Bigger is absolutely better! When it comes to beauty its all about faking it till you make. It’s pretty clear that thin and hair should never occur in the same sentence, just imagine if Rapunzel had limp, thin hair, how would her fiiiiine prince come to her rescue? Whatever the reason behind it being limp, thin, it can happen to anyone.
Nobody likes having limp, flat, lifeless hair, fortunately, adding volume to it isn’t just some unachievable dream but one that can actually be realized by just implementing some simple techniques in care routine.
Tips to give your hair volume
Understanding the underlying reasons behind the thinning of hair is very important. Thinning can result from simple and temporary (e.g. a vitamin deficiency, hormonal imbalances) to a more complex implicit health problem.
Do a medical check-up
In some cases, the thinning can be a result of a medical condition (e.g. androgenetic alopecia). Therefore, it is important to get a check-up in order to get proper diagnosis and treatment. The condition starts as early as in your 20s and its usually common post-menopause- this condition is genetic.
Other medical issues related to thinning of hair include thyroid problems, anemia, iron deficiency and sudden fluctuations of hormones-all of which can be treated. Therefore, getting a proper medical check-up is vital since it allows you to rule out any underlying health problems.
Eat a balanced diet
For healthy hair, it starts from inside. Foods rich in iron, zinc, biotin (spinach, kale, beans, tofu, and chard) are important for ensuring it remains healthy, strong and full. The elements in these types of foods promote healthy growth.
Additionally, you can get biotin from foods such as banana, beans, eggs, peanuts, lentils, salmon, and cauliflower.
Protein-rich foods (chicken, eggs, nuts, soybeans, seafood, lean red meats, whole-grains, low-fat dairy products) are also important since proteins promote thickening of hair.
Some experts suggest substituting the normal cooking fat with coconut and olive oil, a coffee, alcohol, and tobacco cleanse and also, reducing the intake of processed and refined foods-since they decrease important nutrients.
Massage your scalp
Massaging the scalp promotes better circulation of blood which nourishes the hair follicles on the scalp thus promoting their growth.
Treating yourself to regular scalp massages stimulates blood flow to your follicles, adds plumpness and thickens it. Apply some lightweight hair treatment oil on your fingertips and apply on the scalp in circular motions.
How to add volume to your hair
1. Determine its texture
This is especially helpful since it allows you to choose the best shampoo formula depending on its texture (dry or oily). Okay, so a shampoo for oily hair gently removes excess oil while that for dry hair gently moisturizes it without weighing it down.
Very oily one requires daily shampoo-ing while dry one requires less shampooing. So, for dry-type, it’s advisable to use dry hair shampoo to refresh it and cleanse the scalp from excess dirt, oil, odor, and also to volumize dry textured hair.
2. Washing and drying techniques to increase the volume
– Increase volume while you cleanse
Going for volumizing cleansing hair products (shampoos and conditioners) is a good choice if you want to add volume to it. Products rich in vitamins B5, C, E, almond, soybean, and coconut oil gently cleanses your scalp and removes product build-up that weighs it down: leaving it feeling clean, thick and full.
Its advisable to use adequate amounts of the various product when shampooing to create enough lather, massaging the product into the scalp will add volume it once it dries up.
When applying the conditioner do so from the mid-length to the tips using left-over products at the roots instead of using too much product which makes it look flat and greasy. Detangle your hair before rinsing off the conditioner using a wide-toothed comb to prevent hair breakage.
– Incorporate a clarifying shampoo
Clarifying shampoos remove any product build-up left by using normal shampoos-which contain plastic type ingredients such as polymers and silicones that stick on it causing your hair to look thin and limp.
Clarifying shampoos eliminate these chemical products leaving it looking voluminous and feeling weightless.
– Work against your hair growth
When drying it, its advisable to dry it in an upside-down manner ensuring you work against its growth. This technique allows the roots to be lifted away from the scalp which enables you to brush or blow dry it without flattening it.
3. Styling
– Get yourself a haircut
Longer hair is heavier thus lacks volume. Getting a haircut increases its volume. Get professional well-placed cut layers to lift the weight off it and increase volume.
– Try out some coloring it
Playing around with color or highlights on it gives the illusion of depth and thickness thus making it appear voluminous.
Going a shade or two darker is better than using lighter shades since darker shades create the illusion of more volume.
– Backcomb it
To add extra -oomph to your hair tease or backcomb it once in a while. Granted the technique may seem tedious at first but remember practice makes perfect. All this technique requires is a 1-2-day old hair, fine-toothed comb and voila!
– Change your part
Believe it or not, everyone has their favorite place to part theirs -that part where it falls naturally. Changing this gives it an instant lift. Use a flat toothed comb to create a different part (straight middle part, side part or even a zigzag) then gently brush it into place and spritz hair volume spray to hold.
These are some of the tips to help you get or add volume to it. You should also ask your stylist to give you more tips after he or she has studied it.