How to Make Your Hair Fluffier – Our 8 Top Tips!

Megan Dominion

Choosing the right volumising shampoo and conditioner can have a big influence on your hair volume. But there are a few more tricks you can try to get your hair fluffier and get that volume you’re after.

Flat hair is a common problem that many men and women with type 1 or 2 hair face. Even type 3 hairtype 4 hair can have its flat and lifeless days. So if you have an event coming up, or just want to add some everyday volume to your hair-do, and your straight, wavy, curly, or even thinning hair seems like it needs some help, we have some tips for you to try! Here are our 8 top tips to get some extra fluff and volume:

1. Review your hair health

Is flat, lackluster hair a recent thing you are experiencing? This could be a result from changes in hair products, environment, diet, stress, health or hormones. Have a think if anything has changed recently, and it is always worth chatting to your doctor if you are concerned with thinning or unheathy looking hair, especially if there are other symptoms you may be experiencing. Sometimes something as simple as slightly changing your diet and getting more exercise can help but a medical professional can help you with identifying any cause in changing hair health.

Also read: Stress and hair loss

2. Clarify your hair

If your hair is usually a lot bouncier and fluffier, but it’s looking a little limp and dull, maybe your hair is a bit greasier than usual, it could very well be worth using a clarifying shampoo to remove any product build up that is weighing your hair down. Over-moisturised heair can also weigh your hair down – if your hai is feeling a bit ‘mushy’ you could have a bit of hygral fatigue, in which case clarifying a cuple of times and using protein rich products can counteract this. Pay attention to your hair after clarifying – it can be a balancing act between moisture, protein and clarifying.

3. Use Lightweight & Hair Volumising Products

Certain products are specifically designed to add volume to your hair. There are MANY out there from shampoos & conditioners to treatments, hair mousse & styling products. If you’re looking to add volume, why not try out a few new products formulated to do just this. Speak to yoour hair stylist for some recommendations or have a look through Glamour’s list of best volumising hair products.

Have a look at the products you are currently using as well. Any heavy conditioners may be counteracting any efforts you are putting in to fluff out your hair. Try use lightweight conditioners and styling products in your hair so as not to weigh it down at the same time you’re trying to fluff it up.

Volume in type 2 hair

4. Wash, brush & dry your hair upside down

To encourage a bit of extra ‘root-lift’, try washing, brushing, styling, diffusing, blowdrying (basically everything in your usual routine) upside down. Plopping can work really well for type 1-2 hair in adding some volume.

In particular, blow drying your hair upside down can encourage some extra ‘fluff’. Use a boar brustle brush to enhance this tactic.

Here we’ve outlined some tips on root clipping and plopping for volume.

Friend putting rollers in hair

5. Use Hot Rollers

Hot rollers can be really effective at adding some fluff and volume to your hair. We’re all about healthy hair here at SilkUp so we would suggest you try this method with caution. Use heat protector products, and don’t try this too often as damaged hair can be difficult to come back from. If your hair smells like it is burning – that’s because it is! Use products that will add back any lost moisture after trying this method too. At the end of the day, you’ll be the one who knows what your hair can and can’t handle in terms of heat styling.

6. Use Hair Curlers

A safer  and healthier method than the one above would be to air dry your hair, or use the cool setting of your hair drier, with hair curlers in. These can be great at giving thinner hair added volume.

7. Tease your hair

Using a teasing comb, very gently backcomb your hair a section at a time to give it more volume. Never tug at your hair while you’re doing this, the extra volume is not worth damaging your hair.

8. Use a hair diffuser

Nope, these tools are not just for curly hair types! Here’s a secret, using this tool on straight to wavy hair can add extra volume and movement. Give it a try and see how your hair reacts to diffusing.

The method of diffusing your hair, no matter if you’re type 1 or type 4, can affect how much extra fluff is created. Usually this tool is known for creating well-defined curls & coils, but any curly girl will tell you they’ve ended up with loads more fluff than when air drying their locks at least once before.

Try out this method of diffusing straight to wavy hair:

  • Add some leave-in conditioner and/or curl cream to your damp hair upside down.
  • Scrunch this into your hair to encourage some wavy strands.
  • Using the cool setting on your hairdryer, diffuse your hair upside down or with your head sideways, starting at the roots first, slowly moving the diffuser over your hair in a circular motion.
  • Dry your ends last, holding the diffuser above your hair still

Plopping upside down

We hope you’ve got some new ideas and new hair styles to try out! Remember to keep hair health in mind when trying any new methods or products. And chat to your stylist if you are unsure.

Megan Dominion

Megan Dominion is SILKUP's Managing Editor. She's been down both the curly hair and skincare rabbit holes many times and loves that there's always something new to learn; a new science, method, product or personal experience.