Photographer: Vonecia Carswell

Five Tips & Tricks For Voluminous Curls

1. This first trick is one of my favorites because it requires pretty much zero effort. Parting your hair on the side, rather than in the middle gives the illusion of bigger hair in seconds. BAM! Instant hair makeover.

2. This next trick isn't exactly a trick and is kind of self-explanatory. If you weren't blessed with naturally huge hair, don't worry. Sometimes all your curls need is some help from good volumizing product. My hair tends to fall flat on the top, so I like to apply Bumble & Bumble's Pret A Powder (literally a pinch of product) to my roots just to add a little extra umph. It's a bit pricey, but lasts a long time considering I don't use it too often, and when I do I use a very small amount. Remember that less is more and when applying anything to your hair, keep the product to a complete minimum or else your hair would be a greasy mess.

3. Avoid washing your hair too often. I've noticed that day old hair (or ever two to three day old hair) kind of styles itself. I typically sleep with my hair in a high bun overnight so that my hair will have that extra volume that I love. Instead of washing and wetting your hair everyday (which isn't ideal, as curly hair is already dry as is), you can use a spray bottle and mix in your favorite leave-in conditioner with some water to style and refresh your hair as needed.

4. Dry your hair with a micro-fiber towel or a tee shirt before using a diffuser. You want to make sure that your hair is damp, and not soaking wet while using one. I have made the mistake of hopping out of the shower and straight to my blow dryer, which never really ended well. When I did that, my curls would be nice and defined but flatter than ever. Although you can always wait for your hair to air-dry, using your diffuser on a low heat or cool setting will help your hair keep its shape and allow whatever product you use to set in your hair a lot quicker. Remember to flip your head over to dry your hair in sections for extra bouncy, voluminous curls. Running your diffuser over your hair like you'd do with a normal blow dryer is likely to add unwanted frizz.

5. Consider getting long layers. In no way am I trying to pressure you into cutting your hair, as I am someone who has a huge attachment to my hair myself. However, I've realized that you can add layers to your hair without having to cut the actual length of your hair. By adding long layers, you can have your stylist shape your curls to frame your face. This technique gives the illusion of fuller, thicker hair.

What are your favorite tricks for getting big voluminous hair? Let me know in the comments below!

xo, Lisette