How to Apply Hair Fibers: 9 Tips to Make Them Stick and Look Natural
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Hair fibers take about a minute to apply. Making them look like your own hair takes a little longer to learn.
The good news is that most of what goes wrong comes down to a handful of small habits. Fix those, and the same bottle of fibers gives you a very different result. Below we’ll show you how to apply hair fibers, then provide some tips to help make them look natural.
How to Apply Hair Fibers Correctly
Applying hair fibers is quick and easy:
- Wash, dry, and style your hair. Fibers go on last.
- Apply a light layer. Shake the fibers over the thin area, or use the hair fiber applicator for more control.
- Pat them in. Press lightly with the flat of your palm.
- Build up where the scalp still shows. Add a second light pass only where you need it.
- Set with holding spray. Two to four pumps over the area locks everything in.
That's the whole routine. For SureThik applicator setup, nozzle choice, and videos, see our guide on how to use SureThik hair fibers.
9 Tips for Applying Hair Fibers
To get the best results, follow these tips:
1. Start With Completely Dry Hair
Dry hair is the single biggest factor in making hair fibers stick.
Fibers don't use glue. They cling to your hair with static. (We go deeper in how hair fibers work.)
On damp hair, fibers stop gripping the strands, and you get small dark clumps instead of even coverage.
"Mostly dry" isn't dry enough. Give your hair an extra minute with the blow dryer.
2. Style First, Apply Fibers Last
Before applying hair fibers, blow dry, straighten, part, and comb your hair. Fibers settle onto your hair as it sits. If you restyle afterward, you risk dragging them off the strands and onto your scalp, your comb, and your shoulders.
A light brush to blend is fine. Anything more is undoing your work. (Our post on whether hair fibers are brushable covers the right way to do it.)
3. Match Your Roots, Not Your Ends
Choose your shade by the color at your roots, because that's where fibers sit.
Your ends are often lighter from sun or old color, so they'll steer you wrong. If you're between two shades, go with the darker one. On the scalp, slightly dark blends into the natural shadow. Slightly light stands out.
Hair with highlights or a mix of tones can take two shades. Put the darker one down first, close to the scalp, then add a light pass of the lighter shade over the top. That copies what natural hair already does: darker at the root, lighter toward the surface. SureThik Hair Fibers come in eight shades, so there's room to blend. Check out our hair fiber colors guide to learn more.
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4. Use Less Than You Think You Need
Applying hair fibers too heavily tends to lead to unnatural-looking results, so start with a light pass and look in the mirror. Add more only where the scalp still shows through.
Once every strand has fibers on it, the extras have nothing left to hold. They sit loose on top, drop onto your collar, and make the area look flat and painted on. More fibers don't mean more coverage past that point. They just mean more mess.
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Pro tip! Check your coverage in the light you'll actually be seen in. Bathroom bulbs hide thin spots that show up clearly in daylight or under office lights. If you can, take a quick look by a window before you head out. |
5. Pat, Don't Rub
Press fibers in with the flat of your palm instead of rubbing them.
Patting pushes the fibers down onto the strands and closer to the root, where the hold is strongest. Rubbing does the opposite. The friction can knock fibers loose and grind them into your scalp. A few light pats over the area is all it takes.
6. Go Lightest at the Hairline
Use less product at your hairline than anywhere else.
The hairline is the first place people look, and a hard edge is what gives fibers away. Real hairlines fade in gradually. Yours should too. Apply a small amount of fibers, then soften the front with a few short, light strokes so the fibers taper off instead of stopping at a line.
The Hair Fiber Applicator makes this much easier, because it puts a small amount exactly where you aim it.
7. Lock It In With Holding Spray
A holding spray is what keeps hair fibers in place from morning to night.
SureThik's Hair Fiber Holding Spray is alcohol-free. It sets over the fibers and locks them to your hair, then dries to a natural shine instead of a dry, powdery finish. Two to four pumps over the area is plenty. You have about 15 seconds to adjust your style before it sets.
Once it's set, your fibers will hold through wind, sweat, and light rain. Learn more in our piece on how long hair fibers last. You can also check out our article on hair fiber spray.
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8. Keep Your Scalp Clean
Hair fibers stick best to a clean scalp and clean hair, so apply them when you’re freshly washed (and dried!)
Oil, sweat, dead skin, and leftover styling products build up on the scalp over time. Fibers applied over that layer slide and clump instead of clinging to the strands.
Wash with a gentle shampoo, and gently exfoliate your scalp now and then.
9. Touch Up, Don't Pile On
On day two, touch up the thin spots instead of reapplying hair fibers everywhere.
Fibers mostly stay put overnight, so a small amount on the patches that moved is usually enough. Layering a full application over yesterday's is what causes buildup, and buildup is what makes hair look flat and heavy. When in doubt, wash it out and start fresh. (Get more tips in how to remove hair fibers.)
Quick Fixes for Common Hair Fiber Problems
If something looks off, the cause is usually one of these.
| Problem | What Causes It | The Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Clumps or dark spots. | Damp hair or roots. | Dry your roots fully before applying. |
| Fibers on your collar. | Too much product. | Use less and build up in light layers. |
| Flat, painted-on look. | Heavy application or buildup. | Apply to clean hair, one light layer at a time. |
| Hard line at the hairline. | Too many fibers at the front. | Use the least product there and soften the edge. |
| Patch looks too dark or too light. | Wrong shade. | Match your roots, or blend two shades. |
| Fibers slide off by midday. | Oil, gel, or no holding spray. | Wash first, skip gel underneath, and set with fiber holding spray. |
FAQs
Can you use regular hairspray on hair fibers?
Yes, you can use regular hairspray on hair fibers, but a fiber holding spray works better. Many regular hairsprays contain alcohol and can leave a stiff, dull finish. SureThik’s Hair Fiber Holding Spray is alcohol free and dries to a natural-looking shine.
Do hair fibers stick to oily hair?
No, hair fibers don't stick well to oily hair. Oil coats the strands and keeps fibers from gripping. Wash first for the best hold.
Do hair fibers stick better in dry weather?
Yes, hair fibers usually stick better in dry weather because there's more static in the air. Very dry air can make them a little harder to spread evenly. A light pat afterward settles them.
How long does it take to apply hair fibers?
Applying hair fibers takes about a minute once you're used to it. Give yourself a few extra minutes the first couple of times while you find the right amount.
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