Beauty

Add volume to fine or ultrathick hair with these expert tips

Add volume to fine or ultrathick hair with these expert tips

Keystone Press Image by: Keystone Press Author: Canadian Living

Beauty

Add volume to fine or ultrathick hair with these expert tips

There are two types of hair that tend to resist curl, bounce and volume: ultrafine and ultrathick. Both have difficulty holding shape and easily fall flat without the use of proper products and styling tricks, so we asked Justin German, co-owner of Shagg Salon and Pantene Pro-V consulting stylist, for his best tips for creating voluminous hair. Use them on days when you’re looking to put a little bounce in your step—and your mane.

Shampoo and condition wisely
Rich, oily hair-care products will moisturize the hair, but they’ll also weigh it down, says German. Instead, look for lightweight shampoos and conditioners that focus on volumizing or adding lift. Be sure to use both steps so that your locks are shiny and bouncy, but keep conditioner away from your roots to avoid buildup that can flatten your hair.

Choose helpful tools
German suggests investing in a salon-quality blow dryer, because it will dry the hair quickly and the multiple settings for hot and cold will allow the hair to set in a voluminous shape. He also prefers a round brush to assist with locking volume at the root (see steps below). Look for natural boar bristles because they “maintain stiffness and won’t melt.” Finally, purchase sectioning clips so you can easily divide your hair while blow-drying.

Use styling products  

When striving for voluminous hair, choose a root-lifting product to start off the styling process. Set the final style with hairspray, and ensure that you apply a repair serum to your ends before bed; it will counteract the damage created by your blow dry.

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10 volumizing hair products for flat hair

Volumizing shampoo and conditioner

Look for a lightweight shampoo and conditioner duo that will infuse your locks with moisture without causing buildup. Dove Oxygen Moisture Shampoo and Conditioner, $7 each, dove.ca. John Frieda Touchably Full Shampoo and Conditioner for Colour-Treated Hair, $13 each, johnfrieda.ca.

Image by: Canadian Living By: Andrea Karr Source: Dove, John Frieda

10 volumizing hair products for flat hair

Root lifting spray

Purchase a root lifting spray that you can spritz on damp roots before styling. Living Proof Full Root Lifting Spray, $32, sephora.ca. Pantene Volume Root Lifting Spray Gel, $6, pantene.ca.

Image by: Canadian Living By: Andrea Karr Source: Sephora, Pantene

10 volumizing hair products for flat hair

Finishing spray

Set your voluminous hairstyle with a flexible hairspray. Moroccanoil Luminous Hairspray Medium, $24, moroccanoil.com. Herbal Essences Naked Flexible Hold Spritzer, $5.50, well.ca.

Image by: Canadian Living By: Andrea Karr Source: Moroccanoil, Herbal Essences

10 volumizing hair products for flat hair

Repair serum

Each night before bed, apply a hair repair serum. It will help counteract the damage caused by your blow dryer. For more fashion and beauty advice, visit our Style Desk blog. Pantene Repair & Protect Overnight Miracle Repair Serum, $8, pantene.ca. Josie Maran Argan Oil Hair Serum, $39, sephora.ca.

Image by: Canadian Living By: Andrea Karr Source: Pantene, Sephora


Your step-by-step blow dry

1. Spray damp hair with lifting spray; massage the product into the roots, especially at the crown. Ensure that you spritz your entire head by separating hair into sections, then doing one part at a time.
2. Flip your head upside down to blow-dry your hair, massaging the roots as you go. “Working upside down will prevent your arms from becoming tired and help the product give more lift to your roots,” says German.
3. When your roots are completely dry, clip your hair into sections. Blow-dry one section at a time using a large round brush to add spring to the ends.
4. When you reach the crown, use your round brush as you would a Velcro roller: Wrap the hair around it, applying heat as you roll. Use the dryer’s cold-air function to set the curl.
5. Set with hairspray.

For those days when you want to work with your natural texture

Just because you have flat hair doesn’t mean you have to spend every waking hour fighting it. Straight shiny hair is also a great look and can be achieved by doing a simple blow dry, then finishing the ends with a flatiron. Complete the look by spritzing your hair with gloss mist or rubbing a little hair oil into your ends.

Read more: 
The best (and worst!) celebrity hair transformations of 2014
How to keep curls in your hair

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Add volume to fine or ultrathick hair with these expert tips

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