9 Volumizing Hair Hacks for Flat Hair

This blog post was originally published on February 15, 2018. 

“Why is my hair so flat?” That’s one of the top questions we get here at Viviscal. If you’re experiencing flat hair, don’t fret. We have some simple styling techniques that can rejuvenate limp hair for voluminous, lush-looking locks. Keep reading to learn our best hair hacks for flat, lifeless hair.

Why Do I Have Lifeless Hair?

Do you ever feel like your hair is too soft and limp? You may have fine hair. Fine hair has strands that are smaller in diameter than other hair types. Since they take up less space, fine strands are more prone to looking flat and lifeless. Fine hair has a tendency to become greasy easily, which can add to the appearance of limp hair. The good news? Fine hair is easier to style than coarse hair, and having fine hair can drastically reduce your hair drying time.

But without the right styling, fine hair can mean flat hair. Luckily, you can follow a few easy tips to reverse this state of lifeless hair!

Volumizing Styling Tips for Thin, Lifeless Hair:

1. Choose a Lightweight Conditioner

Many hair conditioners are actually too heavy for use on fine hair, which can leave you with greasy-looking, lifeless hair even when your hair is clean. That’s why it’s so important to use a conditioner that’s formulated specifically for fine hair like Viviscal Strengthening Conditioner. This gentle formula provides necessary moisture without extra weight. For maximum volume, only apply conditioner from the ear level to the ends.

2. Detangle Like a Pro

Not only are tangles annoying, but the process of detangling knots can damage your fine hair. Skip the detangling process altogether with these tricks to avoid knotting up the easily tangled flat hair:

• Protect hair from knotting in your sleep by wearing it in a protective hairstyle like a loose top knot or braids.
• Avoid hair products that contain alcohol as these can dry out hair and make it more prone to knotting.
• Keep a small hairbrush in your bag to detangle on the go.
• Wear hair in a protective hairstyle on windy days.

If your hair does get tangled, use the right detangling technique to prevent damage. To detangle hair properly, use a wide-toothed comb and gently brush hair starting at the ends and slowly working your way up.

3. Blow-Dry Roots Upside Down

Blowdrying your hair upside down creates more volume at the roots by “training” your hair to stick up slightly rather than falling flat. Mist damp hair with a heat protectant, then use a blow dryer to roughly dry hair upside down. Once hair is almost dry, use a round brush and low heat setting to smooth hair into place.

4. Get a Haircut

Long hair weighs down strands, which pulls at your roots and causes flat hair. Chop off a couple of extra inches at the salon to give lifeless hair instant volume and remove any dry split ends. Ask your hairstyle for a haircut for fine hair that will make your fine hair look thicker and more voluminous.

5. Be Careful with Products

Smoothing serums and styling oils are great for protecting ends and preventing frizzy flyaways. However, if these products are too heavy, they can weigh down roots, resulting in flat hair. For best results, apply these hair-styling products from mid-length to ends. And opt for lightweight leave-ins and serums such as Viviscal Hair Thickening Serum.

6. Try Rollers

Those rollers may seem old-fashioned, but they’re actually an industry secret to getting big, bouncy waves. After curling your hair, wrap your curls around hook-and-loop rollers and let them sit while your curls cool. After 20 minutes or so, take out the rollers and enjoy the added volume at your roots.

7. Experiment with Dry Shampoo

Dry shampoo not only is great for absorbing extra oil (which can be a big problem for fine hair), it’s also an amazing tool for adding texture and body to lifeless hair. Spritz dry shampoo into roots, dry with a quick blast of the blow-dryer, and then brush out to add volume and lift to flat hair.

8. Give Teasing a Shot

For special occasions when you need a little extra boost, good old-fashioned hair teasing may do the trick. Use a rattail comb to separate a two-to-three-inch section of hair away from the crown. Gently backcomb the hair, starting four inches from the scalp. Spritz with hairspray, then gently smooth over the top layer of hair using a comb. Frequent hair teasing can damage locks, so use this trick sparingly.

9. Switch Your Part

Switching your part is one of the easiest ways to add volume to flat hair. If you style your hair the same way every day, your hair becomes “trained” to fall in a certain way. When you switch your part, hair falls against the way that it’s trained to grow, which gives more volume to the roots.

Do you have any tips for volumizing flat hair? Let us know in the comment section below!