Banishing Bad Hair Days since 1997!™

Fine-tuning Fine Curly Hair

Tips For Styling  Wavy, Curly, Coily Or Kinky Fine Tresses

All fine hair, regardless of the texture, can be challenging.  Luckily there are many answers to help anyone fall in love with their strands.

Fine-tuning Fine Curly Hair - Sabrina May - On Unsplash - All Rights Reserved Fine-tuning Fine Curly Hair - Sabrina May - On Unsplash - All Rights Reserved

There's no right or wrong cut, style or length for any type of hair ranging from baby fine to very thick, regardless of it's cuticle shape.

To achieve the very best hair results for your individual type, texture, cuticle shape or other factors, make a committment to understand and work the long term game.

This commitment will net anyone lifetime benefits.

With the best professional texture advice any individual, regardless of their hair type or cuticle shape can have the hair style and shape of their dreams.

1. Know All About Your Hair

Find a great hair texture expert specializing in finely textured hair.

They will study your entire hair profile and create a great cut which works with your specific pattern of cuticle shape as well as your porosity.

Fine-tuning Fine Curly Hair - Image by Raphael Lovaski - On Unsplash Fine-tuning Fine Curly Hair - Image by Raphael Lovaski - On Unsplash

It doesn't mean you have to start with a major chop.

Sometimes all you need is strategic trimming or light sculpting to encourage cuticle definition and bounce.

A texture hair expert can also help you identify hair care products which don't compete while helping support your ultimate hair care styling, maintenance and care program.

It's just as important to learn to care for your own thinly textured locks at home as it is to find an expert who can help you in the salon.

2. Skip Long Straight Hairstyles

Although every person's fine hair is unique, shorter to medium lengths are generally best

 Fine-tuning Fine Curly Hair - Francisco Andreotti on Unsplash Fine-tuning Fine Curly Hair - Francisco Andreotti on Unsplash

Long hair is not recommended because it can pull out/weigh down curls and make the hair even thinner.

Depending upon the individual head of waves or curls, texture experts might carve it shorter around the edges or perimeters.

This leaves the top sections slightly longer.  Length is better for creating added weight.

A little bit of hair weight works best for proper wave or curl clumping and definition.

3.  Avoid Bangs Or Fringes Which Might Frizz Or Become Extremely Wispy

Bangs or fringes along the front of the forehead aren't advised.  This is because they may wave up, shrink or look too wispy.

Instead of adding lots of layers, ask your curl expert to perform a dry cut creating well defined clumps which are less like;y to wisp out or float away.

4. Avoid Chemical Relaxers, Straighteners Or Perms

Fine-tuning Fine Curly Hair - Photo by Valeriia Kogan on Unsplash - All Rights Reserved Fine-tuning Fine Curly Hair - Photo by Valeriia Kogan on Unsplash - All Rights Reserved

Side step a long cycle of potential hair damage by avoiding the use of chemical texturizers of any kind.

Although chemical straighteners, relaxers, thermal re-conditioners or reverse perms may offer a temporary fix, ultimately they can leave residual damage.

They may also destroy desired body, volume and cuticle shape.

When waves and curls are erased, fine hair may become even more difficult to manage.

5. Add Contrasting Highlights, Lowlights Or Overall Color For Depth

While chemical texturing isn't advised, chemical color is a different story.

Adding highlights, lowlights or overall color to the hair is recommended. It ruffles up the cuticles.

Highlights or lowlights as well as allover color adds sparkle, shimmer and shine.  It encourages natural lights to dance off the top of the strands rather than to settle along the scalp.  This light effect creates more transparent looking tresses.

The contrasts of highlights and lowlights will create an optical illusion giving hair a fuller, more lush, appearance.  Dark rich golds, browns and red hues may also help hair appear fatter.

Fine-tuning Fine Curly Hair - Image by Max Ilienerwise on Unsplash Fine-tuning Fine Curly Hair - Image by Max Ilienerwise on Unsplash - All Right Reserved

Different types of highlights work great, as well as defining low-density curls with free form hand painting or balayge.

When you add strategic hair color to any type of fine or thin strands it's more advantageous than any other hair type.

6. Cleanse Or Wet Wash More Frequently

While many people with naturally textured hair, especially dry, damaged strands avoid cleansing their strands more than once a week, people with finely textured hair may need to wash or refresh more often.

Wet washing strands will help prevent product buildup allowing cuticles to naturally fatten and plump up.

Of this isn't true for everyone.

Do your research, experiment and you may be able to stretch your wet wash days from just one or two to as many as four with the proper tips and tricks.

All finely textured hair is different. What works for one person may not work for anyone else.

7. Experiment With A Variety Of Cleaning Formulas

Fine-tuning Fine Curly Hair - Dave Goudreau - on Unsplash - All Rights Reserved Fine-tuning Fine Curly Hair - Dave Goudreau - on Unsplash - All Rights Reserved

People with fine or thin strands often have conflicting hair goals.

They want lots of volume without any possible frizz or fuzz.  Additionally, they want volume at the roots along with well defined waves or curls throughout the rest of their strands.

Volume enhancing shampoo formulas may provide fuller strands, but may not provide the desired cuticle clumping shapes.  It may be necessary to compromise by diluting volumizing cleansing formulas with water or alternating use of different products.

Another concern with volumizing shampoo formulas is that by blowing open the cuticle, pre-existing chemical color treatments may wash out faster.

It may trigger accelerated fading.  There is also concern with using formulas which are too heavy and may weigh fine strands down.

8. Use A Light Touch With Any Conditioning Products

A little bit of conditioner goes a long way with fine thin strands. Less is definitely more.  If you must use any type of conditioners select the lightest ones you can find or dilute heavier ones with water.

Fine-tuning Fine Curly Hair - Shahin Khalaji - Unsplash - All Rights Reservedd Fine-tuning Fine Curly Hair - Shahin Khalaji - Unsplash - All Rights Reserved

If fine hair is plied with heavy conditioners it may become weighed down and quickly migrating

to an oily, greasy mess.

Apply any conditioning products only halfway down the hair shaft.  The roots should never had conditioners applied to them since conditioners can weigh hair down especially at the base of the roots.

Remember, limp, flat, lifeless roots can't successfully support textures.

When hair is prepped correctly it can have great texture.  Fine to baby fine hair can become over hydrated very easily.

9. Use Frizz Blocking Products Sparingly

If you struggle with fuzz, apply frizz blocking products moderately to damp strands. A little bit of moisture helps dilute the product, helping it to spread out.

Apply a tiny bit of the frizz blocking product to the roots for lift.

Fine-tuning Fine Curly Hair - Mike Austin - Unsplash - All Rights Reserved Fine-tuning Fine Curly Hair - Mike Austin- Unsplash - All Rights Reserved

Finger rake a tiny bit of additional anti-frizz cream, gel or serum throughout the rest of  slightly damp hair.

Some hair types benefit from volumizing products because they will help to expand the hair shaft creating a much fatter strand look.

10. Skip Heavy Cream Based Styling Products Or Dilute Appropriately

Too much of any type of cream based hair products may be too much. This includes any type of conditioners and/or styling products.

There is a fine line between added hydration to prevent dryness, fuzz or frizz and creating flat curls. Experiment to find the proper balance for your strands.

Very lightweight hair mousse products may be a good solution because they will add volume and lift.

11. It's All About The Layering

Learn to layer your leave-in styling cocktail products. Think of layering leave-in hair products like icing the individual layers of a cake.  All layers should have an equal distribution of icing for a well-balanced final cake.

Avoid adding too much leave-in conditioning and/or styling product with each layer added.

Section the hair into three or four parts to provide good product distribution and to guarantee no one section of the hair received too much.

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The more you section your hair, the better distribution of products you will get.

Traditional layering methods which create sticky clumps, hair blobs or bulk which falls into the dreaded curl shapes must be avoided at all costs.

12. Add Cold Air To Slow Speed Diffusing For Best Results

Although a controversial subject in the professional hair world, finishing a wet wash cycle with a cool/cold water rinse does, for many people, help to close and seal the cuticle.

It also helps to add natural shine and minimize frizz.

Maximize hair volume by letting hair partially air dry, then use a long finger diffuser attached to a blow dryer set on the lowest and coolest speeds.

The longer it takes you to diffuse your hair and the smaller the sections you diffuse at any one time, the fuller your hair will be.

13. Only Use Your Finger Pads To Manipulate And Massage Scalp

Although most people with naturally textured tresses are warned to keep their fingers out of their hair, people with very fine or thin strands may benefit from a light scalp massage to trigger additional root volume and bounce.

Fine-tuning Fine Curly Hair - Conair Infiniti Pro Dryer + Long Finger Diffuser Attachment - Conair - All Rights Reserved Fine-tuning Fine Curly Hair - Conair Infiniti Pro Dryer + Long Finger Diffuser Attachment - Conair - All Rights Reserved

Never use the finger nails with can scratch and leave tiny rips in the scalp.

Use only very clean fingers and focus the pads of the fingers on the scalp to encourage overall blood circulation to the scalp.

14. To Scrunch, Plop Or Curl Train....Or Not?

Scrunching, plopping and/or curl training may or may not work on your hair depending upon a variety of factors.

This includes but isn't limited to the length of your strands, how tightly defined your cuticle shape and clumping patterns are and whether or the type of porosity if your hair.

Experiment with all types of natural texture drying and curl defining options. Be prepared to keep those techniques which work for you and your hair and ditch the rest.

Some people with fine to baby fine hair swear by some techniques which just won't work for everyone.

15. Clip Strands Up At The Roots

A well-known trick for fine and/or thin hair is to use a series of little clips strategically placed at the roots to help lift soft roots up during the drying process

Fine-tuning Fine Curly Hair - Tifara Beauty 42-pack 7" Flexible Curling Rods Flexible Hair Rolling Rods - All Rights Reserved Fine-tuning Fine Curly Hair - Tifara Beauty 42-pack 7" Flexible Curling Rods Flexible Hair Rolling Rods - All Rights Reserved

Alternatively you can use your clean fingers like a pick.

Lightly intersperse your fingers into your hairline adjacent to your face. Gently lift the roots up while you direct your blow dryer set on the slowest/coolest speeds onto the roots to add body and lift.

Focus along your hair part for the best results.

16. Put Your Fingers Into Your Hair

The more you lightly finger pick and train your fine to baby fine textured hair throughout the course of your day, the more expansion and puffiness you can expect.

While dry to very dry, coarse cuticles will blow up and become unmanageable, fine hair will puff nice into a fuller look.

Putting your fingers into your hair is only recommended for thin 2A or 3A strands.  If you put your fingers into your hair and it's medium to thick, tightly coiled, afro or kinky textured, your hair will blow up.

17. Identify Your Best Hair Products

Just as all fine to baby fine hair is unique, the products which work fabulously for one head of hair, will not work as well for others.  Or they may even be an epic fail.

Ask your professional hair expert for their suggestions.

If your hair pro has been working with various textures for a long time they usually understand the best products for every type of cuticle pattern which would best serve fine or thin strands.

Fine-tuning Fine Curly Hair - Tifara Beauty 42-pack 7" Flexible Curling Rods Flexible Hair Rolling Rods - All Rights Reserved Fine-tuning Fine Curly Hair - Tifara Beauty 42-pack 7" Flexible Curling Rods Flexible Hair Rolling Rods - All Rights Reserved

Although some product lines heavily advertise the advantages of their products, base your ultimate decision on recommendations from your texture expert, your own research and your own experiences with various products.

18.  Follow Your Own Path

What works for one may definitely leave your hair a sticky mess.  Be willing to experiment by purchasing the least expensive options in a product category you are considering. Talk to others with hair similar to yours.

I've been known to stop people at Starbucks, in the grocery story (pre-covid-19 of course) and ask them about their hair.  I ask what products they use to achieve their magnificent texture results.  I also ask them what type and curl pattern they have.

19.  Use Hair Friendly Accessories

Consider using strategically placed hair friendly barrettes, clips, hair combs, headbands and/or hair pins to elevate the roots of the hair for wave or curl support.

20.  Be Careful With Hair Extensions

Hair extensions may appear to offer a fast fix for limp, flat or very fine strands.  The short terms gains may bring long term problems.

Fine-tuning Fine Curly Hair - Marco Testi - Unsplash - All Rights Reserved Fine-tuning Fine Curly Hair - Marco Testi - Unsplash - All Rights Reserved

Any type of hair extensions which contain any type of weight due to the attachment devices or the amount of hair added may flatten natural cuticle shapes.

While the hair extensions may help add the appearance of volume, ultimately they may destroy delicate shapes which may be harder to reactivate.

If you wish to use hair extensions, consider wearing temporary clip-ins only for very special hair occasions.  Or have individual strands attached to your hair by an extensions expert who specializes in adding hair to fine or thin tresses.

Some hair experts suggest wearing wigs is less damaging to fine or thin strands although this may or may not be true.  Do your research, weigh your options, talk to your hair expert and proceed with caution.

Summary

Achieve the very best hair results for your individual type, texture, cuticle shape and other factors with research.

Make a commitment to understand and work the long term game.

It will net you a  lifetime of benefits.

Additional References

To read some of my additional articles, blogs or answers about all types of hair topics, visit me at:

Karen Marie Shelton Space on Quora.com.

What Products Should I Put In Fine Hair Before Rollers To Keep Curls Defined?

Hair Storms - A Space About All Types Of Hair

Social Media Network Information

Please follow us on Twitter at: https://Twitter.com/HairBoutique. I look forward to meeting new people from all walks of Twitter and learning from their Tweets.

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