Used to; step 1 use gel/mouse, 2 dry hair, 3 lightly brush through dry hair, 4 use warm air blow dryer for final style & body. Brand (probably tried most) made less of a difference than steps. Styling hair CREAMS gave more body than gel/mouse. Aussie, Garnier, Got2Be, John Frieda, L'oreal, Pantene.

I used to have a can of foam (mousse is the proper term, I think!). Now I have a tube of gel (Suave). All I used either for is to keep the hair out of my eyes, when the front got too long between hair cuts. But from the textures, I think a mousse product would be much better for giving overall body, than a gel product.

Redken Thickening Lotion 06, just a little bit, before blow drying. I learned about it here, actually over on Home Decorating Conversations, in a similar thread several years ago. I have fine, straight hair, and the Redken really made a difference. Not stiff or anything, just volume. I haven’t used Aussie, but I have used Suave, and I like the Redken better.

We do use Suave shampoos, I also sometimes use John Frieda Volumizing Shampoo. Even by itself without the Redken, it gives me more body. My hair stylist said that sulfate-free shampoos are better, and I switch off with Aveeno and regular Suave.

The best thing for body, though, is a good cut!

Yep, Redken Thickening Lotion 06.

No, my hair rarely ever gets over an inch long before I cut it :-p

Sulfates in shampoo help remove dirt, dead skin cells, oil, and styling products from hair and scalp/skin, to be washed away with water; use conditioner/moisturizer after washing to restore oils, if needed. Shampoo without sulfates may be mild and not clean as well.

When my hair was short I would use mousse or a little gel. Now it's long and I use nothing in it. My hair is also very thin and dry. Yesterday I put in a deep conditioning hair mask and left it in for an hour then applied a few drops of hair oil. I haven't blow dried my hair in almost a year and I bought a beautiful expensive blow dryer. I think I've used it twice... I'm looking for a good leave in conditioner. With just one deep conditioning treatment, I can feel the difference already. I added a few drops of biosilk hair oil and my hair not only felt softer, it was so much less fuzzy looking and I noticed fewer hair falling out. I'll be making this deep condition a twice weeks thing now. It's gonna get expensive....

ETA: because of the good reviews about the Redkin product, I ordered a bottle from Amazon and it'll be delivered Tuesday. :)

Aveda Phomollient which is a foam mousse, 3-4 pumps for my chin length hair. Sometimes I add Aveda texture tonic (3-4 spritzes in my hand and work it in). And I use shampoo with no SLS or sodium chloride. Salts are just as bad as sulfates.

I tried the Redken product and much prefer Aveda’s for my thin, fine hair.

edited to correct product name.

I'm another Redken 06 Lotion fan ;0) Many, many years. I'd previously used Redken Thickening Lotion 08 and they discontinued it. I don't find 06 significantly different and it still works for me. My stylist typically uses it too, and I don't come home from an appointment with a lot of weird stuff in my hair.

I use Noodle Head curl boost glaze from Sally’s for my long hair. It’s very light,, great for curly hair.

Old tip from when I wanted to be a model although they did not use the current products. When drying your hair bend over so that your hair falls away from the scalp then lightly brush to separate the hairs. When almost dry stop. Allow to dry while brushing or comb upward to increase the air volume at the base of the hairs. If you use product such as mousse or gel apply to wet hair then use hands to shape your hair away from your head. Dry or allow to dry then brush/comb to separate the hairs. Enough residual should remain in your hair to provide body. You can apply to dry hair but you are moistening the hair so what is the difference other than mental.

Here is a tip for long hair. I comb my long hair in the shower with conditioner on, it’s much easier to comb this way. Apply Noodle Head gel while hair is wet, let it air dry.

Not sure if you wash your hair everyday? If so, stop and go to every other day or every third. I use a mouse, never gel. Shave has a lot of good products.

No, I never use gel in your hair.

As for my hair - what's left of it - I was advised some time ago to just wash it with water so that is what I do now nearly all of the time.

I have to wash my hair every morning, it feels good to have a fresh start. :-)

I've never used gel. Before the pandemic I used to use a little mousse and some root lifter at times, but I haven't used any products (other than shampoo) in my hair in almost a year.

I have to wash my hair every day, too, at most every other day. The last 6 months or more I haven't used much 06. I'm running low and wanted to conserve. Some days I wash and go! Not if I'm going anywhere, though. I blow dry my hair only occasionally these days, and use a little hairspray, and that does me just fine. But I do way better with Redken 06, blow-dryer, and a spritz of spray.

So, I got my Redikin 06 yesterday. Got up, took a shower. Washed and conditioned my hair. Waited for it to be "damp". I didn't towel dry, just wrapped it in a towel to remove most of the water. Then applied the 06. I paid $22.04Cdn for it, and DO NOT SEE A DIFFERENCE. UGH!

Giovanni hair products are great and not tested on animals. I have baby fine hair and have used their "2chic ultra volume" and "more body" lines and they really do add a lot more body and hold and have a very light pleasant scent.

I'm looking for one. Had a favorite but it is no longer made. (Lange was the brand, not L'ange.) Have some Suave extra hold mousse. Doesn't do much. Also some Paul Mitchel styling gel that is better but not as good as the old stuff that I ran out of. Tresemme gel isn't too bad. Have a travel size package of the Tresemme. Don't like it enough to buy a larger size so save that one for trips. Had some Rusk mousse that was pretty good but liked it less the more I used it. Never had any love for the Aussie products--just OK is all.

Just got a haircut; chopped off a bit longer than LoneJack's. The longer & limp was driving me nutz! Winter hair/ lack of humidity & my natural curl deserts me. Ugh.

Looking forward to garage sales this summer so I can stock up on an assortment of products to trial for cheap. Maybe I'll get lucky and find some of the Lange that I really liked.

I use a little Suave gel on my fairly short hair and put 4 curlers on top.

Thin, straight, fine hair-agree with the Redken 06 and I also heard about it on HD Conversations!

A little of the 06 goes a long way. I use a tiny bit on wet hands to distribute it. If I use too much, it’s too much weight on my hair and it doesn’t work.

I’m not bothering with a lot of product in my hair right now. I’m still work from home and we don’t even do a lot of video meetings. It’s hat weather for my daily walk. So most days, no one even sees my hair. I just leave in a little conditioner and air dry.

but when i do use product, I use a sort of gel. I have thick, fine curly hair. I’m liking The Good Stuff Curl Definition Jelly right now. However, when you have curly hair, there’s always the holy grail quest for a product that kills frizz, provides good curl definition but doesn’t weigh the curl down or do long term damage like silicones can.