Hello again Janne!
Sweeden! Wow! Your English is better than some from this country!! Okay, I understand now.
Rake or raking your hair is something your can do by either running your fingers through your hair or using what is called a hair pick.
http://tbn0.google.com/images?q=tbn:.../139069631.jpg
Like this.
And finger combing means just what it sounds like. Using your fingers to run through your hair to separate and detangle.
As for those Garnier products and John Frieda comes to mind too, I'm not so sure they sell them in Sweden and I have no idea of knowing what hair products are good in your country available in department stores, not salon products. Even if you have to go to a salon to purchase the products, tell them you want something for control and texture. A stylist will know exactly what you need when you describe the style you want to achieve.
As for these products making your hair look thicker. As I said, all-one-length hair will look thicker and with a product applied yes, more so than layering your hair. Layering thins your hair out a lot. So grow it out for sure! I think you will be happy in just getting that done. However, go get a trim (not needed for a while!) to ensure that you aren't getting split ends and explain, that you don't want it cut in any particular haircut that you ONLY want the ends trimmed off because you are GROWING it all out.
In the meantime, any texture product you use in your layers, will enable you to have a "messy hairstyle" which are still very popular; whether you spike your hair much or not.
http://tbn0.google.com/images?q=tbn:...Y/s320/emo.jpg http://tbn0.google.com/images?q=tbn:...07/08/hair.jpghttp://tbn0.google.com/images?q=tbn:...ikey-hair2.jpghttp://tbn0.google.com/images?q=tbn:...-12-700648.jpghttp://tbn0.google.com/images?q=tbn:...s083241rv8.jpg
I think you get the idea. You can just mess it up or you can have spikes all over. Something tells me you would like the "messy look". Anyway, my point is , your hair is going to appear thicker if it has this "lift" all over as opposed to laying flat!
I do hope this all helps.
Be patient growing it out. It is not a fun process and days will seems like weeks doing so. Good luck!IMG]