7 Ways To Get Volume With Fine Hair

As someone who has had fine hair all her life, trying to get and keep volume has been a reoccurring obsession of mine. While making the decision to go back to my natural roots was a major game changer, I still struggle with wanting to get my curly fro as big and voluminous as I possibly can.

Over my 2 years of being natural, I’ve picked up a few tips and tricks along the way and if you are one with fine hair hoping to get and retain volume this post is for you!

Style with big hair in mind

First, when going after hair with volume, you have to keep in mind the fact that styling plays a major role. Although you can’t physically change the thickness of your hair in a day, you can apply certain techniques to make your hair appear fuller.

With that said, when you are are selecting ways to style your hair, do it with big hair in mind.

Shoot for medium to large size twists and braids

Twist and braid outs are mine, and arguably almost every natural’s, favorite styles to do. They’re super easy to complete and I find that it gives my hair the most volume throughout the week.

However, as a natural with fine hair, I have to keep in mind the fact that I need to target medium to larger size twists to get optimal voluminous results.

While smaller twists offer more definition, my hair will be extremely shrunken and flat especially on day one. If I want to ensure bigger hair I have to make the twist bigger and risk forgoing a little definition.

Try twist out patterns

If you are one that doesn’t want to give up your definition and would rather not do a chunky twist out, twist out patterns might be what you need.

A twist out pattern is ultimately a pattern of different twist methods throughout your hair to obtain desired results of both volume and definition.

For me, a favorite that I like to complete is a pattern of alternating between flat twists and two strand twists. I start by applying 2 flat twists in the front going down each side framing my face.

I then add 4 medium sized two strand twists at the crown of my head. Followed by another 4 flat twists in the middle-back of my head. Lastly I have 4 two strand twists along the nape of my neck. Sound confusing? Check out this quick video to see how I complete it! Twist out patterns are definitely one of my favorite go to techniques if I want more volume on day one hair.

Your hair pick is bae

My hair pick is bae. I have about four, and one is always with me where ever I go. When all else fails, pick it out. A motto I live by each day.

I’m sure you all know the power a good fluffing with a pick can do for your hair. It can transform almost any flat curly style into a bigger, lifted, better one!

The key behind picking is to only lift your roots. Make sure you are not running the pick all the way through to the end of your strands because that is ultimately combing out your style and defeating the purpose by leaving you in a huge frizz ball of a mess.

Choose your products wisely

Products, Products & more products. There are quite a few products out there that are great for adding volume to your hair. While most seem to be directed at caucasian women or women without naturally curly hair, don’t be afraid to try something new to see if it works for you.

Take dry shampoos on day one hair for instance. We gain volume throughout the week, but soon as we wash our hair with water it brings us back and we have to start over. Using dry shampoo can be a great alternative. It will cleanse your hair and scalp without missing out on the volume.

You can also consider using thickening conditioners, such as L’Oréal EverStrong Thickening Conditioner, or thickening products like Living Proof Full Thickening Cream. According to Living Proof, “PBAE (or Boly[beta]-amino esters) creates a micropattern of thickening dots on every hair strand, making hair look and behave like textured, full, thick hair.”

Try something new and see what works for you.

Nighttime care can lead to bigger hair

You must also keep in mind that your nighttime care regimen is vital to your volume throughout the week. If you’re wearing a twist out, make sure your are installing chunky twists at night to preserve your style and keep your hair stretched.

Don’t worry, you don’t have to go overboard and put in so many twists. About 6 to 8 large twists around your hair will get the job done.

Embrace the frizz

Lastly, remember to embrace the frizz. With fine hair and taking measures to give yourself more volume, a little frizz is inevitable. Don’t be so hard on your hair. The bigger the hair, the bigger the frizz. It’s okay!