Some styling tricks never seem to fall flat or out of style.

For instance, teasing, also known as backcombing, is a hairstyling technique that is used to give fine hair volume and fullness. Teasing has been used for decades to create some seriously big, show-stopping hair.

For many people with fine hair, teasing isn’t just about creating volume, it’s the only way to give their hair the styling power they need to create the hairstyles they want. Just recently we’ve seen the return of big hair as a styling trend in women’s hairstyles, from the fashion week runways to celebrities on the red carpet.

Since this tried-and-true technique isn’t going anywhere, we’re going to show you the teasing hair tips you need to create off-the-chart volume! 

Teasing Gone Wrong

Before we get into the nitty-gritty details of how this styling trick is used to take hair to new heights, let’s take a trip down memory lane and remember a time, (hello, the 80’s!) when we got a little carried away with teasing.

In the 80’s it was all about big hair and volume. However, pulling this look off wasn’t “smooth sailing” for everyone. Often times a teased style left the hair looking more fried and frizzy than bombshell blowout like we see today.

These celebrity trendsetters took the teased look to new heights…

80’s Tease

    
Sarah Jessica Parker                     Christina Applegate

Madonna

Unfortunately, the teased look that we saw on celebrities in the 80’s often translated to styles like these for the rest of the world:

  
Via akwardfamilyphotos.com               Via karenshu.tumblr.com

Men also loved the teased look during this time period! With the rise of the 80’s hair-bands came larger than life

Men also loved the teased look during this time period! With the rise of the 80’s hair-bands came larger than life men’s hairstyles. We don’t foresee this trend coming back into style anytime soon, although with the recent popularity of the man bun and man braid, you never know what might be the next “big thing” in men’s hairstyling.

Motley Crew, Hair-Band      

Bon Jovi, Hair-Band

Big Hair, Don’t Care

Although the frizzy look was left behind in the 80’s, we still get inspiration in hairstyles created today. Evolving into a more glamorous, bombshell offset, the same technique is used to tease hair and create volume, but the final look is more sleek and polished.

Sleek & Sexy

  
Teased Crown and Soft Waves            Teased Crown & Straight Hair

 

  
Teased Short Hair                          Teased Short Hair

Pumped Up Ponytails

Giving a little “oomph” and style to the pony, teasing adds a more sophisticated touch to the everyday ponytail.

Often times people with fine, thin hair find it hard to wear their hair up, since it can be hard to make hair appear as if it has volume and lift to it. This can be easily fixed by adding fullness to the crown of the head through teasing before tying the hair back into a ponytail. Once the hair is secured, the actual hair of the ponytail can be teased to create an even fuller look.

  
Teased Crown and Ponytail                    Teased Ponytail

Teased Ponytail with Waves

Bun Babe

Taking it a step further, teasing offers you the versatility of adding volume not just when you wear your hair down or in a ponytail, but also when you wear it in a bun! Teasing your ponytail before pulling it up into a bun will add fullness and chic style to this simple, undone look.

  
Teased Bun                                                      Teased Crown & Top Knot

Teased Crown and Bun

Caution- It’s All About Technique

Although teasing is a great technique to help add volume to any of the above women’s hairstyles, it’s important to make sure teasing is done correctly, so that hair doesn’t get damaged in the process. Without the right tools and technique, it’s very easy for breakage to happen, which in the long run can lead to damaged, thinning hair.

 

Below are some hair tips on how to correctly tease hair.

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How to Tease
Step 1: Starting at the crown, part and separate hair from the rest of the head using the pointer on your teasing brush or comb.

Step 2: Part the hair from the crown into one or two 3-inch sections. Moving piece by piece, spray the back of each section of hair with hairspray. Then, starting from the middle of each section, brush the hair down in a downward motion, also known as backcombing.

Note: do not brush hair down and up, only in a downward motion. Brushing hair down and back up can lead to breakage and frizz.

Step 3: For a ponytail or bun style, tease each section of the ponytail by spraying it with hairspray and then brushing the hair back towards the hair tie. Repeat this three to four times until the desired amount of volume is created.

Step 4: Once each section of the hair has been backcombed, use your brush or comb to gently comb over the sections of the teased hair.

Check out this helpful video on how teasing is done to create women’s hairstyles.

Fake it til’ you make it!

If teasing isn’t your thing, there are other ways to achieve hair volume without attempting the art of the tease.

These alternatives include hair thickening products that specialize in creating volume, but without the help of a comb or brush.

Here are some product options:

Toppik Hair Building Fibers

Keratin Hair Fibers are a quick and easy way to create a volumized look without even using a brush! Fuller, thicker-looking hair is easily attainable by spraying or shaking the Hair Fibers into any thinning areas.

Toppik Root Volumizing Spray
Don’t have time to tease your hair? Using a product like Root Volumizing Spray will help you create instant volume! Simply spray into the roots of dry hair for lift and added fullness.

Have you had any teasing or big hair mishaps? Share a story about when teasing your hair went awkwardly wrong!