This may be hard to believe but having silky, soft, naturally straight hair comes with its downfalls. Yes, its super quick to throw together a style in the mornings and you hardly ever have to deal with frizz or bed head but it’s also extremely difficult to get any Volume or Curl. Even when you do manage to get a little bit of lift at the root the slightest gust of wind can blow away all your hard work in a matter of minutes. Here at Cliphair, we want to make those flat hair days a thing of the past and treat you to 10 easy tricks to get Volume and Thickness into even the finest and most lifeless hair and how to make it last! From pro styling tips to product recommendations and everything in between including the best Hair Extensions to use for Volume, we’ve got everything covered in today’s blog.
1. What’s The Difference Between Volume And Thickness?
A lot of the time Volume and Thickness in hair are talked about as though they are the same thing but this is not true. Volume is referring to the fullness of the hair and the amount of lift at the roots, even someone with very thick hair can have a lack of volume as their hair can still be flat. Thickness is the amount of hairs you have on your head and how thick the hair is at the ends.
2. Using Hair Extensions To Add Volume And Thickness To Your Hair
For a quick boost of thickness and volume on the ends of your hair, hair extensions are the answer. They may not be able to give you any body in your parting area but they will make up for it in the mid lengths and ends. With such a wide variety to choose from the possibilities truly are endless with hair extensions. You can find Clip in solutions for when you only want big volume for occasions or for an everyday solution that literally will give you “volume for days” you can opt for a permanent option.
A top tip when choosing hair extensions only to boost the Volume or Thickness is to stick to a similar length to your own hair. If your hair is just below your shoulders and your looking to and add some body and bounce go for a natural length like 16” or 18”. When you’re not looking to add length it also means you can get away with using less hair extensions. Single Piece Strip hair extensions are the fastest way to volumize your hair, they are applied and removed in a matter of minutes. Our favourite volumizer in our One Piece collection here at Cliphair is the Quad Weft Piece, its perfect for anyone wanting to add volume and thickness without the help of a stylist and in no time at all. It’s a 10” wide clip-in piece made from 4 wefts sewn together, weighing 85g and available in over 30 shades you will definitely be able to find your perfect match.
3. How To Wash Flat Hair To Give It Volume
Washing your hair plays such an important part in creating volume, you may be making simple mistakes that your not even aware of. Below we’ve listed some Do’s and Dont’s to remember on hair wash day that will help to lift those limp locks.
Then you want to think about the lace. Do the secret extensions have soft seamless lace for discreet wear? If not, you’re likely to see some lift at the top seam where the clip ins meet the scalp. Next, look at the fastenings. Does the hair extension use silicone lined clips for more secure wear and less pulling? Lastly, does the manufacturer have a range of colour and length options? You should be able to find secret extensions for dark blonde hair just as easily as secret extensions in short hair from a reputable supplier.
Do's
- Use shampoos and conditioners designed specifically for volume and thickness. These shampoos create a “stiffness” in the hair that will not only add volume but will help to retain it too. The conditioners are also weaker meaning they will not weigh down your hair.
- Scrub well around your crown and nape area. These are the target areas for sweat and grease, both enemies to volume. Sweaty, greasy hair will not hold its shape or body so thoroughly cleaning the hair will allow it breathe and become easier to style
- Rinse well. Make sure you remove every trace of product as any left over residue will make the hair greasy faster meaning your styles will not last very long and you will need to wash your hair more often.
Don'ts
- Never use conditioner near the roots if you have fine or limp hair. As important as conditioner is to hydrate and soften the ends of your hair it will remove any volume or lift from your crown so avoid this area at all costs when you want a big, volume look.
- Avoid deep conditioning masks or extra strong conditioners on the hair before styling for volume. This will make getting any body into the roots very difficult as even after they are rinsed out a protective layer will stick around, this is great for the ends of your hair but not so much the top.
4. Best Volumizing Products For Fine, Thin And Flat Hair
There are tons of products on the market today that claim to add volume to your hair, they do but you also need to help them along with a little styling and use them correctly. We have listed some of our favourite volumizing hair products below and explained how and when they should be used so that you can get the optimum results! Half of the work with getting Volume in the hair is in the styling, having a gorgeous bouncy blow-dry is amazing but if it does not last its pointless. That’s where using the right products will act as a reinforcement for all of your hard work, they will not only help you achieve that lift at the root but they will make sure it stays put at the same time. To us hairdressers a blow-dry without using any products is like painting a masterpiece and then throwing it away!
Volumizing Mousse:
Mousse should be used on the hair when it is wet or damp, it does not work as well when used on dry hair and can also make the hair sticky. If you have very fine hair a little goes a long way and with thick hair you can add layers, adding too much mousse on the roots can make it difficult to dry the hair so adding it bit by bit helps you to control this. After you have washed your hair and towel dried the excess water, add small amounts of mousse to your roots using your fingers to rub it in well the it can be dried in and styled. You can get different strengths for your specific needs, the most common strength used is Medium. Our favourite Volumizing Mousse is Schwarzkopf Professional Silhouette Flexible Hold Mousse.
Texture Spray:
Texture spray is a fantastic product for anyone that has limp, straight hair that tends to not hold curls or styling for long. Its the perfect accompaniment to beachy waves or sleek styles looking for some pizazz. It can also be used straight onto sleek hair that hasn’t been styled to add that textured, boho look. Another way to use Texture Spray to create volume is to lift your roots with your hands and spray whilst slightly scrunching and shaking the hair, this is great when trying to achieve messy but cute looks. Our favourite is IGK Hair beach club volumizing texture spray.
Hair Dust
Hair Dust – This revolutionary product is like gold dust to stylists that do a lot of hair ups, bridal styling or blow-dries. The powder is super strong so only a tiny dusting is needed but this will hold any shape in place for the entire night. We would advise practicing with this product first before using for an important occasion as it can make the hair very hard to work with if too much is applied, once you’ve got the knack though the results are amazing and you will never look back. Its used by simply parting the hair and adding a tiny layer of a dust at the root from about 7cm away then gently rubbing in. It is to be used once the hair has been styled and not before. Our favourite is L'Oréal Professionnel Tecni.ART Super Dust 7g.
FUN FACT: You can also double up your Dry Shampoo as a Volume spray in between washes, getting rid of your grease will pump up the volume in your hair and it smells great. Win Win!
5. What Shampoos Are Best For Volume? How Do Volume Shampoos Work?
To boost and retain volume in your hair you need to focus on your roots and scalp and this is exactly where volumizing shampoos will target. By using ingredients like Polymers and Starch a stiffness is created in the hair that lifts the roots and will stay even after rinsing. The goal of these shampoos is also to remove any oily or greasy residue that can weigh the hair down so they also tend to be great cleansing agents.
FUN FACT: Beer is a natural volumizing agent that was used years ago to add volume to lifeless hair. There’s even Beer Shampoos you can by today, supposedly its the bubbles that lift the hair. Cheers to that! The only downfall is these shampoos will slightly dry the hair out so we wouldn’t advise using them on a daily basis or on hair extensions. They are fantastic for boosting body in flat hair but not so much for nourishing the dryness, so save these shampoos for special occasions or for once a week use only! If you’d like to know more about the best products to wash your hair extensions with click here.
Below we’ve listed our 3 favourite Volumizing shampoos on the market today.
TOP TIP: These products are great for your own hair but not so much for hair extensions! Read our full guide on washing your hair extensions including the best products.
6. How To Blow-Dry Your Hair With Volume Like You Have Been To The Salon
Getting a Blow dry at the salon is a special treat that we all love! However sometimes we just don’t have the time or the money to book an appointment, today were going to reveal our hairdresser secrets to getting that big, bouncy blow dry look yourself at home.
- DRY your hair off until it is at least 70% dry before you begin to use a round brush, this will save you tons of time not to mention prevent a dead arm! If you have permanent hair extensions applied make sure the roots are completely dry before starting to blow dry.
- APPLY mousse or blow dry lotion before you blast your hair dry, this will help your volume to stay.
- LIFT your hair up as you blow dry the roots and style, this will encourage the hair to set into this position rather than flat against your head.
- ROLL the hair around your brush and aim cold hair directly underneath the roll into your roots. The cold hair will add extra hold to your volume.
- DO NOT brush out your blow dry whilst it is still warm, this will destroy all the volume and body that you have just put in. Don’t worry if the hair looks messy mid blow dry, once the hair is cool you can then work your finishing magic.
- SPRAY Do not forget to give your masterpiece a good spraying with a medium hold hairspray after you have finished to fix it into shape. You can even flip your head over before spraying for an even more voluminous look.
FUN FACT: Even if you are just blasting your hair off and not planning to style with a round brush, tipping your head upside down whilst drying will add volume and body to your roots! (this is not advised when you have extensions applied).
7. Curling Your Hair To Add Volume And Thickness
It’s a well-known fact that curly hair has more fullness and body than straight hair. Which is why a lot of people who have very straight, lifeless and thin hair will tend to wear there hair with curls or waves as it massively increases the volume giving the impression of thicker hair. Even just adding some curls or waves into the ends of your hair will help to lift the roots slightly. Creating curls and waves is super easy to do on your own hair at home and even whilst wearing hair extensions. We advise using Heat Protection Spray before every use of heated styling tools to prevent the hair from drying out. Here at Cliphair we have our own citrus smelling nourishing Heat Protect spray that is suitable for use with hair extensions.
But, if you still have questions, check out the FAQs below:
FUN FACT: Think of your hair like its jelly… hear us out. When it is heated up you can move and change its shape, when it cools down it stays fixed in that shape. That is why its super important to let your hair COOL DOWN before brushing out or combing, if you brush whilst it is still hot you will loosen the style.
8. Changing Your Parting To Create Volume
Its surprising how much changing the parting in your hair can boost the volume at your roots. When the hair sits in its normal parting everyday it becomes comfortable here so will sit quite flat and smooth against the scalp. This is great for neat styles but when your after a quick fix to get some more body and your hair is fine changing your parting will do the trick.
If you usually have a middle parting you can try swapping to a deep side part, as the hair isn’t used to being in this position it will naturally lift at the root giving you some plumpness up top. Another great trick is to add a zig zag parting, this will not only give you volume but also hides a multitude of sins including greys or root growth. To get a zig zag parting all you need is a pintail comb or any tool that has a long sharp edge.
Starting at the front hair line take a diagonal 1” section back towards the crown with the tip of the comb then change direction and repeat until you reach the crown of your head. You’ll be left with a playful zig-zag parting that not only looks great but gives you a volume boost too!
9. How to Backcomb your hair to add Volume
Probably one of the easiest and quickest ways to get Volume into fine and limp hair is by backcombing it. The downfall to back combing is that if it is over done or not correctly brushed out afterwards it can cause some breakage so its not advised to be done on a daily basis, stick to special occasions and events.
Everybody has their favourite tools to use when it comes to teasing the hair, some prefer soft brushes whereas others favour combs with prongs. Here at Cliphair, we find the classic backcombing comb with prongs at the end the easiest to use as it can be used to smooth over the surface and lift the hair up. Backcombing is basically forming a little nest in the hair that plumps the hair up, its done underneath a smoothed layer of hair so that the nest is not visible on top. Although its typically done at the top of the hair to create Volume at the roots its also used on the mid-lengths and ends to bulk out buns, ponytails and all sorts of hair ups.
Backcombing the roots – Taking a small section of hair and holding it vertically up, gently comb downwards back towards the head creating a nest at the root. Using your fingers slighting pull the backcombing out to even the surface area. This should be done just underneath the top layer of hair so that you can easily hide any messy bits with a smoothed section of hair.
Backcombing the ends or mid-lengths to bulk out buns – Once you have your hair ready to be twisted into a bun, hold the hair downwards and brush the hair up underneath towards the hairband. Make sure you leave out some hair to cover the nest neatly. You can now use your hands to pull the backcombing apart, this adds an impression of double the thickness in the hair. The hair can now be wrapped into shape and covered with the smoothed hair!
10. Next Day Hair
For me, washing my hair on the same day as my night out spells disaster. After a hair wash my hair is super soft and flat, it will hold a curl on the end but getting volume in there is tricky. That’s why a lot of the time I prefer my hair the day after its been styled or straightened as its got a little more life to it. Especially in todays trends, neat looking hair is not desired as much, that slept in braid look or boho textured waves are the height of fashion and ironically the most difficult to achieve when styling from scratch. So why not skip the styling step and go ahead with the real thing!
Another great tip if you’re after a style that lasts for days is to make the style even tighter and bigger than you’d like it on the first day, this means as it drops each day you will still have some shape. Loose waves will not last as well as tighter curls. If you suffer with an oily scalp you can refresh your next day style with some Dry Shampoo which also adds a little bounce to your hair.
Everybody has their favourite tools to use when it comes to teasing the hair, some prefer soft brushes whereas others favour combs with prongs. Here at Cliphair, we find the classic backcombing comb with prongs at the end the easiest to use as it can be used to smooth over the surface and lift the hair up. Backcombing is basically forming a little nest in the hair that plumps the hair up, its done underneath a smoothed layer of hair so that the nest is not visible on top. Although its typically done at the top of the hair to create Volume at the roots its also used on the mid-lengths and ends to bulk out buns, ponytails and all sorts of hair ups.
Backcombing the roots – Taking a small section of hair and holding it vertically up, gently comb downwards back towards the head creating a nest at the root. Using your fingers slighting pull the backcombing out to even the surface area. This should be done just underneath the top layer of hair so that you can easily hide any messy bits with a smoothed section of hair.
Backcombing the ends or mid-lengths to bulk out buns – Once you have your hair ready to be twisted into a bun, hold the hair downwards and brush the hair up underneath towards the hairband. Make sure you leave out some hair to cover the nest neatly. You can now use your hands to pull the backcombing apart, this adds an impression of double the thickness in the hair. The hair can now be wrapped into shape and covered with the smoothed hair!
Read also how to create a big volume pony tail.
11. How do you use Rollers to add volume to your hair?
Rollers are almost like scaffolding for Blow-dries and Curls! They are used after the hair has been styled to set the hair into shape and retain the volume that’s been put into the hair. Thankfully rollers have come a long way since the days of wet sets and hood dryers and are no longer considered a old fashioned styling trick. There are many different shapes and sizes available for rollers depending on the length of your hair and the look you are trying to achieve. You can also get different types including sleep rollers, heated rollers, plastic and Velcro each having their own benefits. Below we have listed the different types and sizes and explained when and how to use them.
FUN FACT: Out of rollers? No problem! Just roll the hair with your fingers and use a clip to pin it in place. It’s a little bit trickier but it has the same effect. Sleep Rollers – These a soft, pliable rollers that can be slept in. Due to them being very soft and squashy they are not uncomfortable on the head like plastic or Velcro types. These are great when you have an early even and either have no time in the morning to do your hair or cannot get a early appointment. Your hair can be styled and set in rollers the night before and simply taken out the following day when you are ready to go!
Heated Rollers – Heated rollers are typically used at home as a DIY option. The hair needs to be completely dry before using these, the hair is simply wrapped around them and then pinned into place. The rollers are then left for 30-60 minutes to cool down and the hair is left with a bouncy, bod blow dry look afterwards.
Plastic Rollers – Plastic rollers are a little more of an old fashioned option and used more for adding curls than volume. The hair is set in the rollers whilst it is still wet and either left to dry naturally or underneath a dryer for 30-45 minutes. They are then removed and this style normally involves a lot of combing out to remove any lines or dents.
Velcro Rollers – Probably the most popular roller type of today, these are used at home to enhance blow-drys or in the salon by stylists. As they have a Velcro surface the use of clips isn’t needed making them super easy to use even on your own hair. They are mostly used on dry hair after it has been blow dried with volume to give it some extra hold.
Roller Sizes – Smaller rollers will give a tighter curl and less volume. Large or wide rollers are used for big barrel curls and lots of body at the roots.
TOP TIP: Make sure the ends of your hair are completely smoothed around the roller and not tangled or this will give the ends of your curls a frazzled appearance. You can use the end of a pintail comb to tuck them neatly around as you are rolling the hair.
12. Does coloured hair have more volume?
As much as we know that bleaching or lightening our hair is damaging as it dries the hair out, there is a silver lining and not just the beautiful colours it creates. Dry hair tends to have more volume and holds shape far better than silky, soft hair. Now, we are not saying “Go and bleach your hair all over” but if you struggle to get any volume due to your hair being so soft and limp adding some fine and subtle bleach highlights through your parting and around your hairline can really help.
Because the hair becomes slightly drier after bleaching it forms a stiffness that when styled will stay in place a lot longer than healthier, soft hair.
So, now that you know how to pump up your Volume, why not have a browse through our hair extension collection here at Cliphair to complete the look. Our goal is to provide confidence boosting, affordable, gorgeous hair extensions for all, no matter the hair type or concern. We have a wide range of lengths and over 50 shades to choose from including our New Balayage colours! We have also got all the accessories and haircare products you need to apply and maintain them here. Whatever your after you will find it in our selection, and what’s more if you need any help choosing the right ones for you feel free to ask an expert and use our FREE Colour Match and Advice service by clicking the button below!
