We have all had those days when we style our hair perfectly, and then a few hours later we glance in the mirror only to see that our hair has deflated like a balloon.
Then, even worse, when we try to revive our hair by fluffing it up, we only manage to create a mess without adding any volume to our roots. Let’s just say that a bad hair day becomes even worse.
Most of us can agree that, unless you are going for a chic, board-straight hairstyle, flat roots can kill a good hairstyle. You may find yourself battling with flat roots on a regular basis, whether you have thick or thin hair.
However, flat roots can be defeated. In this article, we will discuss how to create volume in your roots and kick flatness to the curb.
How to Get Volume in Hair Roots
If you want to give your hair volume at the roots overnight or permanently, you can follow the methods below.
1. Use The Right Products
Creating volume in your roots starts by using the right products. Volume’s worst enemy is a product that weighs the hair down.
Check out the information below, which specifies what you should look for in each type of hair product.
Shampoo
Shampoo comes in many varieties, but if you have oily roots that tend to lack volume, try using a clarifying or shampoo once a week.
Some clarifying shampoos contain things such as charcoal or apple cider vinegar, which are a bit more gentle on hair than sulfates.
You can also make your own clarifying “shampoo” by rinsing your hair with diluted apple cider vinegar.
If you want to give your hair volume at the roots overnight, wash your hair upside down. This will help to lift the roots and add volume. Then use a volumizing shampoo and conditioner.
Look for products that contain ingredients like biotin, panthenol, and keratin.
Conditioner
If your hair is fine or thin, it probably gets weighed down easily. A heavy, rich, or oily conditioner can weigh down your hair even more.
Try using a lightweight conditioner that is formulated for fine hair. Also, if your roots tend to get oily, apply the conditioner to the mid-lengths and ends of your hair rather than your roots.
Styling Products
When selecting your styling products, look for lightweight products. If you have curly hair, this could include a lightweight, spray-on, leave-in conditioner, and a light gel (Bounce Curl has a lightweight gel that I absolutely love).
If you have straight hair, perhaps a lightweight, moisturizing styling cream will do the trick. There are plenty of moisturizing products on the market that don’t weigh your hair down.
2. Style Your Hair
The way you style your hair can either leave you with loads of volume at your roots or leave you with a flat, dull, boring mess.
By utilizing the styling tips below, you will be able to create amazing volume no matter your hair texture.
Curly/Wavy Hair
Just because your hair is curly, doesn’t mean it always has luscious volume at the roots. This is especially the case if your curls are fine and/or long.
As a curly girl myself, I know that there is nothing worse than poofy hair with flat roots. The styling tips below will help you to maximize your volume.
If you are air-drying your curls or waves, apply your product and then flip your head over and/or from side to side as you thoroughly “plop” the excess water out of your curls. Removing the excess water will allow your curls to spring up without all that extra weight.
While your hair is air-drying, you can lift your roots with double-prong clips, or even flip your hair over occasionally to create movement and volume in your roots. (Don’t touch your hair too often. This can create frizz.)
If you are diffusing your curls/waves, apply your hair products and then flip your hair over and/or from side to side as you diffuse.
Continue to move the position of your head and the diffuser in order to add volume to all of your roots. Also, do not hold the diffuser in one place for too long, because this can create stiff curls.
Hold your diffuser in one spot for a couple of seconds, and then move it. When your hair is dry, gently massage your scalp with clean hands, and then flip your hair over. You will have loads of volume.
Creating Volume in Straight Hair
Straight hair doesn’t have to mean flat hair! Your straight hair can still be full of body, from roots to ends. The following tips will help you to achieve volume at your roots, even if you have board-straight hair.
If you are air-drying your straight hair, apply your product to your hair, and gently squeeze and pat excess water out of your hair to prevent your hair from being weighed down.
Brush your hair up and away from your scalp, to ensure that your roots are not stuck to your scalp.
While your hair is air-drying, occasionally flip your head over or from side to side (without touching it) in order to lift your roots from your scalp. After your hair is dry, brush it again in an out-and-down direction.
If you are blow-drying your straight hair, do not brush your hair against your scalp as you blow dry. After you apply your product, blow dry your hair section by section using a large round brush.
Place the brush underneath each section of hair while you are drying it, and move the brush in an upward motion.
If you don’t want to blow dry section by section, you can add volume to your roots by flipping your head over and blow drying it all at the same time.
In this case, you would brush your hair down (still away from the scalp) to create volume and avoid frizziness.
3. Create Volume in Your Roots by Using a Lifting Powder or Dry Shampoo
Lifting powders and dry shampoos can do wonders for adding an extra boost to your roots. Dry Shampoos absorb some of the excess oil in your roots that may be weighing them down, and lifting powders have a similar effect, but add a bit of extra hold as well.
If you use a dry shampoo or root powder, only apply it to your roots. If you get it on the mid-lengths and ends of your hair, your hair can become dry, stiff, and frizzy.
Simply sprinkle some of the powder close to your roots, flip your hair over, and gently rub it into your roots.
You can use circular motions, or you can use an outward motion by gently pulling the powder from your roots toward the mid-lengths of your hair. It is best to use a wide-toothed comb or clean hands.
One thing to keep in mind when it comes to dry shampoo or volumizing root powder is that these products should not be used every single day.
If you use them too often, your hair can become dry because they are designed to soak up the oils from your scalp and prevent them from reaching the rest of the hair. Also, use a clarifying shampoo once a week if you regularly use dry shampoo or root lifting powder.
If used properly, dry shampoo and root lifting powder can be great tools for creating volume and defeating those flat roots.
4. Create Volume in Your Roots by Getting the Right Cut
Getting the right haircut is one of the best ways to ensure that your roots are always voluminous. Even if you follow all the suggestions in this article, your volume won’t last long if you have the wrong cut.
Below are two volumizing elements that can be incorporated into your haircut.
Layers
Layers do wonders for adding volume because they minimize the weight of the hair, and thereby lift the roots. If you have trouble with flat roots, you might want to try getting some shorter layers.
If you have what I call “the triangle effect,” meaning your hair is flat on top and then poofs at the bottom like a triangle, you definitely need some layers to distribute the weight of your hair.
If you are hesitant to add layers all over your head, try starting with some face-framing layers to add a little extra boost of volume around your face.
Texturizing/Thinning
If you have very thick hair that tends to be weighed down and flat at the roots, your hairstylist can texturize your hair and thin out some of the weight without creating noticeable layers.
They can do this with texturizing shears, or by simply cutting very small pieces of hair. The great thing about texturizing is that it can be added to any hairstyle, with or without layers. Texturize the hair around the crown of your head for the best results.
The right haircut will up your hair game and make all of the previous suggestions in this article so much more effective. Give your hair a boost with the right cut!
Summary
Flat roots can ruin an otherwise “good hair day.” However, they can be defeated! By utilizing the above suggestions, you can ensure that your roots are full of volume. Both your roots and your confidence will be lifted!
Key Things to Know:
- If your roots tend to be oily, use a clarifying shampoo once a week.
- Choose lightweight styling products that won’t weigh your hair down.
- If you have curly hair, create volume in your roots by diffusing your hair upside-down, or by flipping your hair over occasionally while air drying.
- If you have straight hair, brush your hair up and out when blowdrying, or flip your hair from side to side occasionally while air drying.
- Use a dry shampoo or root lifting powder occasionally to give your roots an extra boost.
- By getting a haircut with layers and texture, you will be releasing some of the weight from your roots, which creates volume.