7 Hair Cheats For Building Texture

Building the perfect texture is no easy task—so when we think of an artist who knows the tools and techniques to create a beautifully-textured end result, amika Global Artistic Director and texture guru Naeemah LaFond comes to mind. Just look at the big hair she is always rocking, it’s incredible—and it got the crowd more than hyped when she walked out onto the stage at BTC “On Tour” in LA. Here’s a look at Naeemah’s first BTC show and all the texture tips we gathered from it. Enjoy!

Mary and Naeemah before the show!

See all the pics from Naeemah onstage!

1. Rick-Rack For Ultimate Texture

Watch the video below to get an in-depth look at how you can create this texture quickly and easily. It’s a great technique for girls with fine hair, and it can be done at the root of the head to create hidden volume when doing an upstyle.

2. Flat Iron Different Braids

Naeemah sometimes braids the hair using different techniques, and once created, she’ll flat iron the heat into the braid to create different textured outcomes. And whatever you do, make sure you let the braids cool before you take them out.

When creating a rick-rack texture, Naeemah suggests
the amika Undone Texture Spray as a styling must-have.

3. Use Tiny Tools
Another texture technique Naeemah uses to build organic texture is with a really tiny curling iron. “You can curl the hair really tight to the scalp, alternating the direction of every curl as you move through your sections, and that will allow the curls to fall on top of one another instead of sitting all the same way. It’s a fun way to build a really cool look,” says Naeemah.

4. Blowout Without The Blow-Dry

Sometimes your clients want that beautiful bombshell blowout look, but don’t have time for a full shampoo and blow-dry. No worries! Onstage, Naeemah showed us the new amika Bombshell Blowout Interchangeable Brush, and it’s the perfect solution for your client who doesn’t have a lot of time but still needs a big voluminous look.

5. Brush Out The Volume

Naeemah used amika Headstrong Hairspray when brushing through
these curls. It keeps the volume big and the hold strong.

Here’s what Naeemah suggests when brushing out your style: “Ask yourself, are you looking to detangle and separate or are you looking to smooth together?” The answer will be different depending on your desired outcome. For Naeemah’s model she did both: she used a detangling brush to separate and break up the curls, then she went back in with a grooming brush to smooth out the overall look. “Don’t be afraid to break it and then refine it,” she said.

6. Keep Your Sections
“No matter what brush you’re using to brush out your curls, make sure you do it in sections,” Naeemah told us. “Keeping your sections defined will give you the most volume.” For her models above, she brushed all around the nape of the head and then moved up toward the top.

7. Tool Size Matters

If you’re going for a nice full, semi-loose curl, Naeemah suggests using an iron that’s a size down from what you really want the curl to be. This way, the curl will have some room to fall a little bit and when you brush it out you’ll get the desired size.

BONUS! How-To: Hide Your Hair Pins
Need a quick and easy way to hide those pesky hair pins? Watch this!