What’s Been Up
Pressed powders are back—here’s how to use yours for a soft matte finish
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If you’ve ever felt that your beauty routine is a well-oiled machine except for that one pesky part—your hair—you’re not alone. While my skin and makeup always seemed to fall into place effortlessly, my hair was a different story. It was the elusive puzzle piece that refused to cooperate, no matter how many products or techniques I threw at it.
Skincare and makeup were my playgrounds. I reveled in the transformative power of a good serum or the perfect swipe of lipstick. But hair? It was my personal battlefield. Every morning felt like a wrestling match, trying to coax volume and life into strands that seemed determined to remain flat and uninspired. Thin, fine, and frizzy, it never held volume or looked full at the crown. I’d walk out of a salon feeling like a million bucks, only for my hair to go flat before I even made it to my car. Leave-in conditioners would weigh my hair down, and skipping product altogether made it puff out in directions I didn’t know hair could go.
I tried everything—from volumising sprays to pricey treatments. Each new product was a promise that it would be “the one” to solve my hair woes, but it always fell short. My hair seemed impervious to transformation, leaving me feeling defeated and questioning my self-worth. Self-worth! And hair! It felt too silly for it to feel this big...but our hair often feels like a reflection of our identity and mood—a bad hair day can feel like a personal failure, while a good hair day can boost our confidence in ways we might not fully appreciate. It’s not just about aesthetics; it’s about how our hair influences how we feel about ourselves and how we face the world. When my hair wasn’t cooperating, it felt like a huge blow. It was a reminder that I’d been a beauty editor for years, and I while I was waxing eloquent about shampoos, root-lifters and magic dry shampoos, none of them were doing anything to my hair. I felt embarrassed often—would people think I was a hoax when I was suggesting a volumising spray and my strands looked the way they did?
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In 2024, I was determined to finally figure out my hair. I couldn’t change the texture or type, but maybe I could find a way to work with it.
Everything changed when I got my first blunt cut. It wasn’t a drastic chop, but my stylist lopped off a good six inches and gave me a one-length, sharper-edged look. The blunt ends made my hair appear instantly fuller. Instead of wispy, see-through ends, I had structure. Layering is tricky for fine hair—it can sometimes leave you with less to work with—but subtle, well-placed layers around my face also helped. The takeaway: a good haircut is the foundation for volume, so find a stylist who understands the balance between weight and lift.
Using the right styling tools also made a huge difference in my hair routine. I used to be intimidated by round brushes, but they’re game-changers for creating volume. Now, I use one with a large barrel when blow-drying to lift my roots and add bounce to my ends. It takes some practice, but the results are worth it. It really is all in the wrist—watching videos and copying it on my hair own really helped.
It took me years to perfect the art of the upside-down blow-dry (and to find a heat protectant that didn't weigh my hair down). Now, I start by flipping my head over, aiming the dryer at my roots while using my fingers to lift. The difference is incredible. I also invested in a round brush for a smooth, voluminous finish. Pro tip: let your hair cool in rollers or while wrapped around the brush—it locks in the height like nothing else.
When I air-dry, the key is to start with a volumizing or texturizing shampoo and conditioner. These lightweight formulas don’t weigh down my hair like heavier moisturising products can. After washing, I gently towel-dry (blot, not rub!) to remove excess water—this helps prevent frizz and keeps the volume intact.
While my hair is still damp, I apply a daub of lightweight volumizing foam or mousse from roots to ends. Even though I’m not blow-drying, this gives my hair structure and a bit of grip as it dries naturally. I scrunch the product in with my hands to encourage some natural texture and body. For extra volume at the crown, I use small sectioning clips at the roots. I grab the top layers of my hair, twist them lightly, and clip them in place while it dries. This creates lift at the scalp without needing heat tools. Once my hair is mostly dry, I remove the clips and gently tousle the roots with my fingers.
One of the biggest lessons I’ve come to accept is that hair is always changing—it’s in constant flux. Some days, it behaves exactly how I want, full of volume and texture. Other days, no matter how much I try, it refuses to cooperate. At first, I used to obsess over getting it right every single time, letting a “bad hair day” dictate how I felt about myself. I tied too much of my self-worth to how my hair looked, and it became exhausting.
But as I’ve experimented with different styles and products, I’ve learned to embrace the unpredictability. Hair changes with the seasons, humidity, stress, even with hormones—it’s a living thing that reacts to its environment. While I still enjoy figuring out how to style it, I’ve slowly untangled my self-worth from how perfect it looks on any given day. I’m learning to focus on how I feel rather than obsessing over achieving a picture-perfect hair moment every time.
Tira Recommends:
K18 Leave-In Molecular Repair Hair Mask (50ml)
Babila Round Hair Brush - HB-V450
Schwarzkopf Professional OSiS+ Grip Extra Strong Hair Styling Mousse For Natural Shine (200ml)
In 2024, I was determined to finally figure out my hair. I couldn’t change the texture or type, but maybe I could find a way to work with it.
Everything changed when I got my first blunt cut. It wasn’t a drastic chop, but my stylist lopped off a good six inches and gave me a one-length, sharper-edged look. The blunt ends made my hair appear instantly fuller. Instead of wispy, see-through ends, I had structure. Layering is tricky for fine hair—it can sometimes leave you with less to work with—but subtle, well-placed layers around my face also helped. The takeaway: a good haircut is the foundation for volume, so find a stylist who understands the balance between weight and lift.
Using the right styling tools also made a huge difference in my hair routine. I used to be intimidated by round brushes, but they’re game-changers for creating volume. Now, I use one with a large barrel when blow-drying to lift my roots and add bounce to my ends. It takes some practice, but the results are worth it. It really is all in the wrist—watching videos and copying it on my hair own really helped.
It took me years to perfect the art of the upside-down blow-dry (and to find a heat protectant that didn't weigh my hair down). Now, I start by flipping my head over, aiming the dryer at my roots while using my fingers to lift. The difference is incredible. I also invested in a round brush for a smooth, voluminous finish. Pro tip: let your hair cool in rollers or while wrapped around the brush—it locks in the height like nothing else.
When I air-dry, the key is to start with a volumizing or texturizing shampoo and conditioner. These lightweight formulas don’t weigh down my hair like heavier moisturising products can. After washing, I gently towel-dry (blot, not rub!) to remove excess water—this helps prevent frizz and keeps the volume intact.
While my hair is still damp, I apply a daub of lightweight volumizing foam or mousse from roots to ends. Even though I’m not blow-drying, this gives my hair structure and a bit of grip as it dries naturally. I scrunch the product in with my hands to encourage some natural texture and body. For extra volume at the crown, I use small sectioning clips at the roots. I grab the top layers of my hair, twist them lightly, and clip them in place while it dries. This creates lift at the scalp without needing heat tools. Once my hair is mostly dry, I remove the clips and gently tousle the roots with my fingers.
One of the biggest lessons I’ve come to accept is that hair is always changing—it’s in constant flux. Some days, it behaves exactly how I want, full of volume and texture. Other days, no matter how much I try, it refuses to cooperate. At first, I used to obsess over getting it right every single time, letting a “bad hair day” dictate how I felt about myself. I tied too much of my self-worth to how my hair looked, and it became exhausting.
But as I’ve experimented with different styles and products, I’ve learned to embrace the unpredictability. Hair changes with the seasons, humidity, stress, even with hormones—it’s a living thing that reacts to its environment. While I still enjoy figuring out how to style it, I’ve slowly untangled my self-worth from how perfect it looks on any given day. I’m learning to focus on how I feel rather than obsessing over achieving a picture-perfect hair moment every time.
Tira Recommends:
K18 Leave-In Molecular Repair Hair Mask (50ml)
Babila Round Hair Brush - HB-V450
Schwarzkopf Professional OSiS+ Grip Extra Strong Hair Styling Mousse For Natural Shine (200ml)
In 2024, I was determined to finally figure out my hair. I couldn’t change the texture or type, but maybe I could find a way to work with it.
Everything changed when I got my first blunt cut. It wasn’t a drastic chop, but my stylist lopped off a good six inches and gave me a one-length, sharper-edged look. The blunt ends made my hair appear instantly fuller. Instead of wispy, see-through ends, I had structure. Layering is tricky for fine hair—it can sometimes leave you with less to work with—but subtle, well-placed layers around my face also helped. The takeaway: a good haircut is the foundation for volume, so find a stylist who understands the balance between weight and lift.
Using the right styling tools also made a huge difference in my hair routine. I used to be intimidated by round brushes, but they’re game-changers for creating volume. Now, I use one with a large barrel when blow-drying to lift my roots and add bounce to my ends. It takes some practice, but the results are worth it. It really is all in the wrist—watching videos and copying it on my hair own really helped.
It took me years to perfect the art of the upside-down blow-dry (and to find a heat protectant that didn't weigh my hair down). Now, I start by flipping my head over, aiming the dryer at my roots while using my fingers to lift. The difference is incredible. I also invested in a round brush for a smooth, voluminous finish. Pro tip: let your hair cool in rollers or while wrapped around the brush—it locks in the height like nothing else.
When I air-dry, the key is to start with a volumizing or texturizing shampoo and conditioner. These lightweight formulas don’t weigh down my hair like heavier moisturising products can. After washing, I gently towel-dry (blot, not rub!) to remove excess water—this helps prevent frizz and keeps the volume intact.
While my hair is still damp, I apply a daub of lightweight volumizing foam or mousse from roots to ends. Even though I’m not blow-drying, this gives my hair structure and a bit of grip as it dries naturally. I scrunch the product in with my hands to encourage some natural texture and body. For extra volume at the crown, I use small sectioning clips at the roots. I grab the top layers of my hair, twist them lightly, and clip them in place while it dries. This creates lift at the scalp without needing heat tools. Once my hair is mostly dry, I remove the clips and gently tousle the roots with my fingers.
One of the biggest lessons I’ve come to accept is that hair is always changing—it’s in constant flux. Some days, it behaves exactly how I want, full of volume and texture. Other days, no matter how much I try, it refuses to cooperate. At first, I used to obsess over getting it right every single time, letting a “bad hair day” dictate how I felt about myself. I tied too much of my self-worth to how my hair looked, and it became exhausting.
But as I’ve experimented with different styles and products, I’ve learned to embrace the unpredictability. Hair changes with the seasons, humidity, stress, even with hormones—it’s a living thing that reacts to its environment. While I still enjoy figuring out how to style it, I’ve slowly untangled my self-worth from how perfect it looks on any given day. I’m learning to focus on how I feel rather than obsessing over achieving a picture-perfect hair moment every time.
Tira Recommends:
K18 Leave-In Molecular Repair Hair Mask (50ml)
Babila Round Hair Brush - HB-V450
Schwarzkopf Professional OSiS+ Grip Extra Strong Hair Styling Mousse For Natural Shine (200ml)
