How do you get volume with long hair?

[Blue_]

I absolutely can't get any lasting volume in my hair since I've been growing it out, I have had it waist-length for about a year now - it has been growing out from an asymmetrical with lots of layers so it looks kind of funky, but my natural waves (used to) help everything look okay. However, now it is starting to look really thin (I have been experiencing a lot of hair loss recently as well so that doesn't help of course, but I don't think it should be this bad) and it's becoming pin-straight, yet I used to have a really nice natural wave that added volume.
I'd say it normally looks like this, just with choppy front layers that lightly curl at the ends
http://www.hairxstatic.com/styles/images/l_loose/g3/longbld31.jpg
if not even thinner!

Without heat, how do I get the volume back? :( Possibly my waves as well? They usually last the day that I shower, if that, and then they're gone the next.

(First topic/post by the way - hi!)

[Flor]

Drying upside down with diffuser on low heat/cold setting is the best way for me. It'll also enhance your waves. Apparently it's not damaging to use blow drier with low temps., some say even better if one's hair takes really long to air-dry naturally. As long as you're not brushing it to style/straighten at the same time.

You could try mousse on the roots too, but if you don't like using styling products, that option is out.

[red-again]

I wait till my hair is almost dry (95%). Twist it into a lazy wrap bun right on too of my head and leave it till it's dry.
I get a lot of bounce that way.

[red-again]

And everyone laughs at me because I arrive everywhere with my hair like this ( we cycle to the pub/ friends a lot) and as soon as I arrive anywhere, I take down the top knot! They all laugh at me with it but thankfully they all know what I'm like!

[Seeshami]

Brushing braid waves.

The Naughty Mess gets HUGE with brushed waves

[AmyBeth]

I wait till my hair is almost dry (95%). Twist it into a lazy wrap bun right on too of my head and leave it till it's dry.
I get a lot of bounce that way.

This. Although I must admit, the idea of fantastic volume at long lengths is, for many of us, a myth. Gravity gets its own way in the end, unless you live on a movie set with hair and makeup people at the ready. Voluminous length is achieved with heating, and sprays and gels and things that I won't use.

[DweamGoiL]

I use conditioner sparingly since I have fine wavy hair and I don't want it to be weighed down. After shower, I combine gel and Monoi Oil and appl to my whole head upside down and scrunch for a minute or two and then I let air dry. Once it's almost dry, I pineapple it and go to bed. In the morning, it has lots of volume and waves. However, it's not like when you heat style. It's more like a good amount of lift, but not 'big' hair. That, I think you can only achieve with heat and rollers on long hair.

[makeminea99]

I've found a bit of dry shampoo can help, and I second the idea of wearing your hair in a twisty bun. Maybe a combo of the two together, so you'd get the bun waves + the volume at the roots from the dry shampoo?

[Diamond.Eyes]

My hair type is very similar the lovely lady in the picture: fine and pin-straight. Hers is a little more fine than mine. The best way for me to get volume is to have long layers, use dry shampoo, and to roll up a sock bun at the top of my head. The hair at my crown dries straight up with this method, so I definitely achieve some nice volume and I find the volume stays all day. I have a couple of blog entries about heat-free curls, but here's the one I'm referring to: http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/entry.php?b=103855 :flower:

[Chamomile betty]

I will sleep with my hair in a pineapple style. It tends to give me a bit more volume. I do use styling prodcuts and when I spray I flip my hair over (upside down).
Great ideas.

[millyaulait]

My hair type is very similar the lovely lady in the picture: fine and pin-straight. Hers is a little more fine than mine. The best way for me to get volume is to have long layers, use dry shampoo, and to roll up a sock bun at the top of my head. The hair at my crown dries straight up with this method, so I definitely achieve some nice volume and I find the volume stays all day. I have a couple of blog entries about heat-free curls, but here's the one I'm referring to: http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/entry.php?b=103855 :flower:

That is some crazybeautiful hair! I don't know what's wrong with me but I'm at waist and still can't master the sockbun (:laugh:), but you've inspired me to give it another go!

[~honeyflower~]

When you are damp bunning, just remember that hair is very weak when it is wet.

[Naiadryade]

I second brushed braid waves! And any kind of heatless curls. They'll make your hair appear shorter but bigger.

[bunnylake]

I use Giovanni Root Lifting spray. You spray it into your roots while your hair is damp (not too much!), massage it in really well, and then blow dry. I blow dry on low heat just until the roots are dry. It gives me decent volume without feeling sticky or looking dull. :)

[TrapperCreekD]

If you're a wavy or curly, just run a brush through it, and POOF, long-lasting volume! :wigtongue

[swearnsue]

Clarifying might help if your hair is weighed down with cones and stuff. Might bring back the waves.

[jrmviola]

box braid when wet, wear 24 hours or longer. When you take down you will make lots of volume.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=xkhfYkHR_SM

[Ambystoma]

I'm going to suggest letting it dry on large curlers - you can get some nice root lift plus a softly curled/body wave that way, think a Kate Middleton sort of look. The only downside is that it takes ages to dry on curlers plus you look really ridiculous with them in, but the effect is pretty glamorous without any heat or products, the only thing that might give some people pause is that you need to gently comb it (wide tooth is ok) while wet to get the sections really smooth before you roll them for the best result.

[Diamond.Eyes]

That is some crazybeautiful hair! I don't know what's wrong with me but I'm at waist and still can't master the sockbun (:laugh:), but you've inspired me to give it another go!
Oh my gosh, thank you so much! :flower: It's definitely worth a go! Once you get it down it's pretty easy to recreate again! I love sock-bun curls! Aw, you're so nice! Let me know how it works out! :)

[vindo]

I don't use conditioner :shrug:, but you might have tried that.

I just want to add that hair loss can definitely kill your volume. As soon as you get regrowth it should improve a bit. The texture change sounds a bit odd and could be hormone or health related? Maybe what you are trying to describe is that your hair seems more "limp", lacks bounce.
The model has lovely hair btw., does not seem thin to me, could be simply fine hair with a little bit of taper. So if yours is like that, don't worry! :flower:

[CurlMonster]

Maybe it's just because my hair is damaged and curly that I don't get the 'volume' thing. My hair is big and doesn't like to lay flat and only once in a blue moon do I get a good hair day where it lays flat and behaves itself. I think the model's hair that you posted looks stunning, I honestly can't imagine how hair that looks like that could be a bad thing! :confused:

[ositarosita]

I was wondering the same thing .. I was considering using something like this http://www.dooyoo.co.uk/hair-care/schwarzkopf-osis-dust-it-mattifying-powder/1703863/ when I get some length .. maybe give it a try

[kme81]

I second the advice on trying a clarifying shampoo. I can tell when I need to clarify by how much volume is in my roots.

[stachelbeere]

I was wondering the same thing .. I was considering using something like this http://www.dooyoo.co.uk/hair-care/schwarzkopf-osis-dust-it-mattifying-powder/1703863/ when I get some length .. maybe give it a try

my hairdresser used this on me a couple of years ago during my last visit. I didn't really like the fact that it gives you matte hair (kills all the shine) and you get a really chalky texture, I found it unpleasant to the touch :/

[gonzobird]

Hair tends to grow directionally from left to right. So if you part on the right and flip over to the left, your hair does a little push up. I part on the left at night to give my hair a rest, dry shampoo in the morning (http://luluorganicsnyc.com/hairpowder.html , best hair powder EVER) then go for the right side again the next day.