How to Give Body to Long Straight Hair

Fine, straight hair tends to look limp without styling.

Long, straight hair can lack volume, because it's too fine to have natural lift or so thick that the length adds weight -- making it hard for volume to last near the roots. Adding body to long, straight hair requires products formulated for volume and a few simple styling tools. Asking your stylist to cut long layers into your hair will make it easier to add volume near the crown.

Things You'll Need

• Volumizing shampoo
• Leave-in conditioner
• Heat protectant spray
• Root-lifting product
• Blow dryer
• Round brush
• Flat-back brush
• Volumizing hairspray

Instructions

1. Wash your hair with a volumizing shampoo, and rinse thoroughly. Then apply a leave-in conditioner -- only to the bottom 2 inches, to prevent weighing down your hair. Pat excess water out of your hair with a towel.

2. Apply a heat protectant spray throughout your hair. Spray a root-lifting product near the roots, to provide added lift while drying. Blow dry your hair while using a round brush to lift the roots, focusing the blast of heat there first and working down to the ends.

3. Back-comb the hair near the crown to add more volume. Use a narrow, flat-back brush to gently tease your hair -- starting 2 inches from the roots and working toward your scalp. Apply a light amount of a hairspray formulated for volume.

References

• "Marie Claire"; Hair: Pump Up Your Volume! ; Didi Gluck ; August 2005
• Real Simple: Get Big Body Hair with Little Effort