How to Get Volume Without Teasing, Backcombing, or Damage

Big hair is back.

The good news? You don't have to spend ten minutes aggressively backcombing your roots to get it.

Teasing and backcombing can create impressive volume, but they work by pushing the hair back toward the scalp and creating a tangled base underneath the style. That can mean more friction, more difficult detangling later, and more manipulation than your hair really needs.

If you want fullness without intentionally creating knots, there are better ways to build it.

Start With the Foundation

Volume is harder to create when your hair is already weighed down.

Heavy product application, buildup, and too many finishing products can make even naturally full hair fall flat.

You don't need squeaky-clean, product-free hair every time you want volume, but starting with hair that has movement gives you a much better foundation.

If you're styling from wash day, think ahead. Apply what your hair needs without automatically layering on every cream, oil, and butter in your cabinet.

Lift the Root Instead of Teasing It

A lot of volume comes down to one thing: direction.

Hair that dries or cools flat against the scalp tends to stay there.

Hair that's lifted away from the scalp while it's being styled has a better opportunity to maintain that shape.

That's why changing the direction of the hair at the root can make such a noticeable difference, even without teasing.

Try directing sections upward or away from their natural fall while styling rather than pulling everything straight down.

Use Larger Rollers for Bigger, Softer Volume

Hot rollers are one of the easiest ways to add volume without creating a tangled base underneath the hair.

The Amplifying Hot Rollers include two sizes:

• 1.5-inch rollers for more curl, shape, and bounce
• 1.75-inch rollers for larger bends, body, and blowout-style volume

If big, soft volume is the goal, the larger 1.75-inch rollers are a great place to start.

You can also mix sizes throughout your set. Use larger rollers where you want lift and fullness, then smaller rollers where you want more shape.

And because additional 1.5-inch and 1.75-inch rollers can be purchased separately, you can build a set around the size you use most.

Placement Changes the Result

Roller size matters, but placement matters too.

For more lift at the crown, position the roller so the section is elevated rather than pulled downward before rolling.

For softer volume through the lengths, focus on creating shape and movement rather than tightly wrapping every section.

You don't need every roller positioned exactly the same way.

Think about where you want volume, then place accordingly.

Let Your Hair Cool Before You Take It Down

This is the part that's easy to rush.

Heat helps reshape the hair, but cooling helps that new shape settle.

If you immediately remove your rollers while the hair is still warm, you may watch some of that volume disappear before you've even finished taking down the set.

Give the rollers time to cool before removing them.

Then separate and arrange the hair gently rather than immediately brushing through all the volume you just created.

Don't Flatten It With the Finish

You got the volume. Don't accidentally undo it.

Heavy oils, creams, and too much finishing product can quickly pull fullness back down, especially on fine hair.

Start with less.

You can always add a little more product where you need it, but it's much harder to get airy volume back once the hair has been weighed down.

Big Volume Doesn't Require Big Damage

Volume doesn't have to come from roughing up your hair.

Start with movement. Create lift at the root. Use roller size and placement strategically. Let the hair cool. Keep the finish light.

You can get the big, bouncy result without turning detangling into tomorrow's problem.