Being a girl with straight and fine hair, one of the hair struggles I’m dealing with on a daily basis is hair volume. One of my on-going beauty dilemmas is how to add a bit more texture to my flat hair. Over the years, I figured five tested and proved methods that help to turn my flat hair into a voluminous “do.” Today, I’m sharing these tips with you.
Use the “Secret Sauce” Shampoo
Over the years of trying to get my hair look voluminous, I went through bottles and bottles of shampoos promising to add volume to my hair. But we all know how it is with beauty products. You sort of feel that the product helps, but it could also be you wishing that it helped.
Let me put it straight. From all the trials I’ve done, there were a few shampoos that really add volume. And my absolute favorite from this list is Christophe Robin Cleansing Volumizing Paste. You need a tiny amount of this product to immediately notice the difference in the texture of your hair.
Not only your hair more voluminous from the roots to the ends. It’s also so much easier to style! Even though the product is luxuriously priced, I can’t recommend this shampoo enough!
Best volumizing shampoo: Christophe Robin Cleansing Volumizing Paste.
Overnight Your Hair
If you are struggling with adding volume to your hair, dry shampoo is your best friend. Not only for revamping your second-day hair, but also on wash days. If you are dealing with straight and silky (but volume-lacking hair), the idea is to create the grip so your hair styling tools work more effectively.
And if you already had a blow-out the day before, the best way to use dry shampoo is actually at night. I know, it might sound counterintuitive to spritz your new “do” before going to bed… But that’s actually the best way not only to preserve your new hairstyle but also to add volume to your fine hair.
Keep in mind though that not every dry shampoo is created equal. Look for the volumizing dry shampoos that labeled as low residue products. That way, you will wake up with voluminous hair and also will not have a white cast all over your “do.”
Best dry shampoos: Amika Perk-Up Dry Shampoo and Oribe Dry Texturizing Spray.
Prep the Right Way
I know a few girls with similar hair problems who are not using hair conditioner and heat protectant as they believe these flatten their hair. I have to agree on the hair conditioner part here. If you use a wrong hair conditioner it can actually make your hair appear and feel heavier. Hence the de-volumizing effect these girls are referring to.
But it doesn’t mean that you need to avoid hair conditioner at all! Pick the right one for your hair type, make sure your hair washing products don’t contain sulfates. Don’t overdo the amount of the product you are using.
Referring to another hairstyling category – heat protectants – definitely never skipping on this one! Think about it that way: your hair is already thin and damaged, so why are you trying to ruin it even more?
My rule of thumb is to spray a thermal protection mist the moment I dry off my hair with a towel. That way, I don’t forget to put it on regardless whether I’m blow-drying my hair or let it air dry and then curl with a flat iron.
Best heat protectants: Aveda Brilliant Damage Control and Moroccanoil Protect & Prevent.
Crimp Your Roots
If you remember the crimped hair trend from the 1980s, hold on with skipping this tip. There is a new effective way to use the same crimping technique to add volume to your hair. I recently tested Voloom’s hair lifting tool Rootie. It crimps the roots of the under-layers of the hair and covers it with a layer of straight hair on top.
I was surprised by how effective this seemingly easy technique is. Since you can’t really see the underneath layer, you don’t need to be very precise like, for instance, with a flat iron. So, I just quickly crimp-crimp-crimp, cover with a layer of non-styled hair, and go. Easy, voluminous, and not looking overly “done.” Take a look at the below video to see the tool in action!
Not that long ago, the brand released a miniature version of the Voloom wand. It comes with a set of hair clips, a hairbrush, and a case which makes it ideal for traveling. I also love the idea that it’s pink and more compact so I can take it with me anywhere in the world.
Finish with a Texturizing Powder
I started experimenting with this product category a while back and I was immediately hooked. There is something magical about texturizing powders as they add a surprising amount of volume and always look so natural on your hair. Spritz a bit on the palm of your hand or directly onto the roots and distribute it with fingertips. You’ll be amazed at what a difference such hair styling product makes to your fine hair!
Best texturizing powders: Eva NYC Zero Gravity Volume Powder and Bumble and bumble’s Pret-a-Powder.
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There you have it: my favorite tricks on how to add volume to fine hair. I hope you found some new ideas on how to achieve a more voluminous hair look. Please let me know in the comments if you have any additional questions. I’d love to share any additional tips and tricks that I might have.