Caring For Your Fine Hair July 21, 2021 09:00

Your hair’s texture is the most significant element in determining its personality. It’s the number one thing you should be thinking about when it comes to treating your strands, and more importantly, choosing your products. But, there’s a lot of confusion about what exactly, constitutes “fine hair”. Case and point: did you know that it’s possible to have fine, thick hair? So, as you can see, navigating its care can feel complicated. So we asked Salon Owner Jennifer Morgan to break down everything you need to know about fine hair, and the best way to care for your hair type.

HOW TO BEST CARE FOR FINE HAIR:

1. Go light on product:

“With fine hair you need to be careful not to overuse a product as too much of one thing can really weigh your hair down,” says Jennifer. She's a fan of using dry shampoo, like OSiS Fresh Texture, perfect prep for textured looks. A cleansing foam infused with seven herbs that treats a normal to greasy scalp to deliver root lift and reactivate volume without shampooing. Adding OSiS Texture Craft an invisible, dry texturising spray with the power to create, shape and define volume and texture without compromising on natural feel and shine.

2. Turn down the hot tools:

“Fine hair can be damaged so much easier than other types, so turn those hot tools down if you must use them,” says Jennifer. And while you should be using use a heat protectant on any texture of hair, it’s extra important to apply some on fine strands before styling, since they’re more prone to breakage.

3. Strengthen, strengthen, strengthen:

“Fine hair naturally lacks protein, so make sure to stock up on all of the strengthening treatments,” says Jennifer. She suggests Alterna Restructuring Bond Repair to easily re-bond, rebuild and seal the hair cuticle for up to 10 washes. Clinically proven to reduce breakage and split ends by up to 99%

HOW TO TELL IF YOUR HAIR IS FINE

If your not sure whether or not your hair falls into the 'fine' category, Jennifer says there’s a DIY way to figure it out. “Take a single strand between your fingers and roll,” she says. If you DON’T feel the hair strand, you have fine hair. If you feel it between your fingers you have medium hair and if it feels thick or coarse, then you have coarse hair.” For an even easier litmus test, Jennifer suggests holding a strand of hair to a piece of paper—if it’s thinner than the paper, it’s considered fine.

WHAT IS FINE HAIR?

Contrary to popular belief, 'fine' hair is not the same thing as 'thin' hair. "‘Fine’ hair usually refers to a small diameter or width to the individual strand of hair. 'Thin’ hair is having a lower abundance or number of hair strands on your head,” says Jennifer. In other words, it’s about the characteristics of the strands themselves—not how many of them you have. You could have fine, thick hair, which would mean you have a lot of delicate strands, but you should be treating them with fine-friendly products.

IF YOUR FINE HAIR IS OILY:
Use Purifying Shampoo
When you have an oily scalp, choosing the right shampoo is extremely important. Opt for Scalp Genesis Purifying Shampoo with StemCode™ Complex and Vitamin B3 Derivate which deeply cleanses oily scalps and hair, efficiently removing excess sebum and residues while securing the future condition of the hair. “I like using Purifying Shampoo periodically, because it helps detox and remove any product buildup that might weigh my hair down or create greasiness,” says Jennifer.

Use Deep Clean Dry Shampoo
Dry shampoo is an important element for extending the life of any blow dry, but when you have fine hair it’s important to find one that won’t weigh you down (and won’t leave behind a pesky, baby-powder-white finish). Alterna's Sheer Dry Shampoo fits the bill, using ingredients like rice and tapioca starch to fight greasy, oily roots up to four days (or more!) after your last wash.

IF YOUR FINE HAIR IS DRY:
Use a moisturiser
BC Hyaluronic Moisture Kick is the ultimate go-to for hydrating hair, no matter the texture. Hyaluronic Moisture Kick rebalances and delivers optimum levels of moisture to even the driest hair, improving resilience, increasing shine and eliminating static. For perfectly supple, shiny and moisturised hair, full of elasticity and bounce. Despite being infused with moisture, they’re ultra lightweight, and won’t weigh down strands when you step out of the shower.

IF YOU'RE SEEKING MORE VOLUME:

Use Alterna Multiplying Volume
Alterna's signature volumising products are perfect for adding some oomph before you even step out of the shower. They create instant volume and thickness with the help of the unique Marine Plumping Complex specifically formulated for this product line. Best for fine, thin hair they work on every strand to give your whole head a volumised look that’s extra smooth and shiny.

Use Clinical Densify
If you are concerned about not only the texture of your hair, but also the amount (density) Alterna's Red Clover Densifying Complex is formulated to give the appearance of denser-looking hair and is clinically proven to provide a significant boost to hair texture and thickness with regular use.

Use OSiS Volume Up
Amp up the volume on any wavy style with this texturising spray. It offers an effortless, beachy texture with a barely-there finish that will never leave you with any crunch or build-up. For the perfect natural-looking undone texture, wavy look, this should be your pick.

FOR ALL FINE HAIR TYPES:

Use Alterna Caviar Anti-Aging Leave-In Overnight Serum
Since fine hair is prone to breakage, it’s important to use a product that will help maintain its strength. A reparative overnight treatment that fights the signs of aging hair while you sleep, to protect against chemical damage, heat damage, mechanical damage, surface damage, and hair breakage, giving strands the strength it needs.

Use Alterna Rapid Repair Spray
The spray contains Age-Control Complex® to address natural, chemical and environmental aging. It is infused with the 3 Cs—caviar extract, vitamin C and cytokines—to help smooth the hair shaft and increase shine. Color Hold® proprietary technology locks in hair color brightness, while Enzymetherapy® helps transform ingredients into a microstructure that hair can more easily absorb allowing for deeper, targeted penetration of active ingredients.