Look, not everyone is blessed with thick hair. For some of us, thin or fine hair is a simple fact of life. Maybe you inherited fine strands from your parents (thanks, mom and dad). Maybe you’re going through a stressful time in your life and your hair is falling out. Whatever the cause, there are a number of reasons why you may have sparse, flat, or thin strands. Cosmetic chemist Ginger King says, “Heredity, stress, poor nutrition, improper care of hair, and environmental damage (such as sunlight and harsh brushing)” can all be potential causes of thinning hair.
There is some good news to be circulated, however, in the form of hair-care products that will help plump up your hair and make it at least appear as if it’s got more thickness and volume than it actually does. In terms of what key ingredients to look out for when hair-product shopping, King recommends polymers to “hold up” the hair and proteins to “leave a coating” to give off the impression of thicker hair.
On the flip side, King says to avoid heavyweight oils and silicones because “not all oils or silicones are created equal,” and calls out coconut and jojoba as touting higher weights than other oils (In other words, save the jojoba oil for your skin-care routine.) Silicones, similarly, also vary in weights and grades. The best way to test, according to King? “If it feels greasy on your fingers, chances are it will weigh down your hair,” she explains.
Good thing there are tons of products out there to help you achieve the look of fuller hair. Though with all the mousses, shampoos, spritzes, and powders on the market, it can be difficult to wade through them all. Fortunately, we did so that you don’t have to. Discover some of our favorites, below, that add volume and thickness and basically bless you with a head of hair that looks a lot plumper than what you started with.
Our Top Picks:
- Best Overall: Nexxus Mousse+ Volumizing Foam, $18
- Worth the Splurge: Sisley-Paris Volumizing Spray, $105
- Best Hairspray: Color Wow Raise the Root Thicken and Lift Spray, $24
- The Multitasker: Living Proof Full Dry Volume and Texture Spray, $36
- Best Hair Mousse: Shu Uemura Awa Volume Hair Mousse, $42
- Strong-Hold Formula: Nioxin 3D Styling Thickening Gel, $21
- Oil Absorber: Oribe Thick Dry Finishing Spray, $42
All products featured on Allure are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.
