Want more volume? How to breathe life into fine hair

Carefully considered cuts and appropriate aftercare will help fine hair types feel full and bouncy.

Fine hair doesn’t have to be flat and lifeless, but it might require a bit more effort to create volume.

Finer-textured hair can come in all shapes and forms – from poker straight to wavy or curly – which might all require a slightly different approach, but there are some central rules that Louise Tomlin, senior stylist at premium hair salon CULt Hairdressing, says could help boost fullness and body.

The first thing to consider is the type of haircut you opt for. While Instagram might currently be populated with shaggy, choppy cuts – like the wolf and butterfly styles – Tomlin instead recommends a “more classic, sharper finish on the hair”.

So should you completely ditch layers? Not necessarily, Tomlin says, but it’s important to tread carefully.

“It depends on the hair texture – even if the hair texture is fine, if it’s wavy or curly, that would determine the actual technique of how we cut the hair,” she notes.

“When cutting the hair we can always create more volume with layers, [but] there’s also the fine line of over-layering it, which will then make the hair finer. It depends on the length and texture, but generally I’d say to keep it more classic, and keep more structure and sharper shapes in the haircut.”

So the name of the game is thoughtful layers to give you the “illusion” of volume, rather than going overboard.

Some kind of fringe can also help, with Tomlin saying: “It can really change a hairstyle – it gives you that texture and fullness around the face.”

She picks out 70-year-old reality star Kris Jenner – mother to Kim Kardashian and Kylie Jenner – as a fine-haired celebrity who gets her cut spot on.

“Her hair seems to work every time, because she keeps that French sort of sharp bob, but then she still has a bit of texture – she normally incorporates some sort of fringe or curtain bangs, which seems to be quite popular as well,” Tomlin explains.

“That’s a look that’s quite timeless, whether you’re that age or younger. So going for that nice, sharp, clean bob, it gives you that texture and fullness around the face.”

As for the wolf and butterfly cuts, Tomlin says: “[They’re] basically the same sort of layered haircut, but that’s something I personally wouldn’t do as a hairdresser on someone who’s got quite fine hair, because it can make the hair look very thin and very stringy – it almost gives the ultimate effect of what you’re wanting to go for.”

To maintain your haircut, Tomlin recommends a trip to the salon every six to eight weeks, “Because that allows you to keep the overall style and keeps it looking fresh – it also keeps the actual hair quality a lot better.”

And it’s not just about regular cuts – people with fine hair can keep their locks looking healthy and full between visits, with the right aftercare.

Tomlin tells her clients to “invest in a good shampoo – something that’s moisturising, but not too heavy for the hair”, she says. “I would normally recommend a good heat protection spray as well – again, something quite light, maybe a sea salt spray.”

In terms of other ingredients to look out for, Tomlin says: “We normally recommend anything that has hyaluronic acid in it, so anything that’s quite moisturising and lightweight on the hair.

“It’s also how you apply it to the hair as well – so we always recommend with products, not to put it too directly on the root. And when you’re shampooing, always cleanse the hair twice, so you’re removing any build-up on the hair.”

When it comes to washing, there’s no hard and fast rule: “It depends on people’s lifestyle,” notes Tomlin. “A lot of our clients tend to go to the gym… That also determines how often they actually wash their hair. I wouldn’t recommend doing it every single day, because that will dry the hair out.”

And finally, you don’t need to completely shun heat tools, but Tomlin recommends being “cautious with hot much heat you’re applying to the hair”, and always using a good heat protection spray.

You can use blow-drying to help give that illusion of volume: “I always say to my clients it’s good to dry the hair with a paddle brush, then go through it with a big round brush – just to encourage more lift and movement on the root, to get that fullness and more of an added finish in the hair.”

Fine hair heroes