There is nothing more frustrating than curly hair weighed down by the products that we use. Most of us with curly hair would dream about voluminous curly hair. Some of the queries I receive from readers regularly are “How to achieve volume for curly hair?”, “How can I make my hair more voluminous?”, “After trying the routine my hair looks very thin, because I don’t have much hair to begin with”.
Just to be clear, what I mean by volume here is the size of your hair – how big it is, how much space it occupies. I do not mean density / the number of hair strands on your hair. If that’s what you are looking for, you may be interested in these posts Hair fall : Causes and Remedies and 7 ways to grow healthy hair.
Now, well defined frizz free hair and voluminous hair are kind of opposites to each other. Definition and frizz control is achieved by ultra hydration, which clumps hair together thus decreasing volume. So to achieve volume, you need to embrace frizz. I remember reading somewhere that “Volume = Desired Frizz” and I think it’s the most perfect definition! If you want definition, don’t dream for really big hair. If you want voluminous hair, embrace frizz a bit. You can of course have them meet somewhere in between to get the best of both worlds.
Let’s start with my tips to achieve volume for curly hair. It’s not necessary to use all of these tips. They are just options. Suit them to your availability and needs.
For volume specifically at the roots, check out this post – 10 Ways to Prevent Your Crown from Lying Flat : Curls from the Roots
1) Style on damp hair instead of wet hair
Wet hair encourages curl clumping and thus making the hair stick to each other more. This would reduce the volume of your curls. So it would be better to style on damp hair.
2) Use less quantity of styling products
Using more quantity of styling products encourages curl clumping. Be mindful of the amount of styling products that you need to use. This would be need some trial and error to find the amount that is perfect for your hair to be voluminous.
3) Use lightweight products
Rich heavy products can weigh your hair down preventing them from looking big. This includes oils and many silicones. Avoid such products and opt for more lighter ones to prevent your hair looking flat.
4) Rake your hair to separate the clumps
Clumps = hair sticking together. More clumps = More volume. To generate more clumps, always rake your hair. This will separate the clumps into mini clumps thus increasing the volume of your curly hair.
5) Remove as much water as possible from your hair before leaving it to dry
Having a lot of water in the hair before starting to dry it can either cause fat clumps or weigh the hair down. Use methods like t-shirt scrunching and plopping to remove excess water before leaving your hair to dry.
6) Diffuse your hair
Diffusing hair springs up curls and gives super volume. This probably has to be the best tip of the article. Diffusing upside down yields even more volume. Check this post for more details – Everything about diffusing curly hair – What, Why, How
7) Scrunch out the crunch
Gel casts form a coating over the clumps preventing them from expanding. Scrunch out the crunch to break that coating and let hair become big. Check this post for more details – Curly hair gels : Everything you need to know
8) Fluff your roots
Once 100% dry, fluff and shake your hair at the roots using fingers like you are massaging your scalp or use a hair pick. This is a method of loosening out the clumped hair at the roots to give more volume. This method also helps if your scalp is visible once the hair dries.
9) Clarify your hair
Hair build up can cause your hair to weigh down. Check out this post for more details – Clarifying Curly Hair – What, When and How
10) Get a volumising haircut
Length of your hair and type of the cut can determine hair volume. Long hair and hair without layers will lack volume. Check out this post for more details – Haircuts for curly hair. Once you have the perfect length and hair cut, your curls will come alive.
11) Try some protein
Soft curls will not have the body or strength to curl up and will fall flat. A protein treatment may help – Homemade gelatin protein treatment for damaged curly hair
Maintaining the volume through the day for your curls
1) Keep fluffing your hair throughout the day(during toilet breaks? that’s when I do :D) whenever you feel like you could use some volume.
2) Change your hair partition from left to right whenever you want some volume.
What are your tips for hair volume? Do you have any questions? Let me know in the comments section!
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Hi! I am Anjana and I fell in love with my curly hair after years of hating it. YOU can too!
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Kawalpreet
April 5, 2020 at 10:45 pm
Wonderful article. I hv realised with time since i started my journey ( thanks to u, forever indebted to u ) that my hair r fine. I swear by these points
1. My hair loves sulphates n clarifying so i try to use it after every 2 washes
2. Smaller clumps mk more voluminous curls so i go by rake in method .
3. My hair r in love with protein so i try to use protein rich products and recently i got natural protein filler drops which i can add to my products too. Love gelatin effects on my hair but being veg i try to use it only as a last resort 🙈
Ur all points make so much sense. Loads of love
Anjana
April 6, 2020 at 3:08 pm
You have nailed it, Kawal 🙂
Kawalpreet
April 6, 2020 at 4:00 pm
♥️♥️😘 thanku
Aastha Sharma
April 14, 2020 at 2:17 pm
Hi Anjana
I have 2b curl type. And as India is in lockdown, it is really hard to find my usual curly hair products. Since I’m running low on products, I have to use regular hair products like sunsilk and tresemme. Can you provide me some tips on how to protect my hair while using these regular non curly products.
Anjana
April 14, 2020 at 3:26 pm
Hi Aastha, just stick with a mild shampoo and conditioner. It won’t damage your hair.
s
April 28, 2020 at 3:36 pm
Hey hi!!! How r u doin? I have been following cg method since a year. I use cg friendly conditioner as leave in.. my scalp feels oily flaky the nxt day.. how do avoid product build up…i have a oily scalp n thick curly hair..any suggestion??
Anjana
April 28, 2020 at 7:07 pm
Hi Swathi, check this post https://www.curlsandbeautydiary.com/flaky-scalp-dandruff-dry-scalp-products-remedies/
Nivedita Sreelakshmi
May 7, 2020 at 1:53 am
Hello!
I have gone through your Instgaram and all the blogs. They are so detailed & informative.. commentable!!
I hope you can be my navigator too 🙂
I have got wavy hair, and have undergone chemical treatments like smoothening, keratin, rebonding etc etc for 6-7 times atleast! Its been 3 years i stopped doing it and right now i have started growing my REAL hair.
Usually when i step out, i either straightener or a blowdry comb which gives natural straighten look. But i recently noticed that after shower when i leave it, its kinda curly.. which i actually like. But im unable to maintain it, and then it turns frizzy. Due to which, I again straighten.
Could you please tell what exactly needs to be done to tackle this. As said above, i have gone through the blogs.. and i gried the steps too not sure why but i wasn’t achieving it and thats when j thought of writing to you.
Thanks in advance! 🙂🙂🙂
Anjana
May 7, 2020 at 3:00 pm
Hi Nivedita, to get your hair to be at its healthy best, you need to stop using all heat tools right away. Once you do that, don’t expect instant results. You would need to be patient till all the damage is gone(which may take months) otherwise you will remain in the vicious cycle 🙂 Hope that helps! These posts may help – https://www.curlsandbeautydiary.com/heat-damage-curly-hair/
https://www.curlsandbeautydiary.com/how-to-transition-from-chemically-straightened-hair-to-your-natural-curly-hair/
Sobhana
May 9, 2020 at 11:53 pm
Hi Anjana!
I love your blog! I began following the CG routine a weeks ago. I have been obsessively reading your blog since then. I have literally been through every review here on the blog. Yet, I have hit a few snags and need help to perfect my CG routine. I would be so grateful if you could offer any advice. ALSO, THANK YOU FOR THIS BLOG, you are a lifesaver!
I used to comb out my hair to try and make it straighter, which has now made it harder for my curls to find their natural pattern, but I would say its around 3a or 3b. My curls aren’t defined and quickly loose their shape with the slightest distruption (like putting my hair up in a loose bun). The front portion is significantly less curlier than the others. To refresh my curls I needs to wet my hair completely. Though my hair seems to be healthy, the ends are rough, and my hair is extremely dry. Despite everything I do, the curls do not last beyond Wash day.
As I started the CG method (i.e finally embraced my curls after 18 years) just a few weeks ago (the lockdown due to the pandemic made buying them impossible), I was not able to procure all the products needed like hair creams and gels.
This is my current routine:
Plum Olive and Macademia Nourish Conditioner (to detangle pre-poo)
Biotique Bio Kelp Protein Shampoo (on the scalp as you describe in your video)
mCaffeine Naked Detox Green Tea Conditoner (I scrunch, but wash it all out)
Drying – I tried plopping and the Fiama Bath Essentials Microfiber Drying Towel, but usually air-dry
Coccon Hair Polishing Mist (tried to use it to refresh my curls, but it did NOT help, now I use it for the fragnance)
All these products are CG-friendly according to my research (which was painstakingly long and tiring 🙂 )
I do not know what I’m doing wrong, my curls just aren’t cooperating, and it is just sooo frustrating!
Despite the exahusting work and not so impressive results, this is truly an amazing journey, I get to find and love my hair for what it is and what it can be, and not for what people think it should be. In fact, I used it as an analogy in one of University interviews, while answering a question regarding Imperialism and its enduring effects on the economy and everyday life (notions of beauty, and imposing impossible western standards on women of colour).
Well, I hope this hasn’t been too long, but I felt I needed to tell you this, becuase your blog was a HUGE help and motivation.
Please help me! Thank you 🙂 🙂
Anjana
May 11, 2020 at 2:58 pm
Hi Sobhana, thanks for the lovely comment 🙂 A few weeks is a very short time to expect your curls to start behaving. Mine took many months(though it does vary from person to person, but just to give you an idea). Keep at it, be patient. You will see it one day!
Sobhana
May 11, 2020 at 3:46 pm
Thank you !!
Tara
May 17, 2020 at 5:04 pm
Hi Anjana, thank you for your blog and detailed posts about products and routine! I’ve never been able to embrace my curly hair and have always hidden it in a braid or bun, thinking it was frizzy and unmanageable. I never knew that curly hair had its own routine and that naturally curly hair too could look beautiful.
I live in Singapore where there’s not many products for curly hair at all and where humidity is intense, inducing lots of frizz. I’ve been trying to get my hands on the Re’equil or Enliven conditioner for the longest time now but have not been able to due to international shipping constraints or product unavailability. I initially wanted to try brands like devacurl but after reading some articles about the recent hair fall issue, wanted to play safe and try other brands.
My hair type is fine and I think it falls under the category of 3a. I was wondering if you have any suggestions for CG conditioners under brands that are easier to obtain out of India under this current circumstance, for example Giovanni or Loreal? Thanks!
Anjana
May 18, 2020 at 4:24 pm
Hi Tara, I think given the current Global scenario, it would be best to look for products available in Singapore using this article for ingredients – https://www.curlsandbeautydiary.com/cg-method-cg-friendly-products-india-intermediate-advanced-curly-hair-care/
Marjorie
May 19, 2020 at 9:36 pm
Thank you so much for your advice. My waves are getting curlier. One question, my hair feels gross with all the product on it. Am I doing something wrong?
I so appreciate you sharing your hair journey!!
Anjana
May 20, 2020 at 2:10 pm
Hi Marjorie, I am glad to hear that!
Maybe you are using too much product? Or you have product build up? Or the product ingredients/formulation may not be good?
Kayleigh
June 3, 2020 at 8:03 pm
Hey, first of all I love your blog (and your hair!) . Although I really don’t know what to do as my hair just isn’t working out at all. I have been following the curly girl method since around the end of February, I didn’t really use much heat on it before (the last time I used heat on my hair was in 2018). My natural curl pattern is around 3a, you can really see my hair how it naturally is ‘underneath’ my hair but on the top it has quite a bit of frizz and where there are curls on the ‘outside’ of my head they just don’t hold and look more like waves. Yet under the top layer my hair is really defined. Also another thing is my hair doesn’t curl from the top of my head, it starts about 3 inches(ish) down my head and at the top there is either a slight wave or it’s straight. What do you think I should do? Thanks 🙂
Anjana
June 4, 2020 at 5:06 pm
Hi Kayleigh, looks like you need a balance of these 2 posts –
https://www.curlsandbeautydiary.com/7-ways-to-make-your-crown-area-frizz-free-tackle-baby-hair/
https://www.curlsandbeautydiary.com/10-ways-prevent-crown-lying-flat-curls-roots/
Kayleigh
June 5, 2020 at 11:39 pm
Thank you but I have tried absolutely everything, but my hair just can’t hold a curl at the top of my head I have tried finger coiling and plopping and many different methods, it just doesn’t work 🙁 and I really don’t know what to do because I have tried applying products right up to my roots and my hair just keeps being straight at the top and curly at the bottom (like at the very bottom it’s really curly, then in the middle it’s a slight wave then at the top it’s really straight) I’ve tried everything and I just don’t think my hair is going to hold a curl at the top:( .
Anjana
June 8, 2020 at 2:39 pm
Ya Kayleigh, some curl patterns are just that way 🙂 Embracing it would be your best bet
Gupti
June 10, 2020 at 3:19 pm
my upper section of hair becomes wavy after drying and the lower section remains with curls?Can you help me?
Anjana
June 10, 2020 at 7:05 pm
And how would you prefer it to be Gupti?
Gupti
June 10, 2020 at 3:33 pm
Also I want to get a haircut for my hair and I’m confused what will suit me can you please see my picture and suggest anything?
Anjana
June 10, 2020 at 7:05 pm
Please check this https://www.curlsandbeautydiary.com/haircuts-for-curly-hair/
Nilanjana
July 5, 2020 at 9:25 am
Hi Anjana,
Do you tie your hair in home? Is so how do you tie?
Anjana
July 6, 2020 at 3:55 pm
In a pony with a jaw clip like here – https://www.curlsandbeautydiary.com/how-to-care-for-your-curls-during-after-a-workout/
or in a bun if I don’t plan to go out
Sravanthi
July 16, 2020 at 11:28 pm
Hi Anjana,
First of all thanks and bless you for your initiative to help other curly hair souls struggling to manage their hair ! . I researched extensively on this topic and it was quite overwhelming to read varied opinions not just on products but method itself. I finally found your blog to be more concise, neat and informative. I ordered products as per your beginners kit recommendation 😊
I started CG method a month back and observed following issues :
1. With ever wash cycle , the curl clumps are getting thinner and string like. I tried with using lesser product as well ( enliven as conditioner and leave in after diluting a bit, diy flaxseed gel) . Also, clarifying with pantene lively clean once in 1-2 weeks.
Styling techniques tried – simple STC with gel, shingling (gave good results first time I did it but couldn’t get same results on repeated wash) , twirling
2. After sotc, the hair doesn’t feel bouncy, meaning it acts too stubborn to move from one direction to the other even if done without touching hair and by moving head side to side.
3. End up with itchy scalp on 2nd day sometimes . Another reason for clarifying more often I guess.
4. Once I left coconut oil as prepoo treament and observed that hair was drying up faster during wash and frizz was more than usual.after drying.
5. Hairs tends to frizz 8-9 hours post washing.
Clarify with pantene lively clean.
On non clarifying days I shampoo with wow acv.
Enliven as conditioner and leave in.
DIY flaxseed gel .
Once a week Deep condition with avacado moisture mask.
Use a seamless wide tooth comb after conditioning and leave in
Hair type is 3a/3b , fine, less dense, low porosity. Got hair smoothening done for the first time last year and chopped off 3/4 of straight hair so far. Haven’t used any heating tools for past one year.
I understand one month is too early to conclude but wanted to discuss these issues to rectify the mistakes going forward.
Thanks,
Sravanthi
Anjana
July 17, 2020 at 3:34 pm
Hi Sravanthi, looks like everything looks good. I would maybe ask you to skip coconut oil for now. Also since you are still transitioning and like you mentioned, it’s just been a month, it will improve with time 🙂
Sravanthi
July 16, 2020 at 11:37 pm
Also I hope sharing my picture will give you a better picture 😁. Please let me know if needed.
Sravanthi
July 19, 2020 at 7:31 am
Thanks Anjana for the confirmation. So, does it mean it is okay for curl clumps to be thinner and also have slight stiffness in hair after sotc?
In your opinion, how many months (min/max) will it take for hair to respond to this method given routine is strictly followed.
Anjana
July 20, 2020 at 4:22 pm
That is highly individual Sravanthi, there’s absolutely no fixed range 😀
Abhy
August 23, 2020 at 12:34 am
Hey!!
I’m 20M with hair that’s around 7-8cm long. It’s super dry, coarse and turns brittle when there’s no moisture. I guess it’s 3b.
I’m not that into curls, wavy is my thing. Rn I’m looking to add some luster and shine to my hair while making it smooth and less brittle.
I went through your blog(loved it), but I’m kinda confused atm. Can a conditioner alone make my hair smooth and possibly fluffy? Since I’m trying to make it smooth and manageable won’t gel be adding to the brittleness of my hair?
I’m a simple man I don’t dream Alex Costa kinda hair, with what I have now -( picture of my hair https://ibb.co/Y2V2HBF ) can I atleast get a mrwhosetheboss(Arun Maini) style hair with just the conditioner, gel and CG hair care routine?
I just ordered Re’equil Bubasu and L’Oréal Homme Strong Hold. My hair care routine is non-existentent atm.
Anjana
August 24, 2020 at 3:22 pm
Hi Abhy, you cannot “choose” a curl pattern, the tips in this blog will only help you make the best of YOUR OWN curly hair.
Surya
September 11, 2020 at 8:36 pm
Hi Anjana,
Iam following CG method from June and I can see some changes in texture.i recently checked the porosity of my hair and it is low porosity.After applying products (Arata cream and gel) my hair feels very sticky and on 2nd day it become more dry.So can you please help me out to get rid of this?
Iam not using diffuser,I’m using tshirt to dry my hair and it will take hours to dry.
Iam not using leave on conditioner.is it necessary?
Please help me
Jai
September 16, 2020 at 5:29 pm
Hi Anjana,
Are there any specific ways for men who are trying to grow long curly hair. Like John snow from GOT😉
Anjana
September 17, 2020 at 4:14 pm
Hi Jai, you can use the same technique; they aren’t gender specific 🙂
Ankita Deb
September 8, 2021 at 12:16 pm
Hi, Anjana. Your videos and suggestions help me a lot to maintain my curly hair. It’s just one year or two years ago, I was so much disappointed with my hair. But your videos help me to love my own features and obviously give me confidence.
But I am facing a problem with my hair. That is, as your suggestion I shampoo my hair only two days a week. And follow the whole washday routine. Then the hair looks beautiful and manageable. But the rest 5 day it looks freezy, unmanageable. What should be my hair routine in my rest 5 days when I am not using shampoo r follow the whole wash day routine.
Anjana
September 9, 2021 at 11:12 am
Check this Ankita – https://www.curlsandbeautydiary.com/3-ways-refresh-curly-hair/