How Can I Get Structured and Voluminous Soft Curls Without Overloading My Hair With Product?

by Kayla Sue
(Phoenix, AZ, USA)

I have a little longer than shoulder-length naturally thick wavy/curly hair.

I try to style it so that my curls turn out soft and springy, but when I use too little product with my diffuser, I get almost no volume. When I use too much product and my diffuser, my hair stiffens and I end up spending an hour trying to crunch the hard parts, but end up making it frizz or fall. If I use a moderate amount, I deal with both aforementioned problems, though they're combined!

The attached picture will show what my hair looks like, but only when worked on for a good hour, and it loses volume and structure after three hours or so.

Can someone please tell me how to make my curls structured, voluminous, and soft without killing myself with hairspray fumes and emptying my bank account for expensive hair products?