The EveryGal season is in full swing (14 lessons down, 19 to go before Christmas) and one common complaint I’m hearing is, “My braids are always so tight to my head, I can never make them look relaxed and boho” and “I want to learn how to do a messy bun that’s not slicked to my head” and my favourite “My hair is always so flat. I can never get volume at the roots!” ????

I’m here to tell you that achieving the volume and texture that we see on IG is possible! You just need a few tools and products (and maybe a tutorial or two on how to use them) in your arsenal!

1 – Try a volume powder

I swear, there is a special place in heaven for whoever invented volume powders ???????? When I try to describe it in words, I am at a loss. I can’t compare it to any other product because it’s in a league of its own. There are some powders that you tap out onto your roots, but my favourite is the Schwarzkopf Powder Cloud because it’s a sprayable powder that gives you a lot more control both with the amount used and where it’s dispensed. It’s also a bit darker, so if you spray too much, you won’t be left with a white residue.

2 – Show your mid-lengths and ends some love with a dry texture spray

Where volume powder tends to hang out near your roots, dry texture spray lives in the rest of your hair. This isn’t to say that you can’t spray it at your roots (let the can be your paintbrush and your hair be the canvas – create, my darling) but I find I have much better luck using the two products in tandem and each in their zone of genius. I have two favourites on the go right now: Moroccanoil Dry Texture Spray and Amika Un.Done. Morocannoil’s version has a bit more hold (a bit of a wetter consistency at first, but then dries) and Amika’s version is a lot more powdery, making it my go-to as a dry shampoo replacement when I’m on location with a wedding party.

3 – Learn how to backcomb (or tease, as some people like to call it)

Disclaimer: This skill looks easy, but it actually takes quite a bit of practise and patience to finesse. My biggest piece of advice: Use a fine tooth comb over a back-combing brush and slow down your pace. It’s not a race to the finish, so you don’t need to give yourself carpel tunnel or tennis elbow trying to backcomb the fastest. Chances are you’re alone in your bathroom anyways, so you’ll always win.

4 – Less is more, but more is more too

Did I confuse you? Super probably, so let’s break it down.

Less is More

You don’t need every product on the market to achieve your best hair day. I’d say having 3-4 styling products is all you need.

Here’s what I have in my kit on the regular. These are the only products I bring with me when I travel on-location and I have NEVER needed anything else to create my styles. Read: You likely won’t need anything else either LOL.

????????‍♀️ Heat Protectant (Amika’s The Shield)
????????‍♀️ Volume Powder (Schwarzkopf’s Powder Cloud)
????????‍♀️ Dry Texture Spray (Moroccanoil Dry Texture Spray and Amika Un.Done)
????????‍♀️ Hairspray (Schwarzkopf Session 3 and Moroccanoil Extreme Hold Hairspray)
????????‍♀️ Leave-in Treatment (Olaplex No. 6)
????????‍♀️ Anti-Frizz Cream (Schwarzkopf Tame Wild)
????????‍♀️ Volumizing Blow Out Spray (Amika Brooklyn Bombshell)
????????‍♀️ Dry Shampoo (Amika Perk Up)

Depending on your hair type, you will only need a few of these products. Feel free to send me a message if you need help deciding what products will work best for you!

More is More

When I hand over a product to an EveryGal, I say ‘spray twice as much as you normally would’ and still it’s the saddest amount of product that was ever dispensed. I think a little violin plays in the background, that’s how sad it is.

To get these tousled, beachy, textured looks, we need product. To create volume, we need product. To achieve bigger braids, we need product (and a little technique I like to call the ‘Pinch and Pull’ but we can chat more about that later). Don’t be afraid of dry texture sprays and volume powders – it’s hard to overdo it. Where you want to exercise caution is with creams and cream based products.

Happy Hair Days, my kweens!