We independently evaluate all of our recommendations. If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation. Shopping Beauty Hair Care The Best Volumizing Products for Gorgeous, Bouncy Hair Sprays, mousses, and more to keep hair looking luscious for hours. By Grace Parsons Grace Parsons Grace Parsons is a contributing writer for Real Simple whose work has been published in The Spruce, The/Thirty, and The Quality Edit. Real Simple's Editorial Guidelines Updated on July 30, 2024 Fact checked by Jessica Wrubel Fact checked by Jessica Wrubel Jessica Wrubel is an accomplished writer, copy editor, and fact checker, working for over 15 years for various publications owned by Tribune Publishing, The Arena Group, and Hearst Communications in the areas of Food, Health & Wellness, Travel, Lifestyle, Education, and Home Improvement. Our Fact-Checking Process In This Article View All In This Article Reviews How to Shop FAQs Take Our Word for It Photo: Real Simple / Eric Brockob While we all wish we could have thick and luscious locks, some of us have finer hair types that often get weighed down by denser and ultra-hydrating formulas. Instead, those with fine or thin strands crave volume and smoothness, with product formulas packed with lightweight shine-enhancers and body-producing ingredients. "I've found trial and error to be the best method to find the products that really work! For me personally, I love to use mousse on my hair (even though I have thick, curly hair), and I gravitate towards it for a lot of my clients as well," says celebrity hairstylist Jennifer Yepez. "After the first application of products, to refresh over the next few days, I keep product application super light to maintain the original volume." To curate a top assortment of volumizing hair products, we tirelessly researched and tested top formulas across the luxury and drugstore markets by considering qualities like product type, key ingredients, and size availability. Along with Yepez's expert insight, you'll understand how various formulations can help or hinder your quest for added volume and bounce to your hairstyles. Volumizing hair products add bounce and body to the hair. This results in an airy and weightless quality to styled locks. Thickening formulas, however, work by increasing density and strength, resulting in things like overall hair growth or damage repair to thin hair strands. Best Volumizing Shampoo Davines Volu Shampoo Davines' Volu line adds bounce to fine and lackluster hair without weight or grit. The lightly fragranced formula uses Caprauna turnip extract to enhance shine, thanks to the root vegetable's phosphorus, iron, calcium, and vitamins A, B, and C. Plus, the plant-based surfactants give this shampoo a nice lather, making it easy to massage into the scalp. $34 at Amazon View on Davines.com Pureology Pure Volume Shampoo Pureology's Pure Volume Shampoo is a vegan and color-safe option that deeply cleanses hair to remove styling product buildup and restore movement to limp strands. Wheat protein enhances body in the hair, and eucalyptus leaf extract supports hair follicle stimulation. This shampoo has a lovely scent blend of pink grapefruit, wild rose, and cedarwood. $37 at Amazon $37 at Sephora View on Pureology.com Virtue Full Shampoo Virtue's Full Shampoo gives volume and shine to those experiencing hair loss and general thinning. The luxurious formula contains Keratin 60ku, which helps repair damage, and phospholipids fight static and frizz. We love this product's ability to cleanse the scalp without stripping it of essential oils, lifting the roots, and giving hair the bounce you crave. $42 at Amazon $42 at Nordstrom $17 at Sephora L'Oréal Paris EverPure Volume Shampoo This color-safe pick from L'Oréal features lotus flower extract for shine and body enhancement, while UV filters protect against color fading and brassiness. While you won't find harsh surfactants in the formula, plant-based ingredients reach a satisfying lather like its more expensive counterparts. It has a refreshing rosemary and eucalyptus scent. $9 at Amazon $9 at Target View on Walmart Best Volumizing Spray Joico Texturizing Finisher This is more than just a finishing spray—it's a heat protectant up to 450°F and texturizer for fine to medium hair types, too. Quick to dry with no powdery residue, it vitalizes loose hairstyles for results that last until the next wash. Rice extract creates lift, and moringa seed oil minimizes the crunchy feel other finishing sprays tend to leave behind. $25 at Amazon $25 at Ulta View on Macy's Bumble and Bumble Thickening Dryspun Volume Texture Spray The Bumble and Bumble Thickening Dryspun Volume Texture Spray provides an all-day, voluminous hold to freshly styled hair. A blend of zeolite and silk powder give 40% more lift, wheat protein nourishes the hair, and PVP and VP/VA copolymer provide extra hold that never creates a plastered look. It has a summery scent of lemon, bergamot, lily, cedarwood, and white musk. $37 at Amazon $16 at Target $16 at Sephora Roz Root Lifting Spray The Rōz Root Lifting Spray offers ample body and movement to any hairstyle without creating a crunchy film on your strands. A botanical blend of mushroom root extract, rice water, and radish root enhances overall scalp health, increases strand strength, and nourishes roots, leaving behind a lasting style and volume across all hair types. View on Rozhair.com $42 at Modaoperandi.com $42 at Anthropologie Oribe Dry Texturizing Spray This weightless, dry hairspray adds hold and body to styled strands. Crystalline zeolites even absorb excess oil without creating a dry or frizzy look. All hair types can benefit from the color- and keratin-safe ingredient profile of nourishing mango, aloe extracts, and Oribe's Signature Complex, which protects hair against environmental stressors and photoaging. For volume and protection, you can't ask for anything better. $52 at Amazon $26 at Nordstrom $26 at Sephora Best Volumizing Powder Kristin Ess Loose Styling Powder The Kristin Ess Working Texture Loose Styling Powder uses pump packaging to offer targeted volume to freshly washed hair or day-old styles. It works to add grip to braids that might otherwise fall apart on silky strands and also as a volume builder with the hydrating benefits of chia, mango, and sunflower seed butters. $17 at Amazon $12 at Target View on Ulta BondiBoost Root Boost Volume Powder The BondiBoost Root Boost Volume Powder blends amaranth, a nutrient-dense ancient grain, amino acids, and protein, to make hair strong and nourished. Rice protein supports hair elasticity, and rice starch adds that much-needed lift to fine or excessively oily hair. Just note that a little goes a long way, so be sure to be gentle with application. $25 at Sephora View on Ulta View on Bondiboost.com Dae Fairy Duster Dry Shampoo Infused with prickly pear seed oil, Dae's Fairy Duster Volumizing Dry Shampoo Powder is the styling product of dreams. Not only is the single-ounce powder TSA-friendly, but it also holds up to 600 pumps worth of product. Extend your style with Mojave yucca to cleanse and purify without stripping strands, or use it on freshly washed hair for free-flowing and intricate styling. $30 at Amazon $30 at Sephora $30 at Kohls.com Best Volumizing Mousse Kérastase Densifique Leave-In Thickening Mousse Kérastase's Densifique Leave-In Thickening Mousse features hyaluronic acid to strengthen and add visible thickness to hair. The shine-enhancing and moisture-retaining powers of ceramides strengthen strands, while gluco-peptides create a smooth finish. Even with the high concentration of ingredients, it never feels heavy or sticky. This mousse has a woody-floral scent of mint, peony, freesia, and cedar. $46 at Amazon $46 at Sephora Amika Plus Size Perfect Body Mousse The Plus Size Volume & Body Mousse from Amika is vegan, cruelty-free, and volumizing. The whipped formula is ultra-lightweight, effortlessly melting into the hair for lasting bounce and lift. It also protects against heat damage, which can lead to breakage and loss of hair density over time. You'll notice more shine, less frizz, and subtle hydration from sea buckthorn extracts. $30 at Amazon $30 at Sephora View on Loveamika.com Moroccanoil Root Boost Moroccanoil Root Boost is a nourishing hair mousse that adds volume and hydration to all hair types, particularly those with thin or dry strands. It's best used on damp hair before heat styling to lock in volume without that all-too-familiar crispy texture. It has a flexible and softening hold, with additional smoothing from the anti-static agent polyquaternium-7 and the brand's signature argan oil. $30 at Amazon $32 at Nordstrom $32 at Sephora Not Your Mother's Plump for Joy Volumizing Mousse Not Your Mother's Plump for Joy Volumizing Mousse is weightless with a medium-strength hold, keeping styles in place all day. It offers volume from root to tip and heat protection against even the hottest hair dryer settings and irons. Enjoy more shine and no sticky residue from this vegan and cruelty-free option that works wonders for color-treated hair needing a boost of body. $32 at Amazon $9 at Target View on Ulta Best Volumizing Treatment The INKEY List Peptide Volumizing Hair Treatment The Peptide Volumizing Hair Treatment is a weightless serum that visibly thickens, volumizes, and gives shine to fine, limp, or thin hair. The blend of peptides mimic what's already found within the hair shaft, meaning the volume results you see last far beyond a styling session; they progress over time. Despite the advanced nature of its ingredients, the INKEY List stays true to its ethos of affordability with this treatment. $14 at Amazon $14 at Sephora View on Theinkeylist.com shu uemura Muroto Volume Lightweight Care Treatment Harnessing the power of deep sea water from Japan, the Muroto Volume Lightweight Care Treatment from Shu Uemura offers long-lasting volume to fine hair. This deeply nourishing mask conditions hair without weighing it down, and calcium, magnesium, potassium, and sodium help fortify hair fibers to enhance bounce and shine. $73 at Sephora View on Shuuemuraartofhair-usa.com Unite Hair Boosta Thickening Crème The Unite Boosta Volumizing Thickening Cream is a salon-quality treatment that gives those with finer hair more body to otherwise lifeless strands. This lightweight cream offers a touchable finish that instantly nourishes strands while creating a visible change in hair's thickness, creating an overall voluminous shape. Simply applying the product to damp hair and combing it through before applying heat will add bounce and shine once your style has set. $33 at Amazon $33 at Dermstore $33 at Macy's How to Shop for Volumizing Products Like a Pro Product Type Most volumizing products fall into the traditional hair care categories. You have shampoo and conditioner duos, sprays or mists, mousses, creams, and powders. While each product type serves a purpose, determining your best formula depends on factors like texture preference, hair type, and the amount of time you're willing to dedicate to styling your locks. For those who lack volume due to excess oil production, a powder or spray that works to absorb and regulate the excess oil production is likely more beneficial than a mousse, which better serves someone with thinner hair or curls. Ultimately, using a styling product that fits your lifestyle and goals will foster more volume and an overall bouncy look. Volumizing Ingredients There are certain ingredients found within volumizing products that can enhance results pre- and post-styling. Most powders and sprays will utilize additives like rice starch, which attaches to strands and allows them to build upon themselves. The ingredient also aids in oil absorption, making it a standout option for reviving hair between washes. Zeolites, found in some volumizing products, do the same task. More chemically advanced ingredients like copolymers and polyquaternium-7 will add hold and shine to the hair, two qualities that are beneficial no matter your hair type. There are also added oils to keep hair feeling healthy and hydrated, as well as ingredients like hyaluronic acid and keratin to repair damaged strands and create a more resilient mane with continuous use. Hair Type Hair type is Yepez's top consideration when selecting a volumizing product for her clients. When styling, she says she likes to use a thickening spray for thick, dense hair, but for finer hair, she prefers a mousse. She understands that varying formulations can weigh down the hair or offer little improvements to overall volume without considering hair type. Usually, fine hair needs more grip and texture to create a lifted appearance. With thicker hair, a dense formulation can actually make the hair look heavy, not light and airy, the way you want a bouncy blowout or curl to appear. If you have curly hair, creams or mousses work best to allow the curls to build on themselves and not intertwine, resulting in a more unruly look. Questions You Might Ask How often should you reapply volumizing hair products? When it comes to application, a one-and-done approach is best. “When I'm styling a client, I mix it up applying on damp or dry hair depending on the situation, but you should really only need to apply once per hairstyle,” Yepez says. “There's no need to reapply volumizing products every day, as you'll get the benefit from the first application." She says the maximum results come when the volumizing product is applied to damp hair. However, if you're using something like a powder, that formula type works best at the roots of freshly styled hair or hair that hasn’t been washed for a few days. This technique adds life back to the hair by enhancing the body. How can you make volumizing hair products last longer? According to Yepez, the trick to getting long-lasting results is by layering your styling products together. "Once your hair is washed, apply your mousse or volumizing spray and then follow with a heat protectant before styling," she says. This method of "marrying" the volumizing formula with your heat protectant before styling allows volume and movement to last for days on end. If hair needs refreshing between washes, she suggests keeping any product application super light so as to avoid weighing down the hair or creating a stiff look. Can volumizing hair products actually improve volume in the long run? Sadly, volumizing products won't majorly impact hair volume in the long run. Things like mousses, powders, and sprays all act as in-the-moment treatments to create volume until your next wash, Yepez says. She typically recommends scalp treatments for better results. By treating the scalp and roots of the hair, you work to stimulate hair follicles and promote growth, which can catalyze volume loss for some individuals. Treating the scalp is also critical as lack of volume and body could be because of product buildup or accumulation of oils. Anything that weighs down the hair can create a limp look, so ensuring you incorporate products like detox shampoos into your routine can increase volume long-term. Take Our Word for It This article was written by Grace Parsons, a beauty industry veteran and writer with experience across the cosmetics, skin, and wellness industries. She researched countless sites and brands to find the best volumizing hair products available. Working alongside celebrity hairstylist Jennifer Yepez, she selected formulas that are efficacious, easy to use, and useful for a variety of hair types and textures.