After a truly epic homemade pupusa recipe fail today (I’m officially leaving that one to the experts!) I decided to scrap a dinner post in favor of sharing a fantastic tip for adding tons of volume to otherwise flat hair via, what else, Pinterest.
I realize this is primarily a food blog, but hey, variety is the spice of life! Pun intended.
A Ridiculously Easy Way to Add Volume to Flat Hair:
(Pardon the fuzzy iPhone pic!)
Backstory:
I have the most ridiculous hair in the world (is it just me, or does every girl feel this way?!) Each hair is fine, but there’s lots of it, and my mane will hold a curl for approximitely 13 seconds before becoming flat and stringy. Therefore I can wear it straight, straight, or – wait for it – straight.
Because of my hair’s texture, it’s also really hard for me to achieve volume at the roots and crown of my head without a wicked teasing sesh and half a can of hairspray. It works, I suppose, but then I’m walking around with crusty hair all day, you know?
Anyway, last week I was surfing Pinterest when I came across a post for giving straight hair, lasting volume. The post (which I can’t find now) was great, but a lot of the tips had to do with blow drying your hair upside down. This worked really well for the gal in the post, but I have wicked baby hairs and flyaways that stick straight up in the air all day if I blow my hair out upside down.
Still with me?
The moral of the story is, there was one tip in the post for achieving epic volume at the roots of your hair that I had never heard before, and was positively giddy to try.
The Tip:
Shampoo your hair with volumizing shampoo, then rinse clean like normal. Next, condition your entire head – roots to tips – with volumizing conditioner. Before you rinse the conditioner out, squeeze a bit of shampoo into your hands, then add a little water and work it into a lather. Work the lather into just your scalp, then rinse the shampoo and conditioner out. Blow dry and style like normal.
I am telling you, with no other changes made to my hair routine, I have gone from nearly no volume at the roots and crown of my head, to this (which is a lot of volume, for me!)
(Pardon the same fuzzy iPhone pic!)
I was leery about putting conditioner into my roots, because I’ve always heard it weighs hair down creating the dreaded flat-head effect, but from just this one, teeny-tiny change in my shower routine, my hair now has oomph like it’s never had before. Plus it lasts all day! I just had to share. :)
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Do you have “challenging” hair? What products and tips do you love?
Angie 06.02.2012
Love the variety in posts! I can totally feel you on the “why does a curl stay for 17 seconds before dying” thing, I’ve been trying to curl my hair for years with no success. I thought I was destined to live as a straight haired girl for life.
Then I found Amy from Karmin’s YouTube video on how she curls her hair (Love Karmin’s music, her hair tutorial was a fun bonus!). It is the only thing that has ever worked for me, so I thought I’d share!
Ashley 06.02.2012
A friend recently started washing her hair like normal, but after blow-drying/styling she sprayed Suave dry shampoo on her roots. I noticed last night that her hair still had volume, and she said she did it at 5 am!!!
Going to try both tricks and see if it helps this life-less hair! :)
Thanks!
Amber 06.01.2012
I’ve got flat hair too, and when I was still straightening my hair, I found that Suave Professionals Volumizing Mousse worked better than anything else I’d used, including Big Sexy Hair and the Pantene brand. Maybe try it out once the Pantene is finished.
Allison 06.01.2012
I enjoyed reading your tip and also all the commenters’ tips. I am really hoping flat hair goes in style sometime! It would save me a lot of time in the mornings to not have to mousse, fluff, tease, etc. ;)
So, one thing that helps me with volume is to keep my hair wrapped in a microfiber towel (more absorbent then a a typical bath towel) while putting on makeup and doing other steps in my morning routine. The drier my hair when I start blowdrying, the more volume it has.
Lorie Winslow 06.01.2012
I tried this today and will admit I was very skeptical. I have the exact same kind of hair as yours- mine is much shorter right now though. I was AMAZED!! My hair had so much more volume!! I could not believe it. I love it and thank you so much for sharing! I live in Missouri— another Midwest girl like you and love your blog! Thank you so much for your positive posts and great recipes!! I look forward to reading them each time:).
Kendra 05.31.2012
I can completely relate to you on the fine/flat hair issue and I’ve never heard of this trick before so I’m excited to try it! Another product I really love for keeping those crazy baby hairs at bay (and the winter static to a minimum) is Lanza Hair Serum.
:)
Sara 05.31.2012
I’m so glad I read this before washing my hair tonight! What a great, super-simple trick. For product, I use DermOrganics Argon Oil. My hair is fine and tends to look greasy easily, but the Argon Oil left my hair hydrated and protected.
Kristen 05.31.2012
Oh no! I was waiting after you said you’d attempt the other day… I was looking up some of my own, and may attempt. What happened?!?!
Iowa Girl Eats 05.31.2012
Ugh – EVERYTHING! They were tough and tasteless. So sad!
Amanda G. 06.04.2012
I just tried making pupusas yesterday (after becoming hooked at Tortilla Cafe in the Eastern Market in DC – featured on Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives!!)…same problem as you!! Tough and tasteless. I put my griddle on the highest temp and STILL couldn’t get that crispy brown crust – they were absolutely terrible. I used the masa I found at my regular ol’ grocery store, and after online investigation, I think that’s where the problem lies.
Sara B. 05.31.2012
I use Bed Head – the Superstar varity – and I LOVE it! My hair is also really fine and this stuff gives me so much body and makes my hair feel so much thicker! After I towel dry my hair, I spray some Superstar-queen for a day & Superstar-leave in conditioner in the crown of my head and massage in. Then I also work in from root to tip some Superstar-blow dry lotion. I don’t use this stuff everyday, but when I do I get compliments on the way my hair looks! I’m telling you, this stuff is magic!!
Jessica 05.31.2012
For volume in my super fine, limp, half wavy/half curly (read: NAPPY) hair, I use a blow dry/thermal spray- right now I’m using Wella- and a mousse, right now RUSK Plumping. I blow dry with a round brush… usually just the the crown area, mostly bc I’m lazy and use my hands or a vent brush for the rest. Then flat iron with another thermal/protecting spray- used to use KMS, but they discontinued my favorite, so Ive been using Kenra thermal spray for that. After that, use a teasing brush. Works wonders. A little Kenra #25 hairspray. Vwaa-laaa!
If I want to curl/wave my hair, it holds best on the second or third day. (Remember HS dances when your stylist said don’t come with clean hair? Same theory applies.) Use a little dry shampoo (I like like TIGI Catwalk)- takes care of any greasiness and help hair to hold. I’ve been doing my waves with a flat iron lately, just quicker and I like the looks I’ve been getting.
Sorry for the earful- I used to be a hairstylist (sahm now) and I never get to share my tricks :)
kate 05.31.2012
kenra 25 is the best hairspray invented :)
Heather {ModernMealsforTwo} 05.31.2012
Sorry to hear about your recipe fail. I was just telling Hubster the other day that I’m wildly impressed that you post a good recipe every day! I happen to like a good non-recipe post, so thanks for the tip!
Sarah W 05.31.2012
Just saw this on pinterest too… maybe this is the site you saw it on? Thanks for sharing.
http://www.pinkpistachio.com/category/Beauty/
Alison 05.31.2012
I have curly hair that is a pain!! If someone were to see the amount of hair products I use everyday I would considered obsessed! I completely agree on using only Salon products, it makes a huge difference. After many years I finally feel that I have a handle on my once very uncontrolable hair. I use mostly Redkin products, love them!!
Mellissa 05.31.2012
I am trying this tomorrow, I have very fine blonde hair that I really struggle to get volume on. I have found that Aveeno Volumizing Shampoo and Conditioner work great, along with Redken Guts Volumizing Root Spray are fantastic.
Calee (@chimes) 05.31.2012
That’s an awesome tip! I’m sure it would work for people who get greasy easy as well.
My favorite volumizing product is Kevin Murphy’s texture master. You should try it! They sell it at Moda Salon in Des Moines. (used to be Halo)
Allison 06.01.2012
I agree the Kevin Murphy styling products are great. Salon Revolution in the east village area of Des Moines sells the full line of Kevin Murphy products.
Jen 05.31.2012
eek! I NEED to try this trick pronto! And maybe try the shampoo you use. I have lots of fine hair too. I want it to look lush and full. I hate when it looks weighed down and stringy.
Ann 05.31.2012
My friend and I recently discovered this wand that will make any type of hair hold a curl. It is only 30 bucks too!
Shawna 05.31.2012
I have the same type of hair, fine and lots of it. I have tried everything and just 2 months ago discovered a product that has given me Brigitte Bardot volume! It’s Bumble & Bumble Brown Powder, it is a dry shampoo that gives an insane amount of volume. I am addicted. It’s pricey but worth every single penny. I can go 3 days without washing my hair and it is full of volume and definitely not greasy looking. You can buy this at Bella Salon at Valley West Mall.
Angie @ Coffee and Cannolis 05.31.2012
I have the same hair type… so annoying. When I’m in weddings I have to have each curl individually bobby pinned since they won’t hold. I do condition most of my head because honestly, nothing has helped in the past, so I may as well have well conditioned hair! I’ve never thought to add a bit more shampoo to the roots before rinsing out the conditioner. I’ll definitely be trying that tonight! Unfortunately I rarely blow-dry my hair. It’s so fine it breaks just looking at a blow dryer!
Angie @ Coffee and Cannolis 05.31.2012
Oh, and to add – I’ve tried drugstore shampoos/conditioners as well as salon recommended stuff. Normally I can’t tell a difference. (Except, Pantene Pro-V and Dove make my hair very waxy and almost oily)
Allison 06.01.2012
Re – the drug store brands, I completely agree. I have had the same probs with Dove and Pantene. Garnier works great though.
Bethany 05.31.2012
My mom has super straight hair that she perms so that it will look like mine… curly and ridiculous. I would KILL for straight flat brown hair over my frizzy poofy red hair.
HOWEVER… I’m psyched that Disney/Pixar has decided to use a frizzy redhead in their new movie… It warms my heart :-)