Okay, so I’ve always had REALLY thick hair. Like, ridiculously thick. It’s always been a bit of a pain, taking forever to dry and just generally feeling heavy. I finally decided to do something about it, so here’s how I went about reducing the volume of my hair.
Figuring Out My Hair Type
First, I needed to understand what I was working with. I spent some time looking at my hair closely. I washed it, let it air dry, and then really looked at it. Was it wavy? Curly? Straight-ish? Turns out, I have slightly wavy hair that just poofs out if I don’t manage it properly.
The Haircut
This was a big step. I went to a stylist I trusted and explained my problem. We talked about layers – lots of them. The idea is to remove weight without making it look choppy. She snipped away, carefully thinning out sections and adding long layers throughout. Honestly, just watching the hair fall to the floor was therapeutic!
Changing My Wash Routine
- Shampoo less: I used to shampoo every day. Turns out, that was making things worse! Now, I wash my hair every other day, or even every two days.
- Condition like crazy: I slather on a good conditioner, focusing on the ends. This helps keep my hair hydrated and less frizzy, which contributes to the volume.
- Co-wash days: In between normal hair wash days, I just use a hair conditioner to wash. It sounds a bit silly, but it does help!
Styling Products and Techniques
This is where the magic really happens.
- Leave-in conditioner: After showering, while my hair is still damp, I apply a lightweight leave-in conditioner. This helps control frizz and adds some definition to my waves.
- Serum or oil: A tiny bit of hair serum or oil on the ends helps to smooth things out and add shine. I rub a few drops between my palms and then scrunch it into the ends of my hair.
- Air drying (mostly): I try to let my hair air dry as much as possible. When I’m in a hurry, I’ll use a diffuser attachment on my hairdryer, which helps to minimize frizz and keep my waves intact.
- Scrunching: While my hair is drying, I periodically scrunch it upwards to encourage wave formation and prevent it from looking flat.
The Results
It’s been a few weeks, and I’m so much happier with my hair! It feels lighter, it’s easier to manage, and it looks way less bulky. It’s not perfectly “thin” hair, of course – it’s still me! – but it’s a huge improvement. I’m still experimenting with different products and techniques, but overall, this whole process has been a game-changer.