We earn a commission for products purchased through some links in this article.
The best thickening sprays for instantly fuller looking hair
Thick hair, do care
Hair loss and thinning can be caused by many things – age, changing hormones in menopause, weight loss and stress among them – but the best hair thickening sprays can help your crowning glory look fuller once again.
Though they don’t address the underlying causes of thinning hair, they contain clever ingredients that deliver instant volume. Most are formulated with reparative ingredients to help nourish in the long run, too.
The best hair thickening sprays
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
How we chose the best thickening sprays
Our Good Housekeeping beauty experts have hand-selected these best thickening sprays from a range of market-leading brands. We looked at the ingredients and also made sure they’d been tried out by the team on all different hair types. The below products are ones that raised hair-xpectations (sorry) and lived up to the hype. You’ll find everything you need to know about appliacation below our reviews.
It’s time to get thick quick...
Using the power of polymers, Ouai’s thickening spray helps leave hair looking full of volume and feeling sleek. These clever molecules form a film around the hair shaft to add structure and visible thickness to strands. The formula’s also infused with slickening amaranth peptides that help reduce friction between strands to decrease the tangles that lead to breakage.
Plus, this spray has heat protecting properties, so it’s a great choice for those who use tools regularly. If that's not enough, a few spritzes will also leave your mane smelling of the brand’s trademark zingy ginger basil and fig fragrance – a welcome bonus.
Bumble and Bumble Thickening Hair Spray
For anyone who loves a bouncy blow-dry, this pre-styling thickening spray is an essential step to add to your routine. Before picking up the tools and cranking up the hairdryer heat, simply spray this fine mist liberally over wet hair.
The result? A bouffant that will rouse some big hair envy. The brand recommends targeting the root for an extra bit of zhuzhe. You can also pair it with Bumble and Bumble’s thickening shampoo and conditioner for a triple threat.
This volumising and reparative spray from K18 really is the créme de la créme of styling products, as it volumises hair immediately, while also tackling the root cause of volume loss behind the scenes. The secret? Peptides. These work to reduce hair breakage by reconnecting broken bonds caused by things like heat damage or chemical treatments, ultimately helping to strengthen hair long-term.
The brand claims its hair fibre volumising blend can help thicken hair diameter up to 25% too, so of course we had to try it ourselves. Evelina, the facilities manager at the Good Housekeeping Institute, said it gave her thin and fine hair a long-lasting burst of volume and bounce, without any added crunchiness. Read the full verdict here: K18 Astrolift review .
Achieve locks fit for royalty for a day or two (or three) with this thickening spray from Bed Head, which breathes life into limp hair. The included palm kernel glycerides are to thank for the added volume, bringing both height and smoothness to each strand.
Film-forming polymers then work to keep your hairstyle in place, and the fact you can apply it on dry hair makes it ultra-convenient.
After some extra bounce, but on a budget? Look no further than this affordable spray from John Frieda – yours for less than £10. It’s part of the PROfiller+ range, which was created to help plump thinner hair.
The spray is formulated with strengthening biotin, hydrating hyaluronic acid, and added heat protection, which work harmoniously to reduce hair loss via breakage, and leave locks feeling and looking fuller.
This texturising spray differs slightly from the Bumble and Bumble product above, as it’s a dry texture spray used at the end of styling, or anytime hair needs a little something extra in between washes.
The translucent spray won’t leave behind any visible residue or a crunchy feel, but leaves you instead with a lovely, tousled finish that lasts for days.
The entire Oribe hair care brand oozes luxury, and this thickening spray is no exception. Inside the opulent packaging is the brand’s signature complex of watermelon, lychee and edelweiss, which work to defend hair from damaging environmental aggressors such as pollution and UV. Added amino acids also help to strengthen hair and prevent breakage, while those thickening polymers amp up volume from root to ends.
Though it’s a little on the pricier end, we think it’s worth the investment, as you can achieve salon-worthy hair from the comfort of your own home.
Philip Kingsley Styling Density Thickening Protein Spray
This bottle of goodness was created by hair god and trichologist, Philip Kingsley, for those with thin and fragile hair in need of some added strength and lift. It’s formulated with a host of healthy-hair ingredients – pea peptides pull moisture into each strand to hydrate and thicken, working with the conditioning agent, panthenol, to provide long-lasting moisture.
The science behind this thickening spray is smart. It’s all about the hyper-branched polymers. These molecules have a flat structure when sprayed onto wet hair and expand into a hexagonal shape on drying, pushing strands apart to create a lifted look. All this goodness is sealed in with a yeast extract, which creates a protective layer over the cuticle and protects against heat damage.
Raise the Root and go full Hollywood blow-dry with this thickening spray from ColorWOW. Pair it with a styling tool, such as the ghd Duet Blowdry (which came out on top in our best hot brushes test) and expect some serious volume, minus the heat damage thanks to the added heat protectant.
This one’s made with three different elastomers that deploy a flexible resin around each strand for reworkable, structured hold. Wow.
Get the best out of your curls with this thickening lotion that helps refine them and leaves hair looking fuller throughout the day. We’re technically cheating as it’s not a spray, but the consistency of this formula works much better on finer curly hair, as you’re able to get into the crevices of coils by working it in with your hands. We’re sold.
How do thickening sprays work?
An effective thickening spray should make it look like you’ve miraculously sprouted more hair. Sadly, this isn’t the reality; instead, the magic lies in the ingredients that help make your hair feel and look instantly thicker. Polymers are a common ingredient that’s used to help thicken and protect hair by forming a barrier around each strand.
Many formulas also include nourishing and hydrating elements such as hyaluronic acid or glycerin, which help add to the smoothness and overall condition of hair over time.
They are often also activated by heat when styling, so luckily, many also contain heat-protecting properties. But it’s always worth doubling up with one of our best heat-protecting sprays, as you can never be too safe.
More hair-thickening treatments
Can you use thickening sprays on all hair types?
Not all of us are blessed with thick, lustrous locks that naturally hold volume, so thickening sprays are predominantly aimed at those with thin, flat or fragile hair. But really, they’re for anyone looking to plump up their ‘do.
When do you apply thickening sprays?
It depends on which thickening spray you opt for. Some need to be applied to wet hair as a pre-styling product, and are usually activated by heat, such as the Bumble and Bumble spray.
But there are also dry sprays such as Bed Head’s Queen for A Day, which should be applied to dry hair. Some don’t pick a side, though, and can be applied to either (we’re looking at you, K18 Astrolift).
The verdict on the best hair thickening sprays
If you regularly style your hair with heat, then it's worth going for a thickening spray with added heat protectant and nourishing ingredients, such as the Ouai Thickening Spray.
The Philip Kingsley Density Thickening Protein Spray is a fantastic option for those looking to increase hair density in the long run, as it features growth-encouraging ingredients.
Our budget pick, the John Frieda PROfiller Thickening Protection Spray is a hardworking and affordable option for getting fresh-out-of-the-salon hair.
Why trust Good Housekeeping
Our beauty editors and experts have extensive knowledge of the most iconic and buzziest brands in the business, and are the first to try all the latest launches and innovations. With decades of experience in the industry between them, they know what separates a great product from a disappointing one.
When it came to hair thickening sprays, our lifestyle writer, Madeleine Evans, was particularly interested in these results after she noticed her own hair looking a little thinner than usual and trying a wide range of products to help.
She has researched the market for a long time, so knew exactly what to look for in the ingredients lists and product claims. She also spoke to several members of the GH and GHI teams who also have thinner hair to come up with this list.
Madeleine is our Lifestyle Writer, specialising in expert-tested reviews and round-ups on the latest beauty Beauty and Health & Wellness products. From skincare to protein powders, Maddie is committed to providing honest and helpful reviews to help guide readers to the best product for them. Maddie has a BA in English Literature and Language, which stemmed from her lifelong interest in reading and writing. She started her post graduate life at Hearst UK within a marketing capacity, which quickly turned into a desire to fulfil a writing career.
When she is not writing about the latest expert reviewed products, you can find her rifling through vintage shops or car boots, reading a print magazine, or capturing portraits on her film camera.
Best Merit beauty products, according to editors
The GHI's best ever beauty tools revealed
Best beauty subscription services
The best Superdrug beauty buys under £15
