5 Ways to Boost Your Hair’s Volume

What’s a girl to do when she’s longing for big hair with tons of volume?

A few days ago I asked you for your volumizing secrets, and you gals shared some fabulous tips and tricks.

1. Blow dry upside down

To pump up the volume, MBB readers love blow drying upside down.

“OOOO! I love big hair! I blast root pumper spray DIRECTLY on my roots; none of this spraying mousse in the hands first business. Then, I blowdry my hair with my head flipped upside-down from start to almost finish. Once about 85% dry I use a round brush at the roots for extra volume. This creates volume that lasts almost all day!”
– Morgan

“Personally, I have tried a number of tricks. I like to spray some root-voluminizing spray (I could only afford things like Tressemme or Garnier), and I blow dry my hair upside down with a diffuser. I then add in some mousse while I’m blow drying it to set in the style. If I am straightening my hair, I will blow dry it with a large round brush upwards to give it a little lift. Having enough volume has always been a issue for me cause I have such long hair, but I try my best!”
– Genesis C

2. Try a new volumizing product

There’s a big world of products out there devoted to big hair! A few reader faves:

“My hair is really fine but there’s a lot of it, so I use Aveda’s Volumizing Tonic at the roots, paired with their Phomollient foam. When I start blow-drying I make sure to lift and blast the roots, then use the Marilyn Tuxedo big round brush – totally makes a difference.”
— Trude

“I have tried everything to give my hair more volume: I blow dry it upside down; I use root lifter; I use huge velcro rollers; I tease it. Heck, I thought cutting my hair off would help, but it didn’t. I do like the Tresemme 24 Hour Body Finishing Spray; I think that works best on my hair.”
– Katrina

“Got2B 2Sexy mousse — this stuff is like a Pammie boob job for your hair. My hair’s pretty normal, color damaged, but medium-thick hair: a good pump of that, combed through my hair upside down and FOOMP! Suddenly, I have GIANT voluptuous hair that actually holds a curl for more than ten minutes.”
— Molly

“I use this awesome stuff called Volume Fusion Spray by Eufora. I LOVE it. I have the thickest, most asian hair you could possibly get. It gives me AMAZING volume when I blowdry my hair upside down.”
– xtina

3. Get some curlers in the mix

Curlers can be your BFF when it comes to volume. A few ways to work ‘em…

“Whoo hoo! I have really heavy hair and it’s hard to achieve fabulous volume. One of my favorite tricks is to add mousse before blow-drying my hair upside down. Then, I put a couple of bit velcro rollers in at the crown, blast with more hot air from the hair dryer, and then let it sit while I get ready. Spray with a light hairspray and then let the curlers loose for some decent volume, even with the heaviest hair!”
– Brinki

“I have fairly thick and naturally straight hair that I have a love/hate relationship with! I use hot curlers to volumize and style my hair. I wrap my entire head with one-inch curlers, but before wrapping the sections at the crown, spray L’oreal Elnett hairspray and tease it. I let the curlers cool for 20 minutes. When I take em out my hair is HUGE, I don’t comb or brush though it — just shake my head a bit as my hair tends to flatten out just a bit. Sounds kinda complicated but the style lasts for a couple days! Before bed, I put my hair up in a high bun. The next morning, the curls and volume are retained.”
– Maicy

4. Tease it

Teast those roots, girl! Tease them!

“I use the entire Big Sexy Hair line (the Hairspray and Backcomb in a Bottle are my faves!) and tease the hell out of my hair. People always stop and ask me how I get so much volume and my hair is thin!”
– Kandice

“I always tease my roots and spray with a hairspray that isn’t too hard.”
– Michelle

5. Sleep with damp hair

By far my favorite volumizing trick because it’s conducive to 1) lying down and 2) dreaming of Ryan Reynolds!

“I tend to have the best luck when I sleep on damp hair fanned out behind me across the pillow. I look like Medusa when I wake up, but a little coaxing and I’m nice and bouffant!”
– Alison

“The best way for me to get volume in my hair is by sleeping in wet hair. Its slightly unruly, but VERY volumized. Then I wake up, hot roll it, and I have pretty good hair for the day.”
— Sarah