Quick answer: to get more volume in fine hair, wash with a lightweight volume shampoo, keep conditioner off the roots, use a root lotion before blow-drying, and finish with a texture powder on dry roots. Heavy creams and oils are what flatten fine hair, so the whole routine is about lift without weight.
Fine hair and thin hair are not the same thing. Fine describes the width of each strand; thin describes how many strands there are. Both can leave hair looking flat and lacking body, and while you can't change the hair you were born with, you can make it look noticeably fuller. Here's how.
What does a volume shampoo actually do?
A volume shampoo (also called a volumising or thickening shampoo) cleanses without leaving behind the heavy conditioning agents found in rich, moisturising formulas. That matters for fine hair, because every bit of residue weighs strands down and collapses the roots.
A good one leaves hair clean, light and full of movement, so your blow-dry has a fuller base to work from. Volume Up Shampoo does exactly that, with organic ginseng, psyllium and white nettle extracts to help fine hair feel thicker along the lengths. It's vegan, cruelty-free and light enough to use every day.
Start at the scalp
Volume begins at the roots. Build-up from products, oil and dry shampoo flattens fine hair fast, so a regular, gentle cleanse keeps roots light and lifted. If your roots get oily by day two, wash more often rather than piling on more product.
Choose lightweight products
- Swap rich, moisturising shampoos for a volume shampoo.
- Keep conditioner to the mid-lengths and ends only, never the roots.
- Apply Volume Up Root Lotion right at the roots before blow-drying for lift that lasts.
- Use Volume Up Hydrating Hair Spray through the lengths to add body, detangle and help your style hold.
- Skip heavy oils and butters. If you want shine, use a single drop on the very ends.
Style for the look of thickness
- Blow-dry your roots in the opposite direction to how they fall, then flip back.
- Use a round brush to lift at the crown.
- Once hair is completely dry, shake a little Texture Volumizing Powder onto the roots and massage in with your fingertips for instant grip and lift. Use it on dry hair only.
- On day two, refresh with Bodifying Dry Shampoo to absorb oil and rebuild body.
- A few face-framing layers and a slightly blunter cut make ends look denser.
See it in use here.
Noticing more hair in your brush?
Many people notice extra shedding as the seasons change, especially from late summer into autumn. Our guide to seasonal hair shedding explains why it happens and what helps. Persistent or sudden hair loss is always worth discussing with a GP or trichologist, as it can have underlying causes.
Frequently asked questions
Is volume shampoo good for fine hair?
Yes. Fine hair is the hair type that benefits most, because volume shampoos cleanse without the heavy residue that flattens fine strands.
Can I use volume shampoo every day?
A gentle formula like Volume Up Shampoo is light enough for daily use. Follow with a light conditioner on the ends only.
What's the difference between volumising and thickening shampoo?
The terms are used almost interchangeably. Both aim to give fine hair more body and a fuller look; "thickening" usually describes how the hair feels after use.
Should I use texture powder or dry shampoo for volume?
Texture powder is designed for lift and grip; dry shampoo is designed mainly to absorb oil. For the most volume on second-day hair, many stylists use both.
Shop Insight's vegan volumising haircare and the full volume & texture edit.
About the author
Charlotte Read has spent six years in the hair industry with Insight Professional and holds a First Class BSc in Business Management and Marketing. She writes with reference to real salons across social media and the wider Insight community, and draws on the Insight office team, who between them bring over 100 years of combined experience on salon floors.
Where technical expertise is needed, Charlotte consults Lorraine Matic, Head of Insight UK Education, who brings over 38 years of global experience in colour, technique and hair science.