One of the most important parts of my job as a beauty editor is to work out which topics will resonate most with our readers and to find the answers to the questions that people are searching for most at any given moment. And while those areas of interest definitely fluctuate, depending on what season we’re in or which beauty products are currently going viral on TikTok, there’s one beauty concern that seems to be pretty universal amongst Who What Wear readers—how to get thicker-looking hair. Yes, from the best hair colours for thin hair to the hairstyles that give your hair more volume, it appears that bulking up the appearance of thin hair is top of many of our hair wish lists for 2021.
I’ve spoken previously about how thin hair was never really an issue for me until I experienced post-partum hair loss (prior to that, you were much more likely to find me testing and trialling frizz-fighting products in my haircare routine), but ever since that bout of thinning, I’ve made it my mission to seek out the very best volume-boosting formulas. And in my opinion, nothing acts faster or is as instantly transformative as a hair-volumising spray.
While there’s a lot to be said for the efficacy of a great hair-thickening shampoo or conditioner, a lot of these science-led formulations take time to work. That’s all well and good, but sometimes, we just want our hair to look instantly thicker. Enter: hair-volumising sprays. From thickening the appearance of your strands to boosting texture and adding volume, volumising sprays are one of the most versatile styling products that you can have in your haircare arsenal. In fact, even before my hair started thinning, I swore by volumising sprays to add grit to freshly washed hair for a more undone, relaxed feel. You’d be hard-pressed to find a hairstylist who doesn’t have a can or two of volumising spray in their kit at all times thanks to the product’s versatility.
Keep scrolling for 14 of the best hair-volumising sprays that will make even the thinnest of hair look so much thicker.
This is my favourite hair-volumising spray of all time. Yes, it’s pricey, but I have tried so many similar products, and none come close to the efficacy of this one from Oribe. Part volumiser, part texturiser and part dry shampoo, this is a truly versatile hair spray that adds plenty of volume and cool-girl texture and makes your hair look effortlessly styled, even if you’ve just run your fingers through it. A true holy-grail product.
“My current favourite for volume on thin hair is Kérastase’s Fresh Affair Dry Shampoo,” says Darren Fowler, owner of Fowler35 and a Kérastase expert. “It cleans and refreshes hair whilst leaving roots airy and bouncy. You can also spray into the ends for extra body and texture.”
So many editors rave about this little-know haircare line, and this multitasking styling mist is one of the hero products in the line. Enriched with a Marine Plumping Complex, this can be spritzed through damp, towel-dried hair to plump your strands and create fuller-looking hair once you’ve blow-dried it.
Ouai founder Jen Atkin is the hairstylist behind the strands of celebs like Kim Kardashian, Chrissy Teigen and Gigi Hadid to name a few, so it’s no surprise that her hair products are seriously impressive. This is another volumising spray that you apply to clean, damp hair before styling. It adds lift, bounce and volume without weighing hair down.
The entire volume range from Oribe is brilliant for thin hair, but this spray is the star of the show. It’s formulated with copolymer resins and marine glycogen to actually plump and volumise every strand of hair. Plus, it smells absolutely incredible.
The best thing about this spray is that it has a unique nozzle that can be adjusted depending on how much volume and body you’re after. Twist it towards “M” for a bigger particle size and faster spray rate if you want gravity-defying volume or to “L” for less body and a lower spray rate. So clever.
This is one of the best affordable styling products that I’ve tried. It adds a soft, matte texture along with plenty of volume, and it acts as a lightweight setting spray to keep your hairstyle in place all day.
This gives hair the kind of lift and bounce that you can normally only achieve with a professional blow-dry. You aim the nozzle directly at the roots of damp hair to blast it with the volume-boosting formula before styling, and once you’ve dried it, there won’t be a thin hair in sight.
I love that this lightweight styling spray can be used on damp or dry hair, depending on how much lift you’re after. Plus, it’s enriched with sugar, which adds a glistening shine to your finished look.
Traditionally, salt sprays are the go-to styling product for creating airy, beachy waves, but salt can be incredibly drying on fine hair. Thankfully, this volumising spritz from IGK delivers the same amount of volume without the salt. If tousled, textured, lifted hair is what you’re after, then I can’t recommend this enough.
This has a unique foam spray formulation that really helps to create a sturdy foundation for whatever style you’re creating. If you overdo it, there’s a risk of it feeling a little tacky, so using short, sharp bursts is the way to go. However, if you’re creating a special-occasion style, then the volume that this creates really cannot be rivalled.
I have used this volumising spray for years—at first for its subtle texturising properties and then for the way that it imparts instant volume to the flattest of hair. It’s infused with hydrolysed wheat protein, zeolite and silk powder, so it lasts really well in the hair.
This spray is a bit of a beauty-insider secret, and I’ve spotted it in many hairstylists’ kits backstage at fashion week. Apply this to damp hair before blow-drying for an ultra-glam, plumped-up style, and spritz it through dry hair to add targeted volume exactly where you need it.
Friends of mine who have thin hair swear by this volume-boosting spray from celeb hairdresser George Northwood. Since trying it myself, I can confirm that it’s well worth the hype. Up Next: Psst, Thin Hair Types—This Trick Gets You Big Hair Fast
