Review: The Best Hair Tools for Fine Hair

A hairstylist once told me that the secret to creating lasting volume on fine hair was selecting the right tools. However, she cautioned that fine hair was difficult to style and products which promised glossy locks could actually make fine hair limper. And she was right: there were tools that worked beautifully for my friends with medium to thick hair but left my locks flat and frizzy. After a lengthy period of trial and error – I discovered 3 holy grail tools that always guarantee a great hair day. Read on for a master list of the best tools for fine hair.

HH Simonsen True Divinity Hair Straightener

Over the years, there has always been a styling trade-off for me: achieve sleek and straight hair; or voluminous and bouncy locks. Straighteners certainly made my hair appear smoother, but they also drastically reduced the body. Which is why the HH Simonsen True Divinity MK2 hair straightener levelled up my hair game. Not only did it effortlessly untangle knots and impart a lovely luminosity – but it also left my tresses looking airy, soft, and freshly washed. I only had to run the straightener over untruly kinks once – when I usually need to go over these areas multiple times to tame the unruliness. The biggest game changer was achieving smooth hair (with all the bumps ironed out) that did not look ‘stuck together’, poker straight or fried.

I later discovered the magic lay in the straightener’s Teflon-coated plates with tourmaline helps protect the hair, retain moisture, and deliver a luminous shine. Bonus: The adjustable heat setting (operated by a digital touch screen panel) allows very specific temperature control – so you can tailor it to your hair type. I found the lowest heat setting worked best for fine hair!

Hair straightening hacks:

For volume: Lift your hair up towards the ceiling and straighten in an upwards motion (avoiding the roots) to boost the volume.
For shine: Place aluminium foil on sections of your hair and straighten your hair with the aluminium foil on. The foil helps reduce damage and add more luminosity.
For a root boost: Place rollers under the roots of your hair. Whilst the rollers are still on your roots, proceed to straighten the remainder of your hair (e.g. mid lengths + ends).

HH SIMONSEN True Divinity MK2 Hair Straightener Pink

Silver Bullet JetLiner Hair Dryer

Most hair dryers use a ‘one-size-fits-all’ mode – but the Silver Bullet JetLiner Hair Dryer comes with a special function specifically designed for fine hair (there are five features to select from). The function delivers a serious root boost to my fine hair akin to a fresh root perm or hours of extensive hair teasing. In fact, my hair looks as though volume mousse has been applied throughout – with each strand looking visibly fuller.

Bonus: I notice that my baby hairs are thoroughly tamed. The Jetliner utilises an ionic generator – which distributes negatively charged ions throughout the hair and breaking down positively charged ions – this process eaves your hair shaft completely closed (which creates the illusion of silkier and shinier hair). Aesthetics aside, I noticed that the tool was able to swiftly dry my hair, even on the weakest heat setting.

Hair drying hacks:

For a frizz free finish: Always slightly dry your hair before blowdrying. However, instead of using a towel to dry your hair, use a kitchen towel to gently blot away excess dampness – this is better for preventing frizz and flyaways than using a towel.
Increased root boost: Use a volumising mousse on wet hair – concentrating the product exclusively on the roots. Then after you have finished blowdrying, add a volumising powder on your roots for extra bounce.
Overall volume: Blow dry using a diffuser – tip your hair upside down and dry your hair from the inner layer of your hair – starting from the roots of your hair to the end. Whilst blow drying, hold down the ends of your hair in an ‘acute angle’ position for a sleek and bodacious finish.

Silver Bullet JetLiner Hair Dryer

Babyliss Pro Hot Air Brush

For days where I’m in a hurry but still want to recreate a “fresh-from-the-salon” look, I rely on my trusty Babyliss pro hot air brush. The tool is multifunctional – you can brush the tool through your hair for a sleek and straight look; lift your hair up and place the brush near the roots of your hair for a volume boost; or twirl your hair around the barrel and hold for a few minutes to achieve loose curls.

The ionic technology and boar and nylon bristles (the same material used in the legendary mason Pearson brushes) minimised frizz and detangled locks without weighing my hair down. My favourite aspect? When I run the brush through my hair, each strand actually looks fuller.

Hotair brush hacks:

For volume: Lift your hair up and aways from your face, then glide the brush slowly from underneath your hair. For a root boost – simply place the brush slightly under your roots for 10 seconds and let the hair drape over the brush.

For luscious curls: start from the ends of your hair and wrap your hair upwards until your reach the roots – then hold for 30 seconds. Brush your hair using the hot air brush from the outer layer of your hair for soft and dreamy curls.

To banish frizz: Your hair should be at least 80% dry before using the hot air brush because I’ve found this creates the glossiest and most frizz free effect.