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Byrdie / Joy Kim
Whether you've always had fine hair, or are experiencing thinning due to stress, hormonal changes, or aging, over-the-counter hair thickeners can add volume, body, and fullness to your hair.
Lots of brands and product lines make big claims about their ability to fortify, lift, plump, and pump your hair with volume—or at least make it appear more voluminous. They might seem too good to be true—and yeah, some are—but we found a handful that do what they say. From shampoos, conditioners, and leave-ins to sprays, lotions, powders, and pomades,
So, we went to work, conducting research on the best hair thickening products from shampoos, conditioners, and leave-ins to sprays, to lotions, powders, and pomades. We also took our editors' experiences with thickening products into consideration to help solidify our list. Our team then combined our insights to compile a list of the best thickening products based on formula, application, results, and hold. Ahead, find our top recommendations.
Best Overall
Oribe Maximista Thickening Spray
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Amazon
Long-lasting volume
Strengthening
UV protection
Can get sticky if over-applied
Coming in hot as our number one pick, we've got Oribe Maximista, which calls on copolymers to create fullness and amino acids to strengthen each hair. Working overtime to lift your roots and add all-day body—while protecting your hair from heat and UV rays—this thickening spray has a well-deserved fan following. The price point is high, but because of the protein-rich formula, we think the price is justified, especially if you use heat styling on your hair.
We also like that it's safe for keratin blowouts and color-treated hair. Spritz it onto your damp hair, working through one section at a time, then blow-dry or style as usual, and watch as your hair reaches a new level of volume.
Price at time of publish: $39
Product Type: Spray | Key Ingredients: Thickening copolymers, amino acids | Size: 6.8 ounces
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Byrdie / Joy Kim
Best Strengthening
Mielle Organics Rosemary Mint Scalp & Hair Strengthening Oil
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Ulta
Budget-friendly
Smooths split ends
Supports healthy growth
May weigh down fine hair
You might have to play the long game to achieve truly thicker hair, and this strengthening oil from Mielle is here to guide you through. The nutrient-rich blend is infused with biotin and contains upwards of 30 essential oils. It's formulated to nourish each strand, hydrate every follicle, smooth split ends, stimulate your scalp, and support growth. Consider its TikTok virality justified.
Price at time of publish: $11
Product Type: Leave-in oil | Key Ingredients: Biotin, essential oils | Size: 2 ounces
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Byrdie / Joy Kim
Best Conditioner
R+Co Dallas Biotin Thickening Conditioner
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Amazon
Long-lasting volume
Smooths split ends
Supports healthy growth
Nothing
As the saying goes, everything's bigger in Texas. Your hair can get in on the action when you use R+Co's Dallas conditioner. Made specifically for folks with thin, fine hair, the volumizing formula leans on saw palmetto to expand your hair and pump it with soft volume.It's also infused with biotin to strengthen strands and increase shine.
Price at time of publish: $16, $32, $102
Product Type: Conditioner | Key Ingredients: Biotin, vitamin B5, saw palmetto | Size: 2, 8.5, 33.8 ounces
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Byrdie / Joy Kim
Best Budget
Kristin Ess Instant Lift Thickening Spray
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Target
Promotes shine
Good for all hair types
Helps smooth the appearance of split ends
Can be drying if over-applied
Our favorite budget-friendly hair thickening option is this thickening spray from Kristin Ess. It's a lightweight spray that's meant to be applied on towel-dried hair before blowdrying to add body and lift to the roots and lengths of the hair. It also works to add shine and help smooth the appearance of damage and split ends. If you have dry hair, we recommend just using a bit and finishing off your style with a hydrating hair oil.
Price at time of publish: $15
Product Type: Spray | Key Ingredients: Keratin, pea protein | Size: 8.5 ounces
Best Splurge
Oribe Serene Scalp Thickening Treatment Spray
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Dermstore
Noticeable results
Supports healthy growth
Strengthening
Not ideal for those who don't wash their hair somewhat frequently
If you're open to splurging on a truly promising product, we recommend Oribe Serene Scalp. The spray-on treatment fortifies with biotin and peptides to promote healthy growth, then coats every hair with copolymers to deliver a fuller, thicker head of hair.It's a great option if you want convenient application, but it's worth noting that it needs to be applied on clean, damp hair and used consistently to produce results, so it's not ideal for people who go long periods in between washes.
Price at time of publish: $76
Product Type: Treatment spray | Key Ingredients: Biotin, peptides, thickening copolymers | Size: 4.2 ounces
Best for Thinning Hair
Vegamour GRO Hair Serum
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Sephora
Lightweight texture
Great for all hair types
Non-greasy
Is best as a spot treatment
If you're looking for a product help you thicken a specific spot or area that's thinning (rather than helping to achieve the appearance of thicker hair overall), this is the one for you. The vegan serum is formulated with turmeric, nicotiana benthamiana (a plant native to Australia), and red clover to help promote hair growth and prevent hair loss. Thousands of reviewers have seen incredible results with this best-selling serum, and it's a great option for all hair types.
Price at time of publish: $58
Product Type: Serum | Key Ingredients: Turmeric, nicotiana benthamiana, red clover | Size: 1 ounce
Best Night Treatment
The Ordinary Multi-Peptide Serum for Hair Density
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Sephora
Minimizes shedding
Promotes healthy growth
Noticeable results
Can leave the hair feeling a bit greasy
According to The Ordinary, this leave-in treatment is best used right before bed. The concentrated, no-nonsense formula contains redensyl and procapil, breakthrough ingredients shown to improve hair density, stimulate the scalp, reduce shedding, and promote healthy growth.
Price at time of publish: $22
Product Type: Leave-in treatment serum | Key Ingredients: Redensyl, procapil | Size: 2 ounces
Best Cream
Living Proof Full Thickening Cream
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Sephora
Noticeable results
Softening
Conditioning
Pricey for the amount of product given
If Jennifer Anniston, the hair goddess herself, didn't convince you of the powers of Living Proof when she was the face of the brand, allow us to sway you. Lack of texture can make the hair appear thin and flat, and this cream addresses the issue with finesse. Formulated with the brand's mysterious yet effective "thickening molecule," it deposits teensy-tiny dots on your hair, making it look bigger and fuller. We also love that a little bit goes a very long way, really adding to the value of the product.
Price at time of publish: $17, $30
Product Type: Leave-in cream | Key Ingredients: Thickening molecule, emollient blend | Size: 2, 3.7 ounces
What Our Testers Say
"I love that the cream made my hair look fuller whether I was wearing it down or just wanted to boost a simple ponytail. It actually felt like it made my hair healthier rather than just increasing volume, and for that, I think it's a must-have for thicker hair." — Joline Buscemi, Product Tester
Best Texturizing
Bumble and Bumble Thickening Dryspun Volume Texture Spray
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Sephora
Versatile
Long-lasting texture
Holds styles
Heavily fragranced
To give thin hair a little oomph, reach for Bumble and Bumble's Dryspun Spray. This product has you covered, whether you want beachy waves, a fuller updo, texturized curls, or just a refresher for second-day hair. It adds the ideal amount of dimension and body with a lifted and airy effect. We also love that it comes in three sizes, including a mini that's excellent for travel.
Price at time of publish: $16, $34, $47
Product Type: Aerosol spray | Key Ingredients: Thickening copolymers, zeolite, silk powder | Size: 1.5, 3.6, 8.2 ounces
Best Volumizing
Briogeo Blossom & Bloom Ginseng + Biotin Hair Volumizing Spray
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Sephora
Instant fullness
Strengthening
Supports healthy growth
Can be slightly heavy on fine hair
This double-duty thickening spray maximizes fullness while offering long-term healthy hair benefits. The secret ingredient? Maltodextrin. The all-natural sugar starch coats each hair to deliver dramatic volume. It also contains biotin for long, strong hair.Note that while lots of hair spray products are applied on dry strands, this formula should be applied on damp hair prior to blowdrying.
Price at time of publish: $25
Product Type: Spray | Key Ingredients: Biotin, maltodextrin | Size: 5 ounces
Best Lightweight
Ouai Volume Spray
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Sephora
Lightweight
Long-lasting volume
Texturizing
Leaves hair slightly crunchy
If you have particularly fine hair, a lightweight formula is crucial. We love the Ouai Volume Spray, a virtually weightless mist that creates a natural-looking body, lasting volume, and airy texture. It's also a great option to add some serious volume at the roots for a wide range of hair types.
Price at time of publish: $26
Product Type: Spray | Key Ingredients: Thickening polymers, vitamin B5 | Size: 4.7 ounces
Best for Blow-Drying
Alterna Caviar Multiplying Volume Styling Mist
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Dermstore
Strengthening
Smooths split ends
Supports healthy growth
Not ideal for air-drying
Alterna's Multiplying Volume Mist coats your hair with a smoothing, strengthening blend of keratin, biotin, and amino acids, while algae and kelp plump the individual strands. Though it can be stiffening if you allow your hair to air-dry, a few spritzes before you blow-dry will yield smooth, stunning results.
Price at time of publish: $30
Product Type: Styling spray | Key Ingredients: Keratin, biotin, amino acids, algae, kelp | Size: 5 ounces
Best Leave-In
Amika 3D Daily Thickening Treatment
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Amazon
Noticeable results
Supports healthy growth
Smells amazing
The spray mister can be a bit inconsistent
Amika's 3D Thickening Treatment pulls out all the stops to deliver fuller-looking hair. We're talking redensyl for density and healthy growth, hydrolyzed proteins to smooth, strengthen, and protect, and copolymers for instant oomph.We also appreciate that it's not too heavy or greasy for fine hair types.
Price at time of publish: $38
Product Type: Leave-in spray | Key Ingredients: Redensyl, thickening copolymers, rice protein, vegetable protein | Size: 4 ounces
Best Pomade
Qhemet Biologics Castor & Amla Nourishing Pomade
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Amazon
Budget-friendly
Strengthening
Supports healthy growth
Can be greasy on fine hair
Qhemet Biologics made this hair-healthy pomade to help boost hair growth, nourish the scalp and ends, and soften the hair. The vegan formula contains ayurvedic amla oil and castor oil to hydrate, soften, strengthen, and thicken your hair while reducing shedding and encouraging growth.
Price at time of publish: $17
Product Type: Pomade | Key Ingredients: Castor oil, amla oil | Size: 4 ounces
Best Shampoo
Nutrafol Root Purifier Scalp Shampoo for Thinning Hair
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Sephora
Great for all hair types
Balances oils
Hydrating formula
Boosts volume and hair strength
Nothing
The shampoo you use can have a major impact on the health, look, and feel of your hair, and this one is amazing for anyone who's dealing with thinning hair. The fortifying formula contains vegan protein and prebiotics to strengthen the hair and balance the scalp by supporting its microbiome. It also rids the scalp of excess oil while helping to maintain necessary hydration for fuller, healthier, and more voluminous-looking hair.
Price at time of publish: $44
Product Type: Shampoo | Key Ingredients: Vegan protein, prebiotics | Size: 8 ounces
Final Verdict
Our best overall pick is Oribe's Maximista Thickening Spray, which contains copolymers to create fullness and amino acids to strengthen. We also love that it provides protection from both heat and UV rays. For a more affordable option, consider the Kristin Ess Instant Lift Thickening Spray, which helps to increase fullness from root to tip.
Meet the Expert
Haley Balayage is a Las Vegas-based hairstylist who specializes in balayage color.
What to Look for in Hair Thickening Products
Intended Use
The main thing to look for when buying a hair-thickening product is its intended use. Look for the words "thickening," "volumizing," "strengthening," "texturizing," "full," "plump," or "lift" in the name or on the label. These terms usually mean a product is formulated to thicken the hair or at least make it look thicker.
Formula
Hair-thickening products come in many forms. There's shampoo and conditioner, plus lotions, sprays, mousses, pomades, powders, and treatments. While you can stock up with one of each type, we recommend considering the unique needs of your hair and the look you're going for to figure out what'll work best.
"I would look for anything that adds fibers to the hair. It's the best bet to be sure that the hair itself will expand in size," says Balayage. Texturizing formulas often deposit product onto the hair and wrap around each hair to create a fuller look. Volumizing formulas typically penetrate each hair strand to plump them from the inside out.
Ingredients
The ingredients list can tell you a lot about how a product works and whether it can live up to its claims. Hair-thickening products are often made with ingredients like biotin, collagen, amino acids, zeolite, peptides, and niacinamide (vitamin B3), which help strengthen and plump the follicles and promote growth.
You might also see options with castor oil or essential oils, which can help nourish the scalp and help hair grow in fuller. If a nourishing option is what you're looking for, consider the Qhemet Biologics Castor & Amla Nourishing Pomade. With texturizing sprays and powdery formulas, you'll want to look for thickening agents like silica silylate and starchy ingredients like maltodextrin or silk powder.
Why Trust Byrdie
Theresa Holland is a beauty and lifestyle product writer with over a decade of experience writing for some of the biggest publishers out there. She considered dozens of hair thickening products for this roundup, evaluating each on active ingredients, targeted results, and value. She also consulted with our product testers who tried out top-rated products for their insights.
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