Is there any hope for dense fine hair?

[goldcopperbrown]

Every stylist has always told me I have dense fine hair. It's straight too. Probably one of the worst types to have, but it does have some advantages--it's usually shiny, and I never have to brush it because it's almost always un-tangled and smooth (I also use good conditioner).

What helps this kind of hair not to fall flat? I refuse to embrace the flatness. I went out one night with my hair sleek and straight and someone actually commented on how I should curl it!

[RancheroTheBee]

People make crappy comments about your hair no matter what you do to it. Every time I leave my hair natural, someone makes some terrible comment. Pay no mind!

As for not falling flat, what kind of shampoo are you using? How soon after washing does it fall flat?

[goldcopperbrown]

Right now I'm using Nisim Fast to help it grow faster. It's a pretty good shampoo, but when I say fall flat I mean that when I use any styling products to curl it or volumize it, after about an hour it's flat and bone straight again.

[RancheroTheBee]

Right now I'm using Nisim Fast to help it grow faster. It's a pretty good shampoo, but when I say fall flat I mean that when I use any styling products to curl it or volumize it, after about an hour it's flat and bone straight again.

Are you using the products near your roots?

[Phalaenopsis]

If your hair is straight, then it's straight :p I tried so many things to get some curl or whatever in it, but everything falls flat after half an hour.

If you double french braid your hair and keep it in for one night, one day and one night again, then it wild hold for a bit, but it's so much trouble for one day...

[Taur5684]

Oh you're lucky if you can get it to hold for a half hour - I can barely make it 15 minutes (T_T)
The only exception to that was when I had my hair professionally done for senior prom. That style was heavily curled and lasted even after I slept on it. It didn't seem like I had had too much spray put in it either...I wish I had paid closer attention to how she did it.

Hopefully someone here will have a good solution!

[Mesmerise]

You know, there are millions of women who wish their hair would stay flat! Instead they spend hours with straightening irons trying to get the sort of hair you've got naturally!

I guess the only thing you can do is embrace it, and be glad it doesn't tangle much etc!

[Kaelee]

My hair will hold braid waves and get all sorts of kinky from putting it up etc. But when I intentionally tried to curl it with an iron, it was flat within an hour. Go figure?

The one exception is when I had it permed lol.

Personally I love the straightness..

[Roseate]

I went out one night with my hair sleek and straight and someone actually commented on how I should curl it!

People just like to offer assvice. I've certainly been told the opposite: that I should flatiron my wavy-curly hair into smooth shiny submission.

Next time someone tells you to curl your hair, tell them you're a natural 3c, and you spent hours styling it to getting it to look straight!

[christine1989]

People just like to offer assvice. I've certainly been told the opposite: that I should flatiron my wavy-curly hair into smooth shiny submission.

Next time someone tells you to curl your hair, tell them you're a natural 3c, and you spent hours styling it to getting it to look straight!

"Assvice"? Was that a typo or a newly invented word? Either way I like it- it's like giving advice while being an ass. :laugh:

[julierockhead]

People just like to offer assvice.

ROFLMAO!
:hifive:

[spidermom]

It sounds like you have my dream hair. My niece has it too - relentlessly smooth, straight, and shiny. Sigh ....... I just love it. She really wanted curl when she lived with me, and we tried several things. Rolling damp on rags worked about the best, but even then she had curl about half of one day, and the rest of the day she had sort of a body wave, but the curl was gone. Braid waves didn't even last that long.

[oktobergoud]

"Assvice"? Was that a typo or a newly invented word? Either way I like it- it's like giving advice while being an ass. :laugh:


:D:D:D


Maybe it's different because my hair is short.. but it's very fine at the sides and it lays FLAT on my scalp the day after washing. However, as soon as I wet it, it gets all fluffy and full of volume again. And waves! I just let it airdry and that's it..

However, that works for ME.. and I have short hair which dries a lot faster of course, so wetting it almost every day isn't really a problem for me :P Can imagine it being a hassle when you have longer hair.. not sure if it works as well when you have long hair.

[dRummie]

Why hello there, twinny. I hear you on the unpleasant comments. My hair has always inspired people to compare me with my sister: "You have more of it, but somehow hers looks better..." Read better = more voluminous. Oy :p

I notice your shampoo has SLS in it. Have you ever tried SLS-free? My hair is essentially straight near my scalp, and switching away from SLS to softer cleansers improved my volume considerably, both on the top of my head, and on the length.

My hair used to be straight, btw, and I know what you mean about it not holding curl for more than 15 minutes. I've no advice, unfortunately, I was never able to curl mine. Your hair looks beautiful in your album, though, shiny and thick. Try to embrace it? It suits you :)

[AuburnTresses]

goldcopperbrown you have beautiful hair! First don't let what other people think bother you.

Second (this may not be a popular option), maybe -if you don't already- you should try flipping your hair upside down while wet and drying your with a hairdryer on low. My hair was getting flat and I never blowdry, but last week I tried just drying my roots and it made such a difference! It's been giving me better lift at my roots and for the first time in a while I feel happy with my hair.

That's my two cents anyway. :)

[Fethenwen]

My hair behaved quite a lot like yours when I used SLS and cones :shrug:

WO gives a lot of volume and makes the hair behave nicely, BUT at least for me it takes away shine and makes it look darker. Shampoo bars might also make the hair look more thick and voluminous.

[Curly Hermione]

Your hair is stunning! I suppose we just always want what we can't have. I sometimes wish I had hair like yours, but curlies trade your silky smoothness for natural body, and your lovely hair trades volume for soft shiny sleekness.

[tigereye]

I have fine strands, but thick hair because I have a lot of it. My natural hair is pretty straight, but I braid it at night to protect it. Otherwise my hair would be straight and flat, but braidwaves give it a bit of Oomph without products. I long ago gave up heat styling. If anything, no matter the initial results, it ends up straighter.

[Intransigentia]

My hair might be a little coarser than yours, but other than that we're probably close to hair-twins. One thing I find helps is after I wash it, putting it in a loose, really high bun to dry. It seems to get the roots pointing up and sometimes I can have a bit of lift and volume for almost a whole day after.

Other than that, I wear mine up most of the time so I don't worry much about volume, I'm just a tight-bunned mean lady, lol.

[celebriangel]

Going SLS and cone-free might be an option for more volume.

However, bear in mind that you have what people call "good hair". Soft, shiny, straight, tangle-free. I'm pretty sure half of the LHC would tear off an arm for your hair.

At least you have none of the challenges of hair unlike yours - what about having too *much* volume? Poofy hair that looks like I was just dragged under a hedge backwards is not fun. Shrinkage from curls is a serious bugbear, and while I am lucky to be blessed with frizz which I can control most of the time, I do so at the expense of my curls sometimes, and sometimes it doesn't work at all. Frizz is a constant, daily battle. Tangles are seriously not fun, and mean I struggle to wear my hair down. There is no such thing for me as "second day hair" - by the second day, my curl pattern will have gone wonky and I have to wear my hair up.

Just giving you a taste of the complaints of the other side. Nobody has perfect hair, but I think that looooong, silky-straight shiny hair is beautiful. Again, most of us would give a valuable body part for hair that is naturally as shiny as yours.

So, chin up. You might be able to do sock bun curls. But you can curl your hair more easily than I can straighten it, bear in mind - Hair wrapping doesn't really work, and is massive hassle, and straighteners don't work too well on my hair after the first hour and cause horrendous damage. It's much easier to learn to love one's natural texture - this is the real secret to long, beautiful hair.

[pink.sara]

Your hair is beautiful! But I feel you on the super straight heavy hair thing. Mine will only curl if I smother it in setting lotion, roll it onto tiny perm curlers and sleep in it, I say sleep but its so uncomfortable that doesn't really happen.
Then I have curls that last most of a day, dropping out to waves by the night.
Maybe you could try setting lotion with rags overnight for a change?!

Or maybe just embrace your shiny healthy mane :)

[WinterButterfly]

I also have very straight hair, and lots of it. I can hold a curl for about half an hour, providedthat I smother it in product. It used to irritate me so bad. braid waives only stay for about 3 hours if it dries that way and has been braided for at least a day. But now I am learning to like the type of hair that I have. Every inch of length I have shows since I have no curls or waives to eat it up. It is floaty in the wind. And it shines. Try to learn to love your texture, as changing it does a lot more damage than most dyes over the long term. (At least for me) everyone wants what they don't have at one point or another. Keep in mind that straight hair is in style. It is the time for straighties to shine. Enjoy your hair types moment in the sun.

[uptosomeone]

I've never had any issue with my hair being flat even though it's straight...if I want volume I just put it up for a half hour or so, then I have curls. If I want volume and no curls I use velcro rollers (gently!!). I guess that could be because it's really very thin and lightweight though.

I don't think I'm being of much help, but good luck with finding something that works for you! PS, judging by your avatar your hair is gorgeous :)

[Vanilla]

I have the same problem with my hair. It was flat flat flat, but I started to get it professionally thinned at the bottom. I have a lot more volume now.

I have had success with keeping curls in my hair by doing sock bun curls in wet hair with some mousse

If you want to go the heat styling route, a curling iron works well too, but you have to clip the hot curls to your head and leave them there as they cool. I follow up with hairspray. It's not the friendliest to your hair, but if you only do it nice in a while, it's not bad.

[irishlady]

I think you're lucky to be honest!
I wish mine was either straight or proper wavy like it used to be. It used to be 2b, nearly 2c. Nowadays it's almost wavy, but sort of straight, which is so annoying, I wish it'd make up it's mind!:p

[irishlady]

People just like to offer assvice. I've certainly been told the opposite: that I should flatiron my wavy-curly hair into smooth shiny submission.

Next time someone tells you to curl your hair, tell them you're a natural 3c, and you spent hours styling it to getting it to look straight!

LOL assvice. That's brilliant I might use that word sometimes from now on :p

[Lostsoule77]

My sister had hair like yours before she started highlighting it to death. She still has trouble holding a curl though. The only thing that will keep curls in her hair for any amount of time is putting them in with a curling iron and TONS of hairspray! If you are looking for a none damaging way I don't think there is one. If you are just talking about volume you could try bunning on the top of your head while damp like others have suggested. I think your roots drying up might give you the volume you're desiring. Otherwise just revel in your hair type that many of us would like to have. :)

I hope you find either what you're looking for or peace with what you already have.

[KwaveT]

Everybody always wants what they don't have. I have soft waves for my natural hair. I have for all my life would try to comb it straight down expecting it to lay flat. That would only work if I kept it relatively short. The second it starts dipping below top of the ear it would start flipping and curling. I am embracing my waves now by growing my hair out. My sister uses a straightener on her hair to prevent frizz. Her hair is probably SL+. I am growing mine naturally since I want much longer hair than hers. I will have to probably fight frizz too. I am learning that the sooner you embrace the kind of hair you have the better off you are going to be.