10 Tricks to Make Fine Hair Look Thicker

The battle of how to make thin hair look thicker has been going on since the dawn of time—and we’re here to help you win the war. OK, that’s pretty dramatic, but we really do have a ton of tips on how get your head of hair to appear super full and bouncy.

These trick will help you faking the thickness that we all want. You’ll be lookin’ like you just had a Victoria’s Secret blowout in no time.

The right shampoo is everything

Opt for a more invigorating  shampoo that will really get the follicles on your scalp to perk up.  Try Lush’s Big Shampoo ($28; at Lush) for a thick root look. Really work your shampoo onto your head too by massaging your scalp, stimulating blood flow.

Avoid overly hydrating conditioner

Here is where a lot of products that weigh your hair down get snuck into your daily routine.  Steer clear of anything that says “hydrating” and “smoothing” on the bottle because these most likely have oils in them that will keep your hair from gaining volume.

MORE: This New $7 Dry Shampoo Truly Transformed My Hair

It’s all about the blow dry

First step, spray a heat protectant all over hair.  Be sure to flip your head over and start blowdrying with a round brush.  After the dampness is gone, flip the hair back over and begin to blow dry the rest in sections.  Make sure to have a diffuser on the end of your dryer to give hair an amped-up vibe.

Roll it up

After blow drying hair, set front pieces in velcro rollers and clips for about 20 minutes to maintain high volume.

Tease it

Let the rollers out and lightly tease the parts of hair at the crown of your head.

Lift at the root

After teasing, spritz a small amount of root lifter in your hair to make sure your roots stay up.  This can be in either mousse or spray form just make sure not to put in too much product to work against you and weigh hair down in the process.

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Spray it

Look for hairsprays that have thickening or volumizing agents built into them to help with your fine hair. Use them to set your overall look.

Get some layers put in

The next time you head to your salon to get your hair cut, give layers a try. By layering sections of hair, a texturized look is created which gives off the sense of thicker hair.

Don’t over-brush

Don’t brush your hair too often, this stimulates oils from the scalp which will make hair flat.  If you must fix your hair with some sort of tool, opt for a wide-tooth comb.

Get dirty

We know you have probably heard this about three thousand times but do not wash your hair everyday.  You will benefit from this by getting fuller looking hair at the roots, and just use dry shampoo in-between washes!

Originally published October 2013. Updated May 2017.