Having fine or thin hair with little volume can be extremely frustrating. If you are tired of having flat and lifeless hair, however, you do not have to worry: it is not an irreversible problem at all. By changing shampoo and conditioner, adopting new techniques for blow-drying and styling, it is possible to give volume to the hair so that it appears visibly thicker and fuller, regardless of how thin it is.
Steps
Method 1 of 4: Wash your hair to make it voluminous
Step 1. Choose a shampoo and conditioner with volumizing properties
Using targeted shampoos and conditioners to treat fine or thin hair helps make it more voluminous. These products clean and moisturize the shaft without weighing it down, so that the hair is visibly thicker and fuller.
Step 2. Apply conditioner to the right areas
Fine or thin hair still needs to be hydrated, only applying conditioner to the roots can weigh it down and make it appear flat. Apply conditioner only on the lengths (from the ears down) to get more volume.
- If your hair isn't particularly dry, you don't need to apply conditioner every single wash. Using it in alternate washes can moisturize them sufficiently and make them visibly more full-bodied.
- Pour a knob of conditioner into your palm, then grab your hair from the bottom and "scrunch" it up. This way you can hydrate the lengths without weighing down the rest of the hair.
Step 3. Use a clarifying shampoo once a month
Hair tends to lose volume when it is weighed down by residues from lacquers, mousses, gels and other styling products. Wash them with a clarifying shampoo 1-2 times a month to remove the film formed by these products, which makes them flat and dull. The clarifying shampoo removes all the residues that have accumulated on the hair, making them have more body and volume.
Clarifying shampoo should not be used more than 2 times a month, as it tends to dry out the hair
Step 4. Avoid over-washing your hair to prevent dryness
If your hair tends to dry out, your scalp may compensate by producing more sebum, causing it to flatten. If they tend to get dull and greasy at the roots, while drying out the lengths and ends, try using a mild, moisturizing shampoo. Try to wash them every other day rather than daily, in order to allow the shaft and scalp to find a correct balance between water and sebum. Healthy, hydrated hair appears thicker and more voluminous than dehydrated hair.
Method 2 of 4: Blow Dry Hair to Make It Voluminous
Step 1. Apply a mousse to your hair before blow-drying it
This type of product helps to give more volume to the hair while drying. Sprinkle a knob of mousse on the palm of one hand and apply it to the roots after dabbing the hair with a towel; this way you will lift them at the roots while drying. Apply larger quantities of product if it seems to you that the hair has not been impregnated evenly.
Make sure you choose an alcohol-free mousse to avoid drying out your hair
Step 2. Use a round brush
The round brush is great for creating volume while drying. Take a strand and place the brush underneath starting from the roots, then drag it to the ends following it with the hairdryer. This way you will gain body and volume while drying.
- For fine hair, use a round metal or ceramic brush to create even more volume. Set the hair dryer on a medium-low temperature and move it constantly to prevent the hair from overheating in one place.
- Do you have brittle hair? Use a ceramic coated brush. Ceramic helps distribute heat more evenly and minimize damage.
- The round brush can also be replaced with velcro curlers. Place them at the roots of the hair on the entire top of the head and blow dry them to create volume.
Step 3. Dry your hair using the narrow nozzle to focus on the roots
If you have naturally curly or ringed hair, attach the narrow nozzle to the blow dryer. After drying your hair, lift a medium sized strand at the roots and blow dry for about 10 seconds at a minimum temperature. Repeat the process over the entire hair to make it more voluminous.
After giving the roots a blow of the hair, put yourself upside down. Now gently pass a wide-toothed comb over the roots to add even more volume to the hair. Raise your head at the end of the procedure and let the curls fall naturally
Step 4. Finish drying your hair upside down
Once your hair is almost completely dry, lean forward and turn upside down. If possible, bend over enough to bring your head to knee height. Gravity helps lift the roots, so you can create even more volume as you finish drying your hair.
- When upside down, point the nozzle towards the roots for even more volume.
- Do you have bangs? Make sure you dry it thoroughly before turning upside down to finish the process with the rest of your hair.
- If you have a hard time bending over, try to create volume by flipping your hair from side to side as you swing the blow dryer back and forth.
Method 3 of 4: Style your hair to make it voluminous
Step 1. Change the row
In many cases, changing the parting is the easiest way to add volume to your hair. Changing the direction in which you comb them helps lift them off the scalp so that they appear thicker and fuller.
For example, if you usually wear the parting in the center, doing it on one end of the head helps create volume right away. You can also move the line from the side to the center, or from left to right (or vice versa)
Step 2. Use dry shampoo
Dry shampoo helps absorb excess oil from the scalp when you don't have time to wash your hair. This way you can prevent them from being burdened. It also thickens the hair, making it more voluminous.
For best results, don't just apply it to the roots. Apply it all over your hair to make it more voluminous
Step 3. Cotton the roots
Backcombing might seem like an old-fashioned method, but it's definitely effective for creating volume. Take a strand of hair, lift it up and comb it down, working towards the scalp and roots. Once the surface layer of the hair has been backcombed, gently place it in place with a brush, avoiding flattening it.
Backcombing your hair with a fine-toothed comb can cause knots. Instead, use a flat brush to create light volume
Step 4. Curl your hair
Curls help make hair thicker and more voluminous. Curl them with thermal curlers or an iron. Pay particular attention to the top layer, to give the impression that the hair is thicker.
If you use an iron, lift your hair so that each strand remains elevated as you curl it. This will make them more voluminous, preventing them from being flattened by the curls
Method 4 of 4: Other Steps to Take to Have Voluminous Hair
Step 1. Dye your hair
Dyeing helps make your hair thicker and more voluminous. If you lighten them with the bleach the procedure will make the scales rougher, making them appear thicker. However, it is not necessary to do a complete color to have visibly thicker hair: simple highlights are enough to create volume.
Bleaching and dyeing your hair can make it look thicker, but be careful not to overdo it or you risk drying and damaging it
Step 2. Follow a diet that is good for your hair
Do you have fine or thinning hair? Eating foods that promote growth will help you make them thicker. Look for foods rich in biotin, zinc, iron and protein to support hair growth and make it thicker.
- Tofu, kale, spinach, chard and legumes are rich in biotin, zinc and iron.
- Salmon, eggs, bananas, cauliflower and peanuts are also rich in biotin.
- Lean red meat, chicken, fish, eggs, nuts, legumes, low-fat milk and dairy products, and whole grains are high in protein.
Step 3. Massage the scalp to improve circulation
Improving circulation in the scalp is another effective method of promoting hair growth. Get regular massages to stimulate the blood flow to the follicles. This helps promote hair growth, making fine or thin hair appear more full-bodied.
To make the massage even more effective, warm a few drops of a light hair oil (such as argan, macadamia, sweet almond or coconut) between your fingertips. Massage it into your scalp by making circular motions just before washing your hair
Advice
- Mousses, gels and other volumizing products for styling help to add thickness to the hair, but they can also build up on the shaft and weigh it down. Try not to overdo it, otherwise the hair will turn out flat.
- Going to sleep with your hair tied in a ponytail or high bun can make it more voluminous.
