5 ways to make thin hair look thicker

While it’s true that you’ll always want what you don’t have when it comes to your hair, the chances are what you’re actually blessed with is someone else’s idea of hair holy grail. Unfortunately the same can’t be said when it comes to thin hair. Hard to style and always on the back foot when it comes to looking healthy and cared for, it’s a problem that our endless and damaging quest for straighter/lighter/sun-kissed hair doesn’t help much either. In our pursuit of the kind of lustrous locks that Gisele appears to have been born with (damn her), we consulted Pinar Necati, Project Manager at Hob Salons and Academy. Read on, you (and your hair) will be glad you did…

By Georgia Day

• 1 1. Fake it with a cut

  If you’re a diehard devotee of long hair but suffer from thin strands, it may be time to rethink your look. Not only will a fresh, blunt cut give hair an immediate shot of healthy fullness (just steer clear of razor cutting as it will make ends appear wispy) but shorter hair will generally look thicker, as longer (and therefore older) ends will be carrying years worth of damage, resulting in hair that looks dry and weak. If you don’t fancy making a length change then consider a fringe instead, which can help balance out thinness at the crown; just ask your stylist to cut the under layer a fraction shorter than the top layer to add subtle body. If it’s layers you like, you can still have them, just be wary of exactly what you have done: ‘Overly layered hair at any length will take weight out’ says Pinar, ‘while heavier hair will look 
thicker.’
• 2 2. Eat your way to fuller hair

  ‘A healthy diet will benefit the hair,’ says Pinar ‘and vitamin E is most beneficial to hair condition.’ To help increase that much-needed keratin supply which will give you gorgeously fuller, thicker hair, get eating your eggs, which are a rich source of protein and Biotin, a vitamin found in many hair growth supplements. It’s also worth upping your ante of nuts, specifically almonds and walnuts, which are both also bursting with fatty acids and omega-3 to support scalp health and strengthen hair follicles; the same goes for oily fish – any excuse to stock up on sushi.
• 3 3. Great colour can add serious body

  If you think the only benefit to dyeing your hair is a fresh head of colour and a boost of self-confidence, think again. Colourants can actually swell hair strands by as much as half making it feel thicker, so if you’ve been cursed with thin hair, this may be the easy (and let’s face it, flattering) solution you’ve been looking for. Not just that, but if you opt for a mixture of shades in your hair, you’ll also be creating an added illusion of density – a sure-fire way to trick the eye into seeing more abundant hair. If you’re worried about damaging your locks for the sake of thickness, don’t, as according to Pinar, most colour products today have conditioning 
ingredients in the them to increase softness and manageability.
• 4 4. Style your way to thickness

  If you don’t want to make any drastic changes but still yearn for hair with body and volume then don’t fret, there are plenty of easy styling hacks that can take you from thin to thick in a flash. ‘Curly hair will always look thicker, plus it’s definitely on trend for autumn/winter’ declares Pinar. ‘If your hair is naturally straight you can always add movement with tongs or straighteners.’ It’s also worth perfecting your blow-dry technique in the pursuit of fullness. ‘Blow-drying your hair into place will actually encourage thickness,’ advises Pinar. To achieve it go through the hair section by section using a large round barrel brush and lift the hair up and out as you go. To avoid a flat parting, create one on the opposite side to where you usually wear it and dry. Once you’re done just flip it over and bask in the glory of a bouncy parting. For a commitment-free route to thicker hair, clip-in extensions underneath your natural hair are a great option. Contrary to belief, today’s versions look beautifully natural and blend seamlessly with your own hair to add instant body.
• 5 5. Memorise the product cheat-sheet

  The right products can offer a huge boost to thin hair and it begins in the shower with what shampoo and conditioner you use. ‘The Nioxin range of products are great to expand the natural hair texture and gain thicker, fuller-looking hair’ says Pinar, but any formulas enriched with vitamins B5, zinc and iron will help, as they promote the production of keratin, hair’s natural building block. Despite its old-fashioned reputation, mousse is still a great idea for adding body, and today’s formulas guarantee a crunch-free finish. Take a tip from the pros and apply dry shampoo to hair before bed. The act of tossing and turning as you sleep will help massage the product in, adding some much-needed oomph to hair for the morning.