How to Tease Your Hair Quickly

Though "big hair" is often associated with the 80s, it has enjoyed several waves of popularity throughout history—from the giant wigs of the 18th century to the towering beehives of the 1950s. Whether you want to create a luxurious, voluminous mane or just wish to add a little body to your hairstyle, teasing (a.k.a. “backcombing”) is an essential skill. Here are instructions for how to properly tease your hair.

1. Wash, dry, and thoroughly brush your hair. Teasing wet or tangled hair increases the likelihood of tearing and damage. If possible, dry your hair while hanging your head upside-down to encourage volume in the roots.

• Unless you're looking to create a smooth look, such as a beehive, you can also curl your hair before you start for additional style.
• If you have silky hair that doesn't hold a curl or style well, you may want to mist your hair with some light hairspray before you begin. You can also wait 1-2 days after you washed your hair in order to build up its natural texture.
• Brush your hair out so that natural tangles don't get caught when you are teasing your hair with a brush or comb.

2. Take your first section of hair to tease. Separate a single section of hair from the crown of your head, moving and clipping the rest out of the way. A good size to start with would be about 2 inches (5.1 cm) wide. Smaller sections (e.g. 1 inch/2.5 cm wide) will make for stiffer volume but will also take longer.

  

Generally, it's best to start with hair towards the top of the head and work your way down.

If you just want to create some volume at your roots, just use the hair at the crown and at the top of your head. You don't need to move all the way down to the back of your head.

3. Hold the section of hair up to start teasing it. Using one hand to hold it straight up, gently touch your comb or brush to the back of this section of hair. The brush should be several inches (6-9 cm) above the scalp.

4. Tease your hair. Lightly brush downward towards the scalp while continuing to hold the hair straight up. Repeat the teasing motion until the strand has the desired volume. The curlier the hair, the less teasing will be needed. If necessary, spritz the teased section with hairspray before letting it down gently.

• The strength with which you brush should be firm enough to create tangles that offer resistance, but not so vigorous that the hair rips or the brush itself becomes entangled.
• Your hair will look messy, but don't fret -- you can smooth it down and style it later.

5. Hide the teased tangles. Use your fingers to make a loose "cage" around the teased section, hiding and holding the tangles in place without flattening them. Lightly brush the un-teased section of the strand using only the tips of the brush and making sure not to touch or weigh down the teasing.

• You are smoothing down the teased section with your fingers so that it looks more natural and less damaged while still retaining volume.
• If you want your hair to look wild and crazy, skip this step.

6. Put the teased strand aside carefully as you work on teasing other sections of your hair. Scrunch the hair when you're done teasing for additional volume.

• To scrunch your hair, grab sections of it in your fingers and squeeze while pushing towards your scalp.

7. Put your teased hair into a hairstyle. For example, put it into a half-ponytail by pushing individual strands up at the roots, twisting them, and pinning the twists against the scalp.

• You can also use bobby pins to secure your teased hair style in place. For example, if you are creating a beehive effect, you will want to use bobby pins to anchor the beehive to your head by pinning it in the back.

8. Smooth down your hairstyle. Gently smooth the surface of the hairstyle using a shine serum.

• Spread the serum on the palms of your hands and run it over the hair, but don't press down or the volume will disappear.
• This will help to compensate for the "rough" and "dull" look that teasing can create.