How do you make long, thick hair, long and sleek, not bushy?

Oil and straighteners. I find I only need to use the straighteners after washing and it stays flat until I next wash it, usually three or four days.

Straightening once after blow drying lasts my hair until the next wash too NotTooOld.
(Unless I lie funny overnight and wake with a sticking-out bit which I quickly straighten).

Nothing will make thick bushy hair look like the smooth sleek hair you see in the Over 50s section. Work with your hair as it is to find a style that suits you

I have thick dead straight hair that falls over my face unless I have a fringe or physically restrain it. Over the years I have tried to curl it, get it to frame my face, instead of faling over it. I have tried side partings, middle partings, but to no avail.

Then I had a moment of enlightenment. Try working with my hair as it is and stop trying to make it something that it isn't. Now, no matter how I style my hair, I have a fringe, which has varied in length, shape and thickness over the years and no parting. My styles have been many and varied and the length of my hair has varied. But always the style has been chosen to suit my hair

By working with what I have and not trying to make my hair something it isn't, my hair, generally, looks really nice and gets compliments.

There are 10 short hairstyles for older women on the GN login page but I don't like any of them.

I was intrigued recently by a post about a £300 haircut on mumsnet. That included an Olaplex treatment (the salon had charged £65 for this alone) and other posters were saying how you can buy a bottle on Amazon for £20 etc so having problem with damaged hair and flyaways I thought for that I’d give it a try - as so many people really raves about it. I got both the Olaplex 3 which is a prewash treatment and the 6 which is a leave in product and have only used them twice so far but very pleased with how they have made my hair feel and they should improve further with more use. The bottles are small but should last a reasonable time and I thought if the salon are charging that much then £20 even for four or six treatments is worth a shot!

Superdrug do a version of Olaplex called Pureplex. Not sure how it compares, as I've never used Olaplex, but it would be interesting to compare ingredients. It's a fraction of thhttps://www.superdrug.com/Hair/Hair-Treatments/Conditioning-Treatments/Knight-and-Wilson-PurePlex-Revolutionary-Hair-Repair-System/p/752255e price.

I use this with good results - Wella Oil Reflections

I have long thick hair, I put it in a bun or French roll when it is 3/4 dry. It is not a perfect solution but my hair becomes sleeker and smoother.
Large rollers also work well if I have the time.
I do use expensive shampoo and conditioner.

I’ve found when you wash your hair using very little shampoo at all but a lot of conditioner helps.

I use Frizz Ease and then after blowdrying I use straighteners.

I have thick auburn hair and only wash it 3 times a fortnight so doesn't dry out. I use loads of Dove conditioner, then a Tresemme hair mask slathered on it. Then before drying & straighteners I use a heat defence spray and finally when dried and straightened I use a couple of squirts of tame& shine styling oil rubbed in a hands and run it through it. It gives a shine to it, but don't put at roots as it will look greasy, I use it every morning in my hair. May seem a lot of stuff and time consuming, but works a treat for me.

Try olapleor Agan oil(tiny amount) and use Dyson’s Corrale straighteners. They are expensive but worth it, they’ve got me through lockdown.

Olaplex No 6 is wonderful for making hair of any length sleek and shiny. You only need to use a very small amount and massage through wet hair. It reduces the need for straighteners but I still run mine through my hair - old habits are hard to break!

Genevieve489

I began to grow my hair a couple of years ago and, of course, it turned into lockdown hair and is down to the middle of my back now. I'm lucky in that it's quite thick and I've still got some colour in it, although some of the hair around my face is silver. I've just been looking at the best haircuts for over 50s and the pictures of long hair look lovely. However, if I don't tie it back, because it's thick, it just looks bushy. I'd love to be able to have it long and sleek. Can anyone recommend any shampoos/conditioners/treatments that would achieve this? Or am I asking for the impossible?

Joico is very good for keeping your hair in excellent condition. It's not available on the High Street. You would have to get it online or at your hairdressers if they do that line. Simply Google Joico. There are various types for different colour and hair type. They also do a weekly hair treatment too.

It's a tad more expensive however lasts much longer. Note: as it's a professional shampoo it doesn't give the lather high street brands give. This is because it isn't full of chemicals to make it look lathered and working

I've used this for years as it's the one my salon does. You do need still to have it tidied regularly to keep it from split ends etc.

When my husband unexpectedly passed 3 years ago my hair was not affected condition wise.

My hair condition was affected when my mom passed 11 years ago when I was using High Street branding. There is a difference in quality

You also need to use straighteners to keep the sleek look. I use GHD'S. If you have not used straighteners before have a look at YouTube for streams on straightening hair as there is a knack to it.

They recommend after washing you also use a spray heat protector

Hope that helps

I have long fine but thick hair, with a natural wave, which means it can be prone to frizz.
Products are key to keeping hair smooth and glossy, I like the Nexxus products, they are available from Boots or Amazon. I also blow dry my hair with a turbo charged hairdryer, I use the GHD hairdryer. I never allow my hair to dry naturally it would just be a frizzy mess. If my hair hasn’t been cut for a while due to lockdown I will use Moroccan oil just on the ends.

Wash your hair then condition (I recommend Ogx Moroccan Argan oil shampoo & conditioner, use loads). Rinse. Wrap in towel, don’t rub. Remove towel when your hair is no longer dripping & apply LIBERAL amounts of Frizzease extra strength serum. Work through, comb, & let your hair dry naturally. Then straighten it, I use Nicky Clarke straighteners. This is all a bit of an operation & in my case takes an afternoon, but the results are completely transformed hair, the effect lasting until the next wash (& don’t wash your hair too frequently) Always use a very wide-tooth comb, btw.
I hope this helps.

I have very thick hair which tends to frizz. I've used Loreal Professional Mythic Oil for years & it's a lifesaver.

I’ve used L’Oreals 8 second Wonder Water on my lockdown hair.It’s a ‘lamellar conditioner’,although you can use your usual conditioner afterwards. I think it’s heat-activated, so it’s fine with other appliances. I’ve got to say that I had my hair cropped at the earliest opportunity!

When hairdressers use straighteners they go over and over the hair several times, that’s how they get the sleek look. My hair is thick and frizzy and I use straighteners regularly. I can recommend John Frieda Frizz Ease serum used after Elvive Low Shampoo and followed by a heat protect spray. These two products are a lifesaver for me. The serum is applied to soaking wet hair so it seals in moisture, it’s amazing. The shampoo doesn’t lather up but it cleans and conditions at the same time and lasts for a really long time so well worth £7. If you’re using heated appliances on your hair, a heat protect spray is essential. I use Nicky Clarke straighteners, as good as GHD at a fraction of the price (I have GHD’s but rarely use them) and use the wide plated ones when my hair is long.

All you need is a good hairdryer, a large pure bristle barrel brush , pure bristle smooths the hair cuticle . Let your hair dry naturally till just damp and then section it and dry each section . I've used this method for smoothing out my hair for years , works a treat . For extra smooth go over with some GHD straighteners. The pure bristle brushes are expensive but last for years .

My mum was a hairdresser and growing up I always had long, thick hair - went from short for years to long again during lockdown. It’s very thick and is now about the same length as yours OP, by your description. I don’t use conditioner as it makes it lank, but I found that Aussie Nourish shampoo tames it well - the supermarkets used to sell it but it seems to have vanished from the shelves lately so I buy online from Amazon and eBay. In addition - and the reason I mentioned mum was a hairdresser - is that I always use a proper natural bristle hair brush. A round one for styling and a flat broad one for every day use. The secret is to separate wet hair into sections and then drape each section over the brush, starting at the root, and pull it through, down the hair shaft to the end, rolling the brush as you go, while directing the air flow from the dryer onto the hair on the brush. This smooths out the hair and makes it sleek - no product needed. Remember it has to be natural bristle or you won’t get the sleek effect.

I am of Irish descent and have red, thick frizzy hair, but no more! I use Plantur shampoo and conditioner, and also Avene spray leave-in conditioner and I can honestly say my hair is now at its best and it’s only taken me 63 years to finally find the right products to control it. LOL!!

I use the Elvive Dream Lengths shampoo and conditioner, I also use the Elvive Extraordinary Oil occasionally. Works for me, best my hair has looked in ages

I should also mention I use hair straighteners as well.

A couple of times a week warm about two tablespoons of coconut oil in the microwave. Apply this evenly all over your hair. Cover your hair with a plastic bag and leave for about an hour and then shampoo and condition. I use Pantene shampoo and OGX conditioner. Works brilliantly!