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How to Style Thin Hair, According to a Celebrity Hairstylist

Fake fuller tresses!
How to Style Thin Hair, According to a Celebrity Hairstylist
IMAGE INSTAGRAM/styledbysuyen, santiagoraymond
Fake fuller tresses!

To achieve full, luscious hair like a Victoria's Secret model is no easy task on its own, and it becomes even larger a feat if you were born with extremely fine hair. But don't fret, because giving your thin tresses more volume is simpler than it seems. You just need to learn how to work with what you have and master a few cheats—no need for a full head of extensions and copious amounts of hairspray. To show just how easy it is to work with thin hair, we asked celebrity hairstylist Jay Wee for his best picks and recommendations for faking full locks:

Best hairstyles for thin hair

"Generally, if you have thin hair, your main goal is to make it look fuller; and to do that, the key is to always give your hairstyle a lot of texture to create the illusion of having thicker hair," the hairstylist tells Preview. Below, he shares with us his three go-to looks to amp up fine hair:


Beach waves

According to Jay, styling your hair into beach waves not only will give you a more youthful look, it'll also add more texture to your thin strands without looking overdone. To wear it, prep your locks by adding a few spritzes of texturizing spray to your roots and the length of your hair while it's still damp. This will give you a slight lift and instant volume. Grab a medium-sized curling barrel and create waves in small sections. Alternate between counterclockwise and clockwise motions when wrapping the hair around the barrel for a more natural effect. Don't leave your hair on the heat for too long either to maintain a more effortless bend! Finish off the look with a few spritzes of hairspray.

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Top knot

The flatness of your scalp is a dead giveaway that you have fine strands, so a hairstyle that can cover it up like concealer is a must. A top knot is by far the easiest solution to do on the go, because not only will it do the job, it'll also keep your hair away from your face. That said, we recommend opting for a messy twist instead of a neat knot so you're adding more texture instead of reducing some. Pull some strands from your temple to frame your face and you're done!


Textured ponytail

If you want to rock a ponytail on thin hair, you have to basically combine the hairstyles above. First, coat your damp hair in texturizing mist and blow dry to lift your roots. Next, style your hair in undone waves (click here for a video tutorial!) to break the flat look of thin hair when tied together. For your ponytail itself, aim for a high ponytail since a low ponytail would pull your hair down and take the attention away from your waves.


Hairstyles to avoid for thin hair

While the looks above prove that it's easy to work around thin hair, it's no secret that some hairstyles tend to do the opposite. Jay identifies three you should avoid if you want full, luscious-looking locks:

Pin straight

Wearing your hair down in a pin straight look will leave nothing to the imagination. The lack of texture will still exaggerate the thinness of your hair, especially when it's dry. You can give it more dimension with some hair oil, but it won't provide the volume you need.


Tight ponytail

Tying thin hair into a ponytail takes no time and effort at all, and it's great for when you need a quick, breezy style. It won't do you favors if you want more volume though, unless you attach hair extensions before doing so!

Tight updo

Like in a ponytail, a too-neat and tight updo would only accentuate the thinness of your locks. Since this is a common hairstyle for weddings, brides should consult their hairstylist to find an alternative style that would work best with your fine tresses!


Hair products and tools for thin hair

To achieve fuller locks, you can't proceed empty-handed. Your hair stash has to be stacked with products that provide more texture and volume when you need it. Ahead are four hairstylist-recomended tools and products every fine-haired girl needs:

Sea salt spray

Of course, this ultimate beach wave hair essential must be on your vanity. "A good sea salt spray [will] prep your hair while damp prior to blowdrying," explains Jay. "It helps give your roots that extra lift and boost of texture." This product works by dehydrating the hair slightly (thanks to the salt content) so when you run your hands through it to scrunch, it will easily follow suit. Do note that it could dry out your tresses, so make sure to use a non-drying shampoo before styling.

PHOTO BY Sephora

HERBIVORE BOTANICALS Sea Mist - Coconut + Sea Salt Beach Wave Hair Mist, P1027,

Dry shampoo

Dry shampoo has so many uses, you don't even need thin hair to love it. First off, it'll soak up all the excess oil on greasy day two (or three) hair and freshen up your locks. When you massage it into your roots, the product will add some volume to that area as well like a texturizer. If you don't like working with aerosol cans, a volumizing powder is a lower-waste alternative that will basically do the same thing!


DOVE Hair Therapy Refresh Care Volume Dry Shampoo, P280, Watsons

Blow dryer

A brilliant blowout does wonders for flat hair, so a hair dryer is a no-brainer for your kit. You'll need it to prep your hair for the looks above all while giving you that extra volume.


DYSON Supersonic Hair Dryer, P21,500, Zalora

Flat Iron

Instead of a curling iron, Jay recommends having a versatile straightening iron to style your hair type. He says that having this and a trusty hair dryer are pretty much all you need for creating volume and waves. We know a lot of you can curl with flat irons, too, so having one less tool will save you both space and a few bucks!

PHOTO BY Beauty Beat

EVA NYC Healthy Heat Ceramic Styling Iron, P3599, Beauty Beat


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