Thick and Straight (ish) hair

My hair is thick! I mean thick!! That can cause a lot of challenges (huge hair anyone) and joy (I'm not going bald). So, I asked a top Seattle stylist for the skinny on thick hair care and this is what he said.

Your Good Fortune: You have a lot of hair - thick, lush, and full.

Your Challenge:  You have a lot of hair - heavy and a bit coarse. As the humidity rises, it probably tends to expand, usually into a triangular silhouette, widening at the bottom.

Your Ideal Cut:  Length helps keep a mass of hair from becoming overinflated - but you don't have to grow your hair down your back. A cut that falls at least to your collarbone has enough weight to give you the extra control you need. You also want long layers, starting about four inches above your ends; they're key to keeping your hair from stacking into that pyramid shape. And a good idea is to use thinning shears on the last two inches, to take some of the bulk out of this hair type.

Steer Clear Of:  Blunt lines. They'll make your hair look, and feel, even heavier. You don't want a cut that's perfectly even at the ends. And while long layers are a must, short ones will make it more difficult to contain your hair's fullness - the last thing you need is a shag!!

Your go-to product:  A light-hold spray gel

Your Salon Checklist:

• Collarbone length or longer
• Layers starting four inches above ends
• Thinning the bottom 2 inches