Having straight hair is often considered a ‘blessing’. No need to bother straightening, it’s easy to manage, and looks neat. However, straight hair owners—especially in Indonesia’s tropical climate—know very well the accompanying ‘curse’: LIMP AND FLAT HAIR. Just a few hours after shampooing, hair already looks ‘fallen’, oily, and sticking to the scalp.
Voluminous straight hair looks much healthier, ‘luxurious’, and confident. The good news is, getting volume doesn’t always mean having to blow-dry ‘curly’. It’s about changing small habits during shampooing and styling. Here are 7 clever tricks to transform your straight hair from ‘limp and flat’ to ‘voluminous’ all day.
- Reverse Shampooing Technique (Conditioner First)
This is the best ‘life hack’ for thin straight hair. Our habit is shampoo first, then conditioner. The problem is, conditioner residue (even after rinsing) often sticks and ‘weighs down’ the hair shaft.
Solution: Reverse the order. Wet your hair, apply conditioner first from mid-lengths to ends. Leave for 1-2 minutes. Then, WITHOUT RINSING the conditioner, immediately apply shampoo to the scalp. Massage the scalp, then rinse both thoroughly at once. The result? Hair remains soft at the ends, but the roots are completely clean and light.
- Rinse with Cold Water
Hot showers are comfortable, but a disaster for limp hair. Hot water stimulates the sebaceous glands on the scalp to produce more oil. Additionally, hot water opens the hair cuticles. Always end your shampooing process with a cold water rinse. Cold water will ‘seal’ the cuticles and ‘soothe’ the scalp.
- A “Must-Have”: Dry Shampoo
Consider this your hair’s ‘deodorant’. Dry shampoo is an instant hero. Spray it on your roots before you feel your hair starting to get oily (even when it’s still clean). The ‘powder’ particles in it will absorb excess oil before it makes your hair limp and flat.
- Change Your Hair Part Direction
If you always part your hair in the same place (e.g., a center part), your hair will be ‘trained’ to ‘lie flat’ and fall limp in that area. Try changing your hair part direction occasionally. Move it to the left side, or the right side. This will ‘force’ the hair roots to ‘stand up’ and create instant volume.
- Upside-Down Blow-Dry Technique
When drying your hair, don’t just direct the hairdryer from top to bottom. Bend your head down so your hair hangs downwards (upside down). Dry your hair in this position, focusing the heat (at a medium temperature) on the roots. Gravity will help lift your hair roots. When you stand back up, you’ll be surprised at the volume created.
- Use Hair Powder (Not Pomade!)
Many styling products like wax, pomade, or gel actually ‘weigh down’ straight hair. If you need a little ‘texture’ or ‘hold’ so your hair doesn’t ‘fly’ wildly, use Hair Powder. This is a magical powder that provides ‘matte’ texture and volume without feeling sticky or heavy.
- Light Layered Cut
Straight hair cut ‘one length’ (blunt cut) indeed looks chic, but it’s also the heaviest and most prone to becoming limp and flat. Ask your hairstylist for ‘invisible layers’ (thin, unnoticeable layers) or ‘face-framing layers’. Light layers will reduce the hair’s ‘weight’, making it easier to move and more voluminous.
Straight hair doesn’t have to be boring or limp and flat. By changing 1-2 of the above care habits, you can achieve healthy-looking, ‘lively’ voluminous straight hair every day.
