We always want what we don’t have, and not all of us are lucky enough to have been blessed with naturally thick hair. The good news is that even If your strands are on the finer or thinner side, you can still fake the appearance of full, bouncy curls with tricks to increase hair definition and volume.
The more defined your curls are, the thicker your hair will look as it takes on extra shape and movement. If they’re too elongated or flat, you won’t get that swish factor. Read on for the products, techniques and cutting tips you need to know for beautiful hair definition and volume – it turns out you can have it all after all.
Products and techniques to enhance curly hair definition and volume
Want to know how to define curls and boost volume within your routine? These are the products to invest in and the techniques to try:
Products to give hair definition and volume
If you’re not already using some (or all) of the below products, now’s the time to stock up.
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A good conditioner or hair mask. Healthy curls are happy curls. When they’re nourished and hydrated they’ll have more spring and bounce, and won’t frizz and fluff – making the definition between the individual strands more visible. Conditioner is a must every time you wash your hair to maintain moisture levels and counteract dryness caused by shampooing. Swap for a deep conditioning hair mask once a week for extra TLC.
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Curl cream. A styling and conditioning product in one, curl creams coat your strands with a lightweight layer of moisture that adds definition and shine.
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Gel. Curl gels have a heavier texture than creams, which leaves a thicker coating on your strands. They’re brilliant at separating your spirals, giving them a super glossy, slightly wet-look finish and are also great at taming your edges if you want to prevent wispy baby strands around the hairline from distracting from your finished look. Just use sparingly to avoid weighing your curls down.
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Mousse. The whipped texture of hair mousse brings airy, featherlight volume to your curls. It hardens slightly as it dries, adding definition and holding your hair in place.
Looking for a way to make your curls last longer between washes? Discover "The ultimate guide to keeping your curls looking great between washes".
Techniques to give curly hair definition and volume
You can’t teach an old dog new tricks, but you can teach your curls new techniques. Even the seemingly smallest tweaks of routine can make a big difference to your hair definition and volume.
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Stay away from the straighteners. If you’ve always worn your hair straight, the idea of downing tools can be daunting. But, the more you can commit to your curls and stop damaging them with heat, the more natural volume and definition you’ll get. Over time, you’ll notice that even the sections you previously thought were doomed to stay straight forever start to spring into spirals.
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Only wash your hair once or twice a week. Day one hair isn’t always the best. It often feels a bit too pouffy and fluffy, and needs a day or two to settle. Washing less will let you take advantage of more guaranteed good hair days, plus prevent you from drying out your strands through over-shampooing and styling.
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Think about how you wear your hair overnight. Tying your hair in a low pony before bed or wearing it down can rub and flatten your curls – especially as you toss and turn in the night. Instead, pile it into a high bun to maintain its shape or secure it on top of your head in a silk wrap.
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Only style your hair when it's wet. Hair is most malleable when wet, as the hydrogen bonds formed by styling have been broken down. For maximum movement and bounce, take the time to scrunch sections of your hair before spiralling individual curls for definition. Remember that brushing and combing dry curls is a bad idea, leading to snagged lengths as well as roughed-up and flattened curls – only ever do this when the hair is wet.
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Blow-dry upside down. By directing the airflow against gravity, blow-drying your hair when it’s upside down is a great way to add extra lift to your curls. Focus on the roots first, before moving on to the lengths, gathering sections of hair into the bowl of your diffuser and holding them against your scalp until dry.
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Keep your hairdryer settings low. Overzealous heat and speed settings will blow your curls around to the point that you lose all control over styling, leaving you with a flat, undefined finish. Stick with lower ones.
How to define curls: Find the perfect haircut
Have you heard of a curl cut before? Most stylists have been trained to cut straight hair, but these techniques don’t always lend themselves to adding hair definition and volume to curls. Finding a hairdresser who specialises in curl cuts can completely change how your strands sit, as well as how much definition and volume they boast. Before your stylist picks up their scissors, chat with them about the following…
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Layers. Layers will make curly hair look thicker in a flattering way. Curls that are all one length can create a triangular shape – especially if your strands are shorter. A combination of lengths will give dimension and depth to your curls, putting an extra spring in their step.
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Dry cutting. Cutting your hair when it’s dry rather than wet will allow your hairdresser to see your exact curl pattern and work with it, rather than guessing how it might look when it’s dry. This approach also stops you from ending up with a haircut that’s shorter than you’d like, as you don’t have to worry about it shrinking up further.
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Cutting curl by curl. One big snip across your lengths is fine when your hair is straight, but not so much when it’s curly. A good curl cut will treat each spiral as an individual, accessing how much should be taken off, and which angle it should be cut at, to enhance the volume and definition of your curls.
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Avoiding thinning. If volume is your aim, steer clear of ‘thinning’ techniques that rob your hair of body. The idea is that they’ll make your curls easier to manage, but the reality is they won’t look as full or slot together nicely, and the regrowth can look quite mismatched.
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Not just focusing on the ends. Removing split ends is important, but a really good curl cut will go beyond this, trimming not just the ends but also across the lengths to add movement and shape.
Diffon Supreme: the perfect tool for adding definition and volume to your curls
Ok, so you’ve found the perfect products, mastered your at-home styling techniques and skipped out of the salon with a confidence-boosting curl cut, but there’s one more thing you need – a diffuser. The Diffon Supreme has been designed especially for curls, with high-spec features that make sure your strands are never short on volume or definition. The XL shape, perforated grid and finger-like nodules boost the elasticity and separation of your curls for extra bounce and spring, while the choice of two speeds and three temperatures ensure gentle drying without steamrolling the shape of your spirals. If that wasn’t enough, ion care technology and a ceramic-infused coating ensure a frizz-free, super-shiny finish.
