How to Reduce Hair Volume

Co-authored by Karen Leight

Last Updated: November 29, 2022 References

Volume, though desired and coveted by many, can be a big nuisance to others with thick, curly, and frizz-prone hair. Reduce the volume of your hair with the right haircut. Tame your frizz with a moisturizing shampoo and conditioning routine. Combat poof with your blow dryer and flat-iron!

Method 1

Method 1 of 4:

Shampooing and Conditioning Your Hair

1
Select the right products. Select a shampoo that reduces your hair's natural volume. Choose a dense, moisturizing conditioner that will weigh the hair down, creating a more sleek appearance.^{[1]
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Expert Source

Karen Leight
Professional Hair Stylist
Expert Interview. 13 November 2020.} Look for products with natural moisturizers, like avocado or almond oil. These products will hydrate your hair, weigh it down, and produce a sleeker look.
2
Shampoo your hair every 2 to 4 days. Shampooing strips your hair of the natural oils that form on your scalp. Since it takes longer for these oils to spread through and down the shafts of your thick head of hair, you should not shampoo your hair every day. Wait 2 to 4 days between shampoos to reduce frizz and poof. Apply the product directly to the scalp, avoiding the ends of your hair.

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3
Condition your hair thoroughly. After shampooing your hair, always apply conditioner. Run the product through the shafts of your hair, avoiding the scalp. In addition to using a rinse-out-conditioner, apply a leave-in-conditioner too!

Method 2

Method 2 of 4:

Drying Your Hair

1
Squeeze excess water from your wet hair. Use a towel to draw out excess water from your hair. Always refrain from rubbing your hair in the towel to get rid of the water--this causes frizz! Instead of wrapping your hair with a bath towel, opt for a soft cotton t-shirt, a cotton pillowcase, or a microfiber towel. ^{[2]
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Tip: These items all have finer fibers than a bath towel, so they cause less damage to wet, frizz prone hair.
2
Allow your hair to air-dry. To reduce the amount of time you spend blow-drying your hair, let your hair air-dry. Wait until your hair is at least 50 percent of the way dry. This will also decrease your hair's exposure to heat, which can dry out your frizz-prone locks and increase the volume of your hair.
3
Protect your hair. While your hair is still damp, apply an anti-frizz cream. Before blow-drying, apply a heat protectant spray. This will help prevent your hair from drying out.
4
Divide your hair into 5 sections. Using a comb, divide your hair into 5 sections. You will have two sections in the back, one on each side, and one on the top of your head. Clip the sections in place.
5
Blow-dry your hair.^{[3]
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Expert Source

Karen Leight
Professional Hair Stylist
Expert Interview. 13 November 2020.} Start with the section on the top of your head. Pull the hair taut against your forehead. Place a round brush at the roots and slowly move it down the length of your hair. Follow the brush with the barrel of your blow dryer down the entire length of your hair. Repeat as needed. Repeat this process on the side sections and then the back sections. Apply a smoothing serum or anti-frizz cream to your hair for a sleek finish.^{[4]
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Expert Source

Karen Leight
Professional Hair Stylist
Expert Interview. 13 November 2020.}
- If you don't want to wear your hair straight, use a curling iron to create curls or waves.^{[5]
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  Expert Source
  
  Karen Leight
  Professional Hair Stylist
  Expert Interview. 13 November 2020.}
Experiment with hair styling products. Waxes, pomades and even anti-frizz serums smooth out frizzy hair and add weight to the hair shafts, which decrease hair volume. Friction caused by hair movement causes the hair strands to separate and poof out. An appropriate styling aid will help keep hair sections together and control individual hair strands.

Method 3

Method 3 of 4:

Straightening Your Hair

1
Heat your flat iron. Set your flat iron to a temperature between 350°F and 400°F and allow it to heat-up. Use a higher temperature for thicker or textured hair. For fine, thin hair, stick to a lower temperature.^{[6]
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Note: To minimize damage, use the lowest temperature possible.
2
Protect your hair. Apply a heat protectant spray to your locks while your flat iron heats up. This product will help prevent damage caused by heat.
3
Straighten your hair. Finish your reduced-volume look by straightening your hair. Always make sure your hair is completely dry before straightening it. Use your flat iron to achieve pin-straight hair or sleek hair:
- If you want pin-straight hair, divide your tresses into small sections. Your sections should be about .5 to 1 inch (1.3 to 2.5 cm) thick. For thicker or coarse hair, you'll need to use smaller sections. Begin with the bottom layers and glide the flat iron over each small section a few times before moving on the next section.
- If you desire sleek hair, divide your locks into large sections. Move the tightly clamped flat iron slowly down the length of your hair. This allows the heat to penetrate your hair while minimizing your locks' contact with direct heat. Repeat on each section of hair.
- Brush--don't comb--through your hair!^{[7]
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Method 4

Method 4 of 4:

Cutting, Thinning, and Trimming Your Hair

1
Select a hairstyle that minimizes your hair volume. Maintain your hair at a volume-friendly length. A blunt short to medium haircut will make your hair seem more poofy. Opt instead for a super short hairstyle, like a pixie cut, or a longer hairstyle that sits below your shoulders.

Tip: A long bob is an ideal hairstyle for your thick, voluminous hair!
2
Add long layers. Adding long layers to your thick, unruly, or wavy hair will reduce the appearance of volume. Longer layers are always recommended over shorter layers--the shorter the layer, the more volume it will create! In addition to reducing the volume of your hair, long layers also create movement in your thick tresses.^{[8]
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3
Thin your hair. Have your stylist use thinning shears to reduce the volume of your unruly hair or do it yourself at home. Before you start the process, make sure your hair is dry. Divide your hair into fistful-sized sections. Grab one section of hair and close the thinning shears halfway down the length of your hair shaft. Open the shears slightly and move them down the length of your hair. Stop half an inch above the ends of your hair. Once you have thinned a section, comb through your hair a few times to determine if you have achieved your ideal thickness. Repeat as needed before moving on to the next section.
- If you want to thin your hair at home, you can purchase a pair of thinning shears either online or at a local beauty store. Thinning shears allow you to safely thin out your hair.
- Do not start the thinning process too close to your roots! You may over thin your hair. Instead, begin lower on the shaft and work up towards the roots if needed.
- Try to thin all the sections evenly. Comb through the sections to assess your progress. Even out any sections that are too thick.^{[9]
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4
Trim your hair regularly. Hair that is left untrimmed will eventually be split or end up in damaged ends. This leaves you with a mass of volume at the ends of the hair shafts. Clean up the ends of your hair with regular trims--see your stylist every 2 to 4 months.

Expert Q&A
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Question

How can I make my curls less poofy?

Karen Leight
Professional Hair Stylist
Karen Leight is a Professional Hair Stylist and the Owner of Karen Renee Hair, a private salon suite inside the Salon Republic Hollywood in Los Angeles, California. With over 12 years of experience, Karen is a licensed cosmetologist specializing in hair color, balayage technique, and women’s and men’s precision haircuts.

Karen Leight

Professional Hair Stylist

Expert Answer

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I suggest you use a heavier product on them, which should weigh your curls down a bit. You can also use a little bit of heat to smooth your hair.
Question

I have thick, wavy hair that's also a bit dry, and I don't know what hairstyle I should choose. What should I do?

Ashley Adams
Professional Hair Stylist
Ashley Adams is a Licensed Cosmetologist and Hair Stylist in Illinois. She completed her Cosmetology education at John Amico School of Hair Design in 2016.

Ashley Adams

Professional Hair Stylist

Expert Answer

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You can address the dryness by switching to a moisturizing shampoo and conditioner. It will also weigh down your hair some. You don't need a specific cut, but you might try a long bob or layered look. To reduce the volume, you could also use styling techniques, such as straightening your hair or putting it into a sleek ponytail.
Question

How do I reduce my hair volume if my hair gets greasy if I don't shampoo?

Ashley Adams
Professional Hair Stylist
Ashley Adams is a Licensed Cosmetologist and Hair Stylist in Illinois. She completed her Cosmetology education at John Amico School of Hair Design in 2016.

Ashley Adams

Professional Hair Stylist

Expert Answer

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Shampoo your hair every 2-4 days to keep it clean, which will minimize greasiness. Then, you can style your hair while it's still damp. Otherwise, apply a heat protectant and blow dry your hair before straightening it.