Fine Natural Hair Care Tips & Inspiration from A-Z
Last updated on September 7th, 2024 at 12:32 am
Fine natural hair tips and inspiration
Fine natural hair is special. It’s fragile and needs attention and care above the norm. This article shares some of the best fine natural hair tips (from A-Z of course) and advice around. Plus, there’s some inspiration (we all need that from time to time).
Keep reading….you’re bound to find something that resonates!
Tips for Fine Haired Naturals
A – Avoid
Fine natural hair is prone to breakage due to the circumference of the strand. There are just some things you are going to need to avoid to prevent said breakage: Heat styling, over-manipulation, chemical treatments, most brushes and combs, many hair accessories.
B – Battle the Brittle
Many things can cause fine hair to become brittle: Over-washing, too much protein, not enough conditioning and lack of moisture.
C – Comb with Care
Finger detangling is the safest way to groom fine hair but it doesn’t always remove shed hair (such is the case if you have a lot of fine hairs). Using a comb may be in order. Choose a wide tooth seamless comb and work in small sections to comb carefully.
D – Detangle
Fine strands are prone to matting if allowed to roam free or tangle up. Be sure to detangle your strands carefully and regularly.
Another important D: Density.
Food for thought: While those with fine hair tend to have less density than those with heftier strands, this is not always the case. One can have BOTH fine strands and HIGH Density.
E – Elasticity
Elasticity refers to the hair’s ability to stretch. Fine hair has less elasticity than thicker strands because it has a smaller diameter and typically lacks the inner structure (the medulla) found in medium and coarse hair strands. Therefore, it can not endure the same stressors as thicker strands.
F – Frizz
A common concern for those with fine hair, frizz can be combated in a number of ways: ensuring the hair is always well moisturized and conditioned; using a gel to weigh the hair down; pre-pooing; deep conditioning regularly and using oils like argan and coconut.
G – Gentle
Be gentle with everything you do with your fine strands from detangling to washing and styling.
H – Herbal
Herbs like henna (hey that’s another H!), fenugreek and amla help support the integrity of fine hair strands. Incorporate them into your deep conditioners and other hair care products.
I- Inspiration
There are many fine hair naturals that you can be inspired by when struggling with your hair journey: Shelli aka Hairscapades, Finally Amber, Obaa Yaa Jones and let’s not forget, Fine Natural Hair and Faith.
J- Journal
When first learning to care for fine natural hair, it can be discouraging. You don’t know what works for your hair. There’s just so much.
The best thing to do is keep a journal of what you do to your hair, how you do it, and what you use to do it with. This way you can better eliminate the fails and hone in on the best of the best for your specific head of hair.
K – Kindness
Treat your hair with kindness. It’s OK to be inspired by others but it’s NOT OK to self deprecate just because your hair isn’t doing what or looking like another’s hair is. Be kind to your hair. Love it and it will begin to love you back. Check out If You Love It, It Will Grow.
L- Lubricate
Keep fine hair lubricated with a light weight oil to allow for freer movement of strands, thereby cutting down on tangling.
M- Mindfulness
Always be mindful of your hair type. When doing so you’ll remember that fine natural hair requires a lot of TLC in the form of patience, love, and gentle care.
N- Natural
Check out St Tropica’s Coconut Hot Oil Hair Mask
Natural hair is virgin hair so why not use products that align with the cause? Natural hair products are generally the safest you can use on your fine hair and scalp (excluding those that are allergens for some). Focus on using natural hair products and natural ingredients like: Shea, Coconut oil, Aloe Vera, vitamin E, Beeswax and so much more. Avoid products that contain dangerous synthetic ingredients which can literally eat away at fine strands.
O- Oils
Healthy natural oils (not mineral oil) are great for so many reasons and every hair type can benefit from them. Even if you are adverse to oils on your scalp, you can add a bit of oil to your conditioner to help boost it’s moisture retention properties. Oils are also used to prep hair for washing, help seal moisture into the hair, stimulate growth in the scalp and like mentioned above, they lubricate fine strands and provide protection from breakage.
P – Protect
All hair needs to be protected but especially fine natural hair as it’s the most fragile of all hair types. Protective styling for short periods of time are also beneficial.
3 Ways to Protect Fine Natural Hair from Breakage
This one is deserving of another P:
Protein. Protein treatments are critical for keeping fine hair strong and for filling in gaps along the hair shaft. It’s a form of repair but also a form of protection.
Q – Don’t Quit
Never give up on your natural hair. Do not quit no matter how you feel. It’s easy to look at someone else’s hair and wish you had what they had but everyone goes through a process before arriving at greatness. Take the time to learn what works best for your hair type and do those things consistently.
R – Routine & Regimen
Fine hair thrives off of routine and regimens. For example, regularly applying deep conditioner to natural hair is important for moisture balance.
Here you’ll find healthy hair routines for fine natural hair.
S – Silk/Satin, Splits and Search & Destroy
There’s so many S tips that are equally valuable. I couldn’t just share one. So I’m sharing them all!
Silk or Satin – protect your hair with these delicate moisture protecting fibers (scarves, hair ties, pillow cases and clothing)
Splits – Everyone gets splits but due to the smaller circumference of fine strands, they are more prevalent. Reduce split ends by keeping hair protected, moisturized and by minimizing friction and tangling.
Search & Destroy – This method of trimming helps to preserve the healthy hairs on your head by only trimming out the damaged hair. It’s easier to perform on hair that’s at least shoulder length. It’s a bit more difficult, and almost impossible to do on shorter hair but for future reference, keep this method in mind to care for your fine natural hair as it grows longer. Here’s a video showing how to do it.
T – Thin hair
Fine hair is not necessarily thin hair. The individual strands may be thin but depending on the number of hairs you have, your overall head of hair could be thick.
U – Uneven
Most hair grows at different rates. Fine hair can appear uneven especially when cut in layers to give the illusion of fullness. Don’t assume that hair is uneven due to hair health. Stay the course of your healthy hair regimen and don’t worry about uneven strands that are perfectly fine.
V – Volume
Difficult to achieve on fine hair but not impossible. See tips to achieve more volume on fine natural hair.
W – Water
Water is THE source of moisture and hydration. Be sure to get plenty of it internally and externally (applied to your hair)
X- Xanthan Gum
In keeping with using simple ingredients in your hair care products, DIY your conditioners and add a little xanthan gum to thicken up your products to the consistency for your hair. It adds a lot of slip, making it great for detangling without breakage.
Y- Yield Great Results
Stay consistent with following healthy hair practices like using simple hair ingredients, keeping your scalp clean, receiving the daily recommended allowance of beneficial nutrients and all your efforts will yield greater results in the way your hair responds.
Z- Zones
When managing fine hair, it’s best to work in zones (also known as sections). The crown area is one zone. The sides, back and front are other zones. Separate each zone when applying product, detangling, washing and styling.
There you have it. Fine natural hair tips from A-Z. Did you find something useful?
