Ask the Experts: Pump Up the Volume June 1, 2017 04:35

The look for winter is all about getting that extra volume in your hair, whether it be with a sixties-inspired bouffant or with a red carpet-style blow wave.

The recent runways have been awash with big-haired style and texture, volume and movement have never been more on-trend!

Pump-the-Volume

When you have fine hair, you are constantly on the lookout for ways to pump up your hair. Here are some pretty great tricks to help. Although you can’t change the thickness or texture of your hair, but you can do the best you can with what you have got. These are some ways to make the most of your fine hair.

Start Out Right

Steer clear of products aimed to smooth and de-frizz, they generally have a large percentage of silicone or oil which is not conducive to big hair – they tend to add weight and flatten.
Instead, opt for products like volumising shampoos, conditioners and root lifters that are designed for the sole purpose of making your hair bigger and better. Even if you don’t have fine textured hair get yourself a volumising Shampoo & Conditioner to use when you want to create big hair.
One of the most important parts of pumping up fine hair is to start with the right shampoo and conditioner. They contain less silicone and more carbohydrate to plump up the hair and get the moisture away. As professional hairdressers we will recommend a formula designed to add body or volume to your hair. These shampoos and conditioners are formulated to not weigh your hair down and be light in texture. Be careful with ranges that moisturise your hair.

Our faves are the Redken Beach Envy Volume & High Rise Volume and Cerafill Advanced Thinning Solutions.

All these ranges target the limp lank hair and add instant fullness and body. Products that add moisture can your hair weigh it down but new generation and high-tech ranges that include ingredients like hyaluronic acid will add softness without weight.

Use the Right Product

Next a foundation product…volume spray or mousse will add substance to the hair and ensure heat protection. For maximum effect try a root spray or root lift product – as the name suggests they are targeted to the scalp region to ensure maximum fullness. Hairspray is a must to keep your style in place…again locking out the environment and protecting your style. Use it to your advantage when polishing off your big hair look. A tip for big hair is to be light handed in the application. Too much hairspray concentrated in one area can flatten the hair so lightly spritz the stuff on your ‘do instead. Try High Rise Duo Volumizer a unique gel-cream volumizing treatment styler for fine/flat hair combining the power of two styling

Look for a Root Lifter!

This is your miracle product! If you have fine hair, root lifter will make a lot of difference in styling your hair. Apply root lifter (try Guts Volume Foam) a medium control root volumizing spray foam that gives hair root volume like no other while providing a natural feel and texture) when your hair is damp and blow dry immediately for the magic to happen.

Its in the Blow Wave

When you blow dry your hair, you need to dry in the direction you want your hair to go. When you have fine hair that you are trying to add volume to, you want your hair to go farther away from your head and blow drying your hair upside down is drying it away from your scalp to add volume.
If you are flipping your head upside down to blow dry make sure you use a root lift product and a mousse/gel or volume cream to avoid fluffiness. If you have a fringe, dry it BEFORE you blast your hair upside down.
Another option is to hold your hair up and away from your face while you dry it. Either way will give you the desired result.
To get the most volume from your hair, rough dry your hair (to about 70% dry) before you apply product or start using a brush. Excess water dilutes hair products and makes the task much more laborious – increasing the likelihood you will run out of steam. Section the hair roughly into 4 parts and dry hair in sections, lifting them upwards and directing the hot air at your scalp. For maximum shine, point your blow waver nozzle away from the scalp and out down the hair shaft.

Roll it Up

Rollers are an amazing tool for creating volume an are super easy once you get your head around how to use them. After your blow dry, setting your hair with rollers (even if you’re not after curls), will help give boost and body. You can chose velcros or the heated variety or get fancy with the Cloud 9 o-Pod and as long as you follow a few simple rules it will dramatically increase fullness. The hair needs to be 100% dry and prepped with a volumising product (to protect against humidity and add substance) Start at the top and work down the sides and back with sections roughly the same size as your roller. Wind the hair trying to over-direct so that when complete, each roller sits on its base. With velcros apply the blow waver over the whole head for as long as your arms can stand it (3-5 minutes). Its all in the cool down, so the longer you can leave them in, the better the result, especially with any heated variety.

Back brush not back comb

If you set the hair right with your blow wave and rollers you may not need to worry to much about back brushing but it is an amazing tool for creating instant fullness. I’m sure I’m not the only one who has had bad experiences with backcombing hair. While teasing hair this way is guaranteed to build up extra height, it can also lead to nasty knots. Go easy on your hair by teasing it with a flat back brush instead of a comb.

Stay Dirty (or fake it)

Hair seems to keep volume better if it’s a little bit dirty (your natural oil contains a protein that will add fullness and strength). You’ll often find that that freshly washed hair can tend to be slippery and unable to keep shape as well as hair that’s a day old of a wash. If you would normally wash your hair once or twice a week, a little planning before a big night out will ensure that you have ‘day-2′ hair which will be a little easier to style. You DON’T want to try and create fullness on greasy hair so if you have the type of hair that usually needs to be washed daily the trick is to ‘fake’ dirty hair with miracle products like POWDER GRIP 03 MATTIFYING HAIR POWDER that give your hair fullness and grip

Spray it into Place

Blow waving, rollers, and all that teasing can lead to fly aways. Don’t be tempted to use a shine spray, a wax or a serum if you have fine hair. Your best friend will be your trusty can of hairspray. Apply said product to your hand and then lightly wipe it over your ‘do, making sure not to flatten it in the process. We especially love QUICK TEASE 15 BACKCOMBING FINISHING SPRAY Backcombing hair spray as a horizontal mist designed to create lift at the roots.

Avoid the Part
Parting your hair will only help it flatten out quicker so if you want your hair to have extra body, say goodbye to the part altogether. Instead, brush it back for a glamorous sixties inspired look. If getting rid of your part is out of the question, simply flip it to the other side for an extra volume boost.

Go For a Shorter Cut
If you have fine hair, you can’t wish yourself a head of full, thick hair. Sometimes, the best thing you can do is embrace what you have and choose a cut and style that works best with your hair. Shorter cuts will make your hair appear fuller and thicker. If you have a good hairdresser, no-one will be the wiser. The modern Bob or Lob styles are perfect for finer hair without having to go too too short

Love the Dry Shampoo
Spraying dry shampoo onto the root area of your hair is another one of those ingenious tips for big hair….even if your hair is not dirty, the starch ingredients will add extra fullness. PILLOW PROOF BLOW DRY TWO DAY EXTENDER DRY SHAMPOO offers a dry shampoo and volume blast in one product!

Create Texture and Movement
It is really hard to create ‘big’ hair when it is straight. It really needs to have some texture and movement to get the fullness and the bounce. If you are wearing it our movement in the hair will give you a glamourous Hollywood do, and even the finest limpest hair is a cinch to put up if it has some wave or texture first.

Next time you’re thinking of adding extra volume to your locks, try out these tips for big hair but if it all sounds like too much work we have the perfect salon blow wave waiting for you

Q&A: FINE HAIR HELP FROM OUR SENIOR STYLIST FERN EDMONDS

Q: My hair is really fine and I want it to look thicker and full of life. At the moment it is just dull and greasy. Any ideas?

A:
1. Adding shorter layers to your haircut can help it feel fuller
2. Product selection and heat styling are the basic principles of building volume into fine hair
3. Avoid touching your hair too much throughout the day or running your hands through it – this will encourage oily build up which can weigh it down.
4. Make sure you keep your conditioner off the root area and only on the ends

Q: My hair that is so fine in some places that it looks very thin and I can never get the style I want. What should I do?

A:
We have a number of products that can address your haircare needs: the new Beach Envy or High Rise ranges will help add a more voluminous look to fine hair, while our Cerafill programme is designed specifically for thinning hair. We also have a number of repair care options that can help address the needs of damaged hair.

Q: I have fine, flat, lifeless hair which needs a boost. What can I do without using tons of products to get volume?

A: It is not about the amount of product used, it’s about using the right products. If you select your products wisely, you shouldn’t have to worry about them weighing your hair down. Lay a good foundation for full-bodied hair with lightweight Pure Volume Shampoo and Condition. They are formulated with the latest technology to provide magnificent volumizing results. The Shampoo offers deeper cleansing to remove volume-inhibiting impurities. The Condition replenishes without heavy moisturizers that can weigh down fine hair. When used together, Pure Volume Shampoo and Condition provide better volume with a lighter formula with Pureology’s signature colour protection.