From The Taj Mahal to St. Peterโs Basilica, some of the worldโs most beautiful buildings have roofs with domes. Domes create a sense of magnificence and symbolise the door to heaven.ย
Of course, I am not comparing, but a dome of certain magnificence also lie on top of our heads. And itโs formed by zillions of hair that sit clustered together.ย
But if you got fine hair with low density, the โhair-domeโ appears pretty flat and creates an unflattering appearance. Itโs a challenge to give your hair some lift. You tousle it or scrunch it, but it just keeps falling flat. I have been there and done it.
So what do you do???
In my quest to achieve fuller, denser and thicker hair, I have found that the best way you can do it is by using natural ingredients.
I have tried them, and they work great. My favourites so far are egg,ย henna gloss, natural shampoo, babassu oil, and amla. But everyoneโs hair is different, so your favourites could differ from mine.
Check out these volume-boosting home remedies to make your hair look big and full.
Yup, nothing complicated. Simple hair treatment with this tropical oil will pump up your tresses and boost volume and shine.
There are a couple of studies done to test its effectiveness. Out of the three oils: coconut, sunflower and mineral oil, coconut was the winner in restoring hair. The uniqueness of coconut oil is that it can penetrate the hair strands and stop the protein loss that occurs during shampooing. Hair is mostly made of protein, and if your hair is fine, you donโt want to lose any more of it.
How to use:
If you want, you can liquefy coconut oil by warming slightly, but itโs not needed โ it will melt as soon as it touches your skin.
Start with dry or damp hair. Part your hair in the center, apply some oil, part hair sideways about 1/2 inch, again, apply oil, and so on until you have coated your whole scalp. Gently massage with your fingertips for 5 to 10 minutes. You can leave the oil on for as little as 30 minutes or overnight. Then wash using a natural shampoo and let your hair air dry. You can repeat this every few days to get thicker and healthier hair.
For extra boost: take 1 tablespoon each of coconut oil, olive oil and castor oil and mix well. Apply this to your scalp.
If your hair doesnโt get along with coconut oil, use babassu oil. This oil from the Amazon forest offers the same hair volumizing benefits as coconut oil but has a much lighter feel โ which is great, especially if you donโt like the greasy feeling of coconut oil. An excellent conditioner, babassu oil strengthens the hair shaft, adds shine and gives body to limp hair. Itโs also good for your scalp health.
But before you go ahead and try it, let me warn you that babassu oil feels amazing, and there are good chances you might get addicted to it.
How to use: See coconut oil. You can also use babassu oil as a leave-in conditioner. Take a tiny bit in your palms; rub your hands together till it melts, and apply to your damp hair to seal the moisture and enhance volume and shine.
High in protein, egg shampoo is egg-cellent for fine, thin, or oily hair (here I am talking about the homemade egg shampoo). Initially, I was very hesitant to try egg shampoo; just the idea of putting an egg on my head was not very pleasant. But after trying just once, I am totally hooked to the egg wash.
The various proteins in the egg work to strengthen the hair shaft and add body and texture to the hair. Plus, eggs are packed with biotin, iodine, selenium, pantothenic acid and vitamin B12 โ all of which are great for shiny, healthy hair.
How to make and use:
Itโs very simple to make an egg shampoo. Just crack open an egg (or two), whisk it and apply on wet hair. Leave it on for 4 to 5 minutes, and then rinse with cool water. What I like about egg shampoo is, it washes away grease and dirt without drying out the scalp. Plus, it adds amazing shine and volume to my fine, soft hair.
For more on dos and donโts of egg shampoo, see here
You may also enjoy: DIY Egg and Olive Oil Hair Mask. This hair mask is fantastic to promote hair growth and density.
I call this miracle hair mask for hair. It doesnโt just thicken your hair, it also helps reduce hair loss, strengthen the hair shaft and leaves hair looking fabulous.
How does it help?
The protein in the yogurt binds with hair to strengthen it. And if you have damaged hair or split ends, yogurt does a wonderful repair job. It adheres well to the damaged area and fills in the cracks and gaps. And fenugreek is very nourishing for the hair follicles. Plus, fenugreek boosts scalp circulation, conditions hair and restores lustre and bounce.
See here on how to make yogurt and fenugreek hair mask.
Your hair wonโt transform overnight with a nettle rinse. Itโs slow working, so you need to use it a few times to see it working.
Nettle is abundant in protein, omega-3 fatty acids, carotenoids, B vitamins and minerals such as silica. These nutrients nourish the hair roots and make hair grow stronger, thicker and healthier. Also, nettle has tonic and astringent properties. It is especially good for oily hair or if you have dandruff.
Hereโs How to Make and Apply Nettle Hair Rinse
If you want texture, volume and beachy hair, try the sea salt spray. Itโs a solution of salt mixed with water. Add some aloe to keep hair conditioned.
How to make and use:ย
You will need:
Take a spray bottle. Add warm water, salt, aloe gel and oil of your choice (almond/jojoba/argan). Give it a good shake.
To use, after the shower, when your hair is still damp, spray all over your hair. Let it air dry, scrunch a few times while itโs drying. Enjoy your beach wavy, textured look.
This classic combination of fatty avocado and protein-rich egg gives hair amazing thickness and body. Plus, this mask also has a reputation for encouraging growth and making the hair soft and shiny. And if you have irritated, itchy and flaky scalp, add some honey to bring relief.
You will need:
Start by cutting and removing the seed of the avocado. Scoop out the avocado flesh with a spoon and place it in a blender. Also, in goes egg, oil and honey if using. Blend until smooth.
How to use: Start with dry hair. Apply this mask to your scalp and hair. Put on your shower cap or wrap your head in a muslin cloth or a towel. Leave this on for 20-30 minutes, then rinse off thoroughly. Next, wash the hair with one of the natural hair cleansers and dry it naturally.
And donโt be surprised when your hair is full of volume and life.
Amla is an excellent herb for hair. It provides vitamin C,ย antioxidants, amino acids and other nutrients which help to slow hair loss and greying as well as increase the thickness and texture of your hair.
You will need:
1 teaspoon dried amla pieces or amla powder
1 cup water
In a bowl, combine amla with water and allow it to infuse for a few hours, preferably overnight. Strain the liquid.
How to use:
Apply to wet hair in the shower after shampooing, leave in for approximately 5 minutes before rinsing with cool or lukewarm water. Regular use of this rinse will make your hair thicker, darker and shiner.
You may also enjoy: Amla โ the superfood for hair.
This humble dye not only adds a beautiful reddish tint to hair, it coats the hair shaft and increases the body and lustre of your hair. Henna treatment will instantly make your hair look fuller and voluminous.
And if you have problems with recurring split ends, regular henna treatment will prevent them from happening. Henna also has cooling and conditioning properties that soothe the scalp and prevent itchiness and dandruff, while intensely nourishing the hair.
You will need:
5 tablespoon henna powder
Water (enough to make a paste)
1 tablespoon amla or lime juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup yoghurt (optional, use for moisturising)
In a bowl, place henna powder and amla powder (or lime juice), then add water little by little, monitoring the thickness โ it should be the consistency of yoghurt or conditioner. If you want a deeper colour, you can set aside this paste for 1 to 4 hours (to help release dye) or you can use it immediately. Before applying the henna paste, add olive oil and yogurt if you like.
Apply to your scalp and hair and let it sit for 30-60 minutes. Then rinse thoroughly. You may or may not need to use shampoo, especially if you are using egg, which is a good cleanser. See how your hair feels after rinsing. Use henna every week or once every fortnight to add thickness and volume to your hair.
Cassia: If you have lighter hair, use cassia. It has similar benefits to henna, but doesnโt really colour the hair. It may add very subtle golden highlights to pale blond or grey hair.
Note:ย wear gloves when using henna to avoid staining of hands.
The beautiful concoction of reetha, shikakai and amla can give you super shiny and voluminous hair. Together they work to clean the hair, balance your scalp ph and increase bounciness and silkiness of hair. This natural shampoo also helps to promote hair growth, strengthen hair roots and clear scalp problems. It also conditions hair, so you may not need to use a conditioner.
Plus, if you live in a hard water area and cal build-up is weighing your hair down, this shampoo can come to your rescue. This shampoo works incredibly well in hard water.
For the recipe and how to make this natural shampoo, see this post here.
You probably knew this was coming. But itโs the most fundamental bit. If you desire healthy, silky and beautiful hair, you got to feed your hair from the inside.
Your hair is constantly being made by hair follicles, and its health and strength is totally dependent on what you eat, so basically what nutrients you provide. Sadly, if you are deficient in protein or any other vitamin, the first part of your body to suffer is hair because it is the least important for our survival. So you need to keep your supplies of vitamins and minerals topped up by eating a balanced diet.
Your diet must include:
How do you add volume to your fine hair? Have you tried any of the above hair treatments? Would love to hear your experienceโฆplease share below.