allenkeynotes/allen-borax.asp

[MissManda]

Hi!

I also have tons of fine hair (a ponytail circumference of 4.5" with some medium strands). :) Mine is almost waist-length (yay!). I find that braid waves are very helpful, especially if I make lots of mini-braids in my hair after a shower before I go to bed. I almost look like I have a lion's mane when I take the braids out. lol Also, rag-curlers are your friends. Unlike braids, they curl your hair all the way down to the ends.

Brush your hair upside down for a few seconds.

I find that dilluting my shampoo and not using tons of conditioner helps. I have also noticed that scalp massage prevents my head from getting oily and has also helped with the thickness of individual hairs.

Hope that helps!

[Anje]

simone_rodrigue, you may have to start a "how to wash your head with Borax" thread....

So you fill your bottle up to 1 cm from the top with water, am I right? How much borax do you put in there?

[JamieLeigh]

My mom and grandma both have/had very fine, thin hair. My mom keeps hers very short, with a fringe, and my grandma used to keep hers long and wore updos all the time. The difference is, with the shorter hairstyle you can see more of the scalp, especially if you tease it in all different directions. Then every way you turn, someone can look in and see your scalp! :eek: Mom realizes this, but she despises long hair, so growing it out wouldn't be an option. With my grandma's long hair, once she combed it all back together, you couldn't see her scalp - you could just see hair.

As far as wearing it down, I agree with the people who have suggested braid waves, or even aloe gel and no-heat curling. :)

But your best bet for growing really long with fine hair is to wear it up as much as possible, because ANYTHING can break it off, be it friction from rubbing your back against the couch or driver's seat of the car....or getting it caught on things. :(

[Odie]

As far as wearing it down, I agree with the people who have suggested braid waves, or even aloe gel and no-heat curling. :)

But your best bet for growing really long with fine hair is to wear it up as much as possible, because ANYTHING can break it off, be it friction from rubbing your back against the couch or driver's seat of the car....or getting it caught on things. :(

How sad :( I don't look that great with my hair up (that whole head-to-shoulder breadth thing) Still, I'm not giving up hope yet.

I know it's a stupid reason (and only ONE of many reasons I want long hair) but I also want to grow my hair out because it makes my husband sad when I cut it. It's really not a huge deal, but I know we'd BOTH be happier if I could get it to look good long! Is that so wrong?

And mostly OT, can someone please explain the dancing cheese to me?? :cheese: As one of those FIBs who moved from Chicago to Wisconsin, it makes me think of Cheeseheads. Cheeseheads are scary. ;)

[bgarrison]

Nope, just regular borax, although I haven't heard of homeopathic borax. That sounds interesting. Do you have a link for it?

I was talking with my friend about borax and she said it much better than I could have:

"According to the earthclinic expert, borax has the same toxicity as salt and has a pH of 8.6. According to Wikipedia, borax is a base, not an acid, and has a pH of between 7-10. Borax is not the same thing as boric acid, which can be toxic. I have also read that eye irritation is caused by boric acid, not by borax.

Also, this: http://mysite.du.edu/~jcalvert/phys/boron.htm (http://mysite.du.edu/%7Ejcalvert/phys/boron.htm)

Borax is necessary in small amounts for plant growth, one of the 16 essential nutrients. In larger amounts it is poisonous to plants, and the range can be small. For peaches, 1 ppm is required, but more than 5 ppm is toxic. If the signs of boron deficiency are noted in plants, a boron supplement can be applied. Borates can be used as non-toxic and non-specific herbicides.

Borates are non-toxic to animals. The LD50 (dose at which there is 50% mortality) for humans is about 6 g per kg of body weight. Anything above 2 g is considered non-toxic, and borates are only 2 to 3 times as toxic as aspirin. Therefore, you are pretty safe unless you eat a pound and a half of borax for a snack.

Borates are more toxic to insects than to mammals. The boranes and similar gaseous compounds are quite poisonous. As usual, it is not an element that is intrinsically poisonous, but toxicity depends on structure.

I obviously am careful about borax around my cats, I don't want them to inhale any or get powder on themselves that they might lick off. But I am perfectly comfortable using it on myself, especially externally, since borax is so commonly used in a huge range of personal care products, and it is highly effective for skin and hair issues."


We used a mild borax solution on our puppy's mange and it did seem to relieve her itching and speed her healing. Got the idea from here:

http://www.earthclinic.com/Pets/dog_mange_cure.html

I'm curious to here more about your routine! Are you washing with something first and using this as a rinse? And do you rinse the borax solution out or leave it on your hair? TY!!

[MAO]

When I quit using commerical products my hair suddenly had body. What has been working especially nice is Dr. Bronner's Peppermint Castile Soap (yes, you can use it on hair!) Shampoo bars also gave me lots of volume. Amla is supposed to give lots of body too. You can find it in Indian grocery stores.

[saskia_madding]

http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?p=801411#post801411


As requested, here's my detailed borax routine. Let me know how it works out!

To the OP - I highly suggest borax. I had a lot of similar problems as you and borax cleared them up!

[Odie]

Okay, I'm completely clueless.

Where do I find a shampoo bar? Is it like a bar of soap made out of shampoo? What kinds should I look for?

The more I think about it, I really don't want to go no-poo. My hair isn't long enough to put up, and I have to at least pretend that I'm a corporate cog for my boss and co-workers so that I can pay my bills. :/ I read a lot of horror stories on the NW/SO and WO threads and I already have too many things that make me socially unacceptable going on. I don't need greasy hair on top of it all. This is just my own personal assessment, I think the idea overall is great and I totally support the idea. I just know how nasty my hair looks after not washing it for a couple days, and hearing stories of other people with similar sounding hair... yeah, not for me.

[Anje]

Shampoo bars are typically made from cold-process soap. One of the more popular brands around here is sold by http://chagrinvalleysoapandcraft.com. "CV bars" for short. There's an enormous thread about them somewhere.

One caveat: For many people, especially once the hair gets longer, shampoo bars rinse out with the hair feeling weird... like waxy or spiderwebby. If that happens, it just means that your water is a bit hard. The remedy is to follow with an acidic rinse. Most people pour a dilute solution of vinegar (apple cider/ACV or white) and water over their hair, and that takes care of it, though some prefer other acids like citric acid. If you try shampoo bars, I'd suggest having a big fast food cup and a bit of vinegar in the bathroom the first time, in case you need it.

[KaasKnot]

Here's something that confuses me, how do bun waves or braid waves give volume? I know they poof my hair outwards, but the hair on the top of my head (vertical volume) is always really flat when I take it out of an updo. If I brush it upside-down I get volume for a spell, but then my hair just slips back to the way it was.

[JamieLeigh]

To answer the OT question above.......I have no idea what the story is behind the :cheese:. LOL. I just know that by the time I got here (one year ago, next Saturday!!! :D ) cheese was an option in all the polls. So I dunno. :p

[Peggy E.]

Are there basic step-by-step type somewhere as to how to start NW/SO? I read people saying things about massages, something about brushes (BBB?)... but no general "Here's the basics on starting and proper maintenance"

Odie, I think there's a "how-to" basics on the NW/SO thread.

I know, there are lots of questions about this hair-care method, as it's so alien to us here - with our infiltration of multitudes of hair-care products. But there are some very knowledgable people on the thread who are very generous with their time and happy to supply all the information needed to give this the best shot possible.

I don't usually mention this, as it is so "out of the box," I guess you'd say. But I did so here because the poster was trying to solve a problem that the NW/SO method provided me. It's not the same for everyone, though.

[LaurelSpring]

I agree with what has already been said. I have many fine hairs also. It can look greasy and scraggly. The first big ah-ha moment I had was when I stopped using cones. All of a sudden I had waves I never knew I had before! I am still going back and forth on SLS because sometimes I need it to get rid of buildup but I think I am going to try the borax for that. I had been using baking soda on and off but got worried about damage from alkalinity. Lately everything seems to make my scalp itch so I am excited about trying the borax and if the results are as good as you say then I will be :cheese:

My other suggestion is to try Henna or Cassia if you dont want color and also add the amla. The henna and cassia really thicken up my hair and give it body. The amla also gives it some good body but can be a bit puffy and fly away but I dont mind that so much because I like the body and its good for your scalp also.

I also have to wean myself from over using oils. This can really make my hair look scraggly and greasy. However coconut oil applications did seem to thicken it up some.

I also second the dry shampoo. When I started putting cocoa powder on my hair to stretch washings that made it alot thicker.

The other thing I am doing now is setting it before bed. Torrins youtube of braid waves is awesome. You section and braid and then wrap the ends with those pillow curlers. I am also using Spidermoms suppestion of putting my hair on top of my head in a satin scruncii and then wrapping about 4 sections in sponge rollers. That is easy to sleep on and gives me good curls for a couple of days.

[marikamt]

Okay, I'm completely clueless.

Where do I find a shampoo bar? Is it like a bar of soap made out of shampoo? What kinds should I look for?

The more I think about it, I really don't want to go no-poo. My hair isn't long enough to put up, and I have to at least pretend that I'm a corporate cog for my boss and co-workers so that I can pay my bills. :/ I read a lot of horror stories on the NW/SO and WO threads and I already have too many things that make me socially unacceptable going on. I don't need greasy hair on top of it all. This is just my own personal assessment, I think the idea overall is great and I totally support the idea. I just know how nasty my hair looks after not washing it for a couple days, and hearing stories of other people with similar sounding hair... yeah, not for me.

I posted earlier in this thread- I have this hair type too..... Shampoo bar may be the way to go, it certainly worked for me... I tried stretching washes w/ regular (sls) shampoo, would get the greasies, tried CO wash, would get the greasies, tried SLS free shampoo, hair was frizzy... so I switched to bars... I really love them. I started with a very plain one I got locally, it was great but I wanted to try CV (chagrin Valley) bars for the "flavors".... they were GREAT to work with, I ordered on line and they were here within days...... the only "negative" w/ the CV bars are they are VERY highly scented (doesn't bother me most of the time) where-as the first one I started with had no scent.... love the results though... we have a water softener and I have tried with and without the ACV rinse... both works for me and I have had no icky effects from the bars..... I do still need a conditioner, but only about a tablespoon worth from ears down (ends mostly), I do use a cone free one.... I think I use it mostly to detangle the ends.
good luck! This is a hard hair type, very frustrating at times (IMO)!

[Bonkers57]

My husband uses Dr. Bronner's Peppermint Castile! I'll have to try some of his and see how it does on my hair. Thanks!


When I quit using commerical products my hair suddenly had body. What has been working especially nice is Dr. Bronner's Peppermint Castile Soap (yes, you can use it on hair!) Shampoo bars also gave me lots of volume. Amla is supposed to give lots of body too. You can find it in Indian grocery stores.

[jojo]

* hold hands up*

I am always told off hairdressers that I have baby fine hair but plenty of it; it don't make much sense to me either!

It is possible to grow fine hair, I have never been longer than waist in the past but I am nearly there again. I plan to grow to classic length and see no reason other than reaching terminal as to why this cannot be done.

And braid waves give my hair loads of 'pouf'

[Charlotte:)]

I have limp hair too, so after I've taken a shower and my hair is almost dry, I flip my head upside-down and sort of rub my scalp and fluff up my hair (like what people do when they blow dry their hair, if you've ever seen it). Then I don't brush or even finger comb it until it's 100% dry. It gives me lots of volume!

[smileycat]

I have fine hair & what has worked somewhat for me is:

-no silicones in hair products. I hate the way silicones make my hair feel
-Aveda & Renee Furterer Hair products
-shampoo bars with vinegar rinse or natural shampoos. Use alone or condition FIRST, then shampoo
-If you have time, bun waves are nice, but, they never last long on my hair....

The Borax thing I never heard, but I may be tempted to try it just once....

Good luck!

Same here with no silicones, and shampoo bars with a vinegar rinses are good. No conditioner ANYWHERE EVEN REMOTELY CLOSE to my roots.

[see_turtle]

My hair is like that as well! only for me braid waves don't stay at all!

[LouLaLa]

Ok Ive read all the posts and I dont think the methods I use have been raised so ill share them :)

Basically I have very very fine silky hair- it wont curl, its fine, volumising products dont work without alot of heat- this is just a fact of life- fine hair is beautiful in its own way.

I have however found that to make it look good and get the most of what you have:
* Scalp massaging is very effective- it helps then hair stand more proucd from my scalp.
* When washing your hair you have to really really make sure that you clean is super thorough- less product helps the hair appear to its best advantage too.
*Regular trims do give the illusion of thicker hair if you have a blunter end (in my expereince and judging by my photos of layered/blunt hair- I dont speak for all cases but this was my finding).
*SMT (very important threads for this link) and oil the length- I think that healthy hair gives a great illusion of vitality and makes it more beautiful- that may just be me- but if you can get it to shine then it looks fabulous and to me at least you're making the most of each strand.

I hope this helps, there are some other great ideas here too! Just like all other hair types there are hundereds of methods but eventually you find the few that work for your hair :)

I wish you luck!

[ChatNoir]

Hia! :D

I know how you feel! I have a just about 2" circumferenced pony tail, and my strands are really fine as well. What I used to do when my hair was at BSL was that I put it up in a tight dutch braid. It really made it come to life! :) Works even better if you have your hair a bit damp, not wet, but damp ;) Since it's only at shoulder now (shed-cut, long story) I don't really do anything with it :hmm: but the dutch braid is really worth a try! :D

[cubedcoley]

Can anybody comment on the following? I am starting out very much like the original post. I am nearly to APL with goal of BSL and then we will see how I am feeling. I have been COing it for about 2 weeks and really love it: I must have hard water, though, or something because sometimes I feel I need an ACV rinse to equalize everything out ( I have done about 4 in the past 2 weeks). I have done two SMTs each 1 week apart. Okay, here is the question, I know what people are doing now from the previous posts, however, can anybody tell me if they had to switch their routines up as they gained more length? How did you know to try the CV bars? Was it due to longer hair weighing you down? Scalp issues? I am cone free with absolutely no heat-curlers for 2 weeks and no dryer for nearly 2 months, so this is helping my ends a lot. However, when I started COing, it seems I had more volume (illusion?), now, not so much. I use coconut oil only a little on the ends, with 1 heavy oiling per week. :) :cheers:

[chelseamichelle]

I know exactly what you mean. My hair will fall with ZERO volume if left on it's own to dry haha so naturally I have several tricks to get a little volume out of it.

Something I always do ( I even forgot why I do it) is that if i'm letting my hair air dry then I part it in the middle, once it's dry I'll go and part it on the side. Because the hair dried on the opposite side, once you bring it over you'll have an extra lift at the roots :)

When it's air drying, I don't leave it alone. I constantly flip my head upside down and shake out the roots with my fingers

If I washed my hair before bed, then I make a high bun and leave the hair on top really loose and make it stick up ( like a bump it) That way the roots will have more lift the next day.

But if i really want BIG hair, then I use a volumizing mouse. The one I have is Garnier fructis Thickening mousse In XXL Volume, it really makes a huge difference. I put it into wet hair while my head is upside down and sometimes ill put it through the length as well. If you blow dry it works a lot better.
Now this is only for special occasions as your hair will be a little thicker and less flowy, and really in not run-your-fingers-though-it condition.

But really, i'm constantly fluffing my hair, always flipping always fluffing haha

[Capybara]

What chelseamichelle said. Parting your hair in one direction while drying, and then flipping it over, gives tons of volume.

Have you tried drying your hair in a topknot, smack dab on the top of your head? I get great volume from this method :)

[Mariah!!]

I have found a good solution. I do a fully rolled sock bun on the top of my head at night with dampened hair from a spray bottle with water. in the morning my hair is dry and I take it out. The curls are big, and only on the bottom 6-8 inches of hair (thats cause I dont have hardly any layers left, and if I did have alot it would look way more curly.) But my hair is left SUPER volumized (DONT USE MOUSSE before hand... Trust me it just leaves dents in you hair where it tried to curl but was weighed down by hair- and it is not a wavy dent either). So its super volumized and over the course of the day my hair kind of loses the curl, but the ends of my hair stay uniformly nice and slightly curled. My pony tails look great, My hair was up on the top of my head all night so my roots are up high and get more volume and the ends of my hair look GREAT! I dont use anything else except maybe some hairspray after wards. Its so great. My hair is very thick , and very fine as well.