Fine, thin hair may need some help when wanting to add volume. Here, experts break down their best tips and products on how to add volume to thin hair.Fine, thin hair may need some help when wanting to add volume. Here, experts break down their best tips and products on how to add volume to thin hair.
The main plight those with fine, thin strands have is trying to figure out how to volumize their hair. Luckily, there are a couple of ways to go about it. Celebrity hairstylist Yusef Williams says that it’s as simple as getting a good haircut (think in the form of layers or some sort of movement) or your blow-drying technique. And you have to use the right type of volumizing products to give your fine hair a lift that doesn’t look too stiff or heavy. It’s a delicate balance to give you that full, voluminous bounce of your dreams. So if you’re looking for ways to zhuzh up your hair, consider this your ultimate volumizing hair guide. Straight from the pros.
Vogue’s Favorite Volumizing Products for Fine Hair
- Best Shampoo: Ouai Fine Hair Shampoo, $32
- Best Conditioner: Virtue Full Volumizing Conditioner, $44
- Best Texturizing Powder: SexyHair Big Powder Play Volumizing & Texturizing Powder, $22
- Best Finishing Spray: Redken Root Tease Finishing Spray, $30
- Best Mousse: Tresemmé Hair Mousse Amplified Volume, $8
- Best Thickening Spray: Rōz Air Thickening Spray, $39
- Best Texture Spray: Verb Volume Dry Texture Spray, $22
Boost Your Roots
Next, focus on your roots. Experts say to look for products that give your roots added lift. Pro tip: Williams says how you dry your hair can make all the difference. He recommends blow-drying the roots in the opposite direction of where it grows. Celebrity hairstylist Clayton Hawkins adds, “Don’t be afraid of a little teasing.”
Hawkins’s go-to formula for adding volume is a bit of SexyHair’s Powder Play Hair Volumizing & Texturizing Powder at the roots. “It gives you instant lift and texture without weighing the hair down,” he says. Thompson likes the Redken Root Tease when adding volume, as it really sets the style you’re going for. “Once [the look you want is] achieved, this product keeps the hair locked in at the root,” she says. “It sprays horizontally so you don’t get the product in unwanted areas.”
Volumize With a Mousse or Thickening Spray
You can also consider a thickening spray or mousse to make hair look fuller. Especially for curly hair, a mousse can help add definition and accentuate curl patterns for more volume. “Styling mousse is one of those products that can amplify any curl formation and hair routine,” celebrity hairstylist and creative director of Virtue Labs Adir Abergel once told Vogue. “It gives hair instant definition, hold, and moisture.”
Williams says Tresemmé’s drugstore mousse is his go-to for soft, touchable volume. “I like to work products into the roots and then use a blow-dryer to build lift and movement,” he says. “The key is using the right amount of product; you want volume that feels effortless, not weighed down.” Thompson loves the Roz thickening spray to give volume and fullness throughout. It also gives you buildable, soft texture, she says.
Add Texture
Thompson says adding waves and texture to fine hair can give it more body. So opt for a texture spray, or even a dry shampoo, to get that added volume. And if you’re wanting to go all out, she recommends using Velcro and hot rollers.
A Vogue-approved dry shampoo, the Oribe Gold Lust Dry Shampoo is a lightweight, fine mist made with rice powder and lavender and chamomile extracts to control excess oil, keep hair fresh, and give hair some added texture and fullness. The Verb Volume Dry Texture Spray (another Vogue favorite) is a lightweight, flexible-hold spray that can give fine hair more body and definition.
Sculpt With a Gel
Why a hair gel? Williams says he uses a gel when he’s looking to create structure and definition. Using this gel, he notes, will give fine hair a fuller-looking finish.
His gel pick is the Fenty Hair the Gelly Type Strong Hold Gel. He says to apply a small amount of it at the roots on damp hair so you get structure and lift. Then blow-dry the roots up and away from the scalp to build volume and shape. “The key is using a light hand,” he says. “You want lift and hold without weighing the hair down.
Everything You Need to Know
What causes fine, thin hair to be flat?
There are a few reasons that fine hair can fall flat. Thompson says the biggest one is weight, due to long length or heavy products. Too much product buildup and excess oil at the scalp can also make roots flat, she says. Williams adds that humidity, overconditioning, heat or chemical damage, or the wrong haircut or blow-drying technique can also make thin hair look too flat.
How does someone pick the right volumizing product for fine hair?
For fine hair, lightweight products are key. Hawkins looks for mousses, sprays, and powders that can give hair some grip without making it feel like there’s a ton of product. Thompson adds that ingredients such as hydrolyzed proteins and volumizing polymers can give fine hair structure and body that will last. Again, the most important part is that hair feels light and touchable after styling, she says.
What should someone avoid in a volumizing product?
Williams recommends staying away from products that feel heavy, like a thick, rich oil, which can weigh hair down and make it look flat. Thompson agrees and adds that you’ll also want to avoid rich butters, heavy creams, and waves that will make hair feel too coated. “My rule is always less product in the right places,” she says.
How We Tested
When we test and review a product, we take a holistic approach to deliver well-rounded product recommendations. First, we lean on Vogue’s vast network of experts—from celebrity hairstylists and colorists—to gain professional acumen on the industry’s standout products, ones these specialists would actually use on their clients. We pair their expertise with our editorial best practices to curate the thoughtful edits you read on our site.
As it relates to volumizing products for fine hair, we selected the best based on the following characteristics: product type, key ingredients, strength of hold, texture, ease of application, and what hair types they’re best suited for. To do this, we paired our personal tests of each formula with expert guidance and reviewer insights to determine which we would recommend to you.
Meet the Experts
- Clayton Hawkins is a celebrity hairstylist whose clients include Olivia Rodrigo, Jenna Ortega, and Elizabeth Olsen.
- Barb Thompson is a celebrity hairstylist who often works with Olivia Wilde, Mandy Moore, and Sarah Michelle Gellar.
- Yusef Williams is a celebrity hairstylist whose clients include Rihanna, Naomi Campbell, and Anok Yai.
