The 19 Best Hair Thickening Products of 2023

Our favorites from Vegamour, Oribe, The Ordinary, and more

Whether you’ve always had fine hair or are experiencing thinning due to stress, hormonal changes, or aging, over-the-counter hair thickeners can add volume, body, and fullness to your hair.1

Lots of brands and product lines make big claims about their ability to fortify, lift, plump, and pump your hair with volume—or at least make it appear more voluminous. They might seem too good to be true—and yeah, some are—but we found a handful that do what they say.

We went to work, conducting research on the best hair thickening products, from shampoos, conditioners, and leave-ins to sprays to lotions, powders, and pomades. We also took our editors’ experiences with thickening products into consideration to help solidify our list. Our team then combined our insights to compile a list of the best thickening products based on formula, application, results, and hold—here’s what we dubbed top-tier.

Best Overall: Oribe Maximista Thickening Spray

Coming in hot as our number one pick, we’ve got Oribe Maximista, which calls on copolymers to create fullness and amino acids to strengthen each hair. Working overtime to lift your roots and add all-day body—while protecting your hair from heat and UV rays—this thickening spray has a well-deserved fan following.

We also like that this product is safe for keratin blowouts and color-treated hair. Spritz it onto your damp hair, working through one section at a time, then blow-dry or style as usual, and watch as your hair reaches a new level of volume.

Best Strengthening: Mielle Organics Rosemary Mint Scalp & Hair Strengthening Oil

You might have to play the long game to achieve truly thicker hair, and this strengthening oil from Mielle is here to guide you through. The nutrient-rich blend is infused with biotin and contains upwards of 30 essential oils. It’s formulated to nourish each strand, hydrate every follicle, smooth split ends, stimulate your scalp, and support growth. Consider its TikTok virality justified.

Best Conditioner: R+Co Dallas Biotin Thickening Conditioner

As the saying goes, everything’s bigger in Texas. Your hair can get in on the action when you use R+Co’s Dallas conditioner. Made specifically for folks with thin, fine hair, the volumizing formula leans on saw palmetto to expand your hair and pump it with soft volume.4It’s also infused with biotin to strengthen strands and increase shine.

Best Budget: Kristin Ess Instant Lift Thickening Spray

Our favorite budget-friendly option is this thickening spray from Kristin Ess. It’s a lightweight spray that’s meant to be applied on towel-dried hair before blowdrying to add body and lift to the roots and lengths of the hair.

It also works to add shine and help smooth the appearance of damage and split ends. If you have dry hair, we recommend just using a bit and finishing off your style with a hydrating hair oil.

Best Splurge: Oribe Serene Scalp Thickening Treatment Spray

If you’re open to splurging on a truly promising product, we recommend Oribe Serene Scalp. The spray-on treatment fortifies with biotin and peptides to promote healthy growth, then coats every hair with copolymers to deliver a fuller, thicker head of hair.5

It’s a great option if you want convenient application, but it’s worth noting that it needs to be applied on clean, damp hair and used consistently to produce results—it’s not ideal for people who go long periods in between washes.

Best for Thinning Hair: Vegamour GRO Hair Serum

If you’re looking for a product help you thicken a specific spot or area that’s thinning (rather than helping to achieve the appearance of thicker hair overall), this is the one for you.

The vegan serum is formulated with turmeric, nicotiana benthamiana (a plant native to Australia), and red clover to help promote hair growth and prevent hair loss.67 Thousands of reviewers have seen incredible results with this best-selling serum, and it’s a great option for all hair types.

Best Night Treatment: The Ordinary Multi-Peptide Serum for Hair Density

According to The Ordinary, this leave-in treatment is best used right before bed. The concentrated, no-nonsense formula contains redensyl and procapil, breakthrough ingredients shown to improve hair density, stimulate the scalp, reduce shedding, and promote healthy growth.89

Best Cream: Living Proof Full Thickening Cream

If Jennifer Anniston, the hair goddess herself, didn’t convince you of the powers of Living Proof when she was the face of the brand, allow us to sway you. Lack of texture can make hair appear thin and flat, and this cream addresses the issue with finesse. Formulated with the brand’s mysterious yet effective “thickening molecule,” it deposits teensy-tiny dots on your hair, making it look bigger and fuller.

After testing the product ourselves, we loved that the cream made our hair look fuller whether we wore it down or just wanted to boost a simple ponytail. It actually felt like it made our hair healthier rather than just increasing volume, and for that, we think it’s a must-have for thicker hair.

Best Texturizing: Bumble and Bumble Thickening Dryspun Volume Texture Spray

To give thin hair a little oomph, reach for Bumble and Bumble’s Dryspun Spray. This product has you covered, whether you want beachy waves, a fuller updo, texturized curls, or just a refresher for second-day hair. It adds the ideal amount of dimension and body with a lifted and airy effect.

Best Volumizing: Briogeo Blossom & Bloom Ginseng + Biotin Hair Volumizing Spray

This double-duty thickening spray maximizes fullness while offering long-term healthy hair benefits. The secret ingredient? Maltodextrin. The all-natural sugar starch coats each hair to deliver dramatic volume.10 It also contains biotin for long, strong hair.11 Note that while lots of hair spray products are applied on dry strands, this formula should be applied on damp hair prior to blowdrying.

Best Lightweight: Ouai Volume Spray

If you have particularly fine hair, a lightweight formula is crucial. We love the Ouai Volume Spray, a virtually weightless mist that creates a natural-looking body, lasting volume, and airy texture. It’s also a great option to add some serious volume at the roots for a wide range of hair types.

Best for Blow-Drying: Alterna Caviar Multiplying Volume Styling Mist

Alterna’s Multiplying Volume Mist coats your hair with a smoothing, strengthening blend of keratin, biotin, and amino acids, while algae and kelp plump the individual strands.12 Though it can be stiffening if you allow your hair to air-dry, a few spritzes before you blow-dry will yield smooth, stunning results.

Best Leave-In: Amika 3D Daily Thickening Treatment

Amika’s 3D Thickening Treatment pulls out all the stops to deliver fuller-looking hair. We’re talking redensyl for density and healthy growth, hydrolyzed proteins to smooth, strengthen, and protect, and copolymers for instant oomph.9 We also appreciate that it’s not too heavy or greasy for fine hair types.

Best Pomade: Qhemet Biologics Castor & Amla Nourishing Pomade

Qhemet Biologics made this hair-healthy pomade to help boost hair growth, nourish the scalp and ends, and soften the hair. The vegan formula contains ayurvedic amla oil and castor oil to hydrate, soften, strengthen, and thicken your hair while reducing shedding and encouraging growth.13

Best Shampoo: Nutrafol Root Purifier Scalp Shampoo for Thinning Hair

The shampoo you use can have a major impact on the health, look, and feel of your hair, and this one is amazing for anyone who’s dealing with thinning hair. The fortifying formula strengthens the hair and balances the scalp by supporting its microbiome. It also rids the scalp of excess oil while helping to maintain necessary hydration for fuller, healthier, and more voluminous-looking hair.

Best Volumizing: BondiBoost Hair Thickening Therapy Styling Spray

BondiBoost’s Hair Thickening Therapy Styling Spray provides volume, thickness, texture, and body without weighing down the hair, as it lifts from the root plumping each strand. And yes, that still applies if you have colored or chemically-treated hair—this product is suitable and safe for all hair types.

In addition to preventing split ends and breakage, the vegan product is cruelty-free.

Best for Daily Use: OGX Extra Strength Extra Volume + Biotin & Collagen Conditioner

If you want your hair to grow longer, become stronger, and have more volume and bounce, this conditioner is for you. We love the main ingredients of biotin and collagen found in this OGX conditioner, which is designed specifically for those with fine hair.

The volumizing features of the conditioner assist in lifting the hair at the roots, giving the hair a full look, making thin or weak hair look like it has more body and strength.

Best Styler: Joico JoiFULL Volumizing Styler

If you want to add texture and volume to your hair, try Joico’s hybrid creme-gel product—it gives fine hair full, airy volume and shine that lasts for 24 hours. Plus, it acts as a heat protector for those who use straighteners, curling irons, or are in humid climates.

Best Coverup: Color Wow Root Cover Up Powder

Try the Color Wow Root Cover Up if you have noticed hair thinning on the scalp, at the hairline, or whenever you do a side or middle part.

Its creamy powder provides coverage and makes the hair appear thicker and fuller by concealing the contrast between the scalp and hair. Even in between visits to the colorist, this little package comes in handy.

Final Verdict

Our best overall pick is Oribe’s Maximista Thickening Spray, which contains copolymers to create fullness and amino acids to strengthen. We also love that it provides protection from both heat and UV rays. For a more affordable option, consider the Kristin Ess Instant Lift Thickening Spray, which helps to increase fullness from root to tip.

According to our Diversity Pledge, 15% of products in our newly-published market roundups will feature Black-owned and/or Black-founded brands. At the time of publishing, we were not able to find more hair thickening products from a Black-owned and/or Black-founded business. If you know of one we should consider, please email us at [email protected], and we will evaluate the product ASAP.

What to Look for in Hair Thickening Products
Intended Use

The main thing to look for when buying a hair-thickening product is its intended use. Look for the words “thickening,” “volumizing,” “strengthening,” “texturizing,” “full,” “plump,” or “lift” in the name or on the label. These terms usually mean a product is formulated to thicken the hair or at least make it look thicker.

Formula

Hair-thickening products come in many forms. There’s shampoo and conditioner, plus lotions, sprays, mousses, pomades, powders, and treatments. While you can stock up with one of each type, we recommend considering the unique needs of your hair and the look you’re going for to figure out what’ll work best.

“I would look for anything that adds fibers to the hair. It’s the best bet to be sure that the hair itself will expand in size,” says Balayage. Texturizing formulas often deposit product onto the hair and wrap around each hair to create a fuller look. Volumizing formulas typically penetrate each hair strand to plump them from the inside out.

Ingredients

The ingredients list can tell you a lot about how a product works and whether it can live up to its claims. Hair-thickening products are often made with ingredients like biotin, collagen, amino acids, zeolite, peptides, and niacinamide (vitamin B3), which help strengthen and plump the follicles and promote growth.

You might also see options with castor oil or essential oils, which can help nourish the scalp and help hair grow in fuller. If a nourishing option is what you’re looking for, consider the Qhemet Biologics Castor & Amla Nourishing Pomade. With texturizing sprays (Ouai has a great option) and powdery formulas, you’ll want to look for thickening agents like silica silylate and starchy ingredients like maltodextrin or silk powder.

FAQ
What products help hair thicken?

Products that help hair thicken include shampoos, conditioners, masks, leave-in creams, weightless mists, and scalp treatments. Check for specific hair thickening ingredients. Look for options containing copolymers, maltodextrin, Chinese skullcap, redensyl, or rayon for instant results.

How do I make my hair thicker?

You can make your hair thicker with hair thickening products, styling techniques, and (possibly) nutrition strategies. Hair thickening products can create the appearance of thicker hair while also nourishing your hair to provide strength and resilience against thinning and breakage. If you’re looking to thicken specific spots that are thinning, try a hair growth serum like the Vegamour GRO Hair Serum for Thinning Hair.

Does biotin thicken hair?

Biotin may thicken hair. However, the evidence is limited and inconclusive.14 The good news is that biotin is a nutrient that offers other benefits and cannot harm hair, so adding it to your routine may provide benefits without drawbacks.15

Should I use hair thickening shampoo every day?

Using thickening shampoo every day is not typically recommended. This is because shampooing cleanses the hair and often removes natural oils. Using any type of shampoo every day is not ideal for most hair types, unless you have extremely oily hair. Instead, rinse your hair and use a thickening conditioner or other thickening product.