How to add volume to hair: 9 professional tips

In this article:

• Start with the right wash routine
• Wash your hair with care
• Reset hair volume with a weekly Scalp Scrub
• Apply hair volumising products to damp hair
• Blow-dry hair upside down
• Use dry shampoo to boost volume at the roots
• Change your hair parting, occasionally
• Eat nutritious meals
• Trim your hair regularly
• Final Thoughts from Kristina

As a Hair Artist at the Rossano Ferretti HairSpa at the Park Hyatt New York, I have the privilege of working with clients from all walks of life—many of whom lead vibrant, high-profile lives where impeccable hair is part of their daily signature. When they sit in my chair and ask how to bring their hair to life, volume is almost always part of the conversation. Fullness, bounce, and movement don’t just enhance a hairstyle—they make it feel youthful, healthy, and effortlessly elegant.

Whether you have naturally fine hair or you’ve noticed a little less lift over time, the good news is that volume can be built, gently and beautifully, with the right routine, technique, and touch.

Here are nine of my professional tips for achieving long-lasting volume without compromising the integrity of your hair.

Start with the Right Wash Routine

Creating volume begins at the roots, and your shampoo and conditioner set the foundation. I always recommend using a volumising shampoo that lifts and refreshes the scalp without adding weight. Follow with a lightweight conditioner, applied only to the mid-lengths and ends.

Skip applying conditioner near the roots, especially if your hair is fine, to help avoid flatness, heaviness or oil buildup.

Pro Tip: A well-formulated volumising shampoo often contains proteins and natural boosters that support the hair’s structure, giving it more resilience and body right from the first step.

Start with the right wash routine and discover how often you should wash your hair.

Wash your hair with care

While washing your hair, remember to treat your tresses with care. Even the strongest hair strands can break easily, and you should avoid vigorous friction. Instead, take time to gently massage shampoo into your roots and scalp. This stimulation will improve circulation and encourage healthy, vibrant hair growth while preventing limp, broken strands.

The same applies to drying your hair. Refrain from rubbing hair dry with a towel, allowing locks to air dry when possible, or using a cotton shirt to gently soak up excess moisture.

Reset hair volume with a weekly Scalp Scrub

When your roots feel flat and your usual styling routine stops working, it’s often a sign that your scalp needs a refresh. Over time, product residue, natural oils, pollution, and mineral deposits from water can build up – clogging hair follicles and weighing hair down at the root.

A weekly scalp scrub is one of the most effective ways to gently detox and rebalance your scalp environment, restoring volume and vitality.

How to use: Apply the scrub directly to the scalp while hair is damp, working in sections. Gently massage using your fingertips (not your nails), then rinse thoroughly and follow with your regular shampoo.

Apply hair volumising products to damp hair

Damp hair is the best canvas for styling products. It absorbs product more evenly and allows the formula to set as the hair dries.

Here’s what I often reach for with my clients:

• A root-lifting spray to build lift where you need it most
• A lightweight mousse that gives body and hold without stickiness
• A plumping serum that thickens the feel of each strand for finer textures

Pro Tip: Apply a small amount evenly and build as needed. Overloading with product can flatten your style instead of lifting it. If you’re using a good quality formula that contains naturally derived ingredients you’ll find that you only need to use a small amount as the product is likely to be rich and highly concentrated with goodness and nutrients!

Blow-dry hair upside down

One of the easiest ways to create root volume at home is by flipping your head upside down while you dry. It encourages lift at the scalp and helps give shape before you even reach for a brush.

Here’s a quick routine:

• Step 1: Apply your chosen volumising products to damp hair.
• Step 2: Hang your head low and blowdry your hair until it is partially dry, keeping your blow dryer on a low-medium heat setting.
• Step 3: When your hair is almost dry, flip it back over and use a round brush to lift your hair up from the roots, aiming the nozzle upwards from underneath your hair.
• Step 4: Turn your dryer onto a cold/cool setting and blast your hair to seal in the product/s you applied and to achieve ultimate fullness.

Use dry shampoo to boost volume at the roots

Dry shampoo isn’t just for extending time between washes, it’s also a stylist’s secret weapon for instant root lift and airy fullness. When applied correctly, it absorbs excess oil at the scalp, adds texture, and creates separation that makes the hair appear thicker and more lifted.

While many people think of dry shampoo purely as a refresher, using it as a volumiser can completely transform limp, flat roots, especially on day-two or day-three hair.

How to Use:

• Apply to dry roots, focusing on the crown, sides, and back of the head
• Let it sit for 30 seconds to absorb oils and moisture
• Massage it in with your fingertips to build texture and body
• If needed, reapply before styling

Change your hair parting, occasionally

Change your hair parting occasionally to introduce a new “lift” around the roots. Hair tends to get comfy when it settles in a particular way. By changing your hair parting, you encourage a new position that defies gravity – for a while, at least.

Eat nutritious meals

Eating healthy, nutritious meals positively impacts vibrant, stronger hair growth from the inside out. Strong hair is less likely to break and fall, thus giving the appearance of fuller, thicker hair.

Foods that are good for strong, healthy hair growth include:

• Fish
• Eggs
• Avocado
• Protein-rich foods like meat and beans

These foods are rich in vitamin D, zinc, fatty acids, and biotin – ingredients needed for generous, strengthened hair growth.

(Remember to consult with your doctor or nutritionist before making any drastic dietary changes).

Trim your hair regularly

Lastly, trim your hair regularly to encourage healthy hair growth and prevent strands from splitting up the hair shaft. Hair that’s healthy is more likely to hold its own volume and respond better to volumising products.

More importantly, the right haircut—one designed specifically for your texture, movement, and lifestyle—can completely transform flat or fine hair. At our Rossano Ferretti HairSpas, we exclusively offer the Ferretti Metodo Cut, a world-renowned technique that sculpts the hair according to its natural fall and flow. Sought after by clients across the globe, this bespoke cutting method creates subtle, invisible layers that enhance natural volume and shape—allowing your hair to fall beautifully with minimal effort or styling.

Pro Tip: If volume is your goal, ask your stylist for Rossano Ferretti-inspired layering that adds lift at the roots without thinning out the ends. Or, (even better!) book in with a Rossano Ferretti Hair Artist and let your haircut do the hard work for you.

 

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Final Thoughts from Kristina

Building volume isn’t about chasing one look – it’s about helping your hair reach its natural potential. With the right care and a few professional techniques, you can create styles that feel full, soft, and completely effortless.

Whether you’re just starting your volume journey or refining your routine, I hope these tips bring you closer to the hair you love.

Volumising hair is an easy way to make it appear healthy and vibrant. It’s also a clever technique to lift limp, listless locks so they are more supple and pliant for styling.

Rossano Ferretti

Founder