Hydration, by way of weekly deep conditioning treatments and daily leave-ins, is also key. “Fine hair can easily become dry and brittle, and break easily if not conditioned properly,” explains Isfahan Chambers-Harris, a biomedical scientist, trichologist, and natural hair expert. That being said, she advises people with finer hair to avoid heavy treatments and styling products, which can make hair look greasy and weigh strands down. To gently promote strength and elasticity, both Chamber-Harris and Hill recommend having water-based products, like Moremo’s cult-favorite Water Treatment, in the mix to naturally aid in detangling and keep hair more hydrated.
If heat styling is part of your routine, Hill says investing in quality tools, like the Dyson Supersonic or Airwrap Complete Styler, which harnesses an aerodynamic technology to reduce heat, will pay dividends. “It’s been a game changer in elevating the meaning of what it truly means to reduce heat, which assists with retaining the health of the microbiome and fine hair fiber structure,” says Hill of the innovative tools.
Another key factor for finer textures is fighting damage before it happens. “Prevention from breakage is important because unlike your skin, which can regenerate itself, hair breakage is irreversible,” says executive director of product development for Oribe, who helped formulate the brand’s new Hair Alchemy collection, which is designed to protect and strengthen inherently weak hair with a potent blend of chia seed, plant-based protein, bio-fermented bamboo leaf, and hyaluronic acid. If you’re looking improve hair growth, Engelman recommends Nutrafol, which uses highly concentrated botanical ingredients to aid in every step of the hair growth cycle, and “strengthens hair from the inside out.”
How to Strengthen Medium Hair
Medium hair is the most common hair type. Not as fragile as fine hair, and easier to style, it’s also the most forgiving, says Zeichner. “It is not too dry or too brittle and not too thin that little amounts of shedding will have a significant impact on density,” he explains. Still, medium hair can be “susceptible to over-styling, high heat tools, and improper techniques,” stresses Engelman. For Hill, strengthening medium hair is all about taking a dual approach. “The most important rule is ensuring that both moisturizing properties, as well as protein properties, are incorporated into the hair care routine to assist with retaining the structure and health of the hair fiber,” says Hill, who is a fan of Dr. Barbara Sturm’s Molecular Hair mask for targeted hydration with shea butter and hyaluronic acid, and Aestelance Protein Mask, which blends silk proteins with fatty acids and seaweed extract. For further defense, experts refer to the pro-beloved, at-home bond-building Olaplex treatment as “hair insurance”—and for good reason. “It contains an ingredient that helps rebuild damaged bonds between keratin in the hair to help strength in the hair shaft,” explains Zeichner.
