Although thin hair is frequently simpler to manage than thicker hair, finding the proper products for this hair type can be difficult. Oil-based and frizz-reducing products may just weigh it down, while moisture-boosting solutions may leave you with greasy hair.
Though many products are off-limits to those with fine hair, we spoke with a few hairstylists to provide you with some alternatives. “People with thin, flat hair should use a mousse or texture spray,” says Jenna Spino of Maxine Salon in Chicago.
Cataanda James, a hair specialist, recommends avoiding oils and heavy moisturizers in favor of foams, powdered hair-building fibres, and root-lifting sprays that provide the illusion of thicker hair. “These treatments are often lightweight, non-coating, and clearly identified by phrases like ‘volumizing,’ ‘thickening,’ and ‘fuller hair,'” she explains to Byrdie.
Here are the finest products for fine, flat hair, as recommended by these experts.
GET TO KNOW THE EXPERT
- Jenna Spino works as a stylist at Chicago’s Maxine Salon. She has experience with everything from blowouts and bobs to lengthy layers and elegant up-dos.
- Carolyn Aronson is the founder/CEO of It’s A 10 Haircare and a professional hairdresser.
- Cataanda James is a beauty specialist who specializes in multicultural hair care. She is also a Mane Choice Brand Educator.
- Michelle Pasterski Mesen is a hairdresser in Houston who specializes in razor cutting and dry cutting.
List of The Best Products For Flat Hair To Boost Volume In 2023
1. Overall winner: Kérastase Densifique Bodifying Mousse
Kérastase Densifique Mousse ticks all the boxes when it comes to products that work well with thin hair. The weightless volume and homogeneity of the light-as-air foam are enhanced by intra-cylane, but that’s not all. Ceramides smooth flyaways, while peptides reinforce and promote healthy hair development. “This mousse is fantastic for adding body to fine, flat hair without drying it out,” Spino explains. “It may be used for air drying or blow drying.”
What We Like
- Lightweight
- Strengthening
- Stylist-recommended
- Volumizes
What We Don’t Like
- Pricey
You may also like: Best Hair Thickeners Exclusively Designed For Thin Hair
2. NatureLab. Tokyo Perfect Repair Leave-In Treatment is the most affordable option.
On a tight budget? This Japanese cosmetics company has you covered. NatureLab Perfect Repair, which contains keratin, prickly pear, and stem cells, comes out as a gentle foam and starts to work smoothing frizz and reinforcing your hair without adding weight or dampness.
What We Like
- Budget-friendly
- Lightweight
- Frizz is reduced.
What We Don’t Like
- It does not aid in detangling.
3. Best Drugstore: It’s a 10 Haircare Miracle Blowdry Volumizer
“I suggest It’s a volumizing spray for fine hair from 10 Haircare “Carolyn Aronson, a hairdresser, says “It’s a lightweight volumizer with marshmallow extracts that add rapid volume without drying out the hair.”
What We Like
- Budget-friendly
- Lightweight
- Frizz is reduced.
What We Don’t Like
- Not very long-lasting
4. Kenra Professional Volume Spray 25 is the best for frizz.
Do you have frizz? Kenra Volume Spray has your name. This finishing product claims to keep flyaways in place for 120 hours while also protecting your hair from frizz-causing humidity and strong winds.
What We Like
- Affordable
- Withstands humidity
- Long-lasting
What We Don’t Like
- a little clingy
5. Toppik Hair Building Fibers are the best for thinning hair.
This product, which comes in nine tones to complement any natural hair color, deposits colored keratin protein and silica powder to enhance the body and fullness. It’s also fantastic for touch-ups on the roots.
What We Like
- Strengthening
- adds bulk
- Several colors are available.
What We Don’t Like
- Pricey
6. Oribe Maximista Thickening Spray is the best thickening spray.
Spino enjoys Oribe Maximista, and we support him. “This spray helps with density and form retention,” she tells Byrdie. “Spray your roots or all over your hair to thicken it.”
What We Like
- adds bulk
- Strengthening
- Stylist-recommended
What We Don’t Like
- Pricey
7. Vernon François Nourishing Water Mist is the best for fortifying.
Vernon François is your best bet if your hair is damaged or fragile. With amino acids, this weightless mist strengthens brittle hair, while ginseng promotes healthy growth.
What We Like
- Budget-friendly
- Strengthening
- Promotes healthy development
What We Don’t Like
- The outcomes are not dramatic.
8. Oribe Dry Texturizing Spray is the best for texturizing.
“Some sprays should be applied wet, while others should be used dry,” Spino explains. “This is a dry spray that you may use on your roots or all over to give your delicate hair a little roughness.”
What We Enjoy
Volumizes
Also works as a dry shampoo.
Stylist-recommended
What We Dislike
Pricey
9. Qhemet Biologics Coconut & Green Tea Softening Serum is the best for smoothing.
Do you want smoother hair? Qhemet Biologics has your back. While the oil content makes it a little too heavy for the style, this is a fantastic overnight treatment for fine, flat, or low-porosity hair.
What We Like
- Budget-friendly
- Frizz is reduced.
- Softening
What We Don’t Like
- a little sum
- Not suitable for styling
10. Phyto Phytodensia Fluid Plumping Mask is the best mask.
Consider an in-shower treatment that you rinse off after a few minutes to avoid weighing down your hair. We’re obsessed with this Phyto mask, which promises to fill and thicken your hair without making it limp.
What We Like
- Treatment in the shower
- Plumping
- Strengthening
What We Don’t Like
- Pricey
11. Joico Firm Hold Design Foam is the best mousse.
Spino suggests mousse for fine hair. JoiWhip, an ultra-light foam that adds considerable volume with thickening polymers while smoothing and reinforcing with keratin, is a favorite of many people.
What We Enjoy
- Affordable
- Volumizes
- Strengthening
What We Don’t Like
- a little clingy
12. The Mane Choice Peach Black Tea Vitamin Fusion Shampoo is the best shampoo.
According to James, “Peach Black Tea & Vitamin Fusion Shampoo softly cleanses and removes buildup without damaging the hair, leaving it full of body.” “Botanicals, vitamins, and nutrients aid in the reduction of breakage and the general integrity of the hair.”
What We Enjoy
- Removes scalp buildup
- Thickening
- Strengthening
What We Don’t Like
- It can be dried.
13. R+Co DALLAS Biotin Thickening Conditioner is the best conditioner.
Saw palmetto is the key ingredient in this thickening conditioner. The plant-derived substance stretches your hair, giving it weightless volume and making it fuller and denser.
What We Enjoy
- Volumizes
- Split ends are smoothed.
- Promotes healthy development
What We Don’t Like
- Pricey
Let’s Check: Best Biotin Shampoo To Get Fuller And Thicker Hair
FAQ
What to Look for in Flat Hair Products?
Ingredients
When it comes to fine and flat hair that lacks body, seek products that contain thickening and plumping components. Polymers, collagen, and even plumping powders are examples of these. “These are the nutrients that give your hair body and guts,” Mesen explains.
Light Formulas
The lighter the material, the better. Avoid heavy balms and pomades in favor of sprays, whipped mousses or creams, or featherweight powders.
After all, you don’t want the product to be too heavy and wind up weighting hair down rather than pushing it up. “Think about the size of the droplets from a pump vs. an aerosol product when using a dry product like texturizing sprays or hairsprays,” Mesen explains.
“The larger the droplet, the greater the weight on the hair. Fine mists are significantly lighter, so they don’t weigh down the hair. Because of the light composition and frothy texture of the product, whipped products like mousse may sometimes provide greater volume than gel or volumizing spray on wet hair.”
Products that go well with your hair color
Mesen also emphasizes the need of using products that are suitable for your hair color to avoid it seeming dull, chalky, or grey. “Blonde and light-hued hair responds well to most typical dry treatments [such as volumizing and texture powders and powder sprays], but brown or red hair may require a colored powder or at the very least a highly transparent powder.”
Can styling products be used on fine hair?
Fine hair can benefit from styling products, but you’ll probably want to use fewer than someone with thicker hair. Mara Roszak, a celebrity hairdresser, recommends avoiding applying anything to your roots except root-volume spray and focusing any other product on your ends first.
Furthermore, start with a tiny amount of product since you may apply more if necessary, but there’s not much you can do if you’ve already applied too much.
