Fine Hair? Don't Care.

So I fall into the category of one having fine hair. Fine meaning the diameter of my hair strands are smaller than your average afro textured haired sister. Each strand is essentially narrower. Why didn’t I just say I have thin hair then? Because I’m not referring number of hairs per squared centimetre of my head. My hair is not overall thin, each hair strand is ‘fine’. Are we getting it? Would I say I’m at a disadvantage? I wouldn’t say so. For arguments sake, lets look at the benefits and drawbacks.

The pros

Fine hair due to its narrower composition, naturally means the strands are light in weight. This means that fine hair moves with the wind! A lot. I enjoy that. And I'm not sorry.

It’s easy to achieve a ‘sleek’ look. Less bulk means its quite easy to smooth hair down and have slightly less volume at the roots. For a sleek look, that's a win. Maybe not so much for a twist out.

Fight with a scrunchie? No problem. Fine hair can usually fit nicely into a scrunchie or hair tie without much resistance.

The cons

Fine hair can snap with the slightest tug, resistance or friction. Gentle care is required when handling these delicate strands.

Styles can fray and get messy quite easily, as mentioned, fine hair is very light so it doesn't take much for it to be gone with the wind when you don't want it to be.

Braids/twists on fine hair, without the use of extensions can have a thin appearance. This inevitably affects a braid/Twist out curl depth too. The curls will have less curve and will be smaller in size. But rest assured, there are hacks.

Braid outs and twist outs can be flat, lacking body and volume. Due to braids being thinner the curls achieved wont have as much body. Read on for my tips on getting a fuller braid or twist out.

Products for fine hair?

There’s no product on this earth that is going to make your hair strands grow thicker in diameter than they are genetically predisposed to. No one should feel like they need to change how they are genetically made up anyway. Now if you want your hair to stay neat for longer periods of time, you need to set your style. Now I’m not a product junkie. I like to keep it simple. And there's no reason why it shouldn't be.

Que Biology hat… Lets not underestimate good old hydrogen bonds! Hydrogen bonds are an intermolecular force commonly found between molecules of water. Ok, I don’t want to bore you, so, basically the reason why braiding your hair damp and taking it out dry and set with waves or curls is all down to hydrogen bonds. Set your hair. Setting products don’t have to have a firm hold. It can be a styling custard or even a leave in. Just set it when it’s got a little water or water -based product involved. Then if you want to further discourage fraying, weigh it down with a butter/oil. Hold up...I just described my regular moisture routine. Yup. It doubles up. I did say, I keep it simple. But of course if you do want that firm or long lasting hold, go for products designed to do just that.

How to achieve the best braid/twist out on fine hair

It really only takes a few simple tweaks

· Use additional hair when braiding to bulk out you hair and deepen the curls.

· Separating is key. After your hair is set, fluffing up your hair by separating the curls really adds volume.

· Gently lift roots with a wide tooth comb for even more volume.

· Twist/braid root slightly tightly so that roots fray less. But not too tight. Never that.

And they'll never know...