9 Tips & Tricks on How to Add Volume to Men’s Hair – Backed by a Stylist

Not all of us are fortunate enough to be blessed with naturally voluminous hair, but there are a few hair cheats and hacks that can help put some pep in your hair’s step.

Adding volume can make a huge difference to the way your mop looks and feels – you're not cursed with flat hair forever. Volume can turn a lifeless hairdo into a trendy trim in a matter of a few steps. Not to mention, it's a great way to hide thinning hair, too.

The secret sauce to giving men’s hair volume is in the techniques and products you use. Using high-quality hair care and styling products coupled with the right techniques can have a massive effect on the end result. 

And what are the right techniques? We've got the low down on all you need to know, including some pro advice from award-winning celebrity men's groomer Charlie Cullen on how he adds volume to his clients' hair on shoot days.

A really easy way to add more volume to your hair is to switch out your standard shampoo for a thickening shampoo that has been specifically formulated to add volume and body to your hair.

A 2-in-1 shampoo and conditioner from the drugstore isn't going to cut it in this case. Instead, think of your hair care as an investment. The more you invest in top-quality products, the more your hair will work for you.

A thickening shampoo contains ingredients that help to create fuller-looking hair, like Caffeine and Vitamin B3 – two of the most well-known and powerful active ingredients for thickening hair. Our Thickening Shampoo formula includes both of these ingredients, along with Saw Palmetto, Red Clover Leaf, and Ginkgo Biloba, all of which contribute towards stimulating hair growth, resulting in visibly thicker, fuller hair.

Conditioners that are too 'heavy' will weigh down your hair, which will contribute to the appearance of a flat 'do. You should instead opt for lightweight formulas that boost your hair's volume alongside your volumising shampoo.

Choosing a conditioner from the same line as your shampoo will help you achieve the best results, so we'd recommend opting for our Thickening Conditioner, which contains the same key ingredients for hair thickening as our shampoo.

When washing your hair, only apply conditioner to the ends of the strands rather than at the roots, as this can sometimes cause your hair to become greasy more quickly, which will weigh down your mop.

This might be one of the oldest tricks in the books, but it definitely works.

When you're drying your hair after washing, tip your head upside down and blow dry your hair this way rather than pointing the blowdryer down on your head. Blasting hot air down onto your head will push your hair flat and make it look limp, but tipping your head upside down dries your hair away from the roots, instantly adding volume.

If you find your hair falls flatter over the course of a few days, you can just use the blow dryer to add more volume to your roots. It's simple and effective and only takes a few minutes.

Similar to using a heavy conditioner, heavy styling products can drag down the hair and make it appear flat. The whole point of using product is to add to your hair, and good styling products will make your curls curlier and your waves wavier, not flatten them.

Using too much product is also another red flag for limp hair, so you want to avoid using too much when styling your hair.

It's with this in mind that we developed our award-winning Hybrid Hair formula – a premium, lightweight styling compound that combines all the goodness of hair clay and hair wax to create an all-day hold and natural-looking texture. 

It works for all hair types, too, which makes it a great all-rounder for adding volume. A small amount goes a long way with this product, so take a little of the compound and work it through your damp hair.

Our Marine Mist sea salt spray is another of our great products for adding volume to men’s hair. This is an incredibly lightweight formula formulated with organic, natural ingredients that add volume and strength to your hair. We worked closely with Britain’s top formulation house to produce a sea salt spray that works for every head of hair with a greater salt mineral density than other sprays. 

All you need is a few spritzes to your hair and to work it through your strands with your hands. Leave to air dry or blow dry, and you’ll achieve visibly more voluminous hair with little effort.

The products you use are certainly up there with importance, but it's also necessary to stay on top of your regular trims if you want healthy hair. Regular haircuts help you maintain the shape of your style and cut away any split ends that can weaken the overall structure of your hair.

So don't be afraid to book yourself in for a trim every couple of months or, even better, every six to eight weeks.

If you feel like your current hairstyle isn't working for you, why not try a fresh look? Changing up your hairstyle and going for something other than your usual chop can make a big difference and help your hair look healthier and more voluminous.

Layers can be a brilliant way to add some bounce and dimension to your hair, and it works well with nearly all types of hair and lengths. You can book in a consultation with your barber or stylist and ask how they'd suggest cutting your hair to banish any limpness.

If your mop looks great the first day after washing it but falls flat on days two and three, dry shampoo can be a game changer – especially if you find your locks getting greasy quickly.

Using a volumising dry shampoo is like killing two birds with one stone, as it absorbs any excess oil and adds texture and body to your hair. A simple spritz and tousle at the roots will do the job great.

We wouldn't recommend doing this on a daily basis or applying too much dry shampoo – it can become quite drying for your scalp, especially if you suffer from dandruff or psoriasis. Instead, use it as a refresher between washes to get your locks looking lively.

Backcombing is another tried and tested method for adding volume to your hair, and it works really well.

The key to backcombing is to tease as close to the roots as you can, brushing in the opposite direction of hair growth; in other words, towards your scalp. Doing this will create lots of volume and plenty of texture.

Adding in product can help to hold the backcombed style, too – our Hybrid Hair compound works great for this.

If you're really committed to solving your flat hair woes, then you can go one step further and get yourself a satin pillowcase to sleep on at night. Sleeping on satin will help to reduce friction and breakage and maintain your hair's health.

Plus, if you've used any styling products to achieve volume and texture, it'll help to keep them in place overnight and give you less work to do the next day.

The reasons why your mop is lacking in oomph can be down to many reasons, and figuring out why that is can help determine the best method for adding volume back.

Some of the most common reasons include:

• You have thin or thinning hair – If your natural hair is fairly thin, you'll likely find that your locks lack volume. This is because you essentially have less hair on your head, which is great for summer when your long-haired pals are sweltering but not so great when it comes to the height of your ‘do.

• Your hair tends to get greasy quite quickly – Some of us find out hair gets greasy after only a few days of washing, and greasy hair leads to limp hair. There can be numerous reasons as to why your trim gets greasy so quickly, including the food you eat, the products you use, and how often you touch your hair during the day.

• You're using the wrong products or poor-quality products – Using the 'wrong' shampoo and conditioner for your hair can cause your locks to look flat, limp, and lifeless. As we've mentioned earlier, heavy products will weigh down your hair, but good quality products formulated with hair-loving ingredients will work with your hair.

• You aren't following a balanced diet – What you're putting into your body is just as important as the products you use to style your hair. If you're not eating a balanced diet and consuming too many bad foods, it can translate to lacklustre and greasy hair. Make sure you're eating good, and your hair will look good, too.

We recommend trying out a few of these methods to see which one works best for your hair, or you could combine a couple for even better results. Ultimately, though, the better you care for your hair with the right products and attention, the better it'll look and feel.

Head over to the rest of our blog for more hair styling tips, and be sure to bag yourself our premium hair care products for effortless styling.