Checking in! Yes I really do have fine, thin hair so thanks for thinking that I don't
I agree with others, layering is what you need. I like the shape of the cut you've linked to, however those same layers are not quite going to work with our hair texture. For one, it looks like that woman's hair is straight and then curled with an iron. You will be hard pressed to get similar results if you only air-dry, too. Regarding the layers in the photo: If you look at the lengths in the photo, you can see that there is some variation but we need it to be a bit more extreme. So that the layers are what's adding body, not necessarily the curls themselves (not sure that makes sense). If the stylist you are going to is familiar with curly hair, that'll be a huge help! I usually explain my desired layering by saying that I want the volume of the cut to be focused from top-of-the-brow to top-of-the-lips. That's not to say the layers themselves will be cut that short -- it's that once they're cut and curled, the volume of the hair should be focused on that area, and the layers are what gives that shape. (Once that volume drops down lower, the top gets flat and we start veering into triangle-head territory. Not fab!) I have found that adding some unevenness to the lengths of the layers helps smooth the final shape out, too.
For myself, I style almost entirely with a blow dryer; air drying simply
can't get me the volume I'm after. I do something similar to what Peri
describes (volumizing mousse at the roots, curl creme for the rest,) except that I use the dryer all the way through (with a diffuser, head flipped upside down). I will also use dry shampoo for a little extra texture, along with some hair spray at the roots once everything is dry for even more lift; in the summer I add a little sea salt spray. You would be shocked at how much product goes into my hair! If you're sticking with air drying, I think just using a little curl mousse on the lower half coupled with a good finger shake once dry might be enough; you could also try the dry shampoo, particularly if you don't wash every day (I wash every 3-6 days, depending on how much volume I've slept out of my hair).
Also have to give a little shout out to frizz. Honestly, being a card
carrying member of the fine/thin/curly club I really think it's one of
the best things we can use to give the illusion of thicker hair. Most
people can't tell the difference between "oh no what's with these frizzy
curls" and "hey check out my beautifully formed non-frizzy curls" --
they usually just see "curly hair". So! My suggestion is to focus your
efforts on the top layer of hair, what most people will notice; if you
make that look nicer, you can get away with frizzies underneath that
will actually boost your volume. One of the easiest ways to do this: once you've parted your hair (product all in), twist little 1/4" sections all the way around the crown along the part and give a good scrunch; those sections will end up with a more defined, neat looking curl than what's underneath.
The most important three things are going to be the cut, your shampoo/conditioner (definitely look for sulfate free, especially if you don't use any other products; it makes a huuuuge difference in the lightness once dried!), and I would suggest using a lightweight curl product to encourage those curls to come out.
Adding some of my products in Finds. Not all, just some of the most important. If I linked them all you would definitely think I was a crazy person Dry shampoo, volumizing root mousse, sea salt spray (non drying!), conditioner, and curl mousse. If you only did ONE thing, I highly recommend trying the curl mousse!