Have you spent years battling with the fact that so many hair styles you like are not achievable with your fine hair? A lifetime of telling hairdressers "Do anything, just make it look fuller"?

There are two potential problems that people with fine hair are up against either they belong to the luckier side where they only have fine hair to contend with or the slightly unluckier side where it is fine hair and not very much of it.

The universal goal of the fine haired community is to want it to be thicker. While that is not necessarily achievable, there are many haircuts which create the illusion that your hair is thicker than it is.

* Short styles the shorter the hair, the thicker it tends to look. For people experiencing hair loss, this is great as there is less weight on the hair and therefore, reduces the amount that falls out.

A great cut is the graduated bob, i.e. the most recent Victoria Beckham cut and its variations. As the hair is short, it is easy to create and hold bounce at the roots but the graduation adds movement to the hair which automatically makes it look thicker.

Otherwise, make the most of your natural sleekness and get the super cool, Uma Thurman style, traditional, chin length bob!

* Layers the more layers you have cut, the thicker your hair will look. This is also particularly good for those with very little hair or if you are experiencing hair loss, but are not keen on having short hair.

Also, the shorter the layers start at, the thicker your hair will look. Be careful though how short you go with layers always keep it in proportion to your hair length to avoid the risk of looking like a 1980's throwback!

A great layered cut regardless of the length is one where there is a lot of height at the crown. This adds a shape to the haircut, whether you are after a trendy or classic look.

Also a feathered front compliments the face and the varying lengths make your fine hair look more bodied.

I always say that if you have layers, they are wasted if your hair is only one colour. Although bleach is visibly damaging, other colours are not as bad, especially as they tend to contain conditioning agents.

To add to the fuller hair look (and to not waste the money you paid to have the layers but in the first place!) invest in some highlights/lowlights. The contrasting hair colours highlight your layers and therefore, makes you hair look thicker. Also the conditioning agent adds some shine bonus!

It is all very well talking of what haircuts are good, but a haircut is only as good as the finishing so, there are also various styling techniques that suit fine hair.

* Styling techniques when you are blow drying your hair, tip your hair upside down and dry. Once the hair is 90% dry, you can the flip your hair the right way up and continue styling this time with a much fuller canvas to work from. If you prefer the sleeker straightened look, dry your hair fully first upside down, spray a small amount of hairspray on the roots and then straighten.

If you are creating a style that requires a hairdryer and rounded brush, select a large rounded brush and use it particularly at the roots of your hair to give the roots some lift.

On the whole, the grass is always greener when it comes to hair; if your hair's straight you wish it was curly, if it is short you wish it was long, and so on. But regardless of your hair type there are styles and looks that will suit you and as always, it's all about confidence and the way you pull it off!

Learn more about this author, Sumantha Dutta.
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