All the Ways You Can Add Volume to Your Flat Hair, According to Stylists

A fine hair in itself is a beauty. But a voluminous hairdo can take that same beauty to the next level. It brings character, personality, and effortlessly chic aura from which we can all benefit. It makes us look put together without even trying. 

Not all of us are blessed with bouncy waves or full, thick hair. If you’re one to have a crowning glory that has fallen flat, keep on reading. We’re here to help you learn how to add volume to your hair. We’ll tackle what flat hair is, why it happens, and all the ways to add volume to it. We’ll also get in-depth on how to keep voluminous hair. Surely, you’re in the right place to maintain a beautiful life full of crowning glory. Let’s get started. 

What Is Flat Hair?

Flat hair is hair that lacks volume. It is one to appear limp and lifeless. It doesn’t have a body and bounce. Dull hair is severely lacking in texture, which makes it challenging to style. Yet, it is not impossible to make it full-bodied. You should have access to the right tips and tricks, which we’ll unravel later. 

Why Is My Hair So Flat?

There are myriad reasons why your hair is so flat. Here are the top causes of flat hair. 

1. Overactive sebaceous glands 

The scalp houses the largest concentration of sebaceous glands in our body. It is beside our face, chest, and back. The excess oil can be born in greasy hair if you have overactive sebaceous glands. It makes it look flat on top. Research also suggests your bad hair days during your period, as for women, may be associated with a buildup of sebum on your scalp. 

Moreover, a diet high in meats, dairy products, soft drinks, and alcohol can kick these glands into overdrive. If you’re physically active and sweat constantly, you’ll likely experience more sebum. 

2. Product buildup 

Product buildup is another usual factor behind lifeless, flat hair. A sticky hairspray, dried mousse, and dry shampoo are top criminals for it. Product residue makes your hair look and feel gunky. Its actual weight can add up and make for a flat hairdo. 

3. Unsuitable hair care products

Using the wrong hair care products can suck the volume of your hair away. For one, rich and moisturizing shampoos and conditioners may seem like a good idea. Yet, in practice, they may not give your hair the volumizing effect it needs. You ought to look for those specifically labeled to boost volume. 

4. Lack of nutrients

There’s nothing more accurate than the saying, you are what you eat. Your diet can affect how voluminous your locks appear. Overloading of processed carbs instead of healthy foods can also be a culprit of flat hair. Also, having frizzy, damaged, and dry hair. 

5. Bad hair styling 

The wrong hairdo can make your flat hair even more exaggerated. Think back to when you’ve gone overboard with the flat iron to neutralize frizz. It can also be because you don’t choose the right hairstyle. A lack of layers or tresses that are too long can make your crowning glory look heavy. Also, it was weighed down as opposed to being breezy and full of life. 

How to Add Volume to Hair

1. Shampoo and condition with volumizing hair care products 

The volume starts in the shower. Ensure you use a super lightweight hair care product designed to add volume and moisturize. These ones won’t weigh down your hair. They will keep your mane from falling flat and will promote maximum body. 

2. Adjust your washing technique.

What you use in the shower matters. Yet, they must be partnered up with the right way to use them. If you have fine or damaged hair, washing technique is particularly critical. 

Keep your shampoo at the roots. Your conditioner? It is best at the end. Fine hair can look oily fast, yet with this strategy and the right volumizing shampoo, you’ll need to wash your hair less often. In doing so, you prolong your style. You can also lessen the potential for damage. 

3. Blow dry your hair upside down.

Blow-drying your hair upside down is one key to creating ultimate volume. Begin your drying journey with your head flipped upside down. It will lift hair at the root and will rough up your cuticle for maximum volume. Once your hair is a little over half dry, flip it back up. After, start blow drying the mid ends to smooth and soften. Ensure you’re not flattening the roots and losing the texture you worked so hard to add. 

4. Switch up your part.

Switching up your part is one easy fix that can dramatically affect volumizing your crowning glory. As time passes, hair gradually lies flatter as it is parted similarly. 

Switching from a side part to a middle part, or vice versa, can have your crowning glory lying less flat. You can spray a hair volumizer at the roots to promote even more lift. It can create instant volume and texture that’s as light as air. 

5. Don’t apply conditioner on your roots.

Conditioner should only be used on your mid-lengths to ends. We’re all guilty of slathering a handful all over our heads, but this is a huge hair-flattening mistake. 

When you cleanse with a shampoo, your cuticles open up, eyeing for nourishment and moisture. When you add a truckload of condition on the scalp, a natural oil source, it will suck it up and hold it. It will make the roots greasy, heavy, and flat. 

Apply your conditioner to where it belongs, in the roots. This little trick will add volume to flat hair and cut, using three bottles for every shampoo. 

6. Get colorful

Coloring your hair is a great way to introduce texture. Fine hair will transform after a full head of highlights. Your cuticles will get a little rough, meaning your hair will lift. It will then hold styling longer. Head to us, Peter’s Place Hair & Color, for the best color results with the least possible damage. 

7. Cut your hair

The longer, thinner, and finer crowning glory gets, the flatter it lays. Yet, the shorter it is, the more body it will have. The best cuts for dull and fine hair are usually shorter styles. They are best in adding volume and movement. 

Blunt shortcuts are significant volumizing cuts. You can also keep things above the collarbone. Pixie cuts, bobs, and length hairdos with internal texture can all create the illusion of thicker hair. Don’t forget layered hairstyles. They can also give a fuller look. 

8. Approach hair length with care

It is best to say goodbye to hairstyles that are too long, do not have shape, and don’t contour your face. All are there to weigh down fine hair. They are a mistake for appearing mane even flatter. They all lack volume. 

Yet, if you’re committed to inches, there’s a way to make it work. Long hair is best avoided because the ends can look sparse. But with extensions or keratin tips, long hair is achievable for those with flat, fine hair. 

9. Get creative with extensions.

Adding a few tape extensions to a short cut with fine hair is also an impressive tactic for unlocking volume. They will give a little more defined line to the blunt finish and add more density. 

10. Be strategic with layers.

To layer, or not to layer. Layers can be a solid move, though many are against it. 

Layers can be an excellent option for flat-fine hair. Strategic layering can unlock texture, depth, and movement in the hair. It will make it look fuller. Yet it’s critical to avoid excessive layering. It can direct thinning and further flatten the hair. 

Avoid overly layered haircuts. These tend not to have enough density to support the layers. You’ll want to opt for subtle face framing. One with a blunt finish through the back. 

11. Stay away from moisturizing formulas.

When you’re in a rush, you may have to use whatever shampoo or conditioner was in the shower that day. Yet, if it is a product crafted to moisturize thicker and coaster locks, it is unsuitable for your strands. Heavy moisturizing formulas can make the hair appear greasy and flat. 

12. Invest in the correct styling products.

What you add to your crowning glory outside the shower is of utmost importance, too. People with fine, flat hair should shop for lightweight mousse, root lifting, or volumizing sprays for a volume boost. These products are well-loved for adding texture and lift. They will have a hold without weighing down the hair. 

13. Consider air drying

Air drying is another good option for fine and flat hair. It can prevent excessive heat damage. More importantly, it helps maintain natural texture. When air drying, use fewer products. Also, keep them away from the roots to safeguard weighing down your hair. 

14. Create a body with a salt spray. 

Sea salt spray is a fantastic product for bringing out your natural texture when air drying. It can provide texture and create a beachy tousled look to otherwise flat, lifeless hair. It adds volume and texture. It makes styling easier. It is also impressive in giving the appearance of thicker strands. 

15. Make use of hot rollers. 

If you want to channel your Farrah Fawcett energy, rollers are essential. See what we did there? Hot rollers on fine hair will bless you with hair shape and lasting volume. Velcro rollers can provide a gentle grip without additional pins and clips. Both roller options can add body, texture, and definition to fine hair.

16. Dry shampoo

Dry shampoo can be your bestie when adding volume to flat hair. It can help unlock volume and make your crowning glory appear thicker and fuller. And the magic doesn’t stop there. It can also prolong your styling while cleansing your scalp. It’s just pure hair magic. 

17. Learn to love mousse.

We all fear mousse because of our parents. Yet, it has come a long way since its frozen, crunchy, drying, old-school formulation. Today, mousse is soft, hydrating, and impressive. Using a small amount of wet hair and combing through to ends before blow drying will have you looking effortlessly chic. It gives a serious lift for added body, elasticity, and oomph! 

18. Rinse with apple cider vinegar.

If you use hairspray, styling gel, or mousse regularly, you might fall into the product buildup dilemma. Product buildup poses a unique issue for fine hair. It weighs down strands that are already lacking in the body. To fight, try apple cider vinegar rinse. It is best employed once every two weeks. The vinegar can help break down residue. It also adds body. 

19. Adjust your diet

Beyond transformative techniques and products, a few lifestyle tactics can help bring volume to hair. One of these is adjusting your diet. Adding foods and supplements abundant in vitamins and minerals promotes hair health. They can vastly enhance the quality of your hair. In doing so, they can enhance volume. 

These vitamins and minerals include: 

• Vitamin D
• Zinc 
• Fatty acids 
• Biotin 

Yet, you must remember that you should not take these supplements without a physician’s advice and approval. 

A healthy diet is one rich in whole foods. It is never a bad idea. Consider adding the following to your meal regime. 

• Fish, which is abundant in fatty acids
• Eggs, which has biotin 
• Protein-rich foods, the building block of hair 

20. Tease your roots 

Flat hair is most seen at the roots. For those who don’t have the time to hop in the shower with a volumizing shampoo, teasing the hair can introduce more volume. Grab a fine-toothed comb, take a one-inch section from the front of your head, and flip it forward. Tease the hair behind it. The backcomb smooths the previous passage you flipped ahead on top of it. The result? A smooth but voluminous lock that carries your beauty all day long.

21. Massage your scalp

Healthy hair follicles with good circulation are vital to bettering fine limp hair. A massage conditions your scalp. It encourages increased blood flow. It can also help boost hair growth by stretching the cells of your hair follicles. Moreover, it’s a great way to reduce muscle tension. It even improves your mood. 

If you’re worried about your hair looking greasy after a scalp massage, do it the day prior to your wash day. Taking time out and immersing in a scalp massage in the evening works wonders. It’s a great way to boost your hair health and unwind. 

22. Curl your hair overnight without heat. 

Try embracing overnight waves to greet the morning with big, bouncy waves. This method works best with slightly dirty hair. Give it a go one day after your last wash. 

Split your hair into sections, plait, and lock with a non-snag band. The tightness of the plait will decide how curl your hair looks in the morning. You can also use a sleeping cap or silk pillowcases to reduce friction. 

Upon waking up, carefully remove the bands and run your fingers through your hair. Style and flaunt your wavy hair into place with a firm-hold hairspray.