Make Your Fine Hair Appear Thicker with These 10 Tips

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. This might sound dramatic, but as we know, those of us with fine, seemingly lifeless hair know this a serious struggle—and we hardly ever come out on top. But what you might not know is that there are actually plenty of tips and tricks to make find hair look thicker, super-full and bouncy.

Follow these tips, and you’ll be lookin’ like you just had a Victoria’s Secret blowout in no time. Promise.

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The Right Shampoo

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

Avoid This 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.

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The Blow Dry

First step: Spray a heat protectant all over your 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, but just make sure not to put in too much product. Doing so will 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.

Add Layers

The next time you head to your salon to get your hair cut, give layers a try. Layering sections of hair creates a texturized look that makes your hair appear thicker.

Don’t Over-Brush

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

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Get Dirty

You’ve probably heard this about 3,000 times, but do not wash your hair everyday.Pulling back on how often you wash your hair will allow for fuller-looking hair at the roots. In-between washes, use dry shampoo.

A version of this article was originally published in October 2013.