Best Styling Products for Fine Straight Hair

Those of us with fine, straight hair have spent hours upon hours trying to perfect that straight out of the magazine look, only to have our hair fall flat as soon as we walk out the door. Some of us need that extra boost that a volumizer can give, or the messiness that a wax can give, but have never found the right styling product for our hair's picky needs.

Thanks to trial and error I've come across several styling products that really work on fine, straight hair. I've found several boosters, sprays, and yes, even a wax that doesn't weigh down fine hair and ruin a perfectly good style.

1. Aveda Volumizing Tonic

If you need volume, like yesterday, Aveda's Volumizing Tonic is for you. The tonic comes in a small spray bottle, and it can be used on wet or dry hair to add instant volume. I always use it before styling my hair by spraying it on dry hair right at the roots, section by section. You don't need to use much to see a difference. After I spray my roots, I let it dry before I continue styling, otherwise it might make your hair a little too stiff at the roots.

Once it's dry, I flip my hair over and use my hair dryer on a low setting. This gets rid of any hardness, but it also helps your hair achieve maximum volume without wearing out the tonic. I do this for a couple seconds, flip back upright, and I'm always amazed at how awesome my hair looks, even without further styling.

2. Redken Fresh Curls Curl Boost

Redken's Fresh Curls Curl Boost is a spray designed to keep curls from getting frizzy. I had read about this product in Allure Magazine and learned that it wasn't the least bit oily, and since I was dying for natural-looking beach head, I thought I would give it a go.

Just as I expected, this product gave my straight, fine hair the waves I had always wanted. The spray is something between hairspray and gel. Using too much would make your hair stick together, but the right amount creates waves on the straightest of hair. It smells amazing too - always a bonus! I like to use it when my hair is almost totally dry. I spray and scrunch at the same time. Sometimes I use it on dry hair when I haven't styled my hair and it's looking a little dull and flat. I don't use it every day, but I always have it on hand.

3. Short Sexy Hair - Play Dirty Wax

How many of us have tried in vain over the years to find a wax that creates those fun messy styles in magazines? I've been searching ever since Meg Ryan got that famous short haircut in the late 90s. Well, finally, thanks to my hairstylist, I've found a wax that does the trick for fine hair without weighing it down one bit.

Play Dirty Wax by Short Sexy Hair is a must-have hair styling product for those with fine, layered hair who love that messy look. Whether your hair is short or long, if it's layered, your hair will look amazing. Play dirty is unlike other waxes and pomades. It's a fine spray-on wax that can be applied to your fingers. Once you learn how much wax is right for your hair, you can start spraying the wax lightly directly onto your hair.

Like all waxes, you can go overboard and ruin your look, but with Play Dirty, it would take a lot of wax to leave your hair slimy and dripping. Again, this isn't a product I use every day (I love to change up my hairstyle from day to day), but this is one product I will never be without, for as long as they continue to make it.

4. Ocean Water

Yes, I'm talking about that salty, free stuff on each coast. Nothing makes my hair sexier, fuller and wavier than a nice dousing of ocean water. Now I know not everyone lives on the coast, but there are plenty of products out there that mimic its abilities.

Since I do live on the coast, and happen to surf, I take advantage of this salty goodness every chance I get. I'm sure not all types of hair look as good messed up with salt water as fine hair does, but it just works for me. Some people believe that ocean water can ruin hair color, but actually, salt is an ingredient of salon hair coloring products, so it's really the sun that alters your hair color.

There have been plenty of days where I come home from the beach, peel myself out of my wetsuit and jump right into the shower, but I always make sure to leave my hair untouched. A quick rinse is fine, but anything more than that would ruin the effect. It's really amazing what ocean water can do to your hair if it is long, fine, and straight to begin with - especially if you have long layers. If nothing else, you can't beat free!