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Hair

14 Best Products for Fine Hair that We—and Stylists—Love in 2024

 

Perk up limp strands.

Our favorite product for fine hair is Kérastase Densifique Bodifying Mousse. It's a lightweight stylist-approved foam that adds volume, smooths flyaways, and strengthens hair. For those on a budget, we recommend NatureLab Tokyo Perfect Repair Leave-In Treatment, which comes out as foam and smooths frizz without adding weight or wetness.

Thin hair tends to be easier to manage than thicker hair, but finding the right products for this hair type can be tricky. Frizz-reducing products containing oil may weigh it down, while those meant to add moisture can leave hair looking greasy. So, we caught up with a few hairstylists to bring you options that work. According to Jenna Spino of Maxine Salon in Chicago, "People with fine, flat hair should use a mousse or texture spray." These products add volume without weight.

Licensed cosmetologist Cataanda James recommends powdered hair-building fibers and root-lifting sprays that create the illusion of thicker hair. "These products are easily identifiable by terms such as 'volumizing,' 'thickening,' and 'fuller hair,'" she tells Byrdie. With pointers from these pros in mind, we evaluated dozens of top-rated products for thin hair based on their key ingredients, claims, and verified customer experiences. After hours of research, we landed on these bestsellers for washing, treating, and styling thin hair.

Best Mousse

Kérastase Densifique Leave-In Thickening Mousse

What We Like

• Adds lightweight volume
• Strengthening formula with peptides
• Smoothes flyaways

What We Don't Like

• Strong floral-musk scent

Active Ingredients: Intra-cylane, hyaluronic acid, peptides, ceramides | Hair Type: Fine, medium | Size: 5 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

If you're in the market for an ultra-lightweight product that adds volume and fullness, Kérastase Densifique Mousse checks all the boxes. The light-as-air foam calls on intra-cylane to add weightless volume and uniformity, but it doesn't stop there.1 Ceramides smooth flyaways and hyaluronic acid moisturizes, while peptides strengthen hair and encourage healthy growth.

"This mousse is great because it adds body to fine, flat hair without drying it out," says Spino. "It can be used to air-dry or for a blowout." The strong scent may not be everyone's cup of tea, but if you like floral-musky fragrances, you might find it delightful.

Best Budget

NatureLab. Tokyo Perfect Repair Leave-In Treatment

What We Like

• A little goes a long way
• Soft, lightweight foam
• Smooths and prevents flyaways

What We Don't Like

• Doesn't help with detangling

Active Ingredients: Keratin, prickly pear, stem cells | Hair Type: Fine, thin, dry, damaged, color-treated | Size: 4.9 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

For under $20, you'll get five ounces of this Japanese leave-in treatment—and a little goes a long way because the liquid turns into a soft foam when you pump it out. Containing keratin, prickly pear (which helps protect hair from UV rays), and stem cells, the affordable formula gets to work smoothing frizz, preventing flyaways, and fortifying your hair without adding weight or wetness. However, if your hair gets easily tangled, this product won't really help you comb it out.

Best Volumizer

It's a 10 Haircare Miracle Blowdry Volumizer

What We Like

• Adds volume and hold
• Budget-friendly
• Doesn't make hair crunchy or stiff

What We Don't Like

• Not long-lasting

Active Ingredients: Thickening copolymers, hydrolyzed silk, marshmallow extract | Hair Type: All | Size: 6 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

One of fine-haired folks' biggest complaints is that volumizing products make their hair stiff and crunchy. Our drugstore pick definitely doesn't but does add the volume and hold they're looking for.

"I recommend It's a 10 Haircare's volumizing spray for fine hair," says hairstylist Carolyn Aronson. "It's a lightweight volumizer that has marshmallow extract to help give the hair instant volume without drying it out." And you can bet it won't make your hair stiff or crunchy. We wish the effect lasted a little longer but that's often the downside of a volumizer without the crunch factor.

Best for Flyaways

Kenra Professional Volume Spray 25

 

What We Like

• Long-lasting formula
• Holds up in humidity
• Affordable

What We Don't Like

• A little sticky

Active Ingredients: Hydrolyzed wheat protein, vitamin B5 | Hair Type: All | Size: 10, 16 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

We all hate facing flyaways right? If they're always in your mirror, Kenra Volume Spray has your name on it. This finishing product promises to keep fine strands in check for a whopping 120 hours (whaaat??) while protecting your hair from high winds and frizz-causing humidity. Basically, it does everything you need it to for when you're out all day, and maybe taking pictures outside (think wedding hair). Though it's lightweight, we should note it has a slightly sticky feel.

Best for Thinning Hair

Toppik Hair Building Fibers

What We Like

• Deposits fiber and powder to add fullness
• Pigmented to blend with natural hair color
• Several shades available

What We Don't Like

• Not long-lasting

Active Ingredients: Keratin, silica | Hair Type: Thinning, fine | Size: 0.4–1 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Unfortunately, those who already have thin hair tend to experience hair thinning before the rest of us. Thankfully, some products like this one make it appear like you've got more hair than you do. Available in nine shades to match any natural hair color, it deposits pigmented keratin protein and silica powder to add body and volume immediately.2 The clever formula also adds hair-like fibers to thinning areas to create the illusion of a fuller head of hair. It's great for root touch-ups (and we love they have different-sized bottles so you don't need to spend a ton if you just need a little). We wish its magic would last a bit longer, though.

Best Thickening Spray

Oribe Maximista Thickening Spray

What We Like

• Adds instant body and volume
• Strengthening and long-lasting
• Stylist-recommended

What We Don't Like

• Can feel sticky

Active Ingredients: Thickening copolymers, amino acids | Hair Type: Fine, medium | Size: 6.8 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Looking for volume in all the right places? We love Oribe's formula, especially since it holds up on long days. Spino is also a fan of Oribe Maximista: "This spray helps give density and hold shape," she tells Byrdie. "Spray your roots or throughout your hair to thicken it." It even protects your hair from the damage heat tools and the sun's UV rays. The formula can feel a bit tacky upon application but it lives up to its instant volumizing claims.

Best for Damaged Hair

Vernon François Nourishing Water Mist

What We Like

• Nourishes with amino acids
• Ultra-fine mist
• Supports healthy growth

What We Don't Like

• Results aren't drastic

Active Ingredients: Amino acids, ginseng | Hair Type: All | Size: 6.3 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

After many styling endeavors and lots of exposure to the elements, hair can become brittle, dry, or otherwise damaged (especially if you also process it with dyes and lighteners). Vernon François is your best bet to help reverse that damage. Use it as a pre-styling spray to nourish and strengthen damaged hair with amino acids and ginseng, which supports healthy growth.3 We love that the spray instantly revives curls and waves while making hair healthier over time. And you can bet the weightless mist won't make your fine hair go limp.

Best Multipurpose

Oribe Dry Texturizing Spray

What We Like

• Doubles as dry shampoo
• Adds natural-looking volume
• Effect lasts for days

What We Don't Like

• Can feel sticky
• Users say nozzle sometimes doesn't spray

Active Ingredients: Crystalline zeolites, plant extracts | Hair Type: All | Size: 8.5 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

We love a product that does two things for the price of one, and this one certainly qualifies. It acts as a dry shampoo by sending polymers to the roots to remove oil and pump up volume while also texturizing the mids and ends to give you big, bold style that lasts for days, not hours. "Some sprays are to be used wet, some dry," says Spino. "This one is a dry spray you can spray [on your] roots or throughout to give your soft hair a little grit." After trying this Oribe texturizing spray firsthand, we can tell you it gave our hair new life and added noticeable volume while still looking natural. That said, it can feel sticky when you first apply it. It also comes out of the nozzle quite fast, so you don't need to press hard at all.

Best Smoothing Serum

Qhemet Biologics Coconut & Green Tea Softening Serum

What We Like

• Nourishes, moisturizes, and softens
• Prevents flyaways
• 100% vegan

What We Don't Like

• Small amount
• Not ideal for styling

Active Ingredients: Coconut oil, castor oil, green tea | Hair Type: Fine, thin, curly, wavy | Size: 2 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Want smoother hair without relying on lots of chemicals? Qhemet Biologics has you covered with this blend of natural oils and green tea that smooths and moisturizes. While the oil content makes it a bit too heavy for styling, this is an excellent overnight treatment for fine, flat, and low-porosity hair (meaning your hair isn't very absorbent). We love that it uses castor oil too, a centuries-old hair treatment that helps lock in moisture and acts as a thickening agent. You should see an improvement (and maybe even some hair growth) over time.

Best Styling Cream

Living Proof Full Thickening Blow-Dry Cream

What We Like

• Makes hair look and feel fuller
• Conditions and softens
• Noticeable results

What We Don't Like

• Not for use near roots

Active Ingredients: Thickening molecule, emollient blend | Hair Type: Fine, thin | Size: 3.7 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Lack of texture can make thin hair appear flat, but this cream addresses the issue with mastery. The kicker is Living Proof's proprietary "thickening molecule," which coats hair with teensy-tiny dots to make it look and feel fuller (the brand says it can actually look up to 30% fuller).4 We love that it not only acts as a styling agent but protects hair from heat all without silicones (aka it's vegan). After putting this product to the test, we were pleasantly surprised by just how much thicker it made hair look. Don't use it near your roots though or it may give you that wet hair look (and not the good kind).

Best Foam

Joico Firm Hold Design Foam

What We Like

• Lightweight foam
• Strengthens brittle strands
• Adds noticeable volume

What We Don't Like

• A little sticky

Active Ingredients: Thickening polymers, keratin | Hair Type: All | Size: 10.2 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Spino recommends mousse for fine hair—it boosts volume without adding weight. Team Byrdie loves JoiWhip, an ultralight foam that adds substantial volume with thickening polymers while smoothing and strengthening with hair's favorite protein, keratin.5 It has a slightly sticky feel, but we think this is a small price to pay for a noticeably fuller mane.

Best Conditioner

R+Co Dallas Biotin Thickening Conditioner

What We Like

• Adds weightless volume and density
• Vegan and cruelty-free
• Supports healthy growth

What We Don't Like

• The scent is overwhelming for some

Active Ingredients: Saw palmetto, biotin, vitamin B5 | Hair Type: Fine, thin | Size: 2, 8.5, 33.8 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

We love a hair-thickening product you can incorporate into your shower routine as easily as swapping out your conditioner (especially when it's cruelty-free). The secret to this thickening conditioner is saw palmetto. The plant-derived ingredient expands your strands creating weightless volume and fuller, denser hair.6 It also contains biotin which anyone who's taken prenatal vitamins will tell you helps hair look as healthy as can be. Apply it after your shampoo of choice, let it marinate for a few minutes, then rinse your hair clean.

Runner-Up, Best Conditioner

Kevin Murphy Plumping Rinse

What We Like

• Thickening with rice protein
• Promotes hair growth
• Great smell

What We Don't Like

• Bottle has no pump
• Strong, perfumy scent

Active Ingredients: Biotin, oleanolic acid, rice protein | Hair Type: All | Size: 8.4–33.8 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

We also like Kevin Murphy's Plumping Rinse for a thickening conditioner. It's rich with ingredients that thicken the hair and promote growth, including biotin, oleanolic acid (a hair-loving antioxidant), and rice protein.7 After use, hair will appear fuller with volume that lasts all day. A couple of things reviewers noted: it can be hard to get the product out of the bottle, and the scent can be perfumy and overpowering.

Best Heat Protectant

Pureology Instant Levitation Mist

What We Like

• Protects hair color
• Provides volume for 24 hours
• Smells amazing

What We Don't Like

• Can feel sticky

Active Ingredients: Sunflower seed oil, vitamin E | Hair Type: All | Size: 5.1 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Heat protectants formulated as serums or oils can be heavy on fine hair, but this spray from Pureology is light as air while adding volume that lasts for 24 hours. It's a vegan formula free of preservatives like parabens and phthalates. We also love that it protects color-treated hair from fading and environmental stressors. The woody, milky, floral scent is pretty great too. Some users noted it can feel a bit sticky upon application though.

What to Look for When Buying Products for Fine, Flat Hair

• Ingredients: When it comes to fine, flat hair that lacks body, you'll want to look for products that contain ingredients that can thicken and plump. These vary but include polymers, collagen, and even plumping powders. "These are the ingredients that give hair body and guts," says hairstylist Michelle Pasterski Mesen. 
• Light, Airy Formulas: If you want to boost fine hair's volume with products, the lighter, the better. Steer clear of thick balms, gels, or pomades and opt for fine mists or whipped products, such as a mousse. "With a dry product like texturizing sprays or hairsprays, think about the size of the droplets from a pump versus an aerosol product," says Mesen. "The bigger the droplet, the more weight it will place on the hair."
• Hair Color Compatibility: Mesen also stresses finding products that will be compatible with your hair color to avoid it looking dull, chalky, or gray. Blonde and light-colored hair do well with most standard dry products and texture powders. Meanwhile, brunette or red hair may require a colored powder or a very translucent formula.

FAQ

How do you apply styling products on fine hair?

Fine hair can benefit from the right styling products, but you’ll likely want to use less than someone with a thicker texture. Celebrity hairstylist Mara Roszak says to avoid applying anything to your roots except for root-volume spray and to focus any other product on your ends first. Additionally, start with a small amount of product, as you can add to it if you need more, but there’s not much you can do if you already applied too much.

What types of products are best for fine hair?

Mesen often recommends fine mists for folks with thin hair, as this type of product prevents the hair from being weighed down. "When it comes to wet hair, a whipped product like a mousse can often give more volume than a gel or volumizing spray due to the light formula and the foamy texture of the product," she adds.

Why Trust Byrdie

• Theresa Holland is a commerce writer specializing in beauty and lifestyle. When writing this story, she interviewed three hairstylists for their product recommendations and expertise on various formulas, then looked at dozens of products from a myriad of brands and referenced peer-reviewed articles to fact-check the claims. As someone with inherently fine hair, she's tried many products on this list, including Oribe, NatureLab, Living Proof, R+Co, Phyto, and It's a 10. Theresa covers haircare, makeup, and skincare at Byrdie. She also consulted several hair experts includling:
• Carolyn Aronson is a licensed hairstylist and the founder/CEO of It's A 10 Haircare.
• Michelle Pasterski Mesen is a Houston-based hairstylist specializing in dry cutting and razor cutting.
• Jenna Spino of Maxine Salon is a professional hairstylist based in Chicago.
• Cataanda James is a licensed cosmetologist and beauty consultant.
• Mara Roszak is a celebrity hairstylist and co-owner of Mare Salon in West Hollywood.