Thin, straight hair

I have the thinnest, finest hair in the known world. It is affected by every weather or water condition it gets even close to. What I really would like is to have a nice, natural hair style that falls a little past my shoulders. The problem is that every time my hari gets close to my shoulders, it starts to get thin and scraggly looking. I've tried every kind of shampoo I could find, but nothing really helps put body into my hair. Also, I live in Miami were the water is horrendous. Does anyone know of any thin hair secrets or tips that could help me out, or does anyone know of any really good shampoos for thin, fine hair?Thanks for your help.Annie

You're kidding right? The message said a natural style and this sounds like the most unnatural routine conceivable. Subject fine, limp hair to a clarifying shampoo twice a week? Use heat on it daily? Gunk it up and push it around then chop it off when it can't take the abuse? Ouch.Annie, what kind of shampoos and conditioners do you use now? Do you use heat, wash it in chlorinated water or otherwise subject your hair to potential environmental damage? Try a water filter on your showerhead, chlorine can be very drying and destructive especially for very fine hair. Quit blow drying or hot rolling. Treat your ends like fine silk with a gentle herbal shampoo and a rich conditioner. (I have ends that are 20 years old, I know what I'm talking about here.) Use deep conditioning regularly.(Check Karen's tips and articles setions for lots of great ideas from premium salon brands to health store brands.) And though I'm not as militant as some about long hair for everyone, I myself have very, very super fine, super straight hair (defgo's recommended proceedures would last about 5 minutes on my hair) and I can tell you that for our type of hair especially, the longer it gets the better it feels even if you just go a few inches beyond your goal to the middle of our back and cut it in a nice sweeping oval. Try something other than a blunt cut, they don't hold well with our type of hair. Baby your hair, let it flow naturally and it will respond. Brush you hair upside down with a good brush, change your part, use cute little barrettes to swoop a bit of the side back to create the illusion of fullness, try some French twists or other updos and leave a few strands around the face for softness, try and not fuss with it too much. Eat well and take your vitamins, especially E, C, B, and others. If its silky soft and shiny it will look great no matter how long or short it is, really.Good luck. You have lots of options, try them all and stick with what works best for you. Most of all, just enjoy what you have, its uniquely you.Very best wishes to all,Dawn

Hi Annie, Def, Dawn,May I add my $0.02?Annie has said that she is seeking (a) "a nice, natural hairstyle that falls a little past my shoulders," (b) somethingthat "helps put body into my hair," (c) "thin hair secretsor tips," and (d) "really good shampoos for thin, fine hair"Did I miss anything?I hear Annie asking for several things, some of which maynot work well with others. For example, Def has suggested aregimen which may help Annie achieve a "full" haired look.However, this might not be natural for a woman with thinhair.Def said, "As any STYLIST knows in order to achieve bodywith fine, limp hair you have to expose it to products,heat, or chemicals (perm). It's how you care for your hairin between that will determine it's over-all health."I believe that it's how you care for your hair ALL the timethat determines its overall health, including the heat andperm (and color) chemicals. Subjecting her hair to thesuggested regimen will, in time, damage her hair.I guess one question is "what's more important to Annie?"Having "full"-looking hair, or having healthy hair?Def said to Annie that "The only hope you have is to devotetime to styling your hair in the morning," and this timewould be devoted to carrying out the regimen he suggested.Perhaps there is another choice for Annie -- that shechoose more "natural," healthy hair over any of the elementsof a styling regimen which would damage her hair.I'm not a stylist, but I wonder if perhaps the regimencould be modified to eliminate its damaging methods, whilestill being effective?Whatever Annie chooses to do, it's certainly her choice.I wish you well, Annie.Dave

Glad to hear you like the rainwater/rosemary NG set. I use that combo as well, and I like it a lot. I also combine the rosemary conditioner with Aveda Shampure, and have liked the results as well. The rainwater shampoo kind of reminds me of the shampure.Regards,Clare> Good advice Dave.. Tho I do not have fine , limp hair> I did give Nature's Gate's Herbal Rainwater> shampoo/conditioner a try yesterday. I believe the> conditioner was called Rainwater Rosemary.. It is> marvelous.. and the bottle recommended it for> fine..limp hair. Maybe Annie could give this a try..> Cher~

Hi, Dawn,I always like your take on things. And I know that since I have cut down to almost nil the amount of heat I use on my hair, its been looking and feeling much shinier and healthier with less split ends. And the ones I do get, I am trying to clip off in between trims to lessen any possible damage.Just wanted to let you know that I tried the NG Jojoba Conditoner with some of my Aveda Shampoos, and I really like the results. Easier on my pocketbook too, because I am liberal with conditioner. I also bought some NG Body Lotion with Papaya and it is very nice too. Very rich with a nice smell.Thanks for your input. Can't wait until my hair is waist-lenght, although it may be a while.Regards,Clare> You're kidding right? The message said a natural style> and this sounds like the most unnatural routine> conceivable. Subject fine, limp hair to a clarifying> shampoo twice a week? Use heat on it daily? Gunk it up> and push it around then chop it off when it can't take> the abuse? Ouch.> Annie, what kind of shampoos and conditioners do you> use now? Do you use heat, wash it in chlorinated water> or otherwise subject your hair to potential> environmental damage? Try a water filter on your> showerhead, chlorine can be very drying and> destructive especially for very fine hair. Quit blow> drying or hot rolling. Treat your ends like fine silk> with a gentle herbal shampoo and a rich conditioner.> (I have ends that are 20 years old, I know what I'm> talking about here.) Use deep conditioning> regularly.(Check Karen's tips and articles setions for> lots of great ideas from premium salon brands to> health store brands.) And though I'm not as militant> as some about long hair for everyone, I myself have> very, very super fine, super straight hair (defgo's> recommended proceedures would last about 5 minutes on> my hair) and I can tell you that for our type of hair> especially, the longer it gets the better it feels> even if you just go a few inches beyond your goal to> the middle of our back and cut it in a nice sweeping> oval. Try something other than a blunt cut, they don't> hold well with our type of hair. Baby your hair, let> it flow naturally and it will respond. Brush you hair> upside down with a good brush, change your part, use> cute little barrettes to swoop a bit of the side back> to create the illusion of fullness, try some French> twists or other updos and leave a few strands around> the face for softness, try and not fuss with it too> much. Eat well and take your vitamins, especially E,> C, B, and others. If its silky soft and shiny it will> look great no matter how long or short it is, really.> Good luck. You have lots of options, try them all and> stick with what works best for you. Most of all, just> enjoy what you have, its uniquely you.> Very best wishes to all,> Dawn