If you have fine hair, you’ve probably spent your whole life dealing with limp waves and bangs that stick to your forehead. While you may choose to embrace your texture most of the time (fine hair is fantastic for slicked styles and the damp look, after all), you may want to experiment with a style with a bit more volume and texture on occasion. The only issue?
On fine hair, achieving (and sustaining) lift at the roots and body throughout might feel difficult. But, believe it or not, you can truly stimulate lift and change your flat strands into large, bouncy hair with the correct products (including some recommended shampoos and conditioners), tools, and procedures.
We asked the professionals for their finest suggestions to learn more about creating volume and texture.
GET TO KNOW THE EXPERT
- Mara Roszak is a famous hairdresser and cofounder of Mare Salon in Los Angeles. Emma Stone, Nicole Kidman, and Elle Fanning are among her clientele.
- Alissa Tietgen Smith works as a stylist at Beverly Hills’ Mèche Salon.
Continue reading to learn how to give bombshell volume to fine hair.
Avoid Overbrushing
The bad news is that you may be unknowingly undermining your volume attempts when blow-drying your hair. “Not rough-drying her hair before style is the number one error a fine-haired girl can do,” Smith explains. Why? “Too much brushing might make the hair look limper,” she says. When blow-drying your hair, dry it at least 90% with your hands before using a round brush. However, just because it is referred to as “rough style” does not imply that you should be harsh or reckless, which may result in breaking. Rather than directing the heat of the blow-dryer to an one location, point the nozzle toward your roots while moving and shaking it to disperse the air evenly.
Take Care
As contradictory as it may sound, your rough-dry should also be soft. Rake a portion of hair with your fingers and softly tug to elevate it at the roots to add volume in a gentle way. To put it another way, don’t be overly pushy.
Hairspray is an option.
When looking for items that will give texture, grit, hold, and thickness to otherwise fine hair, seek for anything that will add texture, grit, grip, and thickness. Roszak recommends a lightweight root lift, such as Living Proof Style Lab Flex Hairspray or L’Oréal Paris’ Advanced Hairstyle Boost It High Lift Creation Spray ($30), as well as a few decent styling products (more on those, below).
Increase Your Arsenal
What are Smith’s top volumizing products? She uses a dry shampoo (Pssssst Dry Shampoo, $11), an opaque or matte pomade, such as Oribe’s Fiber Groom, a sea-salt spray for texture, and a thickening spray, such as Bumble and Bumble Thickening Hairspray ($30). Of course, you won’t need to use all of these products at once, but having everything on hand for what your hair could need on any given day for your preferred style is essential for nailing your look.
Start at the ends and work your way up.
The second stage is to perfect the art of application now that you have all of the correct products for your fine hair needs. As it turns out, slathering your hair in every volumizing product you can get your hands on might be the source of your volume issues. Begin at the bottom of your hair and work your way up.
Keep your product away from your roots.
Too much of a good thing (in this case, hair products) may be detrimental, especially if you put the majority of the mixture on your roots, weighting them down. According to Roszak, unless it’s a root-volume spray, you should never apply any product to your roots if you have fine hair. “When applying product, always start at the ends since they absorb more,” she advises. And always start with a little amount of product and gradually increase it as needed, because if you apply too much, there’s nothing you can do to correct it.
Smith claims that a light spray of dry shampoo is all that is required to keep bangs from separating and looking too thin and wispy. Protect a bottle of dry shampoo on hand even on wash days to keep your hair from looking piecey and to add structure and volume to squeaky clean hair.
Use less conditioner.
Conditioner may appear to be the enemy of someone wanting to add volume to fine hair, but don’t abandon the hydrating hair product entirely. Conditioner is essential for people with fine hair that is prone to breakage since it replenishes and restores hair strands. What’s the catch? Applying the appropriate amount of conditioner to the appropriate area of the hair. Smith suggests applying a conditioner, such as Living Proof’s Full Conditioner, solely on your hair’s ends and every other time you shampoo. She emphasizes the necessity of not over-conditioning your hair to prevent weighing it down. When washing your hair, make sure to properly rinse it to remove any traces of the product.
When styling, be patient.
You are well aware that producing waves on fine hair may be difficult, but Smith emphasizes the significance of not hurrying the process. “Make sure your hair is completely dry before using any hot equipment,” she advises. “This will assist secure those beachy waves by adding optimal volume and texture.”
Roll up your hair
Go get your old foam rollers from below your bathroom sink because they can be precisely what you need for a huge volume increase. Another advantage? They require very little time and are excellent for multitasking. Smith recommends rolling a few on the top of your head to produce lift where you’re most likely to need it (at the crown of your head) as you drink your coffee or do your makeup. When your hair is almost completely dried but still somewhat moist, apply them.
Give Your Hair a Makeover
Fine hair may become flat and oily faster than you can say “dry shampoo,” yet washing it too regularly leads to broken ends and dry strands. Roszak suggests keeping a spray bottle packed with water on standby to rejuvenate dead locks without washing. When your hair is looking limp, softly spritz it with water and run a root-lifting spray through it. Rough-dry your hair with your hands until it’s nearly dry. “Smooth out the parts around [your] face using a round brush by blow-drying them forward, along with the top layer of hair. Flip [your] head backward and spritz all over with hair spray “she claims If your hair is still a bit piecey, spritz a little dry shampoo at the roots, let it sit for a few minutes, then comb it through with your fingers. Second-day hair that seems like it was just blown out.
Layers are an option.
The days of choosing your cut solely on what looks the best on you are over. It is entirely up to you how you want to cut your hair, and it should be noted that anyone can carry off any hairstyle. Instead, choose your style based on the overall aesthetic you desire. Request a few light layers from your stylist for a volume-building cut. “Long layers are great for adding movement and volume,” Roszak explains.
Make use of your fingers as a styling tool.
When using rollers, Smith recommends “taking them out shortly before you go out the door, and fluffing the roots with your hands.” Using your fingers instead of a brush to comb through your hair can assist relax the curls without generating frizz or fluffiness.
Use a Salt Spray.
Smith recommends using a salt spray to produce natural-looking waves in your hair and curling it with an iron for more texture. The Playa Endless Summer Spray is made with chia seed extract rather than alcohol to provide the desired texture without the brittle, straw-like strands.
Choose the Correct Cut
“Shorter cuts are also useful for keeping [hair] light.” Smith believes that a long pixie cut like Michelle Williams’ may greatly enhance fine hair. Another excellent cut? “Blunt collarbone-length cuts with a few face-framing layers,” she continues. Don’t worry, folks with fine hair may also have bangs.
Volumizing Shampoo and Conditioner are recommended.
Shampoos with volumizing characteristics are recommended for fine hair. This is due to the fact that they are designed to eliminate product build-up, fill strands, and leave hair feeling (and appearing) light.
Upside Down Blow-dry
Blow drying your hair upside down forces it to dry in that direction. As a result, the hair has natural volume when turned right side up.
