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

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Geneveive.. You need a leave in conditioner, one you DON'T rinse out. You'll get a damped down sleek look minus the bushing out . I have used normal conditioner after first drying my hair, to flatten out my fly away hair bushy hair, it tames it down.. Try it!!!

There are so many suggestions here - thank you everybody for your replies.

I've had bushy unmanageable hair all my life; it wasn't until a trip to Morocco 2 years ago that I discovered Argan Oil. Now I get it from Amazon, £10 gets you a big bottle that lasts 6 months or more. There are several firms offering the oil; I use a German one. A few spritzes on wet hair after washing once or twice a week, hey presto! Hair is tamed.

I spent my whole life wanting long sleek hair and eventually gave up and had it cut short. Would you believe it, at my advanced age I have found a wonderful hairdresser who understands my hair. I only ever wash it at night, leave it to dry naturally and the next day it is always sleek and just the way I always wanted it. Only trouble is it’s 60 years too late for me.

Owner of mad Celtic hair here. Brazilian blow dry works amazingly well to tame locks. But expensive and not sure all the straightening is good for your hair in the long run. Olaplex is another quite good treatment. Again quite pricey at hairdresser. But does work. You can buy online to do home treatment. But not as good as salon. I’ve found not dyeing and washing a lot less helps. Also aveda products. Little bit of brilliant wax, wrap hair up into coils. Leave to dry naturally.

rainwater and vinegar

GHD straighteners is the way to go with a good protective spray you’ll need clips to hold the rest of your hair up as you need to straighten from bottom layer to top and don’t miss any. Good luck.
GHD are worth every Penny or should l say pound.

I have very thick hair, with a lot of waves, kinks and curly bits. In the days of 'big hair' it looked great. Once that trend ended its been a constant battle to tame it or find a style that 'works' with it. None really do, and I've been to more hairdressers than I can remember. But during lockdown I've finally cracked it. First don't have layers - they only bush out when it's damp or you're feeling hot and sweaty. Second, keep it a bit longer, mine is just below my shoulders in a kind of bob with a loose fringe. The extra length really does add weight to pull it straight. I use a keratin shampoo and conditioner as keratin is supposed to smooth the hair cuticles. I then use a keratin heat defence spray before drying it. I section my hair off, and using a hot brush with a large barrel I dry sections, pulling it straight through the brush, rather than using the brush to 'curl' it. I find this easier than blow drying because there are so many sections it makes my arms ache. Then I straighten each section (not using the highest heat setting) and then I rub a pea sized drop of pure argan oil between my palms and smooth it through that section. I then go onto the next section and repeat the process. It takes me about half an hour to dry all my hair, but it does look smooth and shiny and feels very soft. I only wash my hair once a week and when I'm at home I keep it in a low pony tail as this keeps it 'still' and prevents it springing outwards again. The argan oil may seem expensive but a little goes a long way and its definitely worth it.

Try taking a silk scarf in the palm of your hand and pull your lovely long hair through it.
I always used this method when I had beautiful thick long hair and it works.

A leave in conditioner.

Babyliss bighair.

Hair straightners? Wouldn’t be without mine

Also much kinder on the purse?

Try Elvive 8 second wonder water...made my grey, straw like hair look sleek, shiny and bouncy. Am amazed. Olaplex didn't have that effect despite using the whole range.
Superdrug and Boots sell the wonder water.

GHD straighteners and Argon oil spray. I have thick hair and it works fine for me.

3 more inches brand do a pre wash which I leave in overnight. In the morning my hair looks so sleek, not greasy, that I don’t want to wash it!. I do however wash it with their shampoo and conditioner. No sillicones

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Moroccanoil is amazing - and not greasy at all. You need just a tiny spot, and the £30 bottle has lasted us for almost two years - my husband uses it too. Make sure you get the real thing - it's in a brown bottle with a teal/greeny coloured label; the cheaper variants have a large percentage of carrier oil which does not work half as well.

I have same, thick hair with a natural curl. Best investment I made over a year ago was to purchase the Dyson airwrap with the attachments. Absolutely brilliant with some serum applied half way down hair. I know it's extortionate but I paid mine up monthly over a year. Not only does it make hair drying a pleasure, without any need for straighteners but my hair is not only sleek with no fizz but also in great condition. Absolutely no regrets

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!

I should also mention I use hair straighteners as well.

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 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!!

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.

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 .