Beauty

[KJPA]

I love Wen CCs and love the idea of giving up other harsh products. I've always been a big user of volumizers and the strongest-hold hairsprays I can find. They are hard to clean off my bathroom counter/floor so I can imagine what they do to my hair! I also use a flat iron to "curl" my hair, giving it the look I need. I really want to give that up too.

My problem is my very fine, straight hair. It's cut short and never has enough volume at the crown. (I need volume or my face/shape just doesn't look right.) I wish I could go without it but I can't Wen CCs give me lots of volume but I still need something to help my crown have some "oomph." I've tried the 613 and POM SCs alone and tried them with the VTM sprayed into them. Tried on soaking wet hair and tried on towel dried hair. I used a pea size SC plus 5 sprays of VMT, mixed really well in my hands and then start at the back and work into my roots. I've also tried using the VMT after blowdrying, at the roots only. I've tried just a little and tried a lot. I've also tried using the Texture Balm to "piece it". I've also tried the 613 Mousse before or after the SCs. Haven't found a combination that does it for me.

Funny thing is that my hair looks better the second or third day. It's like it has to get "dirty" to have more "oomph." It's always been in great shape, probably because it's always short. I've never even seen a split end (don't shoot me.) I don't have a dry or oily scalp. I started with CC flavors WVM (my fave and now all gone,) then the gallon of SAM, and now I have LAV, POM, SOB and 613. I ordered some packets so I can try CA and TT but don't have any BGT yet.

Does anybody have any ideas? Have you gone through anything like this and found that a certain flavor or product "did it" for you? I'm sure the fact that my hair looks better "dirty" means something. Maybe I need the remoist treatment? (It's waitlisted.) I don't want to weigh my hair down but I think maybe it is dry even though it's in good condition. I also ordered some TT oil to try as an overnight but not here yet.

I thought I would ask y'all before the next Chaz Dean special so I know what to buy then. I just got the March TSV and I'm not sure I like the LAV or the 613 that came with it. I think the seasonals, POM and SAM have worked the best but as I said I haven't tried all of the core CCs.

Thanks in advance for your help. You guys are awesome on this board, sharing so much info! BTW, I've read most of Wen 101, especially the links to Fine hair topics.

PS: If I use the iron I can get the look I want with all Wen products. Do I just have to keep using it? Even if I use the non-Wen products I have to use the iron. Is there no Wen way for me to give up all the damaging tools?

[KJPA]

I also want to try to grow my hair a little longer again. Since I'm using Wen I was hoping for some miracle that my hair would still have some "oomph", maybe even more than when I've tried going long before.

FYI - I can't edit my OP but I mean to say "VTS" instead of "VMT" and "VTM". Just a senior moment I guess.

[SchippyLuv]

Hi KJPA!

I've gone through a lot of what you have. I have ultra fine, board-straight hair. There is enough hair on my head for two people and I'm 68, so I've had these problems for a loooong time. I've tried everything on the market - professional stuff and OTC stuff. I've stumped several excellent hair dressers - even double processing my hair in desperation. Currently I'm wearing my hair short. I punch up the color for extra body since I just have a few grey strands.

I started using WEN last summer with Lavender, because it was supposed to give the most body. I liked it. It was better than anything else I had tried. But I still wanted more body. I've tried a lot of WEN combos. What I've come up with is using either Tea Tree or Bamboo for my first cleanse, 613 for my second cleanse, a pea sized bit of 613 Styling Cream on the ends, followed by 10-12 pumps of 613 Mousse. When I get out of the shower I spray the roots of my hair with Volumizing Treatment Spray in Sweet Almond Mint.

After I dry my hair, I curl it with an Instyler on the hottest setting, spray all over with VTS, comb it out and spray it again. It always looks better on the second and third days. I've found that since I started using 613, my hair actually looks good straight for a change of pace once in awhile.

Yes, this is a lot of work - but my hair has always been a lot of work. One of my favorite hairdressers used to tell me that I could either learn how to work with my very difficult hair, or walk around looking awful all the time. His observation was that most women with my hair type choose to do the latter.

The wonderful thing about using WEN is that I only have to go through all this every three days. The rest of the time, I can pretty much run my fingers through my hair, spritz with VTS and go. I'm thrilled with the stuff.

Keep working with it - you'll come up with the best combo for you - oh and I find that sometimes I need to change things up when the weather changes - but not so much now that I've added 613 CC.

Have fun - WEN is definitely and adventure!

[ChynnaBlue]

I have wavy/curly hair, so I don't know how this trick works for straight hair, but you might want to try using duckbill clips to add some volume to the crown. Duckbill clips are these ones:


Here are some a step-by-step instructions. I like the Ouidad clips, which sometimes come up for sale on Hautelook. Cheaper duckclips can be found in the drugstores or at Sally Beauty, but I've found that cheap clips tend to have rougher spots that snag hair. Those little holes on the top can often be rough and snaggy, so watch out for that.

[KJPA]

Thank you SchippyLuv and ChynnaBlue!

SchippyLuv, we must be sisters! I didn't mention that I started highlighting my dark hair last fall to give it some body. That was the hairdresser's recommendation. I have only a few grays too at 54. I think I will be a salt & pepper like my grandmother I'm going to try the TT and the BGT as well as give 613 another shot. WOW, that's a lot of mousse you put in. I was afraid I was using too much by putting in one full pump I'll try it the way you suggest. And like you, I just run my fingers through it for the second and third days. Geez, why am I complaining??? I just hoped to get away from the heat. Que Sera!

ChynnaBlue, those clips sound like a good idea and I have two of them laying around somewhere. I'll try them too!

I love Wen products and was really surprised how much hold the VTS has. But I may have to use the flat/curling iron if the clips don't give me the height. I don't really mind the extra work since my hair has always needed that and now it's really only every three days with Wen. My hair still looks better than ever and I have a blast with all the flavors. My shower is more like a spa experience now!

Thanks again and I'll report back as I try new combos for fine, flat hair!! I may have to start a new thread on that so if I'm successful it will be a good link for Wen 101

[SoonerSusie]

I have this same type of hair. Pom with 613 works best for me. I have short hair, and I cleanse every day. I use 1 pump of pom or ca sc on soaking wet hair, and then about 4-5 pumps of SAM mousse. When it's dry I swipe the texture balm on my palm about 4 times and then spray SAM vts on my palm. Then I kinda "scrunch" it into my hair and spray VTS for hold. You will love it when you hit the right regime for your hair.

[KJPA]

Thank you too SoonerSusie. I'll try your scrunch method as well. One of these is sure to help! So many techniques, so little time

[Tigriss]

Have you considered some of those powdered volumizers or dry shampoo to add some grit to your hair for volume?

[KJPA]

On 4/7/2014 tigriss said:

Have you considered some of those powdered volumizers or dry shampoo to add some grit to your hair for volume?

Tigriss, yes I've used those powders and they are somewhat helpful. Especially if you don't touch your hair. They leave my hair feeling soooo tacky. If you run your fingers through it they catch and pull on the hair. I am really hoping for the silky but "full" look. It may be too much to ask but I will try for it with some of the other suggestions. Thanks for your reply, too! I appreciate you taking the time to respond to me.

[VaBelle35]

I have short hair and for me, I can't use the SC at all, in any amount, in any flavor and get height in my crown and have it stay there. I cannot get my crown right for all the money in the world when I use SC. I just can't.

I would try losing the styling cream and seeing how that goes. I personally am using the Glossing Serum and the Mousse. The mousse is KILLER for volume. I only use a little of the VTS when I'm at week 8 of my hair cut to keep it all up and in check because it's so long by then.

I also find, for me, that the Lavender gives me fuller hair. I use Lavender for first cleanse and Fig for second cleanse and leave in.

I would also look at how much you are using as your leave in. I have to use just a pea.