Content

• To step
• Tips
• Necessities

While "big hair" is often associated with the 1980s, it has seen multiple periods of popularity - from the giant wigs of the 18th century to the towering cotton candy of the 1950s. Whether you want thick, voluminous hair, or just want to add a little more hold to your style, backcombing is an essential skill. Here's a guide to backcombing your hair properly.

To step

1. Take the first strand of hair for backcombing. Grab some of your hair at the crown of your head and keep the rest out of the way by securing it with clips. A good sized pick to start with is about 5 cm wide. A narrower pick (for example 3 cm) gives more volume, but it will take you much longer.
   • In general, it is better to start with hair on the top of your head, then work your way down.
   • If you just want some volume at the roots, only use the hair on your crown and on top of your head. You don't have to do the whole back of your head as well.
2. Tease your hair. Now gently brush down towards the scalp, keeping the hair straight up. Repeat this movement until the pick has the desired volume. The more curls you have, the less often you have to backcomb. If necessary, you can spray some hairspray on the section before gently letting it go.
   • You should brush firmly enough to get tangles that resist, but not so hard that the hair tears or the brush gets caught in it.
   • Your hair will look messy now, but don't panic - you can straighten and style it later.
3. Hide the teased section. Use your fingers to loosen a layer of hair around the teased part, which will allow you to hide and style the tangles without flattening them. Brush the layer of hair only with the tips of the brush, taking care not to touch or squash the back part.
   • You now smooth the teased part with your fingers so that it looks more natural and less damaged, while maintaining the volume.
   • If you want your hair to look wild and crazy, skip this step.
4. Carefully set aside the teased strands as you move on to the next section of your hair. Squeeze your hair when you are done backcombing if you want even more volume.
   • When you squeeze your hair, take one part in your hand and squeeze it while pushing it towards your scalp.
5. Style your teased hair. For example, you can do it in a half tail by lifting loose strands at the roots, twisting them and then securing them to your head with bobby pins.
   • You can use bobby pins to create all kinds of hairstyles with your back hair. For example, if you want to make cotton candy, you need to secure the cotton candy to your head from behind with bobby pins.
6. Ready.

Tips

• Make sure you use a fine comb or a round brush with strong bristles; that makes backcombing better.
• You can also backcomb bangs that would otherwise be a bit slack, so that it won't stick to your forehead.
• To get teased hair flat again, gently brush it by starting at the ends and then progressing a little further to the scalp. Don't brush your hair from top to bottom in one go, or it could break.
• If you focus on the crown of your head, your hair will look a bit more natural, instead of giving it excessive volume.
• By backcombing you can create all kinds of different hairstyles:
  • Dreadlocks
  • Chanterelle
  • Eighties big hair
  • A retro style from the 1950s (like cotton candy)
  • Scene or emo hair
  • Any crazy hairstyle that has to defy gravity
• Also, do not backcomb some strands, you can then comb them over the messy hair.
• Backcombing can damage your hair, and you shouldn't do it every day. Save it for special occasions.

Necessities

• Fine comb or round brush
• Hairspray
• Hairdryer
• Bobby pins or rubber bands (depending on the style)
• Shine serum