Listen. I don't have too many complaints about my hair. I've said it a couple of times, and I'll say it again: I'm pretty low-maintenance (and to be honest, pretty lazy) about it. I don't color my hair. I rarely style it, and when I do, I'm not the best at it. And I don't use too many hair products.
But if there's one thing that's super important to me in the hair department it's how thick my hair looks and feels. Unfortunately, I don't have the fullest strands, and most of the time, my hair can feel kind of flat and lifeless. I'm always dreaming of big, bouncy hair.
To give you an idea of what I'm dealing with, let me break it down for you. I might try to put my hair in big rollers or curl it, and for a while, it looks perfectly styled and full, but guaranteed, just a few hours later, my hair becomes flat and stick-straight again.
While I can't get the big hair that I want all the time, I do have a few tricks up my sleeve when it comes to pumping up the volume when I really need it. That's where hair-thickening products come in, and luckily, there are so many to choose from, including shampoos and conditioners, powders, sprays, serums, and more.
Now, if you're in the same boat when it comes to wanting full, thick, and voluminous hair, I've compiled a list for us. Take a look at some of my favorites below plus some other highly rated ones I've found.
Shampoos and Conditioners
R+Co's Dallas shampoo is my go-to. Not only does it make my hair feel so much fuller, but it also does a good job of nourishing and strengthening it. In addition to biotin, the formula contains provitamin B5, saw palmetto berry extract, coconut oil, and loquat fruit extract.
And of course, I have to pair it with the conditioner. I love that it doesn't weigh my hair down at all, which can be a problem with other conditioners.
With over 12,000 ratings and 4.5 out of five stars on Amazon, this shampoo-and-conditioner set is highly recommended. It protects against more thinning and breakage thanks to ingredients like biotin, argan oil, and an herbal blend of 17 DHT blockers.
Oribe's volumizing shampoo is a weightless formula that strengthens, hydrates, and protects hair. It contains high-tech polymers that give life to flat hair.
The matching conditioner to Oribe's volumizing shampoo is made with shea butter to deeply moisturize, Japanese bamboo to rebalance the skin's moisture barrier, and radish root to cleanse.
This shampoo is great for fine hair because it volumizes, gently cleanses, and adds shine. It's also lightweight, so it will plump your hair, but it won't weigh it down at all.
The volumizing conditioner softens and detangles hair. The formula works with color-treated hair, too.
Rahua's shampoo contains lemongrass and green tea, which balance and remove excess oil from the scalp and hair shaft to create body. The formula contains ungurahua oil, which nourishes and strengthens strands and the hair follicle.
Rahua's conditioner is formulated with lemongrass and green tea like its shampoo counterpart, but it also contains jojoba oil and quinoa to moisturize and revitalize hair.
This volumizing paste turns into a foam shampoo to gently cleanse the hair, rebalance the scalp, promote shine and color intensity, and, of course, boost body. And if you prefer to wash your hair every few days, you'll like that the paste absorbs oils and dirt so you don't have to worry about your hair not feeling fresh.
Serums and Treatments
Vegamour's hair serum is plant-based and formulated with phytoactives that support a healthy follicular ecosystem and soothe the scalp. It's designed to target hair thinning and shedding.
The ingredients in The Ordinary's hair serum work to improve hair density and increase blood flow to the scalp to make it healthier and appear thicker. And if you're dealing with a flaky and dry scalp, this product can help.
Sometimes, your hair could be limp or flat because it's damaged, so this mask can help bring it back to life. It will smooth and hydrate the hair while also adding some volume. You just need to leave it on for five to 10 minutes, and then rinse it off.
Infused with biotin, this serum works to nourish, strengthen, and plump up your hair. It absorbs easily into the hair so your strands look shinier and healthier.
Powders
Briogeo's ultra-fine powder adds volume and texture but doesn't leave any residue. It also contains ginseng and ginger root, which stimulate blood flow to the scalp and hair follicles, which can then stimulate hair growth.
The tapioca starch in this texturizing powder absorbs excess oil so the roots have more volume. Provitamin B5 and glycerin both work to hydrate, smooth, and lock in moisture.
This odorless and colorless formula gives your hair a quick and instant lift. Just apply it to the roots and tousle or scrunch to pump up the volume.
Dry Shampoos and Sprays
Oribe's treatment spray works to condition the scalp and revive brittle hair to make sure your strands are at their healthiest. The peptide complex in the formula will volumize the hair at its roots.
A lot of hair sprays can give you stiff strands, which is not great if you want flowy, bouncy hair. This spray is flexible and will build some body and add shine.
If you're looking for effortless, beachy waves, this texturizing spray could help you get there. Not only does it build volume and add hold, but it also hydrates, smoothes, and removes excess oil.
A few months ago, I learned that dry shampoo is actually one of the best products to use for volume. It absorbs excess oil, and it's so good at creating texture and fullness. I like Dove's because it's so affordable and helps me fake that volume.
Rahua's aerosol-free dry shampoo contains organic cassava to absorb oil and sweat while also creating a base for your styling. Other ingredients include star anise for antiseptic benefits and cosmetic clay for more oil absorption.
Enriched with amino acids, this spray volumizes thin and damaged hair. It will keep your hair lifted for a long time.
Before you style your hair, you can add this weightless spray, which will add volume, shine, and manageability. Ingredients include Virtue's special Alpha Keratin 60ku, hydrolyzed wheat protein, panthenol, hydrolyzed soy protein, and aloe extract.
For a mousse that doesn't feel "crunchy," Leonor Greyl's product nourishes and thickens the hair thanks to botanical extracts and biotin. It gives you long-lasting hold, too.
Next, 24 Products That Actually Make Your Hair Thicker
