7 Volume-Boosting Tips for Fine Hair

The one hair complaint we hear about most is a lack of volume. Hair that’s bigger is often seen as better and unless you’re one of the very few that’s naturally blessed (like Cindy Crawford or Doutzen Kroes) it can feel like you’ve drawn the genetic short straw.

So, if flat hair is leaving you feeling, well, flat, read our expert advice on how to add volume to your hair and take your locks from limp to luscious.

1. Cleanse and Condition With Volumising Products

For anyone looking to know how to get volume in their hair, the products you use in the shower can make more of a difference than you might think.

When you’ve got fine hair, washing your hair well is really important as oils and product build-up are a fast track recipe for flat hair. The TRESemmé Collagen+ Fullness Shampoo and Conditioner system is infused with collagen and glycerine and uses micellar technology to gently cleanse the hair, giving you fuller and thicker feeling hair.

Opt for lightweight formulas, as a lot of nourishing products contain a lot of oils, which are great if your hair is dry and damaged but can be too heavy for fine hair.

2. Blow Dry – the Right Way

Do you just go straight in with the hairdryer? If you want to know how to get volume in your hair, it’s time to get yourself some volumising products like the TRESemmé Collagen+ Fullness Thickening Balm and VO5 Volume Blow-dry Spray which are applied to damp hair and add volume as you dry.

As you’re drying your hair, instead of using a brush to pull the hair down (this is great for smoothing the hair cuticle, but not so great if you’re looking to add texture), flip your hair upside down and focus the airflow on your roots – it’ll give you more bounce.

Prefer to let your hair air dry? Twisting your hair into a bun on top of your head overnight will lift your hair up at the roots, leaving you with big soft waves by the morning.

3. Change up Your Parting

Most of us have a go-to parting where our hair just naturally falls, but the hair either side of this natural part is at its flattest. So, one way of how to get volume in your hair is to flip your parting over to the other side so that the hair is more lifted away from the roots.

If you’ve got a cowlick or your hair doesn’t want to co-operate, you can spray some hairspray on your hand and use it to smooth the hair into place.

Ideally, you should switch up your parting up every so often so that your hair doesn’t become too used to being on one side or the other.

4. Switch Your Curling Wand for Hot Rollers

Curl lover? You might want to trade your wand out for something more old school. Hot rollers might seem a bit retro but they’re amazing for fine hair. As the curls are rolled upwards from the ends towards your roots and pinned into place, they give you more volume than wands and straighteners, which keep the roots flat.

5. Mousse

Mousse might sound a bit ’80s but its tress-thickening benefits make it one of our ultimate fine hair must-haves. The aerated format is great for adding volume and is so lightweight that it doesn’t leave your hair feeling full of product. Blow-dry fans should try the VO5 Big Volume Mousse, which contains heat defence to protect your strands.

Check out the best heat protect for your hair.

6. Dry Shampoo

Dry shampoo isn’t just for greasy hair. Volume-boosting dry shampoos such as the TRESemmé Day 2 Volumising Dry Shampoo can be used on freshly-washed hair to add a cool-girl texture and aid with styling.

Read more on the best dry shampoos for fine hair.

7. Backcombing

If you want to know how to get voluminous hair quickly for a night out, backcombing will give you instant results. Brushing sections of hair towards the root creates instant and visible results, adding extra height and texture to updos.

Read more on how to tease hair in our guide to find out how you can create lasting volume.