Learning to manage Straight hair

Straight hair is normally fine and thin. This may surprise you, as everyone has seen those girls with manes of cascading, dead straight locks that look so thick you could knit blankets from them. Well, those girls just happen to have a lot of strands of fine hair. The result of this is that although straight hair looks fantastic in long straight styles or in short crops, if you want hair with body and bounce it's going to take some work to make those fine thin strands stand up and dance. Also because straight hair sits close to the head it often becomes greasy quickly at the roots and the fine strands absorb this rapidly, meaning you probably have to wash your hair every day.  

Caring Tips for straight hair
For that very reason, the most important thing straight hair needs is a gentle shampoo. Choose one that's marked for daily or frequent washing as it's likely to be low in detergents and high in moisturizers. Or at the very least use opaque shampoo - this tends to include more conditioners and so is kinder to the hair. Using moisturizing shampoo also means you may be able to get away without conditioner, which is the kiss of death to fine, straight hair as it weighs it down further.

 
If you do want to use conditioning products make sure they are light (sprays are better than creams) and that you wash them out well. Never use leave-in or two-in-one products.

If you want to create some bounce and body in your hair, thickening shampoos are your best friends. These normally include an ingredient called panthenol, which penetrates the hair cuticle, making each strand thicken; plus, they 'negatively charge' the hair so the strands are less likely to stick together.

When it comes to drying, your technique depends on the effect you want to create. For sleek looks, dry hair with a dryer with a nozzle. Make sure you treat your moist hair with a heat protectant spray prior to utilizing any heated devices on your hair.  This will aid protect your hair and prevent moisture loss, another leading trigger of fly away hair. 

To create volume, use mousse or thickening gel on the roots of your hair and dry against your natural parting for the majority of the session, tipping your head upside down for the last two to three minutes.

Highlights or lowlights add dimension to your hair and can transform your look. Coloring your hair also helps fine, straight hair appear thicker as it swell the hair shaft.

Top 5 Tips for Straight Hair:
• Your perfect brush is a flat paddle brush with wide bristles that separate the hair without damage.

• Avoid products with alcohol in their top three ingredients. Alcohol is great at helping tame thick, wavy hair but will make fine, straight strands cling together.

• Straight hair is the shiniest as light reflects from the cuticle. To maximize your natural asset, make the last rinse a cold one as this flattens the cuticle. Also, do the last two to three minutes of your blow-dry on the cool setting with the nozzle facing downwards. Shine serums will also help.

• If you're aiming for volume, try not to handle your hair too much. Heat and oil from your palms can be enough to make fine hair floppy.

• You can also add volume to your hair using colour. Mix highlights and lowlights in three or four different shades to create depth and texture.