va va VOLUME

SLEEK AND CHIC IS GOOD but flat and limp is not!

Here's how to turn up your hair's volume...

1. LAYER IN MODERATION. Keep hair close to one length. When you overlayer it—which people mistakenly do in an attempt to create volume—you risk taking away too much bulk and actually decreasing the volume.

2. COLOUR SMART. Lightening your base colour one or two shades "gives the look of more volume. (Glazes and semipermanent dye "won't do the trick because they are stains, which actually smooth the hair even more.) For women who don't want to change their colour, consider using dye for texture—it ruffles the cuticle just enough to create body. In the hands of a skilled colorist, the ensuing damage is minimal—but it's still damage, so try this strategy only a few times a year to see how your hair responds.

3. REVERSE IT. Condition your hair before you shampoo. You'll still get the moisture and elasticity, but you'll wash out any residue that can weigh down fine hair. On days when hair is really dirty, he recommends shampooing, conditioning, and then shampooing again.

4. DRY WITH CARE. Creating volume in fine hair is like making a soufflé—overwork it and the whole thing falls flat. When blow-drying, work on large sections, holding the nozzle a few inches from the hair and keeping it moving.

5. PUT IT UP. To boost volume once the hair is dry, lift three-inch sections and allow them to drop through a mist of medium-hold hair spray, then spray your entire head with dry shampoo and scrunch; the result is hair with lift and a lovely, seemingly no-product finish. For those who hate hair spray, apply mousse to a vent brush and then to damp hair—it won't squeeze the air out of the mousse. Coat the brush with mousse and run it through one side of your hair, then refuel and do the other side.