John Frieda Take Two: Luxurious Volume Lavish Lift Root Booster

I believe I once shared my hair woes with y’all in excruciating detail.

Here’s the condensed version: Stick-straight, fine hair. Rarely holds a curl. Lacks significant volume.

I’ve tried my fair share of hair volumizing products. A while back, I stumbled across the Sunsilk Anti-Flat line — the answer to my fine hair needs — but for some reason (most likely because it’s a product that I liked — isn’t that always the way?), the anti-flat line has all but disappeared from store shelves in my area.

So once again, I found myself a fine-haired girl in search of some significant volume.

Enter John Frieda’s Luxurious Volume Lavish Lift Root Booster.

You may recall that Megan reviewed the John Frieda Luxurious Volume Shampoo last week. While the shampoo didn’t receive the highest marks from Megan, I can personally attest to the Root Booster.

It rocks.

The bottle claims that it “boosts volume in all three directions” (really, are there three directions of volume?!?) — by providing fullness at the roots, thickening of individual strands and increased lift.

The Root Booster comes in a spray pump and the directions say to spray it onto towel-dried hair, “concentrating at the roots and ensuring that the undersection and surface are fully covered. Blow dry and style as usual.”

Now, the bottle doesn’t lie. Application here is critical. I section my hair with a clip at the crown area (that’s where I need the most volume), take individual sections of hair, pull them up and spray the Root Booster at the hair roots both front and back. Yes. I know that’s a bit more work than just running a dollop of mousse through your hair, but I promise if you spend a few extra minutes doing this step, it will pay off in the end.

Then, I blow dry my hair upside down until it’s nearly dry. When I flip back up, I section my hair again and blow dry it to smooth it all out, concentrating on using my round brush to create volume at the crown.

I have never been good at using my round brush to create volume. My hairdresser is a master at it. Me? Not so much. But, with the Root Booster, even my half-hearted attempts at round brushing create a good amount of lift.

I’ve been using this product for about two weeks now, and I think I’ve received more compliments on my hair in those two weeks than I have over the course of my entire life.

The thing I like most is that the volume seems to last longer than most volumizing products I’ve tried. No matter what product you use, everyone’s hair looks good after it’s just blow dried. The question is how does it look four or five hours later? In the past, my hair would inevitably fall flat, but with the Root Booster, my hair still looks soft and full several hours afterward.

Now, I like to do a little Internet research when I post one of these reviews to see what the general consensus is about the product. The reviews on Lavish Lift Root Booster were that people either loved it or they hated it. After reading the reviews, I think the reasons have to do with hair type and length. You’re probably going to see the best results from the Root Booster if your hair is fine and straight — and not much past shoulder-length.

The Root Booster is not an all-natural product– it’s synthetic to the core — but hair products are the one area where I am a little more relaxed regarding “green beauty” products. I figure if the product is going on my hair (as opposed to a foundation or moisturizer that’s sitting on my skin all day), it’s not the end of the world. And, frankly, with regard to my hair, my vanity wins out over green beauty every time. I’m only human, after all.

The Lavish Lift Root Booster is part of the John Frieda Luxurious Volume line. It retails for about $6 and can be found at most mass-market retailers and drugstores, as well as online at drugstore.com.