Quick Hair Care Guide For the Finely Tressed

Okay I admit it.  Calling this a any sort of guide may be stretching the point. Let's just say that here are a few pointers. Useful tips. Helpful ideas. In other words assistance those with fine locks might appreciate. Plus a nifty video. 

Because we both know that a good hair day for fine haired girls is more often than not, more a result of successfully pulling off a smoke and mirrors routine than having locks that really and truly look great on their own.

And to pull off this sleight of hand requires a bevy of specially formulated hair care products and/or styling tools that allow you to effectively deal with that baby fine hair mother nature gave you. Because regardless which of the hairstyles for fine hair you are partial to, well, the style sometimes matters not if you can't get the volume you need.

Problem is, puny, thin strands aside, you have to pump up the volume and produce thickness, sometimes seemingly out of thin hair, errr, air. Yes, flat hair can be thickened with mousse and other volumizers.  But you may have to be willing to live with some really bad hair days (read limp, flat locks) to figure out which of the products promising results can actually do so with your hair.

Hey, but at least this gives you hope, no?

Because you'd like gladly deliver up last year's hot wardrobe hanging in your closet if but for a day you could revel in thick luxuriant hair like Salma Hayek's for example.   Just saying and knowing how disappointed as you are with that wimpy, somewhat wispy hair approximation you were issued at birth.  Because some days no matter what you do, if your hair isn't up to it, all the styling tools in the world aren't going to produce the results you seek.

This is, however, where that impressive array of styling products you've bought over time comes into play. 

The list of likely suspects would lead off with mousse which you are undoubtedly familiar with, just so it's a light weight formulation, volumizing spray and the ever popular root lifters.  Any or all of which can do wonders when it comes to conveying the pseudo-look of luxurious volume. 

Not to mention what a decent body enhancing, volumizing shampoo can do for you.  Provided you keep the conditioner as far from your scalp as humanly possible. 

Now I know you want a list of which work best.

Sorry.

No can do.

What works best for my hair, may not work at all on yours. Or maybe you can't stand the smell.  Or maybe you have sworn to only use salon products while what works for me came directly from Walgreens.

Still just so you can’t say I’m not trying to help, here's a list of top volumizing products found online that you can browse at your leisure to see what you think.

All in all you may be pleasantly surprised, no shocked might be more like it, by the results the properly applied product can produce.  Many are.

Then two more quick tips. 

Ever tried blow drying your hair upside down?  Some find it to be a quick way to add more volume to your roots where you need it most. 

And here's a surprising one you may not have considered. Getting your hair colored will often result in it looking like it has more body.  Reason?  The coloring process roughs up the cuticles just a bit, accidentally creating lush volume. 

Finally I'll bet you can grab a few additional styling tips from this video. 

• Start with damp, towel dried hair that you have run a comb through yet. 
•  Take a few seconds to scrunch it a bit.
• Then grab whatever heat protectant you prefer and be sure you target your ends with this protection.   
• Smoothing anything that's left over on your fingers through the rest of your hair.  
• Then mess your hair up once more. 
• Next comes the volumizing mousse which you'll apply to the roots.   
• With your blow dryer set on warm dry away then comb your hair out.

Mousse to Die For

Okay I admit it.  I love my mousse. Don't know what I'd do without it in fact as it does amazing things for my hair that no other styling product can.  Having learned a long time ago that smoke and mirrors (read styling products) can help give your hair what nature forgot to. 

Yet whenever contemplating styling products you want to seriously consider the finished effect you are shooting for.  That way you'll pick the right product to do the job.  With mousse that should be sticky-less hold and volume out the ying yang.  If the product of choice adds to the shine quotient and gives you added manageability, so much the better. 

Unlike the nasty stuff that was used in the 80's,  today's mousses (is "mousses" right?) tend to add volume and shape effortlessly while leaving your tresses touchably soft and natural looking.  

Mousse Defined: Mousse is usually a light weight foamy product.  Stylists use it to add volume to your locks.  It can help with curls too.  Given it is so light weight it shouldn't weigh your hair down as other products, think gels, might.

Still it's important not to overdo it.  Much like the iconic Brylcreem ad of my father's generation, a little dab (of mousse) will do you - most of the time.  

Plus the fact remains that with such products you want to apply them correctly.  In the case of foamy mousse that usually means as close to your scalp as you can and not much lower down the strand.  That's where it will be most effective when it comes to adding oomph to the volume seen in public. 

That overview aside, there are a bunch of finer points that can separate winners from losers in the mousse product section of the hair care aisle.  Some things to consider might include….

• Does it work in easily into your hair? 

• How do things look after a few hours?  Or a few more?  Are things holding up or is your crowning glory left limp and greasy looking?

• Do you get the desired effect without stickiness or heaviness?  You want a mousse that works it's magic sans greasiness, stickiness or any unwanted chemical coating left behind. 

• How the product smells is important.  No one wants to walk around with skunk head that rivals a bug repellent. 

• Got dry hair?  You might want to run your peepers down the label looking for where alcohol is in the list of ingredients.  Knowing as we do it's far from anything resembling a moisturizing agent.  And as such won't do one's parched locks any favors.

Still, catwalk hair that's to die for.  Not born with it?  No prob!  Products like mousse are designed to help you fake it until you make it.  Some offer the allure of big time volume yet also throw in protection from self-inflicted hot styling tool damage. (By the way, if you want to get some more great hair care tips like these, www.TerrificTresses.com is a resource you might want to check out too.  I know I've found it to be helpful.) 

But while you’re here, this two minute video gives you ways to use mousse to style your hair. 

Curly Stying With Mousse

From watching this you should have noticed these highlights.  

The idea is to run the mousse through your damp hair. Actually it’s best to get it mostly dry before applying a volumizing product like this.  

Application of hair mousse can be done either by putting it on both hands and then using your fingers to rake the product through your hair. Or by putting it directly on your hair brush and running that through your mane.  

Then tousle your locks to insure you get mousse on all your strands.  

Finally if you want a curly effect, just wrap strands of hair around your index finger and give it a blast with your hair dryer. Do this all around your head and you’ll end up with cute, beachy waves. Which will last all day if you then lock in the look with some holding hairspray.  

And if you want to know more about using mousse to give your hair some extra oomph, this helpful article from NaturallyCurly.com sheds more light on when you would want to use gel and when you would want to reach for the mousse. (I'm just full of helpfulness today, aren't I?)

Obviously no one can predict how your hair will react here.  But hair mousse is worth a try if volume eludes you.  As in measured doses the transformation can be breathtaking. The idea is to add body to fine hair and some lift to limp locks.  Usually without having to slather on five-gallon buckets of the stuff.

So regardless of whether you have an ongoing love affair with a hair care product like I do with mousse, rest assured that the best tressed, like Catherine Zeta Jones and J-Lo rely on beauty secrets like these to produce hair that is red carpet ready at the drop of a hat.