6 genius ways to make thin hair look seriously thick

32 years of hair issues will teach you a trick or two when it comes to achieving thicker locks, or at least the illusion of it. I’ve been trying so many styling products and treatments over the years and none of them really did anything, so I had to switch the page and adopt new ways of accepting my hair as it is, with a few amendments now and then. What can you do when you have thin hair and don’t want to look like your bald aunt Maude? Read on and take notes:

1. Forget about long hair

Ever since I was a little girl, I imagined myself waiving my hair around, like Rapunzel and her infinite strands of hair, and used wigs made of tights to achieve that. Growing up, I knew all my efforts of letting my hair long were for nothing, and decided to cut it short. The longer the hair gets the more it weighs itself down, making it even thinner, stringy looking. Thus it is best to cut it medium to short length, and there are so many ways to style it and look chic. There are always clip-ons for those special occasions, but better to have healthy looking hair, than make people wonder how on earth did you leave the house looking like a wet cat.

2. Don’t get stuck on one part

I always adopt this trick: when you part your hair the same way every day for a long time, the hair become used to lay flat on that side. By flipping it to the opposite part you create some volume. Spritz with some texture spray at the root to get that voluminous flip and you’ll have yourself a good hair day, for once. Nanogen hair thickening spray is what I use to add lasting volume and texture. It is great for a bouncy blow dry or a more undone beachy wave. You can also try looks without a defined part, because they can show too much of your scalp.

3. Don’t use hair oils

They are great for moisturising your hair, and my brittle locks definitely need something hydrating enough to heal those split ends, but be careful what you’re using. Most of the oils add shine, nothing more and they become a coating on top of your hair, so it’s very difficult to remove. It will weight down your hair, making your hair look even thinner. And who wants that? I just use Davines Oi All in One Milk, which is one of the best treatments to condition your hair without weighing it down. Provides shine, silkiness and softness, especially made for dehydrated hair, but it lets it bounce and feel full of life. 

4. Don’t overdo your hair colour

I used to be quite addicted to the feeling of more texture after I had my hair coloured, so I paid quite a lot of money almost each month to have my roots done, highlights, all over colour, you name it. I’ve learned it the hard way that overdoing bleach and processing your hair too often, gets it to the point of being fried, and can seriously thin out your hair. By going as long as you can between appointments, you will prolong your hair’s condition and health. What about us, the grey hairy lot? John Frieda just launched an amazing product, which left me speechless. I am talking about the Brilliant Brunette range. I have used the in-shower lightening treatment for my grey roots, and after 5 minutes I had gold strands, without making my hair appear bleached or orange. This sort of treatment will lighten dark roots and brighten all over colour, for a sun-kissed glow that lasts all year round. The range is destined for deep brunettes and blondes too.

5. Mousse should become your best friend

The best one I’ve tried is Bumble & Bumble thickening full form mousse. A cushioned creme mousse that inflates hair as you add heat to lift, sculpt and hold full-bodied silhouettes. You need the right technique to apply it, so it will work. Start with your hair being damp. Spray a golf ball-size amount of mousse into your palm, and then take a comb and gently run it over the mousse to get a little bit of product on the bristles. Comb through from the mid-lengths to the ends and continue around your entire head until it’s evenly distributed. This way, you won’t get that annoying crunchy feeling from too much product!

6. Use velcro rollers at the crown of your head

All the hairstylists that went through my hair said rollers would be exactly what I need. Spray some hair primer at the crown, such as Davines Blowdry Primer, for a bodifying anti-humidity tonic, to provide texture and protection against heat and humidity. Put the rollers at the top triangle of your head. If you want even more volume, blow warm air on the rollers for about 30 seconds, then let them cool for about 10 minutes and take out the rollers. Boom, volume!

• davines
• hair
• John Frieda
• Nanogen