I hate my flat hair & always hide it in a bun – I tested out 5 volumising products to see which buy would give me oomph
As I'm fast-approaching the big 3-0 next year, my thin mane is a far cry from the real-life Rapunzel locks it once was.
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Like for millions of beauty buffs, the thinning hair has shattered my confidence - and so, I've resorted to sporting the on-trend slick back bun most days.
But while the hairstyle, loved by Molly-Mae and model Bella Hadid, is a godsend at the gym, it also causes traction alopecia.
The condition is a form of hair loss caused by strain on the follicles - like when you scrape back your tresses.
It can make your precious locks fall out in large chunks, causing bald patches.
Of course, one solution is to jet off to Turkey for a hair transplant - which, at around £2,300, would be a huge blow to my already dire bank balance.
However, the high street is also jam-packed with hundreds of products that promise to give your hair that oomph - but do any of them actually work?
Desperate to give my thinning and patchy hairline a breather from the tight bun, I decided to put five volumising products to test.
From shampoos to a mousse, here are the ones that gave me a salon-worthy blowout - and the ones that left me with a sticky mane.
got2b Hair Volume Styling Powder, £5.65
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When it comes to giving your hair that oomph, many tend to assume it starts with a shampoo - but there are plenty of other buys I've heard rave reviews about, such as this got2b Hair Volume Styling Powder.
Online, the product has bold claims of providing ''instant volume and root boost'' - something my poor tresses need desperately.
The wallet-friendly buy, to be used after drying your locks, is also vegan - which is a win for me.
But despite being lightweight, I somehow felt my freshly-washed hair felt sticky - and ultimately, was so weighed down, I resorted to using a claw clip to hide the pretty flat and lacklustre hairdo.
Oomph rating: 1/5
Wella Shockwaves Volumising Hair Mousse, £3
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UV protection, humidity resistance and protection from heat? Wella Shockwaves Volumising Hair Mousse certainly claims to do it all.
With an impressive 4.5-star rating and dozens of rave reviews online, it's safe to say I had high hopes for this little number that's going for just £3 at Boots.
And while I was hesitant the white mousse would make my hair feel sticky, there was no need to worry - however, a little does go a long way.
The formula is super lightweight when applied and made my hair look the fullest it ever has - as if I was ready to walk down the Victoria Secret runway with Gigi Hadid and Adriana Lima.
Although the curls did look a bit dry, they were voluminous and overall gorgeous - I've never heard this many compliments in my life.
Oomph rating: 5/5
Pantene Miracles Lift & Volume Shampoo, £3
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As I'm about to fork out a mini mortgage to rent a studio, keeping my expenses as low as possible is a must - and this Pantene Miracles Lift & Volume Shampoo is perfect to stay on top of my budget.
Currently slashed to just £3 at Boots, the mega 400ml shampoo is enriched with biotin and antioxidants, while the gentle formula also helped my flat hair appear visibly thicker and fuller in just one use.
What's more, the shampoo is also perfect for everyday use - which may sound like a crime to many but is a must for a gym bunny like me.
While it didn't give me the same volume as the mousse, the cheap buy is one of the best smelling haircare finds in this lot.
Oomph rating: 4/5
4 reasons your hair is thinning
From fixing it to faking it, your guide to healthier, thicker hair from Trichologist Anabel Kingsley.
'Hair thins naturally as we get older because like our skin and muscles, the hair ages and changes,' Anabel Kingsley, trichologist at Philip Kinglsey explains. It can also be because of genetics, made worse by other health factors like menopause or thyroid disorders.
'Hair follicles very gradually shrink and produce finer and shorter strands with each passing hair growth cycle,' she adds. But while we can't help things like genetics or the ageing process, we can do something about some of the other causes of hair thinning.
Here are four, fixable ones you need to know about.
1. Your hormones are raging
'Leading up to and during your period, the scalp may become oilier, which may trigger flaking and itching if you are predisposed to dandruff - and leaving an irritated scalp untreated can lead to hair loss,' says Anabel.
Loss of hair post-pregnancy is very common too; 'After giving birth or stopping breast-feeding, oestrogen levels drop and return to normal,' Anabel explains.
'This can cause all the hairs retained during pregnancy to shed at once (usually six-12 weeks later), known as postpartum hair loss.'
Don't panic, this is only temporary, but experts recommend you start taking daily hair supplements to support the hair's growth.
2. Your hair can't take the heat
'Heat drains moisture from within the hair shaft and because our hair's elasticity and strength is largely reliant on its water content, hair can become dry, brittle and prone to breakage,' Anabel explains.
To prevent damage in the future, Anabel advises using a low setting on your heat styler, straightening only once a week and switching off your blow-dryer when your hair is just dry, as 'using heat on completely dry hair will evaporate water from the hair shaft'.
3. You're stressed
'Hair is non-essential to physical survival so it will always be the first part of you to suffer when something is off-kilter,' Anabel says.
Stress affects the scalp which can have a negative impact on the eventual health and growth of the hair. 'Stress spikes cortisol levels which in turn increases oil production,' adds Anabel. 'Cortisol, a stress hormone, disrupts the skin's barrier function and triggers skin irritation which is why your scalp gets itchy and flaky when you are going through a stressful period.'
4. You're eating the wrong food
'Diet is incredibly important to hair health,' says Anabel. 'Being a non-essential tissue, hair is the last part of us to benefit from nutrients we ingest and the first to be withheld from them.'
Avoid mercury-rich fish like tuna and also full-fat dairy like cheese if you suffer from dandruff. 'This can trigger flaking and itching which can then lead to hair thinning,' she says.
MONDAY Haircare Volume Shampoo, £5
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It's priced at £5 and comes in a lovely peach bottle - it's easy to see why MONDAY Haircare VOLUME Shampoo has become a major hit amongst shoppers.
The VOLUME range was also named ''Best Shampoo and Conditioner for Fine Hair'' in the 2021 Cosmo Holy Grail Beauty Awards.
After popping in for the shower, I was pleasantly surprised by how cleansed my short tresses felt using the vegan-friendly shampoo.
With a focus on natural ingredients, this affordable buy also contains stimulating Ginger Root Extract, and Vitamin E to support a healthy scalp and hair growth - which I'm yet to give my verdict on as I haven't used it frequently enough.
There was plenty of volume - which lasted not just for a whole day of working and sweating on the tube but also a cheeky date night.
Oomph rating: 5/5
Q+A Volumising Shampoo, £8.95
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Good hair days just got a whole lot better thanks to Q+A.
After over three years in the making, Q+A recently launched its first-ever haircare range - and it dropped earlier this month at Holland & Barrett and qandaskin.com.
The epic collection boasts buys for clarifying your tresses, defining your curls, strengthening the locks, as well as helping flat hair appear fuller - and I was one of the first ones to test it out.
Designed to help hair look fuller, thicker, and boost body and bounce, the shampoo worked miracles for my limp hair.
While this range is definitely the most expensive in the lot, it's also the one I enjoyed the most - especially as I wasn't walking around with wild frizz.
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