This Super Simple Fine Hair Routine Gives Me Volume and Perfect Waves—Without Any Hot Tools
I'm an air-dry girl to my core.
A secret that only those close to me know: my hair may look thick and luscious, but the strands that make it up are incredibly fine. I know it makes no sense given my career as a beauty writer, but I'm pretty anti-heat tools and prefer to live my life Olsen twin-style, running around with whatever air-dry texture my long, fine hair wants to offer up that day.
Sophia Vilensky with her waves post-simple air-dry routine.
The problem? My hair wasn't necessarily built for the wash-and-run lifestyle. It falls flat so easily, and while I'm more than fine with a little frizz (it's chic to be slightly messy), the amount of cool-girl wave I get is always a gamble. My solution? Finding a decidedly non-complicated air-dry routine that my fine hair loves. It's void of heavy products and does just enough to help the no-volume situation while still making my hair feel like my hair.
Ahead, you'll find the entirety of my air-dry routine for long, fine hair.
Prep Starts in the Shower
The air-dry routine starts long before the actual air drying, by the way. When it comes to washing my hair, I look for lightweight, hydrating, and nutrient-dense products that aren't trying to make my hair behave a certain way when I get out of the shower.
Listen: the name "density and thickness booster" is a selling point for sure, but Under Your Skin has so much more going for it. The mother-daughter-founded Swedish brand was designed to create a gentle, non-toxic haircare line—and apparently help keep my head lush and hair growing in the process.
I live in the tundra, which means my hair is always looking for extra moisture. But conditioners can be so heavy. More milky than creamy, Lost Treasure is the perfect weight. I love how soft and slippery it makes my easily tangled strands.
Towel Dry Time
Okay, that was all very nice and warm and healing. But I can't stay in the shower appreciating the post-conditioner slip of my strands forever. Once I'm out, it's time to get things going. A nice, no-tug comb is a necessity, as is a good microfiber towel to speed up drying.
Sophia Vilensky with her hair in a Crown Affair microfiber towel.
Honestly, you couldn't go wrong with a full Crown Affair air-dry routine (or hair routine in general). Their Air Dry Mousse is fabulous, but I can't live without the hair towel. Great for any hair type, it's made from a custom microfiber blend to quickly absorb water, cutting down on dry time while preventing frizz and breakage. I also love that it doesn't have a button to secure it, like so many other hair towels. My puppy always chew those off...
A comb is a comb, right? I mean...yeah, probably. But this is the comb I use and recommend wholeheartedly. Sachajuan designed their shiny white, wide-toothed option to reduce friction and damage. Each one is also polished by hand before it's sent to its owner.
Moisture Magic
Sometimes I won't bother with a mousse or wave-boosting step when air-drying, but I never ever skip a leave-in conditioner from mid-lengths to ends. Those fine strands can dry out mighty easily, and adding some hydration back protects against frizz and adds tons of shine. It's also helpful when my ends are looking a little rough.
Virtue's latest offering, Strength & Shield Leave-In Conditioner, was an immediate favorite the first time I misted it through my hair and slid a comb right through. Powered by the brand's patented Alpha Keratin 60ku, it softens, smooths, reinforces the cuticle, restores strength and flexibility, and protects from UV, pollution, and heat. Not that I need that, but nice to know.
Then, we have the first leave-in conditioner I ever fell in love with. Milk Hair Serum is so lightweight and nice, formulated with intensely hydrating hyaluronic acid, strengthening red algae extract, and a signature botanical complex that soothes, hydrates, and nourishes both your hair and scalp.
Waves, My Way
Sophia Vilensky before scrunching her fine strands up with mousse.
If I want to get my hair to do something particular, I pull out a styler. Then, I can throw in a few twists or soft braids. Once I unravel them a little while later, my hair is magically stuck in the shape I posed it in. Stuck, but not stiff or sticky.
Hindsgaul Hair launched this month, and my new favorite mousse is included. While chatting about her brand, celebrity hairstylist Sarah Hindsgaul mentioned how every stylist uses mousse constantly, but you rarely see people buying it in the salon. Big mistake, people. "For me, a mousse can do anything. You can go straight, you can go curly, you can do whatever you want, and it will stay in that shape until next time," she explained. I use a few pumps, throw some twists into my hair without bothering to secure them, and enjoy the soft waves that form when it's fully dry.
Formulated for fine-to-medium strands, this nice yellow bottle has mousse-like effects with a lightweight balm formula that my hair loves. Oribe's Style Retention Complex provides soft-touch memory to heatless and air-dried styles thanks to the natural polymers in its formula (while improving hair's overall integrity).
Keep It Gorgeous
I try to wash my hair only a couple times a week, so on the in-between days (before I give up and throw in a slick ponytail), I depend on dry shampoo and a boar-bristle brush to evenly distribute oil and keep that nice wave going.
Despite its texture, my hair doesn't get greasy right after washing. Nevertheless, I like to prolong my luck as long as possible. Once my strands are dry, I apply some powder dry shampoo along the hairline, not directly on the scalp but about an inch from the root. Aveda's, with its nicely "poofing" pump applicator, will always be a favorite.
And because even the simplest hair routine deserves a little drama, let me present the prettiest hair brush in the world. Once upon a time, I really wanted a Mason Pearson. Now I'm a diehard La Bonne Brosse girlie—the gentle N.03 is best for my sensitive scalp—and yes, I want one in every color.
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