Mefi make me pretty!

March 5, 2007 5:58 PM

I'm beginning to use hair product for the first time. I have fine hair and all the stuff I've used so far just weighs my hair down and makes it look greasy and dirty. Any recommendations for hair products for short fine hair? I'm looking for something that will make my hair stay in place and not flip up.
posted by Attackpanda to clothing, beauty, & fashion (18 comments total)

My hair is also really fine, although mine may not be as short as yours. I've tried a bunch of stuff and my favorite is made by American Crew and it's called Fiber Pliable Molding Creme. It's this kind of waxy stuff - not a gel or a cream really.

I only use just the littlest bit after a shower. It keeps my hair from flying all over the place, but it also feels natural - like I don't have any product in it at all. I get it at my local beauty salon - i've seen it everywhere.
posted by ssmith at 6:15 PM on March 5, 2007

You don't say if you're a guy or a girl. I'm a guy with short, fine hair, and I find that American Crew Wax works well for me. Just a tiny bit is all I need.
posted by autojack at 6:15 PM on March 5, 2007

oops. Sorry, I'm a chick. Does that change anything? (I seriously have no idea what I'm getting myself into) My hair is about 4-5 inches long, all in layers.
posted by Attackpanda at 6:21 PM on March 5, 2007

Heh. Another American Crew user here, but I use the Forming Creme... if you use a little dry, it just holds, if you use a lot and use it with your hair wet, it makes it shiny, and it also will spike your hair while leaving it loose enough for natural curl.
posted by SpecialK at 6:23 PM on March 5, 2007

And I (a guy) use American Crew's Matte. Looks like we have the Official Hair Product of Metafilter!

The Fiber is good for very short hair, as it does a nice job of holding it in place. It can get a bit dry by the end of the day, however. I find the Matte is good for slightly longer hair. Don't use too much, apply it to slightly damp (not wet) hair, and make sure you work it through well. It'll look a bit too heavy when you first apply it, but if you run your hands through your hair, say, as you drive to work, you'll look great by the time you arrive.
posted by schoolgirl report at 6:41 PM on March 5, 2007

When I had a short, layered cut, I used Bumble & Bumble Styling Creme. The trick was to use a tiny amount about the size of a pea. Rub it in your hands and use a light touch when applying it to your hair.

Another product I used a lot was Beyond the Zone Get 'N Creamed from Sally's Beauty Supply.
posted by Soda-Da at 6:47 PM on March 5, 2007

Bumble and Bumble SumoTech is hands-down the best styling product I have ever used. For anything textured or slightly messy that stuff is really amazing.
That being said, I'm currently wearing my hair short and smoothed (not messy). I am also using one of the American Crew products (Tea tree thickening paste) because my fop of a boyfriend didn't like it and it works well enough for me, although it does have a bit of a manly smell. The key thing you want to avoid is anything like water wax-- something that has a consistency that is more jelly. That stuff never fails to make my hair look greasy and awful. Paste-type products always work better for me. Just be careful not to use too much- enough to make a very thin layer over your fingers and palms and lightly applied to your hair.
posted by ch1x0r at 7:11 PM on March 5, 2007

I'm a big fan of Rusk Being Shocked adhesive. My hair is about shoulder length and super straight, but it still creates volume and a little texture without making it flat and greasy. The instructions say to use it on wet hair, but my stylist told me to use it when my hair is dry.

Like everyone else is saying, you don't need much -- especially around your face where hair is prone to get greasy to begin with. Just a thin film on your hands is all you need.
posted by awegz at 7:13 PM on March 5, 2007

Like you, I'm having this problem, but in case you wanted to read reviews on any of the products mentioned here, there's always www.makeupalley.com/product to help with that.
posted by mittenedsex at 7:37 PM on March 5, 2007

I find Bed Head Hook-Up Mousse Wax used in small amounts on barely-damp hair to be just enough to give a bit of control and add texture without weighing hair down. It's got a wax-y texture without the weight of a wax or pomade or the oiliness of similar products I've tried.

I've got short (ear-length), semi-fine extremely layered hair tortured by constant blue-black dye-at-home. I add a nickel-sized bit of this product, comb through once to distribute evenly, muss and scrunch my hair (especially the top layers) to texture. If I want extra volume, I'll point the blowdryer at the roots on warm-but-not-hot for a few seconds and tease to shape, supporting the hair with my fingers or a round brush until it cools. During the day, a tiny bit of water on fingers mussed through the hair and re-scrunched will restore shape and control as needed.

I struggled for years to find something that gave me control but didn't helmet my hair into shape, weigh it down to a moppy mess, etc. As far as product goes, less is more if you have fine hair. TIGI/Bed Head makes a good root-lifting volumizer spray too, but that's too advanced for me. Nope, I don't work for this company in any way shape or form.
posted by bunnycup at 7:40 PM on March 5, 2007

Kiehl's 'Creme with Silk Groom' is the product
posted by kickback at 7:53 PM on March 5, 2007

I have fine hair, one thing I do that adds body and doesn't weigh down my hair is to use conditioner as a gel. I saw an interview with John Cusack's stylist or something that suggested it.

The Sumotech stuff is neat too though, I was using that before the conditioner trick. It may work better for you.
posted by bobo123 at 8:10 PM on March 5, 2007

I have really fine hair that gets weighed down by even conditioner. I really like Aveda's elements defining whip.

Good stuff.
posted by mulkey at 8:57 PM on March 5, 2007

Maneuver working wax. Good good good.
posted by geekhorde at 10:58 PM on March 5, 2007

Lots of great products exist for us fine-haired people. It's important to note that we often have a balancing act - too little product and there is no effect; too much and it is a greasy mess, or worse, weighs hair down and defeats the purpose of using it altogether.

Texturizing pastes are amazing if you want a "piecey" look - not smooth. I like KMS (expensive) and Got2b (cheap drugstore) - both with basically the same results. For your length, dip your pinkie finger into the container and get a pea-sized amount to rub into your palms. You have to be very careful with this stuff, because too much of it will REALLY weigh your hair down.

Volumizing mousse is my favorite product. Loreal's Studio line (cheap - $5 or so a can) is great, but I've yet to find a mousse that was actually bad. It makes my normally limp hair have a ton of body, and it also gives it some hold so that the style stays put for 8 hours. A tablespoon of mousse should be the right amount for your length.

BedHead's Superstar is also good - it's a styling liquid and adds some body but provides less 'oomph' than mousse. I use this when I want to look more professional or polished; about 1/4 tsp. is the right amount.

Finally, if your fine hair breaks easily (like mine), resulting in a lot of flyaways, shine spray can be an excellent remedy. Rub one spray of it between your palms and then lightly run your palms over the outer surface of your hair - too much will be heavy, but a very light application can give you glossy magazine advertisement hair.

/shallow product gushing
posted by gatorae at 11:15 PM on March 5, 2007 [2 favorites]

Kiehl's 'Creme with Silk Groom' is the product

Mixed with just a soupçon of Kiehl's Extra Hold Gel.
posted by kmennie at 11:40 PM on March 5, 2007

American Crew vote here also, but for the 'fiber' product, best stuff i have ever used in 20 years. Lots of hairdressers swear by it - and less is most definitely more, you need about half a pea's worth...
posted by daveyt at 3:36 AM on March 6, 2007

Crude Clay Modeler from Xtah by Sebastian is my most recent find for my super-fine hair. It's a clay that's very dry, which I find helps to alleviate the weigh-down problem.

Really, any of the things listed in this thread are going to get you going in the right direction. Once you start down this path you'll probably have to play around with different products and application methods (while wet, after blow-dry, piece-by-piece, etc.) to get what you want. Also: in my experience the usefulness of a product will change with hair length (even a half an inch, sometimes), the weather, phases of the moon, etc. The curse of fine hair, I say.
posted by wemayfreeze at 10:08 AM on March 6, 2007