Want Big Smexy Hair?

I've been asked loads of times how i achieve alot of volume in my hair..

First thing is first though, if you have very fine hair, and not alot of it, it can be alot harder achieving volume in your hair..not impossible..just harder.

Luckily, i have quite fine hair...but LOADS of it, so i can use many different techniques.

Volumising Products Before Blowdrying

Obviously, before you do anything with your hair, after you have washed it, you need to apply some "volumising product" to the root of your hair..
This may be a number of different things, but these are products i tend to use regularly...

♥ Mousse - I dont have a particular type i prefer over another. Mousse is something i tend not to reach for as often as i find it can get a little sticky, but it does do a very good job of lifting hair at the root, and works well in conjunction with rollers.
♥ Tigi Bedhead "Superstar" range - I don't own everything in this range, but i do own the blowdry lotion which achieves fab volume after blowdrying. Although this whole line of products are designed to reach maximum voluminosity (is that a word) haha. See my review of this product HERE
♥ S factor "Body Booster plumping spray" - This is one of my favourites, although the smell is very overpowering and often leaves me feeling sick, this product is simply just spritzed in at the roots on damp hair, and blowdryed. See my review on this product HERE
♥ Clynol "Look At Me - Naughty Styling Fluid" - This is alot like the product before, although i do think this would work alot better on finer hair as the formulation isn't as sticky/strong. Review HERE

Blowdrying Methods

I know that most of you will already know this, but for those that don't i thought i would quickly mention it...

Blowdry your hair upside down.
It really is that simple, it's the quickest most effective way of achieving alot of volume in your hair. It's probabaly bad for the hair shaft as it's in the wrong direction, and could result in hair breakage over time, so would only suggest this if you have prepped the hair well before hand with some sort of heat protectant, and not on occasions, rather than everyday.

You can also use Large round natural bristle brushes, i own one by Tigi S Factor that is huge...but it works great. You simply curl the hair around the brush, pulling the root up and away from the head, and blowdry. I find it quite difficult getting this technique right, i guess im just cack handed. :)

Velcro Rollers

If i have time to prepare myself for a night out, and want ultimate volume, i will use velcro rollers. And i like to use different sizes for different sections of the hair.
It's best to use velcro rollers when the hair is almost dry, so a bit of upside down blowdrying after the volumising serum would be ideal. Then when the hair is still a bit damp, put the rollers in. I have seen some people put rollers in where they turn the hair down and backwards...i don't know how they achieve volume this way...i pull the hair upwards and back, lifting the hair at the root. :) You can then apply a tiny bit of flexible hairspray. I say Flexible because if you use something stronger, it might leave the hair a little crispy. I like to use strong hold hairspray at the root, but not over the hair on the rollers.

[Haha - Sexy!]
Sometimes you may need to use bobbi pins to secure the rollers in place.
You can then blowdry on a low speed, low heat setting until its fully dry, although personally, i find that if you leave it to dry naturally, it has better effect.
I tend to leave my rollers in for around an hour + (so yeh, only do this is if you are planning way ahead, and being super laid back and organised about getting ready haha)

Back-combing

Let me start by saying this is the worst technique for your hair, yet we are all guilty of a little backcombing arent we?
I try not to backcomb too much of the hair, in fact i stick to the crown mainly, unless you want to get more of a Diana Vickers esq style, in which case, you'd just go backcomb crazy.
If you start by sectioning the hair from the middle of your head, then backcomb, and hairspray each section until you reach the crown or top of your head, leaving the hair on the very top, to cover the messy backcombing.
I find a tooth pick comb the easiest way of backcombing but have also heard that a natural bristle brush does a pretty good job too.
I then secure with bobbi pins for a half up do or just hairspray if left down.


Here is my mum, modelling a backcombed half up-do. As you can imagine..its kindof impossible for me to take picture of the back of my head...believe me..i tried.

Then..in the words of JPmetz...
Hairspray THE HELL

Yep, hairspray really does do a good job with volumising. Sometimes when im feeling reallly lazy, i just lift the hair, hairspray at the root and voila.

Some Hairspray favourites...
♥ Tresemme freeze hold
♥ Clynol (review here)
♥ Pantene Ice Shine strong hold
♥ S Factor Chic shine (review here)

I hope this has helped a few of you, i know it might be pretty basic to some, but sometimes i combine all of these methods when doing my hair..bad i know, and you might not...and if you want ultimate BIG hair...then you should too :)

♥