People with thin and fine hair are usually the ones that find it the hardest to get hair volume and have it last longer than an hour. However, people with thick hair can have the same issue but because of different reasons.
Thin hair means you can have thick hair strands but not many of them.
Fine hair means you can have smaller hair strands and more of them. Because there is more hair with a smaller diameter on your scalp, this can lead to oily and limp-looking hair. This is because each strand is attached to its own oil gland.
Besides having fine or thick hair, there can be other reasons why your hair lacks volume. I have outlined a bunch of products that will help as well as tips at the end to achieve max hair volume.
Volumizing Shampoo
The best place to start to get maximum volume in your hair is by washing it and the products you are using.
Choose a shampoo that is formulated for your hair type and designed to help with volume. Wash once your hair gets too oily and/or after you have used dry shampoo once.
**Don’t exceed using dry shampoo more than once between washed to avoid scalp build-up. Check out my blog post here about scalp health to ensure your scalp is in good health.
With shampoo, find a conditioner suited for your length of hair and level of damage (heat styled, chemically processed, etc.) Only ever apply condition from mid-shaft of hair to ends.
Here are a few recommendations, however, shampoos are personal preferences, and what other people love, might not work for your hair.
After Shower Products & Sprays
After-the-shower products are the most important in your hair care routine (right after shampoo). This is because these products stay in and on your hair, as opposed to the shampoo and conditioner you wash out in the shower.
For max volume, look for a mousse to apply at the roots and/or thickening spray before you heat style your hair.
Volume Sprays
Volumizing sprays, or root booster, lock in volume and enhance your hair’s body. Most hair sprays you want to use when hair is wet before you blow-dry.
Apply spray to your wet roots and make sure you have enough product but not too much to weigh your hair down.
When blow-drying after applying these products, blow dry your hair upside down blowing the air and hair towards the ground.
Or you can use velcro rollers to set your hair and let it cool.
Volumizing Mousse
When it comes to mousse, it’s great to use without heat.
After you wash your hair, make sure it is just damp and not soaking wet. Wrap it in a T-shirt or microfiber towel to get the moisture out.
Less is more when applying mousse, so use sparingly and massage the product with your fingers.
You can let it air dry or blow dry it if you want. But make sure you are blow-drying the hair upwards by flipping your hair upside down or using a round brush for maximum volume and to help activate the mousse.
Styling Powders
Now that your hair is dry, you can add in powders and certain sprays for more volume.
Volumizing powders are super easy to use. All you do is lift up sections of your hair, where you want volume, and dust the product in your roots. Then you rub it in with your fingers and/or brush it through.
Dry Shampoo
Dry shampoo is an amazing product but some people use it wayyy too often and incorrectly. This is to be used a day or so after you have already styled your hair and need a refresh.
Here is a blog post I did all about different dry shampoos and tips on how to use the product effectively.
Dry shampoo is to be used at the root of your hair where it gets oily. Many dry shampoos are also great for adding volume to your hair because it absorbs the oils that weigh your hair down.
Here is how I revive my hair with dry shampoo and texture stray to get volume:
Shake the can before each spray and apply the product where your hair is oily and where you want to add volume.
Wait a few minutes, rub it in with your fingers, or flip your hair over and blow-dry at the roots while rubbing it in.
Texture Sprays
If you know me, you know I LOVE a good texture spray! Not only do they give a more messy look for your hair but it adds amazing hair volume.
The trick is to get one in an aerosol can, lift your hair apart, spray it up into your hair, and kind of scrunch it into your hair.
Other Helpful Tips for Hair Volume
- Switch up your part. Flip hair on the other side for major hair volume. Your hair can be trained to lay a specific way especially if you have worn it the same for years.
- Backcombing or teasing is a great way to add instant volume. If you add some styling powders with backcombing, you will have volume all day! Just beware of too much backcombing because over time it can be damaging and brushing out can be a b!t*$.
- Crimping was big in the 90’s and 2000’s but crimping your roots can really amp up the hair volume as well. Get a mini crimper and do it under the top of your hair. You don’t want the crimp to show, just the volume from it.
- Coloring your hair! Sounds weird, right? But if you have virgin hair, it can be hard to hold a curl or hold enough hair volume. By coloring your hair, you are roughing up the hair cuticle so it’s not ‘slippery’ to help it keep the structure you put it in, ie curling it or pumping up the volume.
- If your hair is thick, get layers and/or lightly get it thinned out at the salon with thinning sheers to get some of that weight off.
Let me know if you try any of these tips and how they work!
XO, Annie
