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Fluffy Hair: How to Create Perfect Fluffy Hairstyles

You may have noticed as you scroll through your FYP on TikTok that 90’s beauty trends are making a comeback. Whether you have long or short hair or straight or curly hair, you’re in the right place if you’re looking for the best ways to get fluffy hair.

Woman with long flowing curls

So, what is fluffy hair, and how do you get it?

Perfect for the work day, or a night out on the town, fluffy hair never really goes out of style. We’re excited to see this trend revived because it can be achieved by both men and women alike.

In this article, we’ll offer tips to fight frizz, and various styling techniques, including directions to blow dry your hair upside down, using a leave-in conditioner, and other root-boosting products.

Let’s talk about all things fluffy hair and just why we’re so excited to see it making a comeback!

What Is Fluffy Hair?

Fluffy hair is one of those hairstyles that is considered a happy medium between a blowout and messy texture. Popular in the ’80s and ’90s and making a graceful comeback (think – Cher Horowitz from Clueless and her beautiful blonde hair), achieving gorgeous fluffy hair is possible for anyone right at home!

Whether you have straight hair, thin hair, oily hair, or fine hair, this article will give you tips on getting the vibrant, bouncy appearance you’ve been dreaming about.

Choose Your Hair Styling Products Carefully

It’s important to know that using the wrong hair styling technique can result in undesired outcomes, leaving you with lifeless wavy hair, flat, straight hair, or hair with frizz that lacks definition.

If you don’t know what type of hair you have, the best way to find out is to wash your hair and let it air dry. Without using heat or product to dry or style your hair, allowing it to naturally dry and style itself will show you what you’re working with.

If that doesn’t help, or you’re still unsure, grab a single strand of your hair and compare it to a single piece of thread. This way, you can tell if your hair curls, and you can also compare thicknesses.

Fluffy Hair and Poofy Hair: What’s the Difference?

You may think that having fluffy hair and poofy hair go hand in hand, but the reality is that they are pretty different.

Frizzy hair that has a lot of volume is referred to as poofy hair. Poofy hair occurs based on the natural texture of one’s hair, while fluffy hair can be created using various hair styling products. Poofy hair is often uncontrolled, while the former is intentionally styled.

Fluffy hair is an effect intended to appear as natural as possible, maintaining a balanced look of smooth, shiny hair while still giving you just a bit of texture and volume.

How To Get Fluffy Hair?

It’s an age-old question: how do I make my hair fluffy?

Achieving fluffy hair starts with proper maintenance. You want to ensure you know what your hair’s natural texture is and what styling techniques work best with your hair type.

If you have thin strands but thicker hair overall; and struggle to hold bouncy curls, you may try various hair products rather than blow-drying or styling it with a curling wand.

Maybe you have thick bouncy curls that you struggle to manage. Don’t worry! We’re here to offer you some solutions.

Below are 8 Methods to Get you the fluffy hair of your dreams:  

8 Methods to Achieving Gorgeous Fluffy Hair

1. Blow-dry your hair upside down

Yes, we realize how this sounds. However, it’s one of the best ways to transform your freshly washed, wet hair into luxurious fluffy hair. Blow drying your hair upside down helps lift your roots off your scalp and create more volume.

You’ll want to use a bristle brush to soften and smooth your hair as you dry it.

Next time you want to add volume to your hair, flip your head upside down while using a blow dryer and let gravity help get you the fluffy hair you desire!

Blonde hair being blow dried with round bristle brush.

2. Use Hot Rollers

To create the fluffy hairstyle you’re after, consider using hot rollers. Heat usage is a great way to prevent frizz.

Leaving your hair in rollers overnight is another way to obtain heatless curls and fluff up your hair strands.

To get fluffy hair with hot rollers, ensure your hair is dry or mostly dry. Using rollers on damp hair is okay, but using them on wet hair can cause damage because it is more fragile.

Start by separating sections of your hair, beginning 3-5 inches away from the scalp and hairline. Wrap them around the rollers, away from your face.

Pin them up for 10-15 minutes, and then voila!

Brunette woman with hair pinned up in hair rollers.

3. Use Dry Shampoo

Using dry shampoo can help prevent hair products from weighing down your hair. Dry shampoo helps keep your volumized look intact, absorbing oils and pumping up your hair, giving it that lived-in look.

For best results, massage the dry shampoo into your roots and scalp to build volume and create a soft texture.

Keeping some on hand in a pinch is never a bad idea – especially when you don’t have time to fully wash your hair, but want a softer look with more volume.

Brunette woman massaging fingers into roots and scalp at top of head

4. Use a Hair Diffuser

If you’re already using a hair dryer to blow dry your hair but are not achieving the fluffiness you desire, consider using a hair diffuser.

Best for those with wavy or curly hair, the hair diffuser is an attachment for your blow dryer that works by widening the airflow in a more controlled way. Give your curls some volume with this simple tool!

Woman drying hair with diffuser attachment; wider than traditional hair dryer mouth with several large tongs.

5. Tease or Back-Comb Your Hair

Another easy way to style your hair to make it nice and fluffy is to tease it with a big paddle brush or large-tooth comb. The best way to do this is to first gather strands section by section. Then tie up the upper part of your hair and back-comb the rest as you work your way through.

For best results, you’ll want to use a bit of volumizing mousse or hair spray to give your hair more lift.

Tease or Back-Comb Your Hair

Back-combing your hair is not recommended for regular, daily styling because overdoing it can cause matting. If you’re struggling with matted hair, read Matted Hair: Your Comprehensive Guide to Detangle Matted Hair.

6. Layer Your Hair

For both men and women, a secret to having fluffy hair can be the way you cut it. Adding layers to your hair can be a great way to give it some style and volume.

You can get short fluffy hair or long luxurious locks simply by adding some layers.

Brunette man getting hair cut with razor; notable layers within his short hairstyle

7. Use Volume-Building Shampoo

It starts all starts in the shower. You will want to use a moisturizing shampoo to give your hair volume. Check out our website for tips on hair care and styling products.

To keep your hair healthy, it’s essential that you wash it regularly. Also, use root-boosting products to help create lasting volume.

Note: You don’t need to wash your hair daily, but rather a few times a week. This allows the natural oils in your hair to build up and create a more natural look.

We recommend purchasing a volume-building shampoo, not the typical drug store shampoo you may be using now. While professional products may come at extra cost, they offer higher quality lift and style opportunities.

Image taken from behind, the back side of a head being shampooed in the shower

8. Use Keratin Hair Masks

To prevent having dry or dull hair, consider using a hair mask to rejuvenate and hydrate your hair. Like you would use a face mask to hydrate your face, using a hair mask will leave your strands soft and healthy, from the roots to the tip.

While you may be tempted to use a mask daily to obtain an overall thicker look, over-usage of hair masks can do more harm than good.

According to healthline.com, it’s best to use a mask once or twice a week, after shampooing and before conditioner. Shampooing opens up the hair follicles, leaving room for your strands to absorb moisture.

Keratin Hair Masks

Now that we’ve covered the basics of how to get fluffy hair, let’s talk about maintaining the look.

How To Keep Hair Fluffy After Sleeping?

Protecting your hair while you sleep is essential to maintain fluffiness. Wrap your head and hair in a bonnet or a silk scarf to protect it. You can also section your hair with large twists and wrap your roots to keep them elevated. Elevating your hair will help maintain that fluffy appearance.

Pictured over the shoulder; women with hair wrapped in terricloth wrap

It’s important to remember not to sleep on damp hair. If you’re going to let your hair air dry, make sure you also allow ample time so that your hair dries fully before laying down. This way, you’ll avoid flat spots – the enemy of fluffy hair.

How to Get Fluffy Hair for Men?

Can men get fluffy hair?

Of course!

The tips we offered above can also apply to men’s hair. Choosing a moisturizing shampoo is important. Also, consider air drying hair or dry it with a cloth instead of a towel for a truly feathery look.

Whether you’re a dude with curly hair, a straight-haired fellow, or anything in between, you too can have soft, fluffy hair!

What Haircut Should I Get For Fluffy Hair?

Whether you want to change your hairstyle entirely or just refresh your current look, you can bring feathery, fluffy hair to any style.

From Afros to Faux Hawks to pin-straight hair, you don’t have to worry about your hair being too short or too long.

I Have Thicker Hair. Can I Still Make My Hair Fluffy?

The good news is that you can get fluffy hair with any style and length. If you have thicker strands or curls, you can still get fluffy hair with any of our tricks listed above.

While you may not need a volumizing shampoo or mousse, you may want to consider working with your natural hair, whether curly or straight, to get the desired fluffy hair effect.

If you’re not a professional stylist, giving your hair some volume can be challenging if you’ve never tried it before, but don’t despair! With a bit of practice, anyone can get fluffy hair right at home.

So, What’s the Secret to Get Fluffy Hair?

If you’re searching for the best ways to get fluffy hair, you’ll want to start with the right shampoo and conditioner. Consider adding a hair mask once or twice a week. Then, add some volumizing mousse or styling products to help you maintain the look throughout the day.

For the work day or your next night out – try out any of these tips mentioned above to achieve perfectly fluffy hair.

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