I want big hair

[Crissy]

My hair is about an inch or so below my shoulders. It is very fine. I can't say it's thick, but I seem to have a lot of it. I either wear the front pinned back on the sides in two claw clips or pulled together in one. Lately it's been so hot I just pull it up in a Goody ouchless ponytail holder. I like my cut and style. The problem is that no mater what length my hair is or what products (or lack thereof) I put in my hair I cannot achieve the big hair that I crave. I want big hair!

I'm not talking 80s hair here. Just some nice body that doesn't fall flat and irritate me about five minutes after I style it.

[Toni]

Hi Crissy,

I know all about fine hair and the desire for a change from the flat look one gets from it. This can be a challenge to say the least.

First thing many stylists would suggest is a body perm. This is a long time commitment until it grows out so if you have never tried it, you may want to start with all the other methods of temporary curl.

You didn't say if you had all one length hair or any layering. I need to know if I am on track so I will start with a few questions. By "big hair" do you really mean volume so that grabbing it by the handfuls it feels much thicker? And also looks lots fuller with some body, loaded with waves like today's styles?

I will begin by referring you back to a post I just did on Vanessa Anne Hudgens in the "From Hairstyles Watch" category. There is a pic of her hairstyle there along with the advice I just gave in styling it that way. Please note that I mention that this method works well on medium length hair as well.

Vanessa Anne Hudgens' hairstyle

Hair shaping pastes, spray on 'root-lifters' and sometimes just good old-fashioned hair spray applied to the root area there at the scalp as the first step to styling your hair, will all help give some 'lift' to alleviate flat hair. These products save your hair by giving you alternatives to what is called backbrushing, widely known as teasing the hair, for any height. Backbrushing is damaging to the hair and should never be done continuously.

Good luck and let me know how you make out. Especially if I have not guessed correctly as to your definition of 'big hair'.

[Crissy]

Hi Toni. Thanks! I'd love to try perming again, but can't. I have too many years of bad perms. I still have nightmares of bad perms. Yes, I wake up screaming. LOL! No really. I could tell you about some of them. And since I color my hair I can't perm too. At least that's what I've been told.

I love that hairstyle! I don't think I can pull that off. I really can't do hair. Maybe I should have said that to begin with. I'm pretty capable of spraying the roots and then drying with a medium round brush. I've never been good at backcombing.

I have layers. I think by big hair I meant lots of volume that stays. I know, dream on.

[Toni]

Crissy,

Will let you in on a little secret (and everyone reading this too I suppose! LOL) I decided to become a cosmetologist because I too had one too many bad perms. That last one prior to Beauty School over processed my hair, I still looked like Bernadette Peters six months later when it finally went from burnt to showing signs of curl as it relaxed a bit.

I too have fine hair and it grew very slowly. I now know what to do and how to advise those with my hair type. And I won't try to convince you to get a perm for I totally understand.

Just keep trying different hair products. Especially those who help you lock in body and curl.

You may find this interesting if not helpful.

styling long hair

Oh, and btw, you CAN perm and color hair if you are careful and knowledgeable in the art of hair coloring.
I have done both to my fine hair. I know if I can, anyone can.

[Crissy]

Seventh grade. Thick unfortunate glasses. There weren't cute frames then. Or if there were, they were more money than my parents were willing to spend. Long hair bad perm. Tight curls.

Early 20s. One of Mom's many perms. This was the one good one. The curls were loose and beutiful. Lasted less than a month because my hair can't hold a curl. Did the next perm just a little tighter. The perm was horrible and, you guessed it, WOULD NOT relax.

Another Mom perm. We listened to bad advice to run the blow dryer over my hair after rolling it. FRIED!

Then there was the hair dresser who said perm and I said no. She said just a light body wave and I reluctantly relented. Not only did she cut off hair that was half-way down my back and give me nothing close to the style I asked for, but I ended up with tight poodle curls.

There are more.

I really like my hair dresser now. She does the best color on me. She does the best cuts too. She never cuts too much and more often than not tells me my hair is healthy. I respect a woman who doesn't just want my money. I bet if I talked to her about a perm, she'd know what to do.

OK. Now back to the topic at hand. Keep trying different products? Where to start? I've tried so many. What's really funny (annoying?) is when something works great the first time and then never works again. sigh.

Thank you for the link. I have been skimming that thread. I'll pay closer attention.

[jellybean]

It may sound obvious, but have you tried blow drying your hair with your head upside down. If you put the dryer on a low setting, and concentrate on your roots, it should give you some lift. If not, try using mousse before hand or working a little bit of styling product into your roots before blow drying.

[Jubilee]

My friend adds volume to her hair by using rollers in her hair. I think she got them from Sally's beauty salon. They don't curl her hair. I'm not sure what they are called, but I know they come in different sizes. The really large ones are green, and the medium size is purple.

They give her hair a lot of body with no curl.

[Toni]

Allow me to welcome Jubilee while I'm here. I love that name!
And thanks for the post about rollers. You took the words right out of my mouth.

I too have a problem with flat hair which I detest due to my head shape. My hair looks so much better with some "lift".

Crissy, perhaps you can try these rollers too. I've used them. Have purchased the velcro kind right in good old Walmart. No pins needed. They roll up quick and stay. Rolling your hair dry with a spritz of water or (carefully) spray gel AFTER you roll. Concentrate on scalp area especially, then allow to dry. Dry with blow dryer, under a dryer or if time, air dry. Always best to put in styling product before hair dries from shampooing will help lock everything in.

Concentrating the water or spray gel on the outside of curlers where hair is lifted from the scalp helps the hair dry that way. Of course a little curl will develop if you have time to let a real set dry by dampening hair prior to rolling.

Never try to set soaking wet hair. It will never dry completely, will just be frizz and a total waste of hours of time.

Like Jubilee says, these large rollers won't curl your hair, just give lift and volume in the root area. I have curled the ends of my hair along the bottom sides and back in an upward roll with the smaller rollers and got that stylish bend too.

Let us know how this works on your hair.

[romie]

I have found the best way for me to get the volume I like is to blow dry upside down with a root-lifter. Not only that, but I try to get the dryer to really concentrate on specific areas like the dead center of my scalp. I can always spray around the front of my face with hairspray so I concentrate on the middle because my thick hair really weighs the roots down.

[Crissy]

What a lot of help you all are! Thank you.

I have been using volumizing mousse and I either use a medium large round brush at the roots or I dry most of the way upside down. I can't dry the whole say upside down because I get too bored. Sometimes I use my fat hot rollers and sometimes I use my velcro rollers. My hair will look great after I do it, but it doesn't last. Then I end up pulling it back because I don't like it hanging in my face.