How to Tease Roots in Long Hair

Teasing or backcombing hair became widespread with 1950-style beehive hairstyles when women used the technique to create enormous amounts of volume that seem laughable by today's standards. But teased hair is popular once again as many current stylists incorporate it into sleek, modern looks for the runway and the red carpet.

Things You'll Need

• Fine-toothed comb or bristle brush
• Firm hold hairspray

Instructions

1. Create a straight, detangled hairstyle by blow drying and flat ironing hair. Part hair as desired.

2. Focusing on the crown, separate out a 1 to 2 inch section of hair and clip the remaining hair out of the way. Smaller sections of hair create a tighter look while larger sections result in a looser look.

3. Firmly hold parted section out and away from the head with one hand. Hold the comb or brush in your other hand.

4. Place the comb or brush approximately 3 to 5 inches away from the scalp. Using short, even strokes, brush or comb the sectioned-off hair in the opposite direction of hair growth; in other words, towards the head. Your goal is to create volumizing tangles 3 to 5 inches away from the scalp while hair at ends remains detangled.

5. Lightly spray the newly-teased hair with hairspray and lay it aside. Repeat the entire process until all of the hair at the crown is teased to the desired fullness.

6. Lightly spray the entire head of teased hair with hairspray.

7. Gently smooth the teased sections back into desired style using your fingers and light brush strokes with the tip of the brush only.

Tips & Warnings

• Ensure that hair cools completely after blow drying or flat ironing. Warm strands break easily when teased.

• Start with the hair at the top of the head and work downward for a more even teasing pattern.

• Teasing can sometimes leave hair looking dull. To combat this, gently smooth a shine serum over the surface of the hair after styling.

• Brush-out teased hair by gently detangling starting at the ends of hair and working your way up towards the scalp.

• Do not vigorously brush or over smooth hair at the crown or you will detangle the newly-teased roots.

• Daily teasing creates too much stress on the hair. Save teasing for special occasions and remember to deep condition in between teasings.

• Do not wet the hair before unteasing as this can lead to additional damage.