Style Hair Hair Care The 19 Best Volumizing Hair Products of 2023 Our favorites include sprays, mousses, and tools that will keep your hair looking voluminous and bouncy for hours. By Brittany Loggins Brittany Loggins Instagram Twitter Website Brittany Loggins is a freelance contributor writing about relationships, mental health, travel hacks, and more. Real Simple's Editorial Guidelines and Rebecca Carhart Rebecca Carhart Instagram Rebecca is the Senior Ecommerce Reviews Writer and Strategist at Meredith Corp. When she's not writing about the latest home, fashion, beauty, and lifestyle products, you can find her shopping at sample sales or enjoying a mid-day snack. Real Simple's Editorial Guidelines Updated on February 10, 2023 Fact checked by Isaac Winter Fact checked by Isaac Winter Isaac Winter is a fact-checker and writer for Real Simple, ensuring the accuracy of content published by rigorously researching content before publication and periodically when content needs to be updated. Highlights: Helped establish a food pantry in West Garfield Park as an AmeriCorps employee at Above and Beyond Family Recovery Center. Interviewed Heartland Alliance employees for oral history project conducted by the Lake Forest College History Department. Editorial Head of Lake Forest College's literary magazine, Tusitala, for two years. Our Fact-Checking Process Share Tweet Pin Email In This Article Expand Jump to a Section Reviews How to Shop Take Our Word for It We independently evaluate all recommended products and services. If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation. Learn more. Real Simple / Alli Waataja The key to any great-looking hair style is volume, and there are lots of products that can help you achieve a perfectly bouncy, full look. While hair texture and thickness definitely play a role in the types of products you should be using, it’s also important to look into specific volume-boosting ingredients and styling tools. Many volumizing products work even better when combined with a round brush and a blow dryer, and lots of the formulas are even heat-activated. To get some additional tips on how to style hair with volume in mind, we spoke with celebrity stylist Dimitris Giannetos. One thing to keep in mind when applying volumizing products or using tools like round brushes or teasing combs is to focus your attention at the root. “Especially when blow-drying your hair, use these tools at the root for a pump of volume,” says Giannetos. To help you get your most voluminous look, we’ve researched the best products, evaluating them on formula, usage, and versatility. Our top picks include sprays, powders, and pastes, as well as tools like hot brushes and teasing brushes. Kérastase Densifique Leave-In Thickening Mousse 4.8 Amazon View On Amazon View On Kerastase-usa.com View On Sephora Who it’s for: People of all hair types looking for a spray that increases shine as well as volume. Who it isn’t for: Those looking for a product that can be used as needed on dry hair. This mousse by Kérastase is specially formulated to add thickness and volume to your hair without weighing it down. Its main ingredient is hyaluronic acid, which helps hair retain moisture and leaves you with plumper strands. When using this mousse, let your hair dry for about 20 minutes before using the product. After applying it, blow dry with a round brush to really amplify the volume. Along with boosting volume, this product leaves locks looking smooth, shiny, and frizz-free. While this mousse is definitely expensive, a little goes a long way, making it well worth the price. Price at time of publish: $45 Type: Mousse | Key Ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, ceramides, gluco peptide | Size: 5 ounces Briogeo Blossom & Bloom Ginseng + Biotin Volumizing Shampoo 4.8 Amazon View On Amazon View On Briogeohair.com View On Dermstore Who it’s for: People looking for a volumizing shampoo that also helps combat oiliness. Who it isn’t for: People with dry hair. If you are looking for a hair product that will provide instant volume as well as long-term growth benefits, check out this shampoo by Briogeo. The sulfate-free shampoo is infused with biotin, which helps your hair grow; vitamin B5, which works to strengthen individual strands; and maltodextrin, which thickens hair and leaves it looking more voluminous. Along with being gluten- and silicone-free, this shampoo is also vegan-friendly and cruelty-free. Hair is more volumized after one use, especially if you pair it with the matching conditioner. Plus, it smells amazing and makes showering a more enjoyable experience. Price at time of publish: From $28 Type: Shampoo | Key Ingredients: Ginseng, biotin, maltodextrin, witch hazel extract | Size: 8 or 33.8 ounces Joico Body Shake Texturizing Finisher Amazon View On Amazon View On Walmart View On Ecosmetics.com Who it’s for: People with fine to medium hair looking for a spray that also provides heat and humidity protection. Who it isn’t for: Those who aren’t looking for added texture. If you've already perfected your blow drying techniques and are just looking for a product to lock in and enhance your hair's volume, check out this finishing spray from Joico. The fast-acting product adds body and texture to your hair while absorbing oil at the same time, leaving you with bouncy, shiny hair every time you use it. You can use the product on dry hair just like you would a hairspray—just tousle your locks a bit with your hands to activate the product. This product is also super easy to apply, and doesn't leave the hair stiff or crunchy as many other sprays do. Price at time of publish: $25 Type: Spray | Key Ingredients: Rice starch | Size: 7 ounces SexyHair Big Powder Play Volumizing & Texturizing Powder Amazon View On Amazon View On Walmart View On Target Who it’s for: People looking for a transparent powder that lasts a long time. Who it isn’t for: Those looking for an oil-absorbing powder. This SexyHair powder is one of the most popular volumizing hair products around—and after trying it yourself, you’ll definitely be able to see why. The odorless powder is transparent so it won't leave your hair looking like a powdery mess, and it works on all hair lengths and textures. Like most volumizing powders, this one will leave your hair feeling slightly tacky, but it’s super long-lasting and will keep your roots lifted for days. It's a great way to add texture to styles like waterfall braids to help create a lived-in look. It also comes out very easily in the shower, which is an added bonus since many other powders are prone to leaving behind build-up. Price at time of publish: $20 Type: Powder | Key Ingredients: Propylene glycol, acai oil, rice bran oil, passionfruit seed oil | Size: 0.53 ounces The 12 Best Hair Detanglers of 2023 Color Wow Xtra Large Bombshell Volumizer Amazon View On Amazon View On Walmart View On Kohls.com Who it’s for: Those with fine hair looking for a volumizing spray that won’t dry out their hair. Who it isn’t for: Those looking for a spray that can be used on dry hair. Not only does this mousse provide volume, but it also makes thin hair look much thicker. It does this with a proprietary polymer complex, as well as bamboo extract. These ingredients coat each strand with an invisible film that works to make the hair thicker, shinier, and more malleable. It comes out as a foam, which makes it easy to see and feel where you’ve worked it into the hair on the scalp. Make sure that you concentrate it around the roots at your part, and then use a blow dryer and a round brush to set the hair in place. If you don’t have time to grab a round brush and blow dryer, use your fingers to scrunch the hair up at the root. This product is also completely humidity-proof, and was cited by celebrity stylist Chris Appleton on a tutorial Zoom hosted by the brand as one of the products that he used to create and hold Jennifer Lopez’s hair style during her iconic Super Bowl performance. Price at time of publish: $26 Type: Mousse | Key Ingredients: Proprietary polymer complex, bamboo extract | Size: 6.7 ounces Virtue Volumizing Mousse Sephora View On Walmart View On Bloomingdales View On Neiman Marcus Who it’s for: People with straight or wavy hair looking for a lightweight mousse. Who it isn’t for: It offers medium hold, so if you have super thick hair, this isn't for you. This mousse feels super creamy and luxurious and seamlessly melts into the scalp. Use it by dispensing one or 1.5 pumps into your hands and rubbing them together gently. Then, massage it into your scalp focusing on the top and the front, which are typically the areas where you will want to achieve the most volume. That said, if you tend to have oil build-up toward the back of the crown of your head, this will definitely help that out too. It offers a medium hold, which makes it more ideal for people with thin or fine hair. In addition to lifting the roots, it’s also moisturizing, thanks to ingredients like alpha keratin, baobab seed oil, and panthenol. The keratin will also help strengthen each individual hair so that it is less predisposed to damage from heat tools or environmental pollutants. Price at time of publish: $38 Type: Mousse | Key Ingredients: Baobab seed oil, panthenol, Alpha Keratin 60ku (proprietary keratin protein) | Size: 5.5 ounces The 10 Best Hair Straighteners of 2023 Bumble and Bumble Thickening Dryspun Volume Texture Spray 4.2 Sephora View On Amazon View On Nordstrom View On Walmart Who it’s for: People who want a quick-fix treatment option for hair that needs a boost. Who it isn’t for: People looking for a volumizing dry shampoo spray. Bumble and Bumble’s Thickening Dryspun Texture Spray uses raw silk powders to bulk up each individual hair shaft. This will not only increase the amount of volume in your hair, but it will make even super straightened locks look thicker. In addition to the silk powders, the formula uses polymers to give the hair a lifted effect that is both soft and bouncy. One of the best things about this product is that it produces a really streamlined spray, which makes it easy to target certain areas of concern. Unlike dry shampoos, it is completely translucent, and will even work to add-in shine as opposed to leaving an all-over matte finish like so many dry shampoos do. That said, it’s not a good option if you want to use it to target oily areas. Price at time of publish: From $34 Type: Spray | Key Ingredients: PEG-12 dimethicone, zeolite, silk powder | Size: 3.6 or 8.2 ounces Davines Volu Shampoo Amazon View On Amazon View On Walmart View On Davines.com Who it’s for: Those looking for a shampoo that will increase volume and shine. Who it isn’t for: People looking for a less expensive shampoo. The Davines Volu Shampoo stands out for its unique use of natural products, like Caprauna turnip extract, which is packed with phosphorus, iron, calcium, and vitamins A, B, and C. The phosphorus and calcium will help to bulk up the strands, while the iron strengthens and the vitamins add shine. This shampoo leaves the hair looking full and bouncy, and it will definitely add volume, especially for those with hair that’s on the thinner side. It works into a really thick lather, which cleans hair on the first go-round of washing, making it a great shampoo to use after hair slugging. That said, the brand says rinsing it through another time is fine since the formula won’t build up. Price at time of publish: $32 Type: Shampoo | Key Ingredients: Caprauna turnip extract | Size: 8.45 ounces The 9 Best Shampoos for Every Hair Type and Concern Biolage Volume Bloom Shampoo Ulta View On Amazon View On Walmart View On Jcpenney.com Who it’s for: People with fine, long hair. Who it isn’t for: Those looking for a floral-scented shampoo. In addition to being vegan and paraben-free, this shampoo (and its matching conditioner) uses cotton as its key ingredient. The tiny cotton fibers attach to each individual strand of hair to make them stronger and give them a fuller, thicker look and feel. It’s also a super gentle ingredient, which makes it a great option for those with thin hair or hair that is longer and has been exposed to lots of heat damage at the ends. Since it is so gentle and natural, it’s completely safe to use on color-treated hair, even if you wash your hair every day (or a few times per week). It won’t strip the color and will actually work to enhance the hues and prolong the the length of the dye since it invisibly coats the hair shafts. It also adds moisture thanks to cocamide MEA, which is an ingredient comprised of the fatty acids that are naturally found in coconut oil. Price at time of publish: From $23 Type: Shampoo | Key Ingredients: Cotton | Size: 13.5 or 33.8 ounces The 16 Best Drugstore Shampoos of 2023 for Every Hair Type Fekkai Root Lift Volume Spray Ulta View On Anthropologie View On Fekkai.com View On Ulta Who it’s for: People who want to make their blowout last as long as possible. Who it isn’t for: People who don’t use heat styling products. This treatment gets to work on damp hair the second you’ve toweled off from the shower. You simply spray it on the hair targeting the roots down to the brow level. From there, make sure you use your fingertips so that you can easily massage the product into your entire scalp. As you dry, make sure to grab a round brush and direct the heat of the blow dryer toward the root in order to activate the treatment. You don’t even have to worry about heat damage because this product protects your strands from temperatures up to 450 degrees. This product’s active ingredients include flexible polymers, which work to create an invisible film over each individual strand of hair. Not only do these polymers strengthen the hairs, they work to protect them from frizz due to humidity. The formula also includes hydrolyzed vegetable proteins, which will help to repair damage and mend keratin bonds that have been broken from dyes or styling tools. Perhaps the best part about this product is that it smells amazing, with notes of citrus, watermelon, sea salt, and white musk, but it’s not at all overwhelming. Price at time of publish: $28 Type: Spray | Key Ingredients: Hydrolyzed vegetable proteins, biotin | Size: 5 ounces R+Co Balloon Dry Volume Spray 4.9 Amazon View On Amazon View On Walmart View On Bloomingdales Who it’s for: People looking for a long-lasting spray that doubles as a dry shampoo. Who it isn’t for: Those who want an unscented spray. This spray is incredibly lightweight, but it adds immediate volume. It also acts as a dry shampoo, which makes it a great option for taking with you if you’re traveling since it can do it all. Unlike other dry shampoos, it won’t leave a matte or powdery finish on your strands. It works best when it is sprayed right at the root so that it can soak up excess sebum and add a natural-looking lift. It soaks up oil with silica, which adds the slightest bit of grit that will really help your hair look thicker. The formula is also packed with styling polymers, which help the hair hold its newfound shape. To add in moisture and shine, the spray contains calendula and mica—the calendula hydrates the strands while the mica reflects light to provide the hair with a natural shine. All of these ingredients work together to leave the hair feeling soft and bouncy. This volume spray also smells amazing, and contains notes of cardamom, pineapple, tangerine, lavender and blonde woods. Type: Spray | Key Ingredients: Silica, zeolite, calendula | Size: 5 ounces Living Proof Full Dry Volume & Texture Spray Ulta View On Amazon View On Bluemercury.com View On Sephora Who it’s for: Those looking for a spray that provides heat protection and oil absorption. Who it isn’t for: People who are not looking for a texture spray. This spray adds volume, texture, and shine—plus, it also works to remove excess sebum, similar to a traditional dry shampoo. It can be sprayed from root to tip if you want your hair to have more volume and texture throughout, but it can also be used solely on the roots for a little added lift. This spray can also be used to lock-in styles once you’ve used hot tools, or as a heat protectant before styling. Finally, the formula uses hydrophobic resins to coat the hair and prevent it from frizzing up due to humidity. To summarize, it really does it all. Price at time of publish: $35 Type: Spray | Key Ingredients: Blend of micro-porous minerals and starches | Size: 7.5 ounces Pureology Style + Protect Mess It Up Texture Paste Amazon View On Amazon View On Walmart View On Ulta Who it's for: People who want to prioritize both volume and texture. Who it isn’t for: Those who don’t want a product that requires styling. This paste may feel super decadent, but its effect on the hair is equal parts lightweight and strong. If you’re looking for volume, apply it at the roots, where it can be used before or after styling with heat tools. If texture is what you’re after, you can apply it to the rest of the hair to create a wavy or beachy look. You only have to use a dime-sized amount, but make sure that you’re applying it to completely dry hair for the best results. The product is 100 percent vegan and completely free of parabens and sulfates. To promote thickness and hair growth, the formula contains vegetable proteins. Since the hair is made up of proteins, this added ingredient works to improve thickness. Plus, it makes it easier for your strands to bind moisture, helping the hair become shinier and more manageable. Price at time of publish: $31 Type: Paste | Key Ingredients: Vegetable protein | Size: 3.4 fluid ounces Verb Volume Texture Powder Sephora View On Amazon View On Anthropologie View On Macy's Who it’s for: People with oily hair looking for extra volume. Who it isn’t for: Those with super dark hair might find that the powder is visible. Get ready for a powder puff of an experience with this product. Don’t worry, it won’t make a mess, but it definitely puffs out when you press the nozzle. While you can see the powder when it hits the hair, it becomes translucent once you massage it into the scalp. The formula provides hold that can be amped-up if you dispense more product, and it can also be applied after you’ve finished styling with heat tools to add volume and hold in the styled look. It adds immediate volume and texture thanks to ingredients like tapioca starch and pro vitamin B5. The starch will also absorb any excess oil, which allows this product to function as a dry shampoo as well. The glycerin in the formula works to hold in moisture, which makes the hair feel softer and look healthier. Price at time of publish: $20 Type: Powder | Key Ingredients: Tapioca starch, Pro-Vitamin B5, glycerin | Size: 0.1 ounce Keranique Follicle Boosting Serum Ulta View On Amazon View On Walmart View On CVS Who it’s for: Those looking to improve the health of their hair over time. Who it isn’t for: People looking for immediate results. Invest in volume that lasts with this follicle-boosting serum. To use, start with towel-dried or damp hair and massage it all over the scalp. It can also be used during styling on dry hair as a way to really amp up the volume and protect the strands from heat. The serum itself conditions the hair and scalp and soaks into the follicles, which improves the hair’s elasticity more and more over time. This will also protect the hair from future breakage due to styling or hot tools. As you continue to use the serum, it will help your hair grow healthier and thicker. The formula also contains moisturizing ingredients like clover flower extract and ginseng root to add nourishment and moisture, as well as glycerin and dimethicone to retain that added moisture. Price at time of publish: $29 Type: Serum | Key Ingredients: Glycerin, panthenol, hydrolyzed soy and rice proteins, burdock root extract | Size: 2 ounces The 10 Best Conditioners of 2023 for Every Hair Type GHD Rise Volumizing Hot Brush Sephora View On Amazon View On Asos View On Dermstore Who it’s for: People looking to create natural-looking volume that starts right at the root. Who it isn’t for: Those who want to avoid hot tools. Since this hot brush is so narrow, it’s easy to get super close to the scalp so that it can lift the hair from the root. It has a 1.25-inch barrel and nylon bristles that are 0.5-centimeters in length for extra precision, making it great for styling bangs. The bristles also work to eliminate any tangles, smoothing the strands so your hair looks incredibly silky. The brush heats up to 365 degrees, which is the optimum styling temperature to create volume without causing heat damage or breakage. It can even be used to create curls if you twist it as you move it down the hair shaft, or you can use it similarly to a teasing comb by just focusing it on the roots. The brand recommends using a texture or volume spray on the roots before running the brush through, which will help lock in the style for the entire day. Price at time of publish: $189 Type: Hot brush | Barrel: 1.25 inches | Maximum Temperature: 365 degrees The 12 Best Hairbrushes of 2023 for Every Hair Type Drybar Texas Tease Teasing Brush Sephora View On Amazon View On Nordstrom View On Sephora Who it’s for: Anyone who loves to have an option on-hand for last minute touch-ups. Who it isn’t for: People who want to avoid hair breakage. If teasing brushes aren’t currently in your wheelhouse, get ready to meet your new favorite hair tool. One side of the Drybar Texas Tease Teasing Brush is super thin so that you can get the most precise part, and the other is covered in soft, frizz-reducing bristles. To use the brush, simply pull your hair out in small sections and target the bristles to the underside of the sectioned-off hair. Then, starting about one or two inches from the scalp, use the bristles to gently push the hair toward the scalp. This will create physical, immediate volume. You can do this after you’ve applied a texture spray for a little added oomph, or you can use it on already-styled hair. The best part is that you can pop this little brush in your purse and use it for touch-ups whenever you need. It’s also great for brushing back flyaways if you are wearing a ponytail or have a slicked-back look. Price at time of publish: $18 Type: Teasing brush | Length: 9.5 inches | Bristle Material: Nylon Dyson Airwrap Styling System 4.5 Ulta View On Amazon View On Nordstrom View On Dyson.com Who it’s for: Those who want one tool that can do it all. Who it isn’t for: People who don’t want to splurge on a super expensive product. The Dyson Airwrap is pretty iconic when it comes to all of its useful attachments, but the truth is that all of them work to amp up the volume as well. Since it has intelligent heat control—a built-in tool that measures the temperature over 40 times a second—you don’t have to worry about heat damage. Nearly all of the attachments are perfect for creating voluminous hair styles, and they allow you to choose which look you’re going for. The set includes 1.2- and 1.6-inch barrels that pull your hair in, drying it and curling it automatically. It just requires you to section off little pieces of hair as you go. The set also includes a round brush that’s made for volumizing, as well as firm and soft versions of a smoothing brush. All of these are great for creating volume starting right at the root, and since the tool gets just hot enough to impact the hair, you won’t have to worry about it burning your scalp. Finally, it comes with a traditional blow dryer attachment that can be used to fully dry your hair or to give it a rough dry before using the other tools. Price at time of publish: $600 Type: Hair dryer, hot brush | Attachments: 6 The 7 Best Blow Dryers for All Hair Types Hot Tools 24K Gold One-Step Blowout and Volumizer 4.5 Walmart View On Amazon View On Walmart View On Home Depot Who it’s for: Those looking for a product that smoothes and adds volume in one swoop. Who it isn’t for: People with very long hair. The barrel of this blow drying brush is coated in 24-karat gold, which acts as an excellent heat conductor. This ensures that the heat is evenly distributed, which will minimize hair damage and provide better styling results overall. It also has boar tech bristles surrounded by charcoal-infused bristles that help absorb moisture and enhance volume. The barrel is slightly oval-shaped, which makes it easier to pull the hair away right at the root. It also has three heat settings as well as three speed settings. If you’re working to blow dry your hair after a shower, the highest heat and speed settings might be necessary to get the job done. It just might help you get that feathery face-framing look if you have the "Rachel" haircut. That said, if you’re trying to prolong your blowout a few days after washing your hair, the lower settings will add volume without the damage that typically comes along with hot tools. Price at time of publish: $75 Type: Hot brush | Barrel: 2.8 inches | Maximum Temperature: Not listed How to Shop for Volumizing Hair Products Like a Pro Product Type Knowing when to apply hair products for best results to increase volume in your hair is an important piece of the puzzle. Sprays and powders are typically the easiest way to add a quick boost of volume after styling. “Applying dry shampoo on your clean roots right after you wash and dry your hair can save the day,” says Giannetos. “This will add volume that lasts for days and prolong your style.” For damp hair, pastes and serums are a better option as they are typically heat-activated by your blow dryer. When blow drying, use a round brush to create volume. Ingredients Ingredients like keratin and biotin are already in your hair strands naturally, so formulas that include these ingredients are great for those looking to bulk-up each individual strand. Other ingredients like nut and plant oils will nourish your hair so that it grows healthier and thicker. Hair Color/Type For people with thick, coarse hair, powder and spray formulas are your best bet, as they contain physical ingredients that immediately thicken the hair. While these formulas will also perform well on thin hair, it’s also important to make sure to use a paste or serum that will build up the hair over time. Many of these formulas are also heat-activated, which will help lock in the volume for longer periods of time. They can also be beneficial for helping to preserve your hairstyle when working out. Take Our Word for It This article was written by Brittany Loggins, a freelance writer who covers a range of lifestyle content. To write this article, she researched dozens of volumizing hair products, including sprays, powders, and tools, evaluating them on formula, usage, and efficacy. She also spoke to celebrity stylist Dimitris Giannetos for advice on how to add long-lasting volume to the hair. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit