Simone Gannon: Me and my love story with 'big' hair

Plus - five haircare buys to provide easy ways to bouffant beauty

Thu, 10 Aug, 2023 - 02:00

A friend and I recently had blow-dries at a well-known salon in Dublin. Nice products were used, and even nicer hair tools.

The stylist asked me what kind of style I would like. ‘Big’, I said, waving my arms around enthusiastically to demonstrate.

‘Really BIG. As much volume as you can get in there and lots of texture’. No problem, he said, looking slightly concerned.

Forty-five minutes later, we collected our jackets from reception and exited the salon.

My friend eyed me with an expression I can only describe as loving exasperation. ‘What’s wrong with it?’ she said.

I explained that although it was perfectly nice, it was too flat. Devoid of texture or any kind of movement whatsoever.

As flat as if I had just washed my hair, dumped a vat of conditioner on it, blow-dried it dead straight, and then walked out the door.

‘It looks like a very sad, shiny pancake’, I said. ‘That’s a little dramatic’, she responded, as I furiously attempted to ‘juj’ the roots of my hair.

‘It’s a lovely blow-dry, but I understand. I don’t know anyone who can make their hair as big as you do. It’s your thing’.

And it’s true. It is my thing. I have always adored big hair.

Enormous, wavy, textured, with as much volume in the body as in the roots (because that’s the key to big hair, equal volume throughout).

Finding the right products to meet my big hair goals has been a process. One that’s been going on for over ten years.

Some of the products in my arsenal were introduced to me by exceptional hairstylists, some by friends, and others by TikTok.

It’s an ever-evolving collection of extraordinary miracle workers that deliver ‘your hair is massive’ results. And who doesn’t want that? (Not everyone, according to my friend. But we’ll ignore that statement for the purpose of this column).

So, without further ado, here are five of my all-time favourite products for dreamy, gravity-defying volume (in order of how I use them).

Redken Rootful Root Lifting Spray

Aside from using a decent volumizing shampoo, the first step to achieving big hair is an excellent root lift spray.

My go-to for several years is Redken Rootful, introduced to me by my long-term hairstylist (and fellow big hair lover), Kate.

Spritz liberally on damp hair, focusing on the crown and sides of the head, and then brush through before blow-drying for an instant, long-lasting lift.

€29 from Amazon.

Color Wow Xtra Large Bombshell Volumiser

The lightest, least-crunchy mousse that also happens to add significant volume to the hair.

Color Wow Xtra Large Bombshell Volumiser cannot be beaten.

Apply 3-4 pumps to your hairbrush, brush evenly through damp hair, and then blow-dry for massive results.

€23.99 from Hair Republic.

Sam McKnight Cool Girl Barely There Texture Mist

This list wouldn’t be complete without a product from the king of cool girl hair himself, Sam McKnight.

Sam changed the game when he brought out his eponymous line in 2017, demonstrating that hair can be big, bouncy, and full of texture without looking or feeling weighed down.

I could dedicate an entire column to his products (and probably will at some point!), but for now, let me say that Cool Girl Hair is remarkable.

Tip your head upside down after blow-drying and spray liberally while combing through with fingers for truly enormous, textured hair.

€32 from Brown Thomas.

Oribe Dry Texturising Spray

One of the longest hair-related relationships I’ve ever had; I started using Oribe Dry Texturizing Mist 11 years ago.

Although the price point causes me some distress, this is a product I will never be without and here’s why.

Oribe Dry Texturizing Mist delivers the most incredible root lift.

Yes, I use it throughout my hair for extra body and texture, but it excels when spritzed onto the roots.

Lift a section of hair, hold the can arm’s length away, and spritz. Let the section of hair fall back down, wait a few seconds, and then ‘juj’ with your fingertips. Life-changing.

€51 from Brown Thomas.

Batiste Dry Shampoo

If there are 10,000 dry shampoos on the market, I have tried 9,999.

Dry Shampoos are an obsession of mine because of the longevity they give my big hair.

Despite trying and loving many, I always come back to Batiste.

Its powdery formula effectively soaks up oil, leaving great movement and lift behind, and as it’s exceptionally affordable, I can use it with abandon.

Use (liberally) at night and brush through in the morning for the best big-hair results.