Lift the roots, leave the ends alone.
Volume is mostly about where things go.

Lift is about space, not how much hair you have

Lift is the air inside a style, not the number of hairs on your head. Fine hair can look airy and thick hair can sit completely flat. You’re choosing a finish you like, nothing more.

Keep conditioner off the roots

Conditioner belongs where the tangles are, usually the lengths and ends. If your roots collapse after washing, move the conditioner lower or use less before you decide conditioner itself is the problem.

The roots look shiny and clump together

• Wash when the roots feel oily rather than on a set day.
• Dry shampoo can freshen a style between washes, but it doesn’t take the place of water.
• Keep heavier finishing products away from the roots, and judge the lift once the hair is fully dry.

Brushing for volume just makes flyaways

• Handle the hair less while it dries and use a little hold instead.
• Teasing over and over knots the hair and roughs it up.
• A fuller style shouldn’t need painful pulling to get there.

Your usual part has gone flat

• Try moving the part an inch or so on clean, damp hair.
• Lift the roots gently with your fingers and let them settle without pressing them down again.
• Seeing some scalp at a part is normal and says nothing about how much hair you have.

Put the hold where you want the lift

A root-lifting spray or a light styler can hold the roots up without weighing the lengths down. Check whether it goes on damp or dry hair, and keep it off any skin that’s irritated.

Browse styling products. For styling recommendations, share the finish you want, how you dry your hair and your budget.

Keep the ends soft without the weight

If a rich conditioner flattens everything, try a lighter one or use less of it. You still need enough slip to get a comb through, so don’t skip it altogether.

Browse lightweight conditioners. For lighter conditioner options, share your hair details and what has worked before.

1. Start at the scalp

Wash the oil and residue out of the roots with your fingertips, not your nails. Clean roots stand up more easily.

2. Condition the lengths only

Keep it to the mid-lengths and ends and rinse well, especially near roots that like to go flat.

3. Add lift at the roots

Put the product where you want the lift, in the amount the directions suggest, on damp or dry hair as the label says.

4. Let the roots settle on their own

Set a relaxed part and leave the roots alone while they dry. Every time you press them down with your hands, you lose a little lift.