Thicker Hair the Cruelty Free Way (a lot of Living Proof)

As some of you may know, my hair has been thinning. It took me awhile to realize it, but it is most definitely falling out to some extent. I do have a potential answer at this point – my iron storage level is low so I need to take an iron supplement – but it’s not making my hair any thicker any faster. 😄 Given that, I’ve been doing everything I can to help my hair at least look and feel thicker with styling products. I thought I would share just what those are today! The bulk of them are from Living Proof, which is not intentional. Their products just work! I feel like there is a huge lack of information surrounding Living Proof’s cruelty free status and I’m not entirely sure why. I have emailed them a number of times and they have satisfied my questions, which keeps me believing that they are cruelty free. With that said, let’s get into how I’ve been keeping my thinning hair looking and feeling like a fuller version of the reality! 😜

Once I get out of the shower and after my hair is gently towel dried to the point of just damp, I spray in a fair amount of Pureology’s Perfect 4 Platinum Miracle Filler Treatment. This is essentially a leave-in conditioner specifically designed for blondes that have bleached the crap out of their hair. 😂 I believe it’s intended for those who have “high-lifted or highlighted hair.” That most certainly is me! It’s actually a lotion in the bottle, but it sprays out through the standard spritz bottle with no trouble. I have never had issues with this and I’m on maybe my 3^rd bottle! It helps me with tangles when I brush through damp hair (a step I’ve actually stopped recently for fear of breaking more hair on top of the thinning). It also helps to strengthen the hair, preventing breakage and repairing blow-dry damage. It’s an amazing product that I’ve been using for quite a while now and I love it because it does seem to be conditioning my hair without weighing it down at all! I highly recommend it, especially if you have color treated hair, but also if you don’t. It is on the pricier side, but it’s a cruelty free vegan formula that really works!

After spraying in my miracle treatment, I start with the Living Proof love-a-thon. The first product I reach for is the Perfect Hair Day 5-in-1 Styling Treatment. This is a light-weight lotion in a squeeze bottle (it does have a tendency to get clogged, so be careful). It claims to help with smoothness, volume, conditioning, strength and polish. I believe it also has heat-protecting qualities. I’m not sure exactly what it does to my hair, but I feel like my hair looks better and stays that way longer when I use this “treatment.” It’s probably a bit of duplication, but I really do feel that there is a difference. I can use too much, which will make my hair feel greasier one day earlier than when I get the amount right. Less is more here! 😉 I usually go for about a nickel-sized blob. I’ve been using this pretty much consistently since it was released maybe a year and a half ago, and I’m only on my second container. Again, not the least expensive product, but it lasts a good while and I feel like it improves the look and feel of my hair.

Now we’re getting to the real “thickening” additions. The Living Proof Full line is fantastic if you have thin hair. I’ve tried a fair amount of the range over the years and I have always noticed a positive difference in volume. My first recommendation from this line is the Living Proof Full Thickening Cream. I would actually say this is a bit more like a lotion than a cream, but I swear it works! Similar to the Perfect Hair Day Treatment, if I use too much my hair can get a bit oilier faster. I stick to maybe a nickel-sized amount again and it seems perfect (my hair is usually about chest length for reference). This does not make my hair at all sticky, crunchy or otherwise untouchable. It’s fantastic! According to Living Proof, it uses their patented Thickening Molecule (PBAE) to create “thickening dots between hair strands so it feels like you have thicker hair.” I can’t speak to the science of it, but it really does create the illusion and feel of thicker hair, making it a must have these days!

Then on to probably my number 1 necessity for creating the appearance and feel of thicker hair, which is the Living Proof Full Thickening Mousse. Firstly, do not invert the can to dispense! It’s actually designed to be held upright to dispense it’s light, foamy goodness. Again, it uses the patented Thickening Molecule with the “thickening dots.” I use maybe a small handful for my entire head and squish the mousse between both hands before gently applying a bit first to the ends and then at the root of my hair. It truly makes my hair look and feel thicker without any unpleasant crunchiness like so many mousses. It also doesn’t go overboard and create a giant mushroom effect on my head. It’s absolutely perfect! Again, it took me maybe a good year to year and a half to get through one can; I just finished my second. I should add that there is another mousse that adds even more volume with all the same benefits and goodness of the “Full” range and that is the Living Proof Timeless Plumping Mousse. The main differences are that the Timeless is for “aging” hair and boosts the amount of the “Thickening Molecule,” as well as including amino acids for added hair health. It claims to add 3x volume and is specifically intended for fine or thinning hair. They’re both fantastic options and the Living Proof Mousses are by far the best I have ever tried!

Aside from the occasional heavy dose of dry shampoo, that’s really about it for the volumizing styling products I use on my hair. Let’s face it, that’s too many already! I will occasionally add the DryBar Blonde Ale Brightening Cream for added shine and/or more recently the Grow Gorgeous Strengthening Oil for help with damage and flyaways, more strength, a bit of shine, and some heat and UV protection. Even more recently I’ve been trying out the Agave Oil for the same functions. The Brightening Cream I use on my hair while it’s damp after towel drying, while I use the Strengthening or Agave Oils on my hair when dry, typically right before using my flat iron. I do straighten my hair with said flat iron pretty much every time I wash it – after it has air dried – which does eliminate some volume, but not to the point of looking exceptionally flat and lifeless. It just looks like I’ve made some effort to style it. 😜 The thicker look and feel of my hair will last 2-3 days before getting a bit oilier and thus start to feel thinner from that point on. Dry shampoo can help, but I feel like it’s not the best thing for my hair, plus I hate smelling it on my hair. It just reminds me that I need to wash it. 😂 All things considered, I’m enjoying this routine as it keeps me thinking that my hair is not dissimilar to how it was before it started thinning. There are fewer hairs on my head, but I can at least mimic the look and feel of a fuller head of hair! 😉

Let us know if you have any tips and tricks for faking thicker hair. I think everyone would like a slightly thicker head of hair, so any and all tips are welcome! If you too are suffering from any kind of hair thinning/loss, please use this as a reference to help with the aesthetics, but also please see your doctor! So many internal issues can cause hair thinning/loss and you really want to ensure that you are addressing the causes first and the noticeable results second. If you too are having issues, I wish you the best of luck and the best of health! To all of those just hoping to “fake” thicker hair, let us know if any of these tricks help you out. I’d love to hear other people’s experiences, tips, tricks and recommendations. 😘 As always, thanks for stopping by and I hope to see you again soon!!!