How to get root volume with a hair dryer

Why roots fall flat

Hair sets in the shape it is in while it goes from damp to dry and then cools. If your roots dry lying flat against your head, they stay flat. Heavy hair, long length and heavy products all pull roots down further. Fine hair has less body to hold itself up.

So the whole technique comes down to one idea: get the roots dry and cool while they are lifted away from the scalp. Everything below is a way to do that.

Step by step: volume with a dryer and round brush

1. 1

   Towel blot and apply a light root product if you use one. Detangle with a wide-tooth comb.

2. 2

   Flip your head upside down or lift sections with your fingers, and dry the roots first on medium heat and high airflow. Leave the lengths damp for now.

3. 3

   Over-direct: dry each root area in the opposite direction from how it falls. Part on the left? Dry the top over to the right first.

4. 4

   When roots are dry, clip the hair into sections and attach the concentrator nozzle.

5. 5

   Place a round brush under a section right at the scalp and lift the section straight up, toward the ceiling.

6. 6

   Aim the nozzle down the section onto the brush for a few seconds to warm the root, then roll the brush slowly up and out to the ends.

7. 7

   At the crown, roll the brush back down to the root and hold it there, then hit it with the cool shot for several seconds.

8. 8

   Release the brush and leave the section to cool, or pin it in a loose roll while you dry the rest.

9. 9

   Finish with your fingers, not a brush, to keep the lift.

Note.Keep the dryer moving and a few inches from the scalp. Hot air held close to the scalp gets uncomfortable fast.

Volume with a hot air brush or multi-styler

A round or oval hot air brush does the lift and drying in one hand. Place it under the section at the root, hold for a few seconds while the air warms the root, then pull through and roll the ends. The Drybar Double Shot, a 2.4 in oval, is built for this, and the T3 AireBrush Duo comes with two interchangeable heads.

The Dyson Airwrap round volumizing brush works the same way. Dyson lists a pre-style mode on its Coanda smoothing dryer attachment for taking hair from wet to damp first. The T3 Featherweight StyleMax lists a Volume Boost switch meant for texture and volume. Read how to use a hot air brush for the basic motion and the Airwrap attachments explained for which head does what.

See volumizing hot air brushes →

Brush and barrel size for volume

Bigger barrels give lift and body without much curl. Smaller barrels give more bend at the ends and are easier to get close to the root on short hair. Most people with shoulder-length or longer hair get the best root volume from a large round brush or an oval hot air brush.

See the hot air brush size guide for barrel diameters by hair length.

Settings that help volume

Use medium heat for most hair and drop to low or medium for fine or color-treated hair. High airflow speeds up rough drying, but switch to medium airflow when you style fine hair so the sections do not blow around. Our heat setting guide gives a typical band for your hair type.

The cool shot is the step most people skip. Warm hair is easy to shape, and it holds that shape better once it cools. A few seconds of cool air on each lifted root locks the volume in. See cool shot button explained. Our styler finder can suggest a tool type for volume based on your hair.

Making the volume last

• Make sure the roots are fully dry. Damp roots collapse as they finish drying.
• Cool every section before you release it.
• Use a light root product instead of heavy creams near the scalp.
• Change your part from time to time so roots do not fall the same way every day.
• For fine hair, a lighter dryer and lower airflow are easier to control. See best hair dryers for fine hair.

Frequently asked questions

Is a hot air brush good for volume? Yes, a round or oval hot air brush placed at the root is one of the easiest ways to get lift, because it dries and lifts in one motion.

Should I dry my hair upside down for volume? Drying the roots upside down or over-directed works well for rough drying. Then style the lengths right side up so the finish is smooth.

Does higher heat give more volume? Not really. Lift comes from drying and cooling the roots in a raised position. Medium heat and a cool shot finish is usually enough.

Which dryer is best for fine, flat hair? A light dryer with several heat and speed steps helps. See best hair dryers for fine hair and hair dryer weight explained.