I usually never give a shit about pageantry, but there's a ton of reasons to be envious of the new Miss USA, Rhode Island's Olivia Culpo. In addition to the fact that she is Miss USA, her eloquent answer about transgender woman competing in the pageant and her impeccable, voluminous wavy hair almost make me want to kill myself bitch about how unfair this world is. Well, on another note, if we can't have her perfect eyebrows and/or her six pack, at least her frizz-free hair is attainable. Maybe life is (kinda) fair after all. 

Despite hair's natural affinity to frizz up in the summer (ugh!), it's possible to get volume without the kink — here's four expert tips on getting Miss USA-worthy height. 

1) If you have fine or thin locks, try changing your part. Not only will it will give a temporary lift to your flat hair, but it's the quickest and least damaging method of all. 

2) One thing to remember is that volume always starts in the shower, that's why choosing the right shampoo and condition is vital to the "oomph." Try to stay away from products that say "shine," "straight" or "restore/repair" because they tend to contain scores of conditioning agents that weigh down your hair. 

Although bear in mind any hair products that give you the fluffy effect might leave your hair rather dry and could fade the hair color if they have been dyed, so try a very light-weight treatment that controls frizz and enhances thin hair. And remember - only apply conditioner to the bottom third of your hair. 

We recommend: Redken Extreme Anti-Snap Leave-in Treatment, $16.37 at drugstores

Denise Richards by Cristophe Volume Extend Conditioner (Yes, seriously), $14.99 at Cristophe

3) When you get out of the shower, flip your head over and gently blot (don't rub - it causes frizz and breakage!) your hair dry with towel. Rough up the cuticles of your scalp with your fingertips so they don't lie flat. Apply a root-lifting spray (not hairspray because it weighs hair down), then flip your head over again to blow dry with with a round brush. Once you're done, sprinkle about a nickel's worth of volumizing powder on your hand and apply to the underlayers of your scalp. Tousle as needed. 

We recommend: Big Sexy Hair Power Play Volumizing & Texturizing Powder, $15.95 at Ulta

Ojon Volume Advance Thickening Spray, $24 at Sephora

4) Bottom line, avoid teasing — also known as back-combing — your hair because it often leads to hair damage such as breakage, split ends and greasy buildup. If you absolutely can't avoid teasing (we're looking at you, New Jersey), wait until your hair is a little dirtier (like a day or two after washing it) because the excess grease acts as a shield for breakage. Sounds gross, right?

What are your best-kept big-hair secrets? Share with us below! 

Follow Clare Ngai on Twitter: @nuvochocho

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