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Best Hair Volumizing Products

Updated April 2022
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Pros
Cons
Best of the Best
SexyHair Big Powder Play Volumizing and Texturizing Powder
SexyHair
Big Powder Play Volumizing & Texturizing Powder
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Customer Favorite
Bottom Line

This volumizing powder gives hair a lift at the roots, is easy to apply, and holds well all day long.

Pros

Without any added dyes or fragrances, this is easy on hair and won’t leave strands sticky. With a loose powder consistency, this is easily sprinkled onto roots to give a boost in volume or on strands to create a textured look.

Cons

Some buyers found it was too easy to shake out a large amount of powder, which made it challenging to work into hair completely.

Best Bang for the Buck
BED HEAD by TIGI Motor Mouth Mega Volumizer With Gloss
BED HEAD by TIGI
Motor Mouth Mega Volumizer With Gloss
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Multipurpose
Bottom Line

This product works to make hair look fuller, shinier, and smoother.

Pros

Creates a thicker, more voluminous look. Gloss makes hair glow under UV light. Contains conditioning ingredients that smooth down frizz and stray hairs. Formula’s consistency isn’t sticky, and it has a blueberry scent.

Cons

Several customers reported issues with the spout being broken upon arrival.

AQUAGE Uplifting Foam
Aquage
Uplifting Foam
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Most Versatile
Bottom Line

With the ability to be used on wet or dry hair, this foam product is versatile, strong, and keeps hair lifted.

Pros

With a precise tip on nozzle, it can be accurately applied to roots to give a quick boost. A lightweight formula makes this great for all hair types and won’t leave hair feeling sticky or heavy, plus it won't leave bulky product buildup on scalp.

Cons

A little goes a long way — avoid a crunchy look and go sparingly with this product.

Pacifica Beauty Ginger Root 10 In 1 Hair Volumizing Spray
Pacifica Beauty
Ginger Root 10-in-1 Hair Volumizer
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Most Natural
Bottom Line

Vegan and cruelty-free, this root volumizing spray is an eco-friendly, natural choice for hair.

Pros

Featuring a pleasant scent, a lightweight, vitamin-rich formula, and a convenient spray application, this works wonders on limp hair. Simply spray onto damp hair before you style and watch your hair go from blah to ta-da!

Cons

Due to the lightweight, natural formula, this product may be better suited to fine hair as opposed to thick.

BIOLAGE Volumebloom Full-Lift Volumizer Spray
Biolage
Volumebloom Full-Lift Volumizer Spray
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Trusted Brand
Bottom Line

A volumizer spray from a reliable brand name adds lift and fullness to flat hair.

Pros

This volumizer spray features a formula that multiplies inter-fiber space so hair stays big and full all day long. With a spray bottle design, this is easy to use for beginners, either at home or the salon.

Cons

Some buyers found the consistency to be quite thick and recommended shaking the bottle well before applying to hair.

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BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing, and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. We only make money if you purchase a product through our links, and all opinions about the products are our own. About BestReviews  
BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing, and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. We only make money if you purchase a product through our links, and all opinions about the products are our own. About BestReviews  
BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing, and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. We buy all products with our own funds, and we never accept free products from manufacturers.About BestReviews 
HOW WE TESTED

We recommend these products based on an intensive research process that's designed to cut through the noise and find the top products in this space. Guided by experts, we spend hours looking into the factors that matter, to bring you these selections.

30
Models
Considered
190
Consumers
Consulted
8
Hours
Researched
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Buying guide for Best hair volumizing products

There’s no such thing as having too much body in your hair. Whether you’re already blessed with thick hair, are struggling with thinning hair, or are shedding strands from stress, adding a volumizing hair product to your daily routine can create fuller, thicker hair that’ll make heads turn and add bounce to your step (and hair!).

While volumizing hair products are ideal for fine, wispy hair, anyone looking for a root boost or a way to strengthen existing strands can benefit from these products. Volumizing hair products don’t prevent hair loss, but some do stimulate hair growth, and others plump up what you already have and make a huge (so to speak) difference.

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People with fine or wispy hair can make their hair appear thicker and fuller with hair-volumizing products.

Types of volumizing hair products

Volumizing hair products can be spritzed, lathered, dabbed, or rubbed into your hair depending on what form they take. 

Sprays

These aren’t just limited to hair sprays. Volumizing sprays focus more on lift and texture than on hold, though they certainly can provide a light hold, too. Some sprays work as dry shampoos while others are formulated to spray onto wet hair before styling either with a hairdryer or without.

Shampoos

Formulated to create volume and body, volumizing shampoos include ingredients that thicken the hair while you wash it. These may include panthenol (vitamin B5) to increase the diameter of the hair or biotin (vitamin B7) to promote hair growth. Other common ingredients in volumizing shampoos are keratin, rice or wheat protein, and caffeine.

Conditioners

Similar to volumizing shampoos in their ingredient list (B5, biotin, keratin), volumizing conditioners are designed to be used after cleansing the hair. There are also more natural options that contain botanical ingredients, such as algae, that are designed to strengthen and add body to fine hair

Lotions and creams

These are designed to add volume by coating the entire hair while damp. They also add softness, smoothness, and some shine. Many of these double as styling products.

Serums

With a liquid consistency, volumizing serums are designed as leave-in treatments, often for overnight application. Serums work gradually to thicken hair and stimulate hair growth, so give these products a few weeks to see results. 

Mousses

Also known as foams, these are fluffy, light hair products that provide lift to the roots along with hold and texture. Traditionally, these are designed to apply to wet hair, but there are newer products on the market formulated to plump up dry hair. 

Gel

Hair-volumizing gels thicken strands by binding to proteins in each strand and providing structure to weak or thin hair. Unlike regular gels, a volumizing gel shouldn’t feel sticky or stiff or leave behind a “gunky” residue.

Volumizing powders

These work on dry hair. Simply sprinkle some of the white powder onto your hands and scrunch it into your roots. The powder should feel slightly tacky, then waxy as you apply it, providing invisible lift and hold as it drys translucent.

Other products

Other volumizing products on the market include clay pastes, masques (masks), and soufflés, all of which tend to be high-end items.

Ingredients in volumizing hair products

Panthenol

Panthenol, aka vitamin B5, has been scientifically proven to thicken hair by increasing the diameter of individual hair fibers. Strands thickened by panthenol are also more resistant to breakage. It can be taken orally as well to stimulate hair growth.

Biotin

Another impressive B vitamin, B7 (biotin) rebuilds hair shingles that have been damaged by shampooing, sun exposure, and heat styling. It can be taken orally as well to promote hair growth.

Keratin

This protein is naturally found in your hair and will strengthen it when added topically, making it less prone to breakage. It bonds to the rough edges of the hair cuticle, resulting in smoother, shinier, thicker hair.

"Female-pattern baldness affects 30 million American women. Biotin is a natural vitamin found in many volumizing hair products that helps combat hair loss."
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Proteins

Other proteins, such as rice or wheat, are common ingredients in thickening products. They strengthen hair strands and fill in gaps, working especially well for those who have porous (aka curly/kinky) or damaged hair.

Caffeine

Caffeine is a popular volumizing ingredient that has been proven to stimulate and extend the life of hair follicles. 

Polymers

Either synthetic or naturally derived (from cellulose and starches), these molecular chains “stick” to your hair, coating individual strands from root to tip and creating overall thickness and fullness.

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Did you know?
Starches are a popular ingredient found in volumizing products. Starches perform effectively as “root lifters” because they contain zero moisture and are able to keep the volume up all day long.
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Hair volumizing product prices

You can find hair volumizing products in a wide array of price ranges.

Inexpensive

A basic volumizing mousse or shampoo that can be purchased at drugstores or online starts at $7 and goes up to $14. Low-priced sprays and gels also fall at the higher end of this price range.

Mid-range

A mid-priced volumizing product can range from $15 to $24. The products in this range encompass a good variety of thickening products.

Expensive

High-end hair volumizing products, typically shampoos and foams, range from $25 to $35. Luxury hair volumizing products can cost upwards of $40.

Tips

  • Select a volumizing product that’s lightweight and doesn’t cause buildup. You don’t want your hair to be weighed down by a product that’s supposed to lift it up!
  • For bombshell hair, use a volumizing mousse on wet hair from roots to mid-length and then immediately hit it with a hair dryer, scrunching hair upward with your fingers as you go.
  • Excess oil on the scalp can cause hair to fall flat. Using a shampoo for oily hair may help pep up limp hair.
  • For many hair-volumizing products, blow drying your hair immediately after application will heighten the effects. Some stylists even recommend blow drying your hair upside down (by flipping your head over).
  • For best results, use a volumizing shampoo paired with a volumizing conditioner. Note, however, that you should only condition from mid-length down to the ends so you don’t weigh down your roots.
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For best results, aim volumizing or thickening sprays at the roots of your hair.

FAQ

Q. What’s the difference between a volumizing spray and a hair spray?

A. The main difference is hold. A hair spray is designed to hold styled hair in place; by default, it maintains voluminous styles. Hair spray is used after hair is dry and styled — not before like volumizing products typically are. A volumizing spray may or may not be formulated to hold a style in place, but it will definitely add volume. To make matters more confusing, volumizing hair sprays exist and will add substantial hold and substantial volume. 

Q. I’m a man with short, thinning hair. What’s the best volumizing product for me?

A. We recommend a thickening serum that you can apply at night to work on hair growth while you sleep. A volumizing shampoo is also a great product for that. Depending on how “styled” you want your hair to appear, foam or powder could give your roots a little boost as you go throughout your day.

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