Thin hair style saviours

A client with thinning hair walks into a salon: “I want lots of body and volume, with tonged lengths and a super shiny finish. Oh and it needs to last all day and night.” No this is not a joke. This is the reality of hairdressers across the land who struggle throughout the festive season to give their thin hair clients the locks of their dreams. So, unless you are Father Christmas making wishes come true, read on for a handful of go-to party looks for your salon menu that will have your thin hair clients kissing your feet…

The blow-dry

Jessica Patrick and Hayley Jennings, co-directors of the Northern Hair Loss Clinic, insist the key to festive styling is minimum fuss, maximum impact looks. “For office parties that generally take place after work A big bouncy blow-dry, with plenty of volume and a little wave looks polished and smart for work, yet with a little extra root teasing and tousling, can look really sexy after dark,” says Jessica.

Thinning hair expert and salon owner Simone Thomas suggests going back to the roots (quite literally) and grabbing some good old-fashioned mousse to add oomph. “It might sound obvious, but try flipping your client’s head upside down and adding some mousse to the roots only,” says Simone. “It’s an old trick, but definitely one that works. Use your fingers to get into the root to create volume whilst drying. Lots of people shy away from mousse as it has an old fashioned reputation, but it works every time.”

Extensions

If your client lacks length and volume, encourage them to try a clip-in volumiser – one-piece clip in hair extensions – to add instant body, volume and length. When choosing clip-in extensions, there are a few things to consider. Firstly, if your client’s hair is very fine or limp, or if they need to add length as well as volume, advise them to opt for a full head of clip-in extensions.

“If a client’s hair is very thin, then they might want to consider opting for extensions with less wefts of hair, which tend to sit more comfortably, without feeling too heavy,” insists Jessica. “They should also consider looking for extensions with a silicone binding, rather than a fabric one. These tend to sit flatter against the head, making the blend between the natural hair and the extensions more seamless.”

Hayley adds: “We also advise thinner-haired clients to pay particular attention to the top of the head, where there is less hair, to make sure the extensions aren’t showing through. Finally, teasing the hair at the crown will add even more volume and body, and will help the extensions to blend better. Very teased roots are actually a huge trend this season, thanks to Miu Miu’s AW18 Fashion Week show, so it is an ideal look for thinner haired clients looking for an on-trend style this festive season.”

Tonged lengths

Another party style that looks great on most hair lengths is tonged lengths. Last season’s Instagram-inspired waves have been replaced this season by bends, which is a really fresh new way of adding texture and movement to the hair, without adding curl. It’s a great style for adding body to fine hair and is a glamorous look that really works for the party season.

“The secret to mastering this style is to bend the hair around a curling tong, rather than wrapping it around, and bending only the very ends of the hair. The finished result should be natural-looking kinks that look undone and raw. My top tip is to use a 1.5 inch barrelled tong and always direct it downwards as you work through the hair.”

Colour change

Encouraging your clients to indulge in a colour change is a great way to liven up their hair for the party season and when it comes to colouring thinning hair, there are various ways that colour application can really help to create the appearance of fuller bodied locks – for example, adding depth to the hair by adding darker sections, while keeping finer light panels around the face to add dimension.

“This contrast in shades can really help to create thicker, fuller-looking hair. Thinner haired clients should avoid going any more than two shades darker than their natural colour, as very dark hair can appear flatter and more lifeless, and those with thinner ends should avoid ombré colour, which can draw attention to the problem.

Top-knot

Finally, if your client is looking for an on-trend party style that adds height and body why not offer some party looks for the festive season? Include this season’s hottest party style: the messy bun. Thanks to Chanel’s AW18 Fashion Week show, the look has shed its casual connotations and is now an ultra-glam look. Simply tease the hair up into a topknot, leaving the ends untucked and keeping the crown smooth, and adorn with accessories. The messier and more textured this bun is the better, making it a great go-to look for finer haired clients wishing to add body, height and texture.

Simone also suggests adding a ¾ human hair unit to cheat the look of thicker hair. She explains: “At Simone Thomas Salons, we stock a huge selection, including human hair clip in buns and ponytails that have a mussed-up finish for those who prefer something a little more low key.”

So now you have all the thin hair hacks, go and empower your clients and give them a style to boost their confidence this Christmas.

Want more Christmas style inspiration, click HERE for our festive style guide.

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