How to Add Texture to Any Type of Hair

To add texture to shorter hair, use mousse

Rocking a chic bob? Maybe a fun fringed pixie? Or a cool crop? Whatever you've selected, a shorter hairstyle can achieve a textured look with a volumizing mousse product, according to hairstylist Jana Rago.

To start, she suggests thoroughly applying the mouse throughout your hair for lots of body. If you want to put more motion at the front of your hair instead of the back, use more product. (The more product, the more you will accentuate texture.) And when it's time to dry your hair, Rago suggests using the cold setting, which helps to evenly distribute product and volume throughout your hair.

To add texture to straight hair, use a texturizing spray and a wand curling rod

While some folks wish they had hair that fell naturally straight without any effort, those who have it often look for more dimension. Sometimes, super-straight locks can look flat, making our face appear wider than it actually is. That's why a bit of texture goes a long way, according to Koye.

He suggests using a texturizing spray and a wand curling rod. After you spritz dry hair, go around the rod one time with each section of hair. Then, hold the wand vertically and take small sections from the top of your head and wrap them around the wand for a second. Alternate the direction you wrap each section as you go around.

"Not all of the curls should go in the same direction because then it looks unnatural and won't actually add the desired definition," Koye says. "Make sure that the sections at the front are going away from the face, though."

To add texture to frizzy hair, use serum

Only a few naturally have silky-smooth, easy-to-manage hair. The rest of us battle frizz at some point, whether from humidity or static within our homes. Don't worry: Even frizzy locks can use a little texture, Koye says.

The key, he says, is fingering a hair serum throughout your hair. Then, blow your roots with a blow dryer in the direction you want your hair to go: down, angled, and so on. Koye says to use the same texturing technique as straight hair but with a flat iron. Once you're finished, Koye suggests going back to any tame spots that are too curly or still frizzy and going over them with the straightener again.

To add texture to kinky hair, use a blow dryer and flat iron

If your curls are best described as kinky, Koye says adding texture can help straighten or loosen tight-knit curls. First, he suggests applying a serum throughout your hair for added softness. Then, blow dry hair starting from the root down.

"Then, in large pie-shaped sections around the head, flat iron each section," he says. "If some pieces are still too curly, hit it with a flat iron again." Pay attention to each section, though, since you want to make sure you are conscious of the ends of your hair. "Either tuck the ends in or flip them out, but don't go straight down, because then as the hair cools it can get kinks in it," he says.

RELATED: I Tried the Curly Girl Method on My Wavy Hair, and I'm Never Going Back

To add texture to hair without heat, use braids and buns.

Don't want to fool with a hair dryer, curling iron, or any hot tool? No sweat. For those who want a more laid-back textured look—like a beachy style—braids are an easy way to do it. As salon owner and educator Yene Damtew says, whether your braids are large or small, tight or loose, many longer hairstyles will benefit from this heat-free method.

To begin, either mist your hair until it's damp or braid hair post-shower. Try French braids, twisted bantu knots, or any other style you can master. When your hair is dry, unravel the braids and add serum, hairsprays, or mousse to tame flyaways and hold the texture.

To achieve a playful textured look, use a mini crimper

That's right: The beloved '90s and early-2000s textured look is still a hit today. Stylist and makeup artist Arielle Perez suggests using a mini-crimper can add instant oomph to drab locks.

Start with dry hair and section off a small layer of hair along your part and clip it up. Next, Perez says to take small sections of hair and crimp from the roots to about two inches from the ends. Once you're done, let the top section down to cover up any unruly volume at the top of your head.

"Don't overthink this," Perez says. "Texture is forgiving. Shake it all out and leave as is, or combine with your favorite texture spray. This method is like 'teasing' but without all the mess of smoothing out a tease, and it's wearable for everyday."