How to Style Fine Hair for Maximum Volume and Shine, According to Hairstylists

Styling fine hair can be a challenge. Styling fine AND thin hair? As someone with both, for years I said, “Forget about it.” The extent of my efforts was to look for thickening hairstyles for thin hair and entertain the idea of natural hair extensions but never commit. However, after chatting with four pro hairstylists, I’ve come to realize that my hair can be (easily) styled. If you, too, are wondering how to style fine hair that won’t fall flat in three minutes, below are 16 tips so simple, even my notoriously lazy self has done the majority of them. How easy? I’m talking about swapping your cotton pillowcase for a silk one, upgrading your hairbrush and being friends with texture spray, for starters. Don’t be surprised if you find yourself incorporating all these tricks into your haircare routine. 

• Cynthia Alvarez is a celebrity hairstylist who has worked with the likes of Alicia Keys, Ego Nwodim, Becky G, Shakira and Dascha Polanco. Alvarez specializes in extensions and wigs, as well as styling, cutting and braiding. Her work has been featured in Elle, Harper’s Bazaar and InStyle.
• Sara Mertz is a licensed cosmetologist and the community manager of The Hair Lab and The Body Lab by Strands. She has been in the business for over a decade, training with brands like Redken, John Paul Mitchell and American Crew. At Strands, Mertz creates educational and social content featuring product tips and tricks.
• Kristin Ess is a celebrity hairstylist and founder of her eponymous haircare line. Kristin Ess Hair focuses on creating affordable, luxury haircare and styling products ranging from cleansers and conditioners to styling tools and hair accessories.
• Sunnie Brook is a professional hairstylist and Biolage global ambassador with more than 20 years in the beauty business. As a previous salon owner and educator, Brook's client list is composed of a who's who of Hollywood, including Elisabeth Moss, Hailey Bieber and Ashley Park.

“I am a big believer in getting volume from the start,” Ess says. “What I mean by that is, you need to lay down a base of a thickening spray or mousse before you style your hair to get that extra height up top. Whichever one you use, be careful not to overdo it. Too much product can weigh down your hair, so if it’s a spray, start with a few light spritzes, and if it’s a mousse, work a small, palm-sized dollop of [it] through your roots to ends.”

This is one of my favorite hacks as someone with fine, thin hair, and it’s a quick, easy way for me to add a huge volume boost. “Flip your head over and start rough-drying [editor note: using just your hands] to get your hair going in the direction you want. Stop when it’s about 70 percent of the way dry and finish drying with a brush, being careful not to pull too hard, which can flatten things,” Ess explains. Don’t tell anyone, but I usually completely dry my hair this way and add waves with a curling iron. (My favorite is the T3 Curl ID, $270.)

If you swear up and down that your hair can’t hold shape for its life (or yours), I’m telling you this is the pièce de résistance of this whole operation. While your hair is still warm from the blow dryer (or any heat styling tool), pull it into a loose bun on top of your head using a soft scrunchie to secure it. (I recommend using a silk or satin one, like this $8 five-pack from Kitsch.) Leave it up there for 15 to 20 minutes while you finish getting ready to let it cool. According to Ess (and myself), this is an absolute game changer for adding volume. Take it down before you head out the door and enjoy that extra bouncy hair, y’all. This is how you get it to last all day.

Sometimes the best (and easiest) thing you can do is change things up, as Brook advises, telling me that by simply flipping your part to the opposite side can give you an instant root lift. To set the style, she’ll mist some hairspray, like the Biolage Volume Bloom Full-Lift Spray ($26) to prevent hair from falling flat throughout the day.

Brook says that doing this allows the dry shampoo to immediately begin to absorb oil. “[This gives] your hair a fuller, fresher appearance in the morning without stiffness, [creating] texture and lift by morning.” If you’re not a night showerer, just apply it right after you wash your hair. Wondering which one to pick up? Here’s my guide to the best dry shampoo for fine hair, all PureWow editor tested and approved.

I discovered texture spray last year and have been spraying it like a maniac ever since. (So my air purifier will attest.) It’s such an easy way to add volume and grit so my hair can actually hang onto things like bobby pins and claw clips. Brook recommends gently scrunching your hair after application to add a little body.

Changing out my pillowcases and hair ties for silk and satin iterations was the best thing I’ve ever done for my hair. If I had to give up every other product, I would, but I won’t part with these—especially the pillowcase. My hair is less frizzy, has stopped bending at weird angles in the middle of the night and the fabric also preserves my hairstyle. (I will sometimes style my hair the night before to save on time in the morning.) For a super easy morning styling hack, Brook says, “Tying your hair up in a high ponytail with a silk scrunchie for ten to 15 minutes while getting ready lifts the roots without creases. When you let it down, your hair has a noticeable bounce.”

Mertz is also a proponent of the silk and satin switch, noting that you could also opt for a bonnet if you don’t want to swap out every pillowcase. “This is important for all hair textures as hair can easily be damaged while sleeping,” she says. After a year of testing different brands, my favorite silk pillowcase has to be Clementine’s organic silk pillowcase ($106), but Kitsch makes a mean $19 rendition that’s always in my suitcase when traveling.

“I like to add rollers to the crown of the head after blow drying to set the volume,” Alvarez tells me. “Use larger rollers if you want more of a bend to your ends or smaller rollers if you want a curl or wave to your hair. Either way, when placing the rollers, try overdirecting a bit for maximum volume.” Brook also notes that you’ll want to allow your hair to cool completely before removing to ensure hold and lift. I recommend these ceramic rollers from Kitsch ($14).

Curly-haired folks have probably heeded this advice, but Alvarez says this applies to those with fine hair, too. Using a microfiber towel will help prevent frizz and damage that the friction of a towel can cause.

If your hair is ultra-fine and thin, you may want to hold the zeal for the 100-stroke-a-day method. Alvarez says that overbrushing your hair can make it limp, and also can prematurely distribute natural oils down the hair shaft, weighing it down further. However, when you brush, opt for boar bristle, which PureWow Beauty and Cultures Editor Chelsea Candelario has reported is the best type of hairbrush for fine hair. Personally, the Francophile in me is obsessed with the Altesse Studio Repair & Shine Brush ($260), while a celebrity hairstylist I spoke with swore up and down on his entertainment industry standard Mason Pearson ($140) and my beauty-obsessed friend had Crown Affair’s The Brush No. 001 ($98) on her vanity.

“Hotter is not always better,” Mertz advises. “Make sure that you never turn your hot tools to the hottest setting—this can damage your hair and result in more breakage.” And it goes without saying, use heat protectant before you get started.

Yeah, balletcore seems to have staying power, but fine- and thin-haired folks should think twice before opting for a slick back. “A slick back style can sometimes reveal more scalp than you were ready to expose,” Mertz explains. “Instead, I would opt for a loose ponytail that is more gentle on hair in general and will achieve a super cute ponytail look.”

If you’re surprised about this fine hair styling tip, don’t be—more than one stylist has proselytized the efficacy of this hack. “Sometimes, when pulling your hair back, you will see areas of your scalp poke out. An easy way to cover this is by using an eyeshadow the same color as your hair and adding it to any areas you wish to cover. This will create a fuller look hairstyle,” Mertz says.

I’m guilty here. Afraid that the hour I put into styling my hair will be for naught by the day’s end, I pile on the products. Mouse. Styling cream. Throw in a little extra gel. Finish with texture spray. Then hairspray. By the time I’ve finished, my styled hair looks even worse than if I’d gone a whole day outside, and I can’t figure out why. Well, go figure that this is a big DO NOT ATTEMPT. “Too many oils, treatments or styling aids can weigh thin hair down,” Mertz says. “One or two treatments on damp hair and one hairspray or texture spray should do the trick when creating most styles.”

This is a variation on flipping your part—or perhaps vice versa. If you want to keep your part on its usual side, this trick is also your friend. This technique means directing your hair in the opposite direction when styling, so you can flip it back with added volume. If you’re using a straightener, that means not pulling straight down on your hair. “Hair that lives on the left side, pull over to the right, and vice versa,” Mertz says. “This technique will use the shape of your head to add volume while creating a straight style.”

If you get out of the shower and your hair feels like it’s being weighed down by your conditioner…you may not be hallucinating. “Too many clients of mine will use what they find on social media, but if your favorite influencer has thick hair this will steer you wrong,” Mertz says. Choose one that’s suitable for fine or thin hair, providing moisture without weighing it down or making it look greasy. Mertz recommends The Hair Lab’s Lightweight Conditioner ($10) and leave-in conditioner ($11) for thin hair, while I’ve been recently delighted by MONDAY Haircare Moisture Conditioner ($16; $13).