My Incredibly Fine Hair Is Longer, Stronger, and Shinier Because of These 10 Hair Serums
And they all smell incredible.
I may have a decent amount of hair (it took me a hot minute and lots of hair growth serums to get here), but each strand on my head is incredibly fine. Each individual strand is less than half the thickness of a sheet of paper and has only two cuticle layers—as opposed to the three layers in coarser, thicker hair—which unfortunately makes it very fragile (particularly at the ends) and easily weighed down. It can get greasy pretty quickly (dry shampoo is my best friend), so I have to be extra conscientious about my hair serums.
Using too many products or any formula that isn’t damn near weightless leaves my hair looking like an oily mess. Hair oils are risky business, as are leave-in conditioners, and bond-building treatments are very much hit-or-miss. “If you have fine to thin hair and you want to use an oil or serum, which I almost always recommend, find one that absorbs quickly,” says celebrity hairstylist Clariss Rubenstein. “I love argan or squalane blends and am not afraid of silicone blends; they can actually be really great and protect against humidity.”
That being said, I’ve tried just about every hair serum out there—and endured my fair share of bad hair days—all to be able to share the best hair serums for fine hair. These 10 picks deliver hydration without heaviness, an unbeatable shine, seal split ends, and even helped give my hair growth journey a kickstart. Shop my go-to hair serums for fine hair ahead.
For Added Hydration
Even though I wouldn’t classify my hair as dry per se, my ends still have a tendency to get a bit crunchy and dull—especially during the summer when they’re exposed to salt water and chlorine on a more regular basis. I only need an itty-bitty amount (think: less than a pea-sized amount), and my hair’s hydration returns to homeostasis.
RŌZ is easily in my top three favorite hair brands of all time. This particular product is part of my everyday routine. I’ll use it on damp hair—it has great detangling properties and doubles as a leave-in—or on dry hair when I want some extra frizz control and shine.
The entire Marie Claire team has waxed poetic about this hair serum. It hydrates and reduces frizz overnight, but even more impressive is that it’s clinically proven to double hair strength. Oh, and PSA: you don’t have to rinse it out come morning—it fully absorbs.
Shine, This Way
I’m very much into the glass hair trend, but it’s a fine line between glossy and greasy. I’ve found that these two in particular give my hair a reflective quality and seal up split ends all at once—without any added weight. And just a quick PSA: I probably wouldn’t layer these with a hydrating serum (it’s an either-or situation).
Small but mighty is the name of the game with this luxury splurge—especially if you have fine hair. I genuinely use two little drops on my entire head and get a mirror-like shine. It also smells divine; it’s a summery, warm blend of lemon, florals, and sandalwood.
Davines is one of the if-you-know-you-know brands. And if you know, then you’re well aware it’s one of the best French hair brands in existence. Every hairstylist I know keeps in their kit because it majorly reduces dry time when used on wet hair and adds the most gorgeous silky shine to dry strands.
Bond Building Buys
I won’t hate on Olaplex or K18—they’re incredible formulas with proven results and ideal for thicker hair. For me? They run on the heavy side, and my hair just can’t hack ‘em. Lucky for me, these weightless alternatives exist.
I recently wrote a very comprehensive review of this new drop (check out my love letter), but here’s the gist: after using this for the past couple of weeks, my hair has stopped breaking off at the ends and is growing so much faster.
Not only is this going to care for existing damage by reinforcing the hair cuticle, but it’s also going to improve the elasticity of hair with a little help from honey ferment as a preemptive measure to prevent future breakage.
Hair Growth Serums
I’ve been on a hair growth journey for the past couple of years. I’ve done everything—PRP, Keravive, Spironolactone—but a cornerstone of regrowing my hair has been using hair growth serums. That being said, I really struggled to find leave-in treatments that didn’t leave my scalp feeling greasy. If only I knew these two guys existed from the jump.
I’ve said it before, but it bears repeating: Jennifer Aniston’s haircare line, Lolavie, is my favorite celebrity beauty brand of all time. Take this serum, for example. It contains phyto-retinol technology that helps hair feel thicker, reduces shedding, and boosts blood circulation to the scalp, so hair feels fuller in just three months.
My aunt was actually using this for years to deal with post menopausal hair thinning, so I was able to see the visible results firsthand. When I started to experience hair thinning, it was the first product I reached for. The baby hairs around my hairline were no joke—this stuff works.
A Touch of Texture
Trying to get fine hair to hold a blowout of a curl without styling products? Well, good luck. These give my hair just enough grit, so it doesn’t fall flat and limp by three in the afternoon.
I know Dyson is known (and loved) for its hot tools, but don’t knock their styling products until you test out the range firsthand. This is my favorite of the bunch—my blowout lasts a whole extra day—without touch-ups—when I apply it before styling.
This is a bit of a do-it-all serum. I’ll use it before a blowout to create a slicked-back style or as an air-dry cream. It’s definitely the most versatile product in my toolkit and well worth the investment.
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Meet the Expert
Clariss Rubenstein is a Los Angeles based hairstylist. Born in Paris and raised in Washington DC, she discovered her passion for beauty and style at an early age. Her work can be seen on high profile clients such as Jennifer Garner, Sofia Vergara, Sarah Silverman, Gemma Chan, Cindy Crawford, Dakota Fanning, Mindy Kaling, Kaley Cuoco, Leighton Meester, Allison Williams, Jordana Brewster, Alison Brie and many more. Her work has been featured in editorials for Vanity Fair, Jalouse and LadyGunn. Her advertising work includes campaigns for James Perse, Chanel, Louis Vuitton and Tommy Hilfiger. Clariss is a digital content creator and has partnered with an umbrella of lifestyle and beauty brands including NEXXUS, Authentic Beauty Concept, and Dyson.
