How to Add Volume to Your Hair

Are you struggling with flat roots, sparse-looking hair, or limp curls? We will be covering how to add volume to your hair using volumizing products, how to style for volume, and reasons your hair is lacking volume. All curl types can experience a lack of volume depending on the hair’s natural characteristics. It’s very common for those with fine curly hair and low-density hair to struggle with volume because of the smaller width of the strands or smaller quantity of strands. Those with wavy patterns may also struggle with volume due to the strands laying flatter. However, those with curly and coily patterns can also experience a lack of volume if their hair is damaged or not cared for properly.

1: Best Products to Add Volume to Hair

2: 10 Tips to Volumize While Styling

3: Reasons Your Hair May Lack Volume

 

1: Best Products to Add Volume to Hair 

Choosing the right curly hair products is essential if you want to achieve more volume. The best volumizing hair products to add volume to the hair include those that will not weigh down your hair, encourage root lift, and help plump curly hair.

Lightweight Moisturizers

Before you apply your main styling products, you may want to incorporate a product such as a leave-in conditioner. These formulas are usually more lightweight and won’t weigh down your hair. Avoid heavy butters and creams if your hair tends to get weighed down. 

Lightweight leave-in conditioners include the Moisture Memory Reactivator, Weightless Air Dry Cream and Hydrate & Plump Leave-In. These will still provide essential moisture and won’t cause a greasy, heavy feeling in your hair. The Hydrate & Plump Leave-In contains a blend of curl-friendly ingredients including a plant-based stem cell complex to help plump the hair from the inside out for fuller, thicker-looking curls.

Volumizers

Styling products that help actually create volume can make a big difference in your results. 

• The Root Boost Uplifting Spray is a lightweight, alcohol-free spray that can be applied to the root area to help create volume. This contains the plant-based stem cell complex in the Volume Recipe, in addition to calendula flower which is known for stimulating hair follicles. 
• The Full Body Volumizing Lotion is a lightweight lotion that helps provide immediate volume to the hair without stickiness. It contains the plant-based stem cell complex to help plump strands and watercress, known to increase thickness. 

• The Bouncy Strength Volume Foam is another option that helps to add volume to hair and texture. Texture is that feeling of “grit” on the hair that provides light hold and grip to hair. This is usually preferred by those who have very fine hair and struggle with overly soft or silky hair that falls flat easily.

Stylers for Long-Lasting Volume

Adding in styling products that provide hold is crucial if you want long-lasting volume in your hair. Products that provide hold include curly hair gels, mousses, and hairsprays.

• Gel has the most slip and maintains a soft, smooth feeling in hair that is easy to refresh.
• The Hydro Style Flexi Jelly is one of Curlsmith’s most lightweight curly hair gels making it perfect for fine curly hair. It provides medium hold and weightless definition. 
• The Fragrance-Free Shine Jelly is similar to the Hydro Style Flexi Jelly but is fragrance-free making it a good option for those with fragrance sensitivities. 
• For damaged hair or those who prefer a very slippery texture, the Shape Up Aqua Gel is a good option for hold that is lightweight. It provides a light, flexible hold that is buildable.

 

Mousse is another great way to add volume to the hair and add hold. The Invincible Volume Mousse is free of drying alcohol and has moisturizing ivy leaf, linseed, and chamomilla flower. Due to the light airy consistency of mousse, it can help expand and plump the curls. Mousse can work on all curly hair types, and those with wavy hair textures often love using this type of styler.

For an extra boost of hold and texture, the Flawless Finish Hairsprays are great options to help create volume. You can mist a veil of hairspray all over dry hair after styling for extra hold, or lift the roots and spritz some on your roots if you want to add volume to your hair that lasts all day. 

2: 10 Tips to Volumize While Styling

There are several styling techniques and tips that you can incorporate to add volume to your hair and help improve overall fullness.

1. Style damp

Applying your products to soaking wet hair is one of the best ways to really clump the curls and help prevent frizz, however it may reduce your volume. Try leaving slightly less water in your hair when you’re applying your products and you will notice more fullness. You can towel-dry your roots with a microfiber towel, then mist the lengths of your hair with a continuous spray bottle so it’s not frizzy. It takes practice to find the right balance of water in your hair for optimal volume and definition.

2. Avoid over-clumping the hair

While many of us love thick, defined, curl clumps the more clumped your hair is the less fullness you will have, especially for those with low-density hair because there is just less hair to go around. You can still use clumping techniques like brush styling and praying hands, but pay attention to the size of the clumps and separate them while wet using your fingers or a comb.

3. Don’t weigh down your roots

Opt for more lightweight stylers like the ones mentioned above, and avoid applying anything heavy to your roots. Avoid the plopping technique, which is where you tie a towel around your head after styling, because this will push your styling products onto your scalp and lessen root volume. Instead, use a microfiber towel to scrunch out excess water after styling.

 

Only using product application techniques such as raking will pull your roots down. Lift the roots and scrunch all the way to the scalp for more root lift. You can also brush style upwards to add more volume to your hair at the roots, and provide added definition. 

4. Diffuse over air drying

Diffusing your hair with the Defrizzion Dryer & XXL Diffuser is one of the best ways to get more volume and root lift that lasts. Air drying will elongate the curls due to gravity, especially if you style soaking wet or use heavy stylers. 

• Diffusing techniques such as scrunch diffusing or pixie diffusing will lift the hair up towards the scalp and set it in place with heat. 
• Flip the hair upside down and side to side to really amp up the volume when diffusing. 
• If you’re short on time, diffuse for just a few minutes to set your curl shape then finish air drying.

5. Clip roots

You can also try using clips along your roots while air drying or even during diffusing in order to add volume to your hair. Claw clips or duckbill clips work great for this. Place them along your part and crown area and cover your diffuser to set, or air dry. Remove them once dried to reveal voluminous roots.

6. Tease roots

You can also use a bamboo hair pick to lift the hair at the roots. 

1. For extra volume, mist some hairspray before or after using the hair pick. 
2. Place the pick at the roots and lift the hair off the scalp. 
3. For extra volume, mist some hairspray as you lift to hold it in place. 

 

Picks work best for tighter curl patterns such as coily hair because there is more texture to fluff at the root.

7. Scrunch out the crunch

If your hair dries with a gel cast, make sure you break the cast and scrunch out any crunch if you want fuller hair instantly. You can also fluff out your roots with your hands, just make sure they are dry to help prevent frizz. Reach underneath the hair at the roots and fluff upside down. You can do this throughout the day if your roots begin to fall.

8 Sleep protection

• Sleeping with your hair up in a loose ponytail using a satin scrunchie, known as the “pineapple” hairstyle, is a great way to create volume at your roots and protect your curls. 
• If you’re worried about your roots getting stretched, use a satin scarf to cover your curls and tie it while you’re flipped upside down so the roots are lifted.
• Sleep on a satin/silk pillowcase to reduce friction and damage which can lead to flat curls.

9. Refresh in between washes

If your hair falls flat after wash day, mist some water and then scrunch your hair to revive your curl pattern and add volume to your hair in between washes. You can add a bit of the styling product you used on wash day if more hold is needed, or mist the Root Boost Uplifting Spray. Use your diffuser prongs to dry damp roots upwards, lifting them away from the scalp as they dry.

10. Change your parting

The way you part your hair can have a big impact on your root volume. Opt for a messy part or the “no part” look when styling to add volume to your hair. For wavy hair types, you can even swap your part while your hair is dried to add volume after wash day. 

 

3: Reasons Your Hair May Lack Volume

There are many reasons your hair may lack volume, ranging from your hair’s natural characteristics to your products and techniques.

• Fine-textured hair is the hair texture with the smallest strand width. This texture usually struggles with volume and fullness because it can get weighed down easily.
• Use lightweight styling products and avoid heavy butters and oils.
• Low-density hair is the hair density with the fewest strands total. Less hair on your head overall will mean less volume.
• Use styling techniques mentioned previously such as damp styling and separating large curl clumps to add volume to your hair.
• Wavy and loose curl patterns are hair types most likely to experience less root volume because the hair may be straighter at the roots.
• Avoid heavy products at the roots and use styling techniques such as scrunching at the roots and using diffuser prongs to lift the roots.
• Buildup on the scalp and hair from products, oil, and hard water minerals can lead to more limp, weighed-down hair.
• Use stronger shampoos and avoid using a co-wash as your only cleanser. Use the Detox Shampoo to remove buildup every 4-5 washes.
• Damaged and dry hair is more likely to fall flat and not retain its shape.
• Use strengthening and bond-repair products to repair and help protect from damage.
• Not protecting your curls while you sleep is bound to flatten and stretch your curls, reducing volume.
• Sleep on a satin pillowcase to reduce friction and wear a scarf or scrunchie to protect your style.

 

Trust Your Curls with Curlsmith

No matter what your hair type is, you can achieve more volume, fullness, and root lift by using the right styling techniques, maintaining the proper scalp and hair health, and using products that add volume. Curlsmith has curly hair products for every curl type and hair needs, including fragrance-free options. Our vegan hair products all contain carefully selected ingredients that feed the curls while being cruelty-free, and free from parabens, silicones, and sulfates.