Here’s How to Get Voluminous Hair Without a Blow Dryer

Did you know that your can’t-live-without-it air conditioning is giving you bad hair?

It’s sad but true. Because the air that circulates through the AC is often very humid, this leads to lank, limp locks. Add that to the fact that when it’s this hot, using a blow dryer can be considered a form of torture, and we have a serious volume deficiency on our hands…er, head. To keep your hair voluminous without resulting to mad heat styling, follow these simple volume-boosting hacks from top celeb stylists. No professional skills (or blow dryer) required!

1. Flip your part.

“The quickest way to cheat volume is to switch partings to the opposite side you would normally do it,” says Mark Hill, British celebrity hairstylist and the founder of Mark Hill Salon Professional. If you normally part in the center, a deep part to either side part will instantly boost your look.

2. Shake it off.

“Shake it out and flip back up, twisting front pieces away from your face,” says celebrity stylist Sarah Potempa. To set the instant volume, she recommends spritzing in a light finishing spray, like Aussie Aussome Volume Hairspray ($4).

3. Condition tips only.

Conditioning the roots can weigh down hair excessively. Instead, add moisture with a hydrating shampoo, says Potempa. If your hair is naturally oily and gets weighed down by moisturizing shampoos, use a volumizing shampoo, like Original Mineral Fine Intellect ($30.95) that moisturizes with jojoba seed oil—the lightest of the essential oils.

4. Go overbeard with dry shampoo.

“Dry shampoo helps to expand the body of your hair,” says celebrity hairstylist Adrien Flammier of San Francisco-based salon Atelier Emmanuel. When using it as a styling product, he recommends applying it all over the hair, not just on the roots. Klorane Dry Shampoo with Oat Milk ($19.50) keeps the hair moisturized so you can skip the shampoo and conditioner while boosting body.

5. Use your hands.

Just as you massage your shampoo into your scalp, do the same with your dry shampoo. “Massaging with your hands will lift the roots and make hair look thicker,” says Flammier.

6. Elevate your curls (literally).

If it’s not too hot to use a curling iron, follow Potempa’s simple hack: “When curling, raise your arms so the section being curled is elevated, versus being pulled down. Hold the iron horizontally under the root to create lift.”

7. Go retro with rollers!

“Velcro rollers give volume exactly where you need it—at the roots,” says Hill. Extra-large rollers give a subtle bounce and smooth strands while smaller rollers give more strength to the volume at the root and add more prominent curls to the ends. “If you have the time, pop the rollers into damp hair and leave to dry naturally. If time is of the essence, pop them into dry hair, spray with Mark Hill 12 Wonder Hair Spray ($10) and leave in for a few minutes. Remove and comb through using your fingers.”

8. Brush, brush, brush (the brush some more).

This is the one time you want a little static. “The more you brush your hair, the better, because it will result in a bit of static and the hair underneath will push up and give strands more volume,” says Flammier. “To lift the roots, brush hair in every direction, head down. Then part your hair and brush it in the direction you want.”

9. Get more protein.

Shampoos and conditioners formulated with proteins temporarily add volume by closing gaps in the strands (i.e. split ends) and add volume over time by strengthening. Flammier swears by René Furterer TONUCIA Toning and Densifying Shampoo ($29) and the corresponding Mask ($40).

10. Tease it.

Here’s a trick your grandmother probably swore by: teasing, or backcombing, as Hill calls it. “Backcombing gives instant volume to any length of hair, but you must do it right to avoid damage,” he says. Taking a small section of hair, use your comb to push down toward the roots. “Take your comb out and repeat. Don’t rub up and down the section as this can rip and split your hair.”

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