Get Bigger Hair

When you have fine or thin hair, the lack of volume can be seriously frustrating. If you're tried of having flat, limp locks, though, you're not doomed to a perpetual bad hair day. By changing the shampoo and conditioner that you use, the techniques that you use for blow drying, and the way that you style your hair, you can boost your hair's volume so it looks bigger and fuller no matter how fine it might be.

Steps

Washing Your Hair for Extra Volume

1. Choose a volumizing shampoo and conditioner. If you have fine or thin hair, using a volumizing shampoo and conditioner can help give you bigger hair. They cleanse and moisturize your tresses without weighing them down, so your hair appears fuller and thicker.
   • For best results, use a shampoo and conditioner that are clear or translucent. That usually indicates that they’re not loaded with heavy ingredients that will weigh down your hair and make it look flat.
2. Apply conditioner in the right area. While fine or thin hair needs moisture too, using conditioner at the roots can weigh down your hair so it looks flat. To get more volume, only apply conditioner to the ends of your hair from the ears down.
   • If your hair isn’t particularly dry, you don’t necessarily need to condition every time that you wash your hair. Using conditioner every other time may provide all the moisture that you need and leave your hair looking fuller.
3. Use a clarifying shampoo monthly. Your hair may lack volume if it’s weighed down by product buildup from hairspray, mousse, gels, and other styling products. To remove any film that may be leaving your hair flat, wash your hair with a clarifying shampoo one to two times a month. It will remove the residue so your hair has more body.
   • Don’t use clarifying shampoo more than twice a month. It can easily dry out your hair.

Blow Drying Your Hair for Extra Volume

1. Apply mousse to your hair before blow drying. A volumizing mousse can help boost the volume in your hair when you blow dry. Squeeze a golf ball size amount into the palm of your hand, and apply it to the roots of towel-dried hair to give them extra lift when you blow dry.
   • Be sure to choose an alcohol-free mousse to avoid drying out your locks.
2. Work with a round brush. When you’re blow drying your hair, a round brush is a great tool for adding volume. Use the brush to pull up at the roots of your hair and run the dryer along the sections to lock in extra height and body as you’re drying.
   • Don’t use a metal round brush. It can become too hot when you’re blow drying, so you run the risk of burning your hair or your skin.
   • You can also substitute velcro rollers for a round brush. Place them at the roots of your hair all around the crown, and blow dry your hair to add volume.
3. Use the concentrator nozzle to focus on the roots of dry natural hair. If you have natural curls or twists, attach the concentrator nozzle to your blow dryer. When your hair is already dry, begin lifting medium size sections of your hair at the roots and hitting them on low heat for approximately 10 seconds. Repeat the process for your entire head for bigger hair.
   • After you've hit all of your roots with heat, add even more volume to your natural hair by flipping your head upside down and gently comb through just the roots with a wide tooth comb. Flip your head right side up and allow your curls to fall naturally.
4. Finish drying your hair your the head upside down. When your hair is mostly dry, bend over slightly so your head is upside down. Gravity will help lift the roots to boost volume as you finish drying your hair.
   • Focus the blow dryer on your roots when your head is upside down to get the extra height and lift.
   • If you have bangs, make sure to dry them completely right side up before flipping your head upside down to finish.

Styling Your Hair for Extra Volume

1. Switch your part. In many cases, the easiest way to boost the volume of your hair is to change which side you part it on. Switching the direction that you comb the hair helps lift it away from the scalp so it appears to have more body and fullness.
   • For example, if you normally part your hair in the middle, a deep side part will give it instant volume. You can also move a side part to the center, or switch a left or right part to the other side.
2. Use dry shampoo. Dry shampoo can help absorb excess oils from your scalp when you don’t have time to wash your hair so your hair isn’t weighed down. It also adds texture that gives your hair more volume.
   • For the best results, don’t just apply the dry shampoo to your roots. Work it throughout all of your hair for major volume.
3. Tease your roots. Backcombing your hair may be an old-fashioned hair styling trick, but it definitely works to add volume. Take a section of hair and use a brush tease it backward toward the scalp at the roots. When you’re finished teasing the top layer of your hair, use a brush to smooth it into place with disrupting the volume.
   • Using a fine-tooth comb to tease your hair can create knots. Instead, work with a large paddle brush to add soft volume.
4. Curl your hair. Adding curls to your hair can definitely make it appear bigger and more voluminous. Use hot rollers or a curling iron to curl your hair, paying particular attention to the top layer to give the impression of fuller hair.
   • If you’re using a curling iron, raise your hair so each section of hair is elevated as you curl it. That will give your hair added lift instead of allowing the curls to drag your locks down.

Taking Extra Steps for Bigger Hair

1. Color your hair. Coloring your hair can actually make it look fuller and bigger. If you lighten it with bleach, the process roughs up the cuticle so it appears thicker. However, you don’t have to color all over for fuller-looking hair. Adding a few highlights can help make your hair appear more voluminous.
   • While bleaching and dyeing can make your hair look thicker, be careful not to over colour it. That can dry your hair out and lead to damage.
2. Eat a hair-healthy diet. If your hair is fine or thinning, incorporating foods that promote hair growth into your diet can help give you bigger hair. Look for foods that are rich in biotin, zinc, iron, and protein to support healthy hair growth so your hair becomes fuller.
   • Tofu, kale, spinach, chard, and beans are high in biotin, zinc, and iron.
   • Salmon, eggs, beans, bananas, cauliflower, peanuts, and lentils are also high in biotin.
   • Lean red meat, chicken, seafood, eggs, nuts, beans, low-fat dairy, and whole grains are high in protein.
3. Massage your scalp to improve circulation. Another way to encourage hair growth is to boost circulation to your scalp. Stimulate blood flow to your hair follicles by massaging it regularly. That helps promote healthy hair growth and makes your fine or thin hair appear plumper.
   • For an effective scalp massage, spread a few drops of a lightweight hair oil, such as argan, macadamia nut, sweet almond, or coconut oil, between your fingertips and rub it into your scalp in circular motions just before you plan to wash your hair.

Tips

• Going to sleep with your hair in a high ponytail or bun can leave you with more volume when you wake up in the morning.
• While volumizing mousses, gels, and other styling products can help give you bigger hair, they can also leave buildup behind that weighs your hair down. Be careful not to use too much of your styling products to avoid making your hair look flat.

Warnings

• If you’re experiencing hair loss or thinning, you should consult a doctor. It can be indicative of a health issue.

Things You’ll Need

• Volumizing shampoo and conditioner
• Clarifying shampoo
• Volumizing mousse
• A blow dryer
• A round brush
• Dry shampoo
• A large paddle brush
• A curling iron or hot rollers

Related Articles

• Add Volume to Your Hair
• Blow Dry and Add Volume to Your Hair
• Use Velcro Rollers
• Add Volume to Hair Without Heat
• Wash Your Hair
• Back Comb

Sources and Citations

See also

• Prevent Hair from Frizzing After Shower
• Make Your Hair Grow Faster
• Do a Deep Treatment
• Get Rid of Dry Hair and Dry Scalp
• Get Rid of Tangles in Your Hair
• Get Rid of Greasy Hair
• Use Lemon Juice to Lighten Hair
• Remove Hair Build up Naturally
• Use Mayonnaise as a Hair Conditioner
• Turn Dry Hair to Healthy Hair

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