This week, I’m sharing my top favorite hair products for fine hair. No matter how I’m styling it, whether it’s straight, curly, or wavy, these are my current must-have products. It’s pretty much always humid here in New Orleans, which makes it quite a hair challenging area since my hair doesn’t stay smooth naturally. I’ve rounded up my favorite shampoos, conditioners, styling products, and tools for fine hair.
SHAMPOO + CONDITIONER FOR FINE HAIR
I love mixing up my shampoo and conditioner, and I have a few staples that always get rotated back in. My newest discovery that’s been living in my shower lately has been the Kérastase Chroma Absolu Shampoo and Conditioner. The shampoo comes in a couple of versions, but I have the one for fine hair, and there is just one version of conditioner. What I look for when it comes to shampoo is something that is going to cleanse my scalp and hair thoroughly, but not strip my hair or color. From a conditioner, I want something that is going to give my hair nourishment and hydration, yet not weigh my hair down at the scalp and make my hair look limp or greasy quickly. I love this combo and rotating them into my haircare routine.
Another shampoo + conditioner combination that I really love is Briogio Be Gentle Be Kind. It smells amazing and is lighter than the Kérastase. If you have very fine hair and need something super lightweight, I would definitely recommend this product.
Two products that I consistently rotate in are the Olaplex No. 4 Shampoo and No. 5 Conditioner. This duo repairs, strengthens, and hydrates all hair types. I originally thought they were going to be too heavy because of how they focus on hydrating, strengthening, and repairing, but they are not and they work beautifully on my hair.
I recently reviewed the Dae Shampoo and Conditioner, which is another combo that gets rotated back into my shampoo and conditioner routine often.
Lastly, the Bondi Boost HG Shampoo and Conditioner are really great for stimulating hair growth. I love rotating these in my routine every so often because they do different things for my hair, such as keep it healthy and stimulate the scalp to help with hair growth.
BEST WEEKLY TREATMENTS
The next category includes weekly treatments that are essential for hair and scalp health.
I have two deep conditioning treatments that I love to use – the Olaplex No. 8 Bond Intense Moisture Hair and the Bondi Boost Miracle Hair Mask. I really enjoy both of these for adding moisture, nourishment, and shine to my hair…more so than I would get from just regular conditioner. When I use deep conditioners, I use them at night or I make sure I’m not going anywhere. After using the Olaplex, my hair is slightly flatter after I use it due to the deep hydration, but with the Bondi Boost, my hair behaves normally after using it, which is why I slightly favor it over Olaplex. They both do a great job, so if that doesn’t matter to you or you’re not going to go anywhere right after, I think Olaplex performs just as great.
Another weekly treatment that I think is essential is a clarifying treatment. My clarifying shampoo of choice is OUAI Detox Shampoo. I’ve talked about this so many times because it gets rid of all of the buildup if you use dry shampoo or any styling treatments. Even if you don’t shampoo every day but your oils build up on your hair, it helps cleanse your scalp and get rid of all that junk to maintain scalp health. After this treatment, your hair looks better and your scalp feels better. Yes, you could do that with apple cider vinegar, but this shampoo has both apple cider vinegar and keratin, so it also helps strengthen and add shine without the vinegar smell. Plus, my hair doesn’t come away feeling stripped or dry and looks shiny and healthy.
WET STYLING PRODUCTS
I have a few wet styling products that I rely on. This first one is probably optional for many of you. I didn’t use it for years and years and years until I discovered it, and now I just I really love it, which is the Bondi Boost Intensive Spray. This is a leave-in spray with Vitamin B5, peppermint and tea tree oils. It nourishes the scalp to help promote thicker, fuller hair. It’s lightweight, smells good, and works as a pre-treatment. You almost don’t notice it’s doing anything because it’s not really a styling product, but it stimulates and nourishes from the root. I’ve really been enjoying this and am currently on my third bottle.
The next two products are ones that I use on my wet hair on a daily basis. There’s rarely a time when I would not use these, no matter how I’m styling my hair. The first is the OUAI Volume Spray. I spray this right at the root and then rub it in with my fingers. This gives my hair volume that I wouldn’t have without it. It’s not sticky or tacky, doesn’t have a strong smell, and I notice a huge difference if I don’t use it.
Verb Ghost Prep gives weightless moisture and is a heat protectant and frizz control product all in one. It also primes fine hair for weightless styling and detangling. It has moringa oil, which infuses the hair shaft with essential nutrients that naturally smooth frizz and promote radiant shine for all hair types. I distribute it through my wet hair and it works as a styling product. It doesn’t leave any film or any kind of texture to my hair. There’s nothing sticky or tacky about it, and that’s one of the reasons why I like this product so much.
Because I basically live in the humidity capital of the United States, there are days when I need more humidity protection. So even though Verb Ghost Prep has some frizz control, I occasionally add Alterna Caviar, Anti-Aging Smoothing, Anti-Frizz Blowout Butter. I either mix it in together with the Verb or apply the Verb and then apply the Alterna right after. This gives me a bit of added frizz control “insurance” without adding extra weight. The majority of frizz control products that are on the market add grease or weight that fine hair can’t take, and these products work really, really well for our hair type.
TEXTURIZERS & DRY SHAMPOOS
The main texture spray that I’ve been reaching for is the IGK Beach Club Volumizing Texture Spray. This is what I apply after I’ve styled my wavy or curly hair. I just spray this through my hair after styling it to give it a little more volume, grit, and staying power. I’ve many different texture sprays and this is the one I feel like gives me the look that I’m going for.
I have three dry shampoos in my current rotation. Living Proof Perfect Hair Day Advanced Clean Dry Shampoo is probably my holy grail of the moment that I reach for the most. This cleans my hair, leaving it soft and shiny, and absorbs oil, sweat, and odor. It also doesn’t give a gray cast to the length of my hair or make it look dry the way a lot of dry shampoos do. This is also really good to use preventatively at night to absorb oil if you know you’re going to need to get a little bit of wear out of your hair the next day.
Two other dry shampoos I’m enjoying are Oribe Gold Lust and Kérastas Fresh Affair. They’re both luxury options that smell really nice. Every time I wear either one, somebody tells me I smell good! Because they’re a little pricier, I don’t use them as much as Living Proof, but I still like having them in my rotation. If I had to buy one or the other, I would probably buy the Kérastase. I think it works a tiny bit better than the Oribe, but they’re both great options.
PRODUCTS FOR SPECIFIC OCCASIONS
I don’t use these products all the time, but I like to have them on hand for specific reasons.
The first is the Living Proof AMP. It almost smells like cologne, but I don’t notice it after I apply it. This is designed to give a lot of volume. You can use it in lieu of a texture spray or in addition to. I warm this up between my fingers before running it through my hair. I take it close to the root, through my hair, and it magically gives this amazing volume boost. It’s just a really great product and it’s also great if you have short hair.
Another anti-frizz product that I reserve for when it’s raining or when it’s extremely humid outside is the Living Proof No Frizz Humidity Shield. I spray this humidity shield over and throughout my dry hair as I would hair spray to prevent frizz. You have to find your balance of using the right amount of this. You don’t want to go too heavy so that it weighs your hair down, but you don’t want to go too light so it doesn’t do anything. It can almost give a smoothing effect if you use just the right, moderate amount. I’m glad I discovered it because it can make a huge difference with how my hair holds up where I live.
FINISHING PRODUCTS FOR FINE HAIR
Since the ends of my hair are not normally shiny and smooth, I have two finishing oils I enjoy. They add smoothness and shine (without added greasiness or weight) during the day.
Gisou New Honey Infused Hair Oil is the thicker of the two, due to the honey, though it’s not heavy. I would say the Gisou oil could be used across all hair types.
Olaplex No. 7 Bonding Oil is very light. It’s so light that I first wondered if it was doing anything at all. But then I notice a difference with how my hair looks after it’s applied. I sometimes also put this in my hair during the wet stage and I notice that it does dry a little bit smoother.
A lot of hair oils can make fine hair limp and greasy. They can just be really heavy and I have been very happy with both of these.
These next two products are both from Moroccan Oil and they are essential holy grail hair products for me. Moroccan Oil Mending Infusion Repair Serum is for split ends, but I don’t use it for that. It’s a very lightweight serum that I use anywhere I have flyaways. What’s amazing about this product is that you can use a as much as you want and it doesn’t weigh your hair down or ever make it look wet or greasy. It will smooth those flyaways beautifully. You can reapply it as many times as you want and it just never weighs your hair down. I don’t understand how it works…I just know that it works and I love it.
Moroccan Oil Luminous Hairspray in the Strong Finish is a hairspray that doesn’t make your hair look like it has hairspray in it. It holds without feeling like you have hairspray in your hair. It’s also the only hairspray I’ve ever had that has allowed me to actually finish an entire bottle without clogging. So, while it seems like it’s pricey, I’ve actually gotten my money out of this entire bottle because every other hairspray I’ve ever used is just either a nuisance because I’m constantly having to mess with the nozzle, or I have to toss it before I ever finish.
TOOLS AND VARIOUS HAIR PRODUCTS
There are two brushes I use regularly. The first is the Wet Brush pro version. I use my wet brush not just for brushing my wet hair and detangling it, but also on a daily basis when my hair is dry.
The second brush is the GHD Paddle Brush. I use this when I’m drying my hair. This does a fantastic job of smoothing my hair.
Another product I use every time I wash my hair is the Aquis Hair Turban. I’ve tried other hair towls and turbans and find they can fit awkwardly, or have awkward button placement, be too small, or just not hold up well to frequent washings. I love these because they absorb so much more water than a regular towel which helps with water damage. They’re also easier and gentler on your hair than having a big heavy towel on your head.
The straightener I use every day is the GHD Platinum Styler. I turn it on with the touch of a button and it heats up in 30 seconds, which is so quick. I can turn it on, turn around to reach for something, and it’s heated up! They created this to be the optimal temperature for all hair types. It’s effective yet doesn’t damage your hair. The plates are slightly rounded, enabling me to easily create waves or use it to straighten. Even if I’m using a different tool to curl or create another style, I still use this daily to get those little waves and kinks that are close to my scalp.
I’m all about protecting my hair from heat damage as much as possible. I switched to the Dyson Supersonic dryer a couple of years ago which cut my dry time in half. I know everyone is different with how they feel about the Dyson. I think it’s a phenomenal tool if you don’t want to spend a lot of time drying and dealing with your hair.
I finally bought the Dyson Airwrap in the fall. Because of its many attachments and slim profile, I travel with this instead of the hairdryer. There’s something about the round brush attachment that allows me to get the curtain-bang look better than other tools I have. I also love the way my hair straightens with this. Curls still take me some time and aren’t quick, but I love how they come out. I have a couple of girlfriends who every time I straighten my hair with this, always comment on how sleek my hair looks. This is an expensive hair styling tool, and I can’t say whether it’s worth the money for everyone. But I wouldn’t give this up!
When you see my hair wavy, the tool that I most likely used is the Amika High Tide Crimper. It’s so easy to use to get that easy, beachy wave “undone” look. You just clamp, release, and repeat! I just add some texture spray and I’m done. For a less expensive option, or to see if you like the undone wavy look on yourself before purchasing a pricier tool, this waver from Amazon is really popular as well. Although, particularly like the way the Amika barrels are spaced.
My new favorite tool for curling my hair when I just want nice, bouncy, voluminous curls that last is the Chi Spin and Curl. I think it’s absolutely fantastic because you can’t burn yourself and it’s great for hair of all lengths. The curls around the back of my head turn out so much better with it than with a regular curling iron too. I’ve used it on my hair and used it on my 17 year-old daughter’s long hair for prom. It works perfectly for both of us. I love this tool so much and I think it’s great for the price.
My T3 Whirl Trio has been my curling iron for a long time. The two barrels that I use the most are the 1.25 and 1.5 inch with the clips. Sometimes I will clip my hair in them, sometimes I’ll wrap it around the barrel. T3 makes regular curling irons also if you don’t want to spend the money on the trio. I like that their barrels are long so you can fit more hair down the barrel. This is probably a quicker method than Chi Spin and Curl, but my curls don’t last quite as long, so it’s a tradeoff.
For beachy curls and waves, I use the Oval Curling Wand from GHD. If you’re someone who doesn’t want traditional curls, but want something that’s a little bit more undone, this is a great tool to keep on hand. I don’t use this as much as I use the other products that I’ve talked about, but I wanted to include it because I think that it’s a really great option for that look.
Finally, we have the two insanely popular time-saving tools – the Revlon One-Step and the Dry Bar Single Shot.
Both of these are all-in-one tools that dry and style the hair to give you a professional blowout look. The Revlon is big and oval, though they launched a smaller version last year that a lot of people love. while Dry Bar is a slightly smaller round brush. The Dry Bar is a little bit better if you have shorter hair, whereas the Revlon is great for volume if you have long hair. I use these when I want my hair done really quickly. I’ll do a rough blow dry with my hairdryer just to about 75 or 80%. Then I’ll use one of these so that I get more lift at the root. These give volume and smoothness all in one.
So those are current hair products, shampoos, conditioners, styling products, and tools that I think are great for fine hair that I’m currently loving in 2022. If you have fine hair, head here to see a great way to style it!
