Add Volume to Your Hair

Is your hair limp and thin? Do you just want to add body to already thick hair? No matter why you're trying to get volume, there are lots of effective tricks you can try to get your hair looking big and full. Let wikiHow be your guide to exciting hair! Get started with Step 1 below or check out the sections listed above to find out more about specific techniques.

Steps

Choosing A Hairstyle and Cut

  1. Keep your hair on the shorter side. The longer your hair gets, the more strain it puts on the root. When it's weighed down, your hair will have a harder time standing up and looking as full as possible. By going for a shorter cut, you'll put less strain on your roots and you'll maximize the volume you can get.
  2. Go for blunt ends. When the ends of your hair look wispy and layered, it tends to make your hair look thinner. You can see extreme examples of this in the ends of "scene" hairstyles. To make your hair look like it has more volume, choose a haircut with blunt ends and bangs.
  3. Go against the grain. Figure out which direction your hair lays flat and then style it in the opposite direction. This will create lift at the roots, because your hair is still trying to go the other way.
    • This works best if you pair it with styling products meant to increase lift at the roots and keep hair in place. A basic hairspray is a good place to start.
    • So, for example, blow dry your hair so that it's going to the left. Once it's dry, comb and style it to the right. BAM: instant lift with almost no effort!
  4. Curl your hair. Curling your hair can add a lot of volume. Just think about all those 80s perms (of course, that was too much volume). While you might not want to go the perm route, you can use a basic curling iron and hair products to get and keep curls in your hair for a day or two.
    • When you do create curls, use outward-facing waves.[1] These will draw the eye away from the center of your face, making your hair look even more voluminous.
  5. Do the side sweep. Instead of parting your hair at the center, part your hair far to one side or the other. This will double the volume of the main section of hair, making it look super full. The other side is meant to look smaller in this style, so less voluminous hair will not look out of place.
    • This hairstyle will probably require some coordinating with your hair cut, so you might need to plan ahead on this one. If you have long hair with layers, however, you should easily be able to switch into this style.
  6. Consider layers. Consider experimenting with layered hair. There is a lot of disagreement about whether or not layers help or hinder when it comes to making your hair look more full. It seems to help for some people, and make the problem much worse for others. You'll just have to try it out for yourself and see how it looks on you.

Using Back-Combing

  1. Separate your hair. Separate your hair into four layers starting at your crown and moving down to your neck (securing each section separately to your head with slips). With that method, start with the lowest section and grab your two inch sections from there.
    • If you want just a little lift, you can do back-combing only to the upper layers of your hair. This can save a little time.
  2. Take a chunk of hair. Release the lowest section of your hair and then take a two inch section of that hair between your fingers.
  3. Spray hairspray at the roots. Take your hairspray and spray it on the roots of the two inch section.
  4. Comb at the roots in a circular motion. Now, take a fine comb and move the comb in a quick, circular motion. The comb should move down the hair shafts, and then move back out of the hair before coming down again.
    • Many people make the mistake of moving the comb up and down through the section of the hair, but this just releases the volume you created.
  5. Arrange your hair. Arrange the volumized hair to hair to mask the fluffed under section and generally style your hair into a finished look. Largely, as long as you're gentle with your roots and don't use to much combing or brushing, you can style your hair largely as normal.

Using Hair Crimping

  1. Section your hair with clips. Using a comb or pick, separate your hair into three layers going from the top of your head down to the neck. Secure each section to your head with clips in order to keep it in place.
  2. Grab a chunk of hair to work with. Release the lower section of hair and grab a roughly two-inch chunk with your fingers.
  3. Crimp the roots. Using a crimping iron, crimp as close to the scalp as you can get. Do one crimp, move the iron forward just a bit, and then crimp again.
    • You can spray each crimped section with hairspray as you go, if you want to. This is an especially good idea if your hair normally can't hold a shape.
  4. Move to the next layer. Repeat sectioning and crimping until the layer is finished. When the layer is done, move on to the next layer up.
  5. Release the top layer. With the lower two layers done, release the top layer. This layer will not be crimped, but will instead hide the crimping of the lower layers.
  6. Break up the crimps. Gently prod your fingers through your hair, starting low and moving in a short upward motion. This will break up the crimps and give the hair more natural flow.
  7. Style as normal. With your hair volumized, you can proceed to style as normal. Avoid using too much combing or brushing, however, as this will cause volume loss.

Using Products

  1. Use light, volumizing shampoo. Some shampoos leave behind a lot of residue, which can weigh hair down. Use a shampoo that's labeled for volumizing, as this will leave as little residue as possible and help return your hair's natural lift.
  2. Apply conditioner correctly. When you apply conditioner, apply it only to the mid-to-ends of your hair. Leaving conditioner at your roots will reduce your hair's natural lift.
    • A light, leave-in spray might be best if your hair has very little lift, as this will create the least amount of strain on your hair.
  3. Dye your hair. You might hear the advice that if you dye your hair, you'll make it thicker. This is true, but includes a "but". Only dying your hair a darker color than your natural color will make the hair shaft thicker.[2] This is because the hair absorbs the dye, making it marginally thicker than it would normally be. When you dye your hair a lighter color, this strips away at the strand of hair, actually making your hair thinner and reducing volume.
    • You can also try highlights and lowlights to make your hair appear thicker. This will create the illusion of depth, making your hair look thicker even if it is not.[3]
  4. Use hairspray. Hairspray is the most basic tool in your kit when it comes to adding volume to your hair. Don't neglect it or write it off as just for Jersey girls and your mom. Used sparingly, it can add volume without making your hair look like a helmet. The key is to just apply it at the roots, paired with techniques like back-combing and going against the grain.
  5. Use extensions. You can use either temporary or longer lasting hair extensions to get more volume. Clip in sections hidden under the upper half of your hair will add plenty of volume. You can also get extensions which weave into your normal hair and last longer. Price and quality will go hand in hand here, so expect to spend some money if you really want your hair to look good.
    • You're probably acquainted with weaves, which are the more common way of doing extensions, but you might want to look in to micro-ring hair extensions. These are less damaging to your hair, making it a good option for people with thinner hair.

Treating Your Hair Correctly

  1. Cut frequently to prevent split ends. You've probably heard the advice that you should cut your hair every few weeks in order to make it grow faster, but that advice is actually a bit mixed up. What you're really doing is keeping the hair from breaking, meaning that you'll maximize the amount of hair that you have at any given time. More hair means more volume!
    • Cut about 1/2" every two to three months to keep the ends of your hair healthy.
  2. Drink lots of water. You're probably used to thinking of dehydration as giving you headaches but did you know dehydration is also bad for your hair. Your hair will become more prone to breakage and shedding when you become dehydrated because of how the lack of water effects your scalp, so be sure to drink plenty of water.
    • A good rule of thumb is to drink enough water that your pee comes out a pale or clear color.
  3. Use conditioner. Shampoo washes away the natural protectant on our hair, making it more prone to breakage. Use conditioner regularly, although not necessarily every time you shower, and you'll have a much easier time keeping your hair healthy and full.
    • Buy higher quality, more expensive conditioners if you can. These will work much better than cheap conditioners, which often do almost nothing at all.
  4. Protect your hair from heat. If you use hair dryers, hair straighteners, or your hair gets a lot of direct sun exposure, it's very important to use a heat protector on your hair. This is usually a product that you spray in when your hair is wet. This will keep your hair from breaking and let you build up as much natural volume as possible.
  5. Finished.



Tips

  • Just remember that the key to volumized hair is to avoid the build up of products. So there's no point smothering your hair in every volumizing product you can find, it won't work!

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Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ http://www.dailymakeover.com/trends/hair/make-hair-look-fuller/#slide4
  2. ↑ http://www.wisegeek.com/does-coloring-your-hair-really-make-it-thicker.htm
  3. ↑ http://www.oprah.com/style/How-to-Make-Your-Hair-Look-Thicker
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