Tips from a Pro Stylist

For many, achieving and maintaining volume is one of the biggest haircare dilemmas. Those with fine textures often wonder how to make their strands appear thicker, while people with longer, thicker hair may struggle to get styles to hold in a task that can feel like defying gravity. Personally, I’m saddled with a bit of both: My individual strands are finer and tangle easily, but I have a lot of hair, which creates ample opportunity for styling but requires a solid strategy to avoid flatness.

Add in long, busy days and the heat and humidity that creep in each summer, and you have a plethora of factors that complicate the process of creating a big, bold hairstyle that lasts. Luckily, pro hairstylists are regularly working to conquer this task. I got to experience this magic firsthand on a recent trip to Dallas and Fort Worth when I got a styling session from Joseph Maine, who gave me an impressively big country glam blowout using his expert skills and several key Color Wow products, including the brand’s new Texas Hold ‘Em Big Hold Hairspray. The proof is in the pudding: Just look at my resulting style, which was truly mind-blowing and garnered countless compliments from both fellow travelers and friends back home.

You don’t even have to be a celebrity stylist (or have access to one) to get similarly capacious results, as Maine has shared his top tips with us—all of which are possible to experiment with at home. Ahead, learn all about how to achieve and maintain volume in your hair this summer and beyond, from hair type-specific guidance to how to pair smart techniques with heavy-hitting products.

Why Maintaining Volume and Hold Is Challenging

If you’ve ever had trouble getting a hairstyle to reach your desired heights or found all that work falls out within hours, you’re not alone. There are many reasons that make building and maintaining volume one of the most widespread challenges, but the good news is that being aware of them can help you achieve better results. We’ve detailed a few of the most common root causes below, complete with tips from Maine on how to combat these.

• Using the wrong products for your hair type: While anyone can boost the volume in their hair, the method for getting there is far from one-size-fits all. “Finer hair needs lightweight volumizing products and root lifters that won’t weigh it down,” Maine says. “Coarser or curlier hair types usually need more moisture and stronger hold to maintain shape. Understanding your hair’s texture, density, and porosity helps you choose tools and products that work with your hair instead of against it. Fine textures wouldn’t need to layer on both wet and dry hair, but this is a great option for coarse, heavy hair.”
• Inadequate hair prep: “Many people also start styling on hair that’s too clean or too soft—I never attempt to achieve volume without layering product,” Maine says. Don’t underestimate the powers of mousse, texture spray, and other volume-enhancing products in boosting your styling experience, especially when you know the right ways to use them. In addition, don’t forget the heat protectant and hairspray: “Skipping heat protection or hold-enhancing products can sabotage volume from the start,” he adds.

• Applying product incorrectly: While finding products that promise hold, lift, and texture are a good start, technique is as important as what you’re using. Be sure to read instructions on the packaging and/or read into tips from pro stylists like Maine on how to maximize their impact.
• Blow-drying incorrectly: “Another big issue is not properly drying the roots with tension or lift, which makes a huge difference,” Maine tells us. A good strategy here ensures you’ll have a style you love from the start.
• Using the wrong hairspray: When creating a voluminous style, you’ll want a hairspray with a strong hold, but not all are created equally. “Some strong-hold hairsprays emit so much product, it can really weigh the hair down or they are so wet they change the style,” Maine says.

How to Achieve and Maintain Volume

Once you know what might be causing your volume woes, it’s time to plot a more promising technique. Below, check out a few of Maine’s top tips for a gravity-defying style that lasts.

• Start with the right foundation: “Use a volumizing mousse or root spray on damp hair before blow-drying,” Maine says. This will ensure you have a base of texture and lift that’s set to work well with all that styling.
• Blow dry with lift: As Maine mentioned earlier, tension and lift in your blow-drying technique are absolutely crucial. “Use a round brush or blow dry upside down to give the roots a boost,” he says. “I like to use Raise the Root by Color Wow first on wet hair, blow dry upward using tension, and then sometimes give another light mist on dry hair for more concentrated product application and hit it with heat again. You’ll get epic lift.”

• Use velcro rollers or a thermal round brush: “These tools help create shape and long-lasting body,” Maine says. “Allowing your style to cool in a roller will also help lock it in.”
• Finish with a strong-hold spray: A good hairspray is a game-changer when it comes to locking in your look—and you can rest assured that you have options that keep your hair bouncy and full of movement. Maine recommends Color Wow’s Texas Hold ‘Em for this purpose: “It’s designed to give volume staying power,” he says. “Whether you’re using it at the root for lift, in sections to set curls, or after styling to lock everything in, it works without weighing the hair down. It also holds up in humidity, which is a must when creating big, long-lasting styles that need to keep their shape.”

• Set each section with hairspray before and after styling: Just as important as having a hairspray on hand is using an optimal method. Spritzing sections before heat styling them in addition to at the end will take your style to new heights. “This gives your curls or waves memory and structure,” Maine says.

The Power of Hairspray

Many people are apprehensive about using hairspray because formulas they’ve tried are crunchy or dry out the hair, but the technology has advanced in this department so that this doesn’t have to be the case. Many products offer a flexible hold and/or updated ingredients that treat your hair kindly while they support your style.

If you’re going for a particularly voluminous style, you’ll want a strong-hold hairspray—but don’t let that scare you. There’s been a lot of innovation in this department, with Texas Hold ‘Em being one standout example. “It’s a strong-hold spray with serious staying power but zero crunch and stickiness,” Maine says. “It builds memory into the hair, meaning it holds shape without stiffness, so styles look more natural and touchable. It also has a micro-fine mist that layers beautifully without flaking, which is crucial when working with heat or creating editorial looks.”

This innovative hairspray is especially ideal now that summer is fast approaching. “The anti-humidity factor is key when I’m creating slicked-back updos,” Maine adds. “When I use this on styles, I don’t have to worry about baby hairs popping out later in the day. ”

The Final Takeaway

Achieving and maintaining volume in your hair can be a challenge, especially if you have a fine texture, your hair type is resistant to heat styling, or you’re dealing with environmental factors like humidity. Luckily, leveling up your styling process can majorly improve both the result and the hold time. From blow-drying with tension to setting with rollers to using high-performing products including mousse and a strong-hold hairspray, following the tips above will help you achieve bouncy, massively glamorous hair that lasts through whatever your long, busy day holds.