Do you need to twist an elastic around and around just to keep your hair from slipping out of a ponytail? Do your strands hold a curl for two minutes before stretching back to normal? Do you load up on dry shampoo, even when your hair is clean, just for the extra boost? If this sounds like a typical AM routine for you, then you're probably working with fine or thin hair. Sure, it's light and easy and doesn't require the elbow grease needed to wrangle coarser, thicker textures. But it can also be tough to style and even harder to maintain all day without an entire bottle of volumizer.
The good news: There's a solution for it! It pays to be strategic with not only the products you use, but the hairstyles you create, too. Pick the right one, and your hair won't fall flat until you wash it out—plus, it'll look way thicker and healthier than it actually is. (And isn't that the dream?) That's why we've partnered with OGX to bring you hairstyling ideas that'll make your fine hair look naturally full. You can wear these styles all day without worrying about them coming loose or deflating. Here's how to each one—and to make your bombshell #hairgoals a reality.
1. Crown Braid
Hot date? We've got you covered. A romantic crown braid may look like it requires serious skill, but it's actually simple enough for braid newbies. Take a section of hair above one ear and begin to braid it towards the center of the face, continuing around the perimeter of your head. "As you go, gently pull apart or loosen the braided hair to give the illusion of a thick, chunky braid," says hairstylist Jasmine Santiago. This also keeps it from looking too prim and perfect.
2. Loose Beach Waves
The whole appeal of beach waves is their relaxed, effortless look—which is why creating them shouldn't take a ton of work. Mist towel-dried hair with a sea salt spray before blow-drying it, using your fingers (instead of a brush) to undo tangles. Then, use a curling iron to twist random sections haphazardly, making sure they don't look too uniform. The last step is key for fine hair: "Flip your head forward and shake it out to help create volume in the hair," says Santiago.
3. Loose Topknot
For those days when you just can't—hey, they happen to all of us—there's the topknot. And if you're worried that tight, knob-like bun will only make your fine hair look even finer, don't worry: This isn't that kind of style. This one sits at the back of your crown instead of on the very top of your head. "Positioning your topknot here will give it a natural, loose look," explains Santiago. Also, don't pull your hair back so tightly, since leaving a little breathing room will add to the illusion of thickness.
4. Low Ponytail
There's a time and a place for volumizing spray—and this is it. Prep your hair with one like OGX Thick & Full Biotin & Collagen Weightless Healing Oil Mist, which plumps and repairs strands. Once you've done that, gently gather your hair at the nape of your neck and secure it with an elastic. Santiago recommends taking a section of hair from your ponytail and wrapping it around the base, which makes it look polished versus fresh-from-the-gym.
5. Half-Up Twist
If you're looking for some Old Hollywood glamour, you've got it with this retro-inspired, half-up twist. Prep your hair with volumizer before sectioning off the top portion. Then in one, quick motion, sweep and twist that top section back, pinning it in place. Throw in a few more bobby pins where needed. And if it doesn't look perfect? That's the point. "Don't overthink this one or it will look too neat," says Santiago. That messy, imperfect texture is what makes your hair look fuller.
Fine Hair Toolkit
This post is sponsored by OGX.
Photos: Ashley Batz/Bustle; Makeup: Ashleigh Ciucci; Hair: Jasmine Santiago; Stylist: Haley Loewenthal; Set Designer: Pakayla Biehn; Model: Leah Hasset/Jag Models
Art Direction: Isla Murray/Bustle; Editor: Irma Elezovic/Bustle; Senior Editor: Lexi Novak/Bustle; Production: Nancy Valev & Lucy Haller/Bustle; Additional Creative Development: Jenna Wexler/Bustle
