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Volume v. Body
Hair is a mirror of inner health and wellbeing. It also exudes sexual energy through its fullness, lustre, movement and vitality. This clearly isn’t achieved simply by making hair bigger, and it’s why large backcombed and lacquered helmets of hair aren’t very sexy or attractive. They lack the movement or the sense that the hair can move, even if illusory. The latent energy ready to be released with a toss of the head that then swings and bounces before settling gradually back to its station, is what we call body; lustrous hair pregnant with vitality, like a coiled spring ready to perform.
It’s what people often refer to as bouncy hair. Whilst flat lank hair doesn’t display body, hair needn’t be big to have body. So for me, volume without body isn’t attractive, but hair that has body doesn’t necessarily need to be outsize.
The Haircut
So if you’re struggling to get more volume and movement in your hair, suspect number one is going to be the haircut. Most stylists unwittingly set the scene for flat heavy straight hair by cutting the outline shape in an A-Line (shorter at the back, longer at the front). This gives the hair a natural bias to fall forward and flat. Combined with a lack of proper layering, it will be difficult to get lift or movement that stays. If you’re struggling to style your hair, or it doesn’t last, you are very unlikely to have bad hair, just a haircut that is working against what you want from your style. The haircut determines what the hair wants to do and should be totally aligned with how you want to wear your hair. Unfortunately this is rarely the case and the haircut's own agenda fights against what the client is trying to style their hair into. Most hairdressers don’t understand this or the problems and disappointments they build into their clients lives.
Shampooing
Use the right shampoo and conditioner for your hair. If your hair is soft and silky then our Cashmere Protein Volumising Shampoo is most suitable. If the hair is drier, more textured or coarse the Cashmere Protein Moisturising Shampoo is likely to be best. After shampooing rinse thoroughly as residues can make the hair heavy or dull, and is often why salon blow-dries look and last better.
Always use conditioner even if you think your hair doesn’t need it or it can’t take it because it’s too fine. You’ve almost certainly experienced the wrong conditioners before, most probably laced with heavy oils or silicones. Shampoos lift the cuticle on the hairshaft to clean and conditioners reseal the cuticle for comb-ability shine and protection.
Styling Products
Double thick, double quick. We have two favourite products for maximising volume and control whilst keeping hair feeling healthy and natural. These are Thickening Blowdry Spray and Volumising Mousse, both in the 3’’’More Inches range.
The Thickening Spray formula with plant extracts and cashmere proteins gives grip and texture to floppy roots whilst keeping the hair feeling supple and natural. The Volumising Mousse thickens fine hair and smooths coarse hair. This moisturises the rougher mid lengths and ends to promote flexibility. Together each balances out the different textures in the hair for maximum volume, smooth texture and radiant shine. Unlike many styling products they don’t leave the hair feeling brittle, sticky or stiff. Apply as directed on the bottles.
Preparation
Volume starts at the roots. If you want body and volume in your hair make the most of what you have naturally. Most people are surprised to see how much natural volume and body they have when it’s prepared well. So do not allow the hair to dry off plastered to the head or with a towel over it as this will dry the roots in a flat position. Take out excess moisture with a towel and then release all the roots by combing in an upward direction at 45 degrees from the hairline towards the back. Then allow the ends to settle back down.
Before using a dryer and brush to style the hair it's best to take out about 75% of the water. Do not blast dry the hair direct with a bare dryer, or even worse a nozzle, as this will also kill natural body. Prepare the shape with a diffuser while gently lifting the roots with fingers, a No.1 Brush or a Safety Comb.
Styling
For some clients they may find the more natural method with a diffuser is enough. For others just some finishing with a round brush around the hairline is job done. Take care with clean sectioning so you can work easily without over working each section. Use a good quality round brush that makes it easy to smooth hair and leave different degrees of movement or curl. My favourite Round Styling Brush is handmade in France and still copes with 90% of my work. Or try finger curls with clips. There are numerous ways to style hair simply and quickly and for me it’s always about working with the natural feel of the hair to reshape or restyle but without destroying its own energy.
At the finish, nothing is better than our new grooming balm - 10 Second Transformation. A tiny amount of this instantly transforms just about all hair types to give texture, shine and body.
Michael Van Clarke
Where were you standing when you decided to adjust your hair colour? Do you stand there often?
At the first salon I worked as a junior, back in the last century, the colourists at the salon had an interesting technique for showing clients their finished results; escorting them to the ladies toilet where a single electric wall light seemed to cast a favourable glow.