Can we get real about your volume goals?

A cut is not going to change your volume that much.

The end.

Just kidding.

Not about the cut part.

Soooo many clients complain about not having enough volume and will ask after a finished haircut, "can we just cut some more out of the crown because I don't get enough volume there?".

The truth is, yes...I like to lift the interior to help get you a waterfall-like effect. I like to cut a little more deep and short in the crown area, specifically to boost the roots.

Yet, the volume does not come from the cut. It comes from your routine.

How you do your hair and what you are using on it.

I've cut my own interior to the shortest length possible, and it's just my fine, thin...somewhat balding at the crown...hair. Only shorter. It's still silky-textured and wants to lay flat. 

Let me repeat. 

A shorter interior will not make your silky, non-textured roots all of a sudden stand up with massive volume.

What about all those before and afters on Instagram? 

Either they already had texture, or their hair fell flat 10 minutes after the pic was taken.

When a client asks me for volume, I ask if they are ready to embrace some frizz.

If you want shiny, frizz-free, glass-like, clumpy ringlets...then you don't want volume.

You may want it, but you won't get it.

I've found that maybe 10% of the population has that hair in my decade of research. 

The Instagram lady hair. She is curl-defined AND massive volume. 

I promise you...she has some gritty, not silky, texture in her hair. Or it's just all pushed to the front for a perfect selfie.

My hair has 0 grit . I'm just a silky hair kind of lady. Therefore, I struggle with volume.

These are the things I do to encourage more volume.

1. No co-washing or conditioning cleansers 

2. Washing my hair. Sometimes I use sulfates. Lately, it's all I'm using because I cannot get any swell without it. (This might not be the case for you, but I'm like 90, so...this happens as you age)

3. Conditioner stays ponytail and down. I do not put conditioner on the scalp, and if I do glaze over the hair closest to the scalp, I make sure to do more than a drizzle rinse.

4. Right after I'm out of the shower, I take my fingertips and rough up the cuticle/crown area. I make sure it's off of my scalp. 

5. Diffusing. I almost always diffuse nowadays. If you are lucky enough to live in Hawaii or California or some other glorious place...then air drying will probably work. However, if you live in the rest of the world...diffuse if you want volume. I use sea salt spray at the roots and blow it into the hair. I'm personally in love with Davines. The smell is divine.

6. Use products that give you grit—AG Dry lift. Texturizing sprays, dry shampoos, and hairspray can help.

7. Break up those curl clumps, especially at the root. 

8. Pinning can totally help with the air dryers. It's very reminiscent of the '50s finger waves and pin curls...the way the hair is shaped is how it will dry. It allows air to flow through the root area and gives it lift. It also can help hair dry faster.

9. Juosh. Joosh. Goush? You know...like rough it up a little... throughout the day. I have to do this several times a day or before taking any picture.

10. Get your cuts/trims every 4 months instead of 6. At 4 months, that interior starts to fall flat and needs a little life. Some of my die-hards come in at 3.

I'm a stylist. Definitely NOT saying the cut doesn't help at all. It does help give you lift. I recommend getting them more often if that is your goal.

However, it's not the primary component of getting BIG hair. 

Look at your routine and see how you can make adjustments.

I want to hear from you...what kind of tips and tricks do you use to get more volume?