Styling Tips for Fine Hair as a Mom

You’re chasing after the kids, functioning as the family chauffeur and the go-to person for the spouse and kids. Or you hold down a job and come home to the role of chief cook and bottlewasher. Who has time to style her hair?

If you feel like wearing a bag over your head most days, if bad hair days are routine, or if high hair fashion is a rubber band, here’s help. These are salon-tested tips and tricks to make the most of fine, thinning hair for busy moms on the go.

What Makes Hair Fine and Thin?

Many women are born with hair that is naturally fine. Marie Claire Magazine points out its many advantages:

• manageable
• versatile
• holds many shapes

If that doesn’t describe yours, it’s probably due to changes in your naturally fine hair due to:

• heredity
• hormones, especially around menopause
• age
• too many products, too much coloring, too many permanents

Treat Your Hair with Kindness

What to do with fine, thin hair is one of the most common problems that women bring to their hair stylists. These experts can help you make the most of your delicate locks.

According to the stylists at Philip Pelusi, the first thing a professional will recommend is to use natural, volumizing shampoos and conditioners. These are made with fewer chemicals that can add to the damage that has already affected your hair.

These specialty products can be hard to find at your local grocery or drug store. Most salons carry at least one line that is kind to fine, thin hair. Your stylist can recommend other brands that are available online.

He will also recommend using the 70/30 dry rule, which is guaranteed to add fullness to fine hair. This means taking the time to air dry your hair after shampooing. This can be frustrating for a time-strapped mom, but it is an investment in volume and a full look.

This is simple to do: squeeze the water out of your hair and let it dry naturally. This lets each strand of hair separate and lift, which increases volume.

How to Style Fine Hair

Here are four tips that will help make the most of your fine, thinning hair.

Get a good cut. It is essential to have your stylist cut your hair in a shape that flatters your face and makes the most of the hair you have. She has the training and experience to understand your hair’s particular texture and needs. Let her know what you would like, and she will tell you what is possible. Then work together from there.

Lift the roots. When it comes time to give shape to your newly cleaned hair, your aim is to give lift to each strand of hair right at the roots. This immediately provides an illusion of thicker hair.

Do this by adding a small amount of a volumizing product to your roots. These come in the form of mousses, gels, sprays, or lotions. Don’t use waxes, thick and heavy serums, or molding muds. You want a product that is light.

Change the location of your part. This can be disconcerting when you first look in the mirror, but it has a very practical effect. The switch lifts up hair in a different way than normal, and away from your scalp. This gives the hair on top a more voluminous look.

Use the right brush. Avoid round metal brushes and those with hard plastic bristles. Both can snag and damage strands of hair. Instead, use brushes made of natural boar bristle or those made from nylon, which is very flexible. Another nice feature is a cushioned base.

Busy moms can have full looking, well-shaped hair when they get the right cut and then treat their hair gently. The small investment of time required results in great-looking hair, even when it is thin and fine.