What do you look for in a stylist? Does your stylist have the ability to fashion your hair according to your personality, style and hair type? If you are a stylist, do you try to impose your style onto your client or do you have the ability to adapt your techniques to their style or hair type?
As a stylist and educator, I have found that it is important that we understand that every single person that comes into our chair has their own style.
Do you know that over 60% of the female population of Northern America has fine hair? That’s a lot!
Do you have fine hair? If so, how would you describe your hair? There are 2 types of fine hair.
• Fine hair, but a lot of it (high density)
• Fine and thin hair (low density)?
To determine the amount of hair (thick or thin) that a person has depends upon how many actual strands of hair a person has per square inch. Both result in hair that is limp and lays flat to the head. The biggest complaint by people with fine hair is that their hair lacks body and volume. Even though the result is the same, we must think differently about the choice in style and the way we go about cutting this type of hair.
Fine Hair with Low Density
Short styles that lay flat and need little to no volume will work best on fine hair that is of low density or you could go with a longer style that gets it’s edge from its smooth, shiny surface. Why is this? Try giving low density, fine hair volume. What happens? You start to see through it! So to avoid this undesirable effect, keep the hair short with minimal volume. Want another hot tip? Asymmetrical cuts look fantastic on low-density hair. Why? All the attention and focus is taken off the fineness of the hair and drawn to the heavy side giving the visual thought that the hair is thick!
Isn’t this what we do with hair styles all the time? We want to enhance every single individual’s beauty and personal style.
Note: Many people may be reluctant about getting an asymmetric hairstyle at first, but this gives us a strong reason why you might want to consider it. Depending upon your personality and style, will determine how extravagant the asymmetric look should be taken. It can be slight or drastic.
Low density, fine hairstyles can be given the illusion of being thicker and fuller simply by choosing the right color. Lighter colors combined with dimensional tones are a perfect example. Lowlights will give the hair depth, while lightening the hair will open the cuticle, making the hair feel thicker.
Sometimes people will have low density, fine hair with an irregular high hairline. What should you do then? Suggest a full fringe – the perfect solution.
Fine Hair with High Density
If you are a person who has fine hair, but a lot of it, you can successfully wear your hair shoulder length or longer. You may be thinking, “Okay, but my experience is still flat hair that lacks body and volume!” Well, if your cut has too many layers, your style will collapse.
This is my favorite part. No blending! Disconnected layers are best! Stylists, avoid cutting the hair directly above the ears. Think about it. Where is it on the head that has the least amount of hair? Yep, right above the ears. In fact, try tucking the hair behind their ears. This will give a fuller illusion. This type of hair also works best if the hair is not cut in a blunt way, but rather notched diagonally (not vertically as this will remove volume).
Tips for all kinds of Fine Hair
Think about for a moment how most people apply product to their hair. Usually, when the hair is wet, they will apply their product to the front top of the hair and try to distribute it toward the back. Just by knowing the how and what to use when styling fine hair can make all the difference in the world!
Start out by blast drying the hair with hot air until it is 80% of the way dry. Go ahead and rough up the cuticle. To plump up each individual strand of hair so that the hair feels thicker, I suggest applying Blow Up the Volume Foam to the hair from back toward the front. This product is amazing in that when used with the blow dryer, it delivers twice the volume than without. Blow Up the Volume Foam is also great because it actually adds moisture while allowing more air between each hair strand thus resulting in lift.
Here is testimony from Joseph Kellner – Accomplished Hairdresser & Producer of ‘The Real Hair Truth’ – documentary. “This product works tremendously for very fine hair. I used it on a client, and she could not believe the volume she attains with the product and brush. I could not believe it myself! Usually, these volumizers get sticky and after a few seconds you cannot get a brush through. I highly recommend this for editorial, and catalog photo shoots – Also for retailing to your clients. The product has a very light scent, which I have seen with all the products I have received from Shear Miracle Organics.”
Avoid using products like waxes, pastes, muds, polishers and gels. Stick to weightless products like a foam or try Elevate Spray Gel – used as a root lifter.
Are you now excited about what you can do with your fine hair? Anytime a person with fine hair sits in your chair, (or anytime you as a client that has fine hair goes to a stylist, for that matter), the conversation should be about these things. It is our responsibility as stylists to tell our clients the facts and then ask the clients what their priority is. For example, is their priority to hide their low density, fine hair or keep it long?
Communication is almost as important as knowledge.
It’s time to Blow Up the Volume in YOUR HAIR!
