Does your hair lack volume, lose its bounce easily and look wispy? Don’t despair! Experts Jérôme Guezou and André Delahaigue bring us their top tips for getting a gorgeous silky mane.
Get the right cut
Fine hair is prone to looking flat and lifeless: “It’s naturally lacking in volume and when you try and create body, it just won’t hold,” explains Jérôme Guezou, ambassador at L’Oréal Professionnel. This is where your hairdresser comes in, as you’ll need a good cut that’s adapted to your hair type. The key? It’s all about layers. “Create as much shape as possible with layers that give an optical illusion to maximise volume. For the best results, opt for shorter or mid-length tousled cuts (ideally finishing at your shoulders). Layers disguise your hair’s natural flatness and add body without damaging your hair long-term.”
If you can’t part with your long tresses, subtle layering is a must. André Delahaigue, creative director at Jean-Marc Maniatis, says: “You shouldn’t be able to see where each layer ends, as the idea is to achieve a natural look that deceives the eye. It’s also better not to layer the ends too heavily, as they can end up looking straggly.”
Finally, to add extra oomph, our experts both agree that a long sweeping fringe can work wonders. André Delahaigue explains that this will “give the style structure and maximise volume.” Jérôme Guezou also advises going for a full fringe that will “inject some personality into your style.”
Use colour to create volume
Colour is a great way to add volume and depth to fine hair. In fact, according to our expert, “Hair colour lets you play with different contrasts making hair look more abundant. Highlights (frosting and foil techniques) are guaranteed to create this effect.”
Frosting: If chestnut shades are applied, the highlights will lighten the ends and darken the roots, giving your look a lift. “This contrast should be subtle, creating the illusion of thick hair on the top of the head,” Jérôme Guezou explains.
Foils: Highlighting strands of hair is guaranteed to give fine hair a lift. To trick the eye effectively, you need larger blocks of colour that are a couple of shades lighter than your natural colour.
Don't wash it too often
Fine hair is by nature more fragile than other hair types and is prone to damage. It can easily break and go dry. But don’t overload your hair with nourishing treatments, warns André Delahaigue: “Fine hair needs lightweight shampoo formulated for normal to greasy hair. You should be careful not to wash your hair too often. Once every three days is best. Dry shampoo is an excellent alternative, and can be used from the second day onwards. It has the added benefit of boosting the volume of fine hair.”
Use gentle products
Ditch your gloss serum, volumising mousse and finishing wax, says André Delahaigue. “You need to limit the products you use, as they tend to weigh fine hair down. If your hair is damaged, there are masks for fine hair that you can apply to the ends only, so you retain body. When it comes to styling products, heat-protective creams are your best bet. They hydrate the hair shaft and protect it from heat from your hairdryer and straighteners. Finally, to really boost volume, use volumising spray instead of mousse and alcohol-based products, which only dry the hair out.”
Remember: Oils, serums and other products with a greasy texture should be avoided at all costs, as they’ll flatten your hair. The same goes for products containing silicon, as they don’t let your hair breathe.
5 Style it right
For a natural look with maximum volume, our expert at Maniatis advises “drying your hair until it’s 90% dry, before parting it with a wide-toothed comb and drying the roots with your hairdryer to separate them. Do this all over until you get enough volume. Alternatively, use velcro rollers in dry hair. Simply dust with hair spray, then blow-dry. Take them out after ten minutes and your hair will be full of bounce.”
Jérôme Guezou advises spritzing hair spray on still-damp hair at the roots, in five or six bursts, for a gentle hold. “Then blow dry while running your fingers through your hair. This technique gives your hair body and separates the roots for a volume boost.”
Remember: When you put your hair up, use fabric hairbands or bungee hooks to avoid damaging the hair fibres. Avoid brushing your hair too rigorously, as this won’t add lift. If you use straighteners, André Delahaigue advises “taking thick chunks of hair and moving the straighteners once only through each section, so you don’t damage the hair shaft.”
BDST: 1721 HRS, APR- 18, 2016
Edited by: Sharmina Islam, Lifestyle Editor
