Pump up the volume

Bountiful hair is hard to come by. Grazia research shows 43% of us are in pursuit of more volume and thickness. Here, we help you out…

THE THICK OF IT There tends to be three main reasons why hair lacks body. The first is hair that is naturally fine, meaning that each individual strand is thinner in diameter than someone with typically ‘thick’ hair. Thanks to an oil gland attached to each strand, those with fine hair often find that their hair errs on the oily side. ‘Each hair takes up less space so there’s room for more,’ says Anabel Kingsley, trichologist at the Philip Kingsley Clinic. ‘But conversely, the more hairs you have, the more oil the scalp produces.’ And as we all know from teenage dirtbag days gone by, lots of oil equals lank hair that is known to sit flat on the head.

The second, more simple hair situation is thick hair that just needs a little teasing to feel as plump as freshly facialed skin.

The third and most distressing issue is actual hair loss or thinning, also known as alopecia, which is more difficult to get around. ‘ The most common type of alopecia in women occurs when hair follicles in certain areas are genetically more sensitive to circulating male hormones [or androgens],’ says Anabel. 

‘ The hair follicles gradually shrink and produce hairs of a thinner diameter and shorter length with each passing growth cycle.’ Obviously, the thinner hair becomes, the more likely you’ll be able to see the scalp and the more likely it is to break, too.

If you are genetically sensitive to androgens, it’s worth visiting a trichologist, but note that other reasons can exacerbate thinning: hormone imbalances, nutritional deficiencies (or excesses), such as a lack of protein and vitamin D, the menopause, and stress are some causes. Plus the older we get, the thinner our hair will become generally. A trichologist can recommend blood tests to ascertain – or rule out – the root (ahem) of the cause. ‘Do not despair – a lot can be done to prevent further deterioration and, depending on the cause, to improve existing hair volume,’ says Anabel.

SUPP ME UP

Lacklustre, thinning, fine or easily broken hair might be down to a deficient diet. ‘One of the most common causes of hair loss is iron and ferritin [stored iron] deficiency,’ Anabel points out. If there’s not enough iron and ferritin in the body, it can’t produce haemoglobin (found in the blood), which carries oxygen to the cells that stimulate hair growth. Cue unhealthy, brittle hair that’s prone to thinning. ‘If you have a balanced and healthy diet, which comprises adequate iron and proteins, it will reflect in your skin and hair,’ says Anabel.

Ensure there is plenty of protein, vitamin B12 and leafy greens in your diet too, as well as biotin (another type of vitamin B), a nutrient that helps the body produce keratin, a protein found in the hair. Foods like eggs, chicken, spinach, fatty fish such as salmon, avocado, beans, red meat and nuts are all wonderful for your hair and will help to encourage growth. ‘As well as ensuring you’re eating a healthy diet, make sure to eat at regular intervals to offer a sustained supply of energy to the follicles,’ recommends Anabel. Those who leave longer than four hours between meals should snack on some kind of complex carbohydrate (whether that be wholegrain bread or sweet potato) between them to help ensure cells have enough energy to do their hair-growing thing.

Although never a substitute for a healthy diet, supplements can help. Look for those that contain omega 3, vitamins B12, D3 and E and antioxidants. They’ll help bolster hair health from the inside, out. Philip Kingsley’s Root Complex [9], £38, contains all the above and has a delivery system that means the nutrients are guaranteed to be asbsorbed, while New Nordic Hair Volume tablets [14], £24.95 for 30, are great for those who want to boost hair’s condition, with B12, biotin, and zinc (a deficiency of which can lead to hair loss). However, a blood test is always recommended to diagnose any key deficiencies you may have.

STYLE IT OUT

There’s a reason why so many of us turn to our favourite blow-dry bar when the going gets tough. Professionals can give you the kind of volume that doesn’t seem possible at home and can last up to a week. But you, too, can learn the tricks of the trade and use them straight from the comfort of your own home.

Guido Palau, the super-stylist behind many of the world’s most iconic images, advises, ‘If you want to add volume, it’s all about lifting the roots away from the head.’ ‘Use a brush [we love Color Wow’s The Dream Smooth Paddle Brush [15], £28 at victoriahealth.com, to pull hair away from the head and apply product underneath, at the root, then blow-dry.’ Guido recommends Redken Wind Blown [2], £13.50, or a powder spray (try Virtue Lifting Powder [5], £32) to help thicken and fill the cuticle. ‘Alternatively, use rollers to pin hair up and blow-dry there.’ For volume that really holds, it’s essential to let the hair cool in position once dried.

For flat hair that refuses to play ball, Guido advocates a volume-boosting styling product first – Percy & Reed’s new Root Lift Mousse [3], £15, for example – and then adding Wind Blown or powder spray on top to help add guts to hair. ‘Don’t over-wash it either – hair that is too clean gives the reverse of a “natural lift”,’ he advises, and recommends using powder or volume spray again the next day, 

to help boost hair further – the more unwashed hair is, the better the result.

PUMP IT UP

Ever considered that the shape of your haircut isn’t doing you any favours in the volume department? ‘Length plays a massive part in determining if the hair lacks volume or not,’ says Daniele De Angelis, international artistic director at Toni & Guy. ‘It looks much fuller if cut from the collarbone, upwards. Shorter is best.’ To give the illusion of volume, layers are also a nifty idea as they make hair look thicker, and the shorter they are, the less weighed down they will be. ‘ Then you can backcomb and utilise your hair dryer to create different textures.’

SMOKE AND MIRRORS

There is no need to fear the dreaded root: ‘A darker root makes hair look two- or three-dimensional, making it look more voluminous,’ says colour supremo Josh Wood, whose go-to on platinum bleach dye jobs is an intentional slightly shadowed root. Ask your colourist to keep roots slightly darker than the rest of hair or use one of the excellent, will-not-budge root sprays on the market, like Josh Wood Colour Tinted Dry Shampoo [1], £10. ‘Creating light and dark adds contrast that makes the hair look fuller,’ says Josh.

ROUTINE REVAMP

‘A healthy hair strand should stretch and bounce back like an elastic band,’ advises Anabel. ‘If it snaps easily, it is weak and in need of some TLC.’ In fact, a healthy hair should stretch to a further third of its length (when wet) before breaking, so if yours are snapping all over the shop, consider the damaging elements your hair is exposed to ( heat, UV rays, wind, chemicals from colouring agents). Not only does that mean using a heat-protecting spray whenever styling (we love Tresemmé Care & Protect [4], £5.50), but it’s also about creating a haircare regime that works with and for your hair type.

‘ You need to restore elasticity, so apply an intensive moisturising mask to your hair once to twice a week,’ says Anabel. ‘ The best ones are pre-shampoo conditioners that you apply to damp hair at least 20 minutes before washing it.’ This helps maximise the hydrating benefits of the product and means that active ingredients are absorbed into the hair shaft rather than sitting outside it and weighing hair down. Sisley Regenerating Hair Care Mask [8], £71, contains macadamia and hazelnut oils to intensely hydrate as well as restorative proteins to help bolster each strand’s resilience. And Living Proof Restore Mask Treatment [10], £37, promises to make hair 20-times more resistant to breakage after just one use.

Similarly, volume-boosting shampoos and conditioners sell like wildfire on Net-a-porter (Oribe Shampoo for Magnificent Volume [11], £37, is one of its best-sellers). To ward off hair breakage, Olaplex’s new No 4 and No 5 Bond Maintenance Shampoo and Conditioner [6 & 7], both £24, seek out hair’s broken bonds and repair them, leading to fuller hair. Then there’s Ful.vic Health’s vitamin B-packed Fulvic Shampoo and Conditioner [12 & 13], both £25 at victoriahealth.com, which deliver more than 65 minerals to hair follicles to promote hair growth.