Tips For Creating Volume in Fine Hair

One of the most common things that I get asked as a hairstylist is how to achieve volume in fine hair. As a race, we are never happy with our appearance, and are always trying to seek out the opposite of what we have. With hair in particular, the curly-haired girls want straight sleek hair, and equally the straight-haired ladies just want voluminous curls!
One thing I love about my job is being able to transform people and create characters in my photoshoots. I think it is wonderful nowadays that we have the technology available to allow us to play around and look completely different one day to the next. That's the exciting part; with the right tools and knowledge almost anything is achievable.....until you next wash it anyway!

Here are my top tips for creating volume if you have fine hair:

Use Products....But Just a Little

There are so many products out there that guarantee to give you volume, however it is so important to not overload the hair. If you coat your hair, in the hope that more equates to more volume, then you are doing it wrong. You will weigh your hair down, so the product will end up having the opposite effect. I would recommend a root lift spray, and also perhaps a little mousse through the mid lengths and ends as well.

Dry Your Hair UpSide Down

This may be an obvious one to some of you, but use gravity to your advantage! You want your hair to dry with your roots standing up, so tipping your head upside down will keep those hairs in the right direction whilst they dry.

Do Not Use a Nozzle

A nozzle attachment on the end of a hairdryer is designed to direct heat intensely into one area. This is perfect if you are blowdrying frizzy hair into a straight look, however if you have fine hair, it will smooth your hair cuticle down too much and take away the texture that you need. Take the nozzle off, so that the heat is distributed more evenly and you won't over-heat any areas.

Velcro Rollers

This old school technique really does work, trust me. The velcro version is better than the heated kind for adding volume, rather than a curl. Once your hair is dry, pop a few into your hair around your hairline and on top of your head, working back to the crown. Hold them in place with a section clip, so that they stay tightly in there, and then give them a little spritz with hairspray.
Then, with your hairdryer, just give the rollers a quick blast of heat again each, and then allow them to cool and set for as long as possible.

Backcombing

To add in extra oomph at the roots, then backcombing is a handy thing to know. Again, this technique has been around for years, but done well, it does work. You can even backcomb the roots slightly before putting your rollers in for added hold.
The trick here is to keep the backcombing disguised as much as possible, and not looking like a birds nest! When you have combed away, then lightly brush over the top of the section of hair, so that this looks smooth.

Pin Curling

If you are wanting to use tongs to create curls or waves in fine hair, then a great tip is to pin curl.
It is the process of cooling down in a shape that allows our hair to set that way. So you don't want to spend hours curling little sections of your hair and then letting them hang down whilst they cool. Once you take a section out of the tong, re-curl it towards the root and then pin it there. Again, you can spray them and re-heat, just like with the rollers, and then leave them pinned up for as long as possible. Before you go out, simply release the pins and then shake your hair upside down, softening the curls. It is always good to create tighter curls, if you are wanting them to last all day.

Scrunch Your Hair Up Overnight

If you have been lucky enough to keep the volume or curls all day, then sleeping on them will be a sure way to flatten them straight away. Tip your head upside down and gather all of your hair at the top of your head and loosely tie it there in a messy bun. This will keep your roots upwards and the curls should last within the bun, as they are twisted and not being dragged down.

I hope these tips can be helpful to some of you. Please let me know if you try any or would like advice on a different topic soon...