My hair often turns into…how do I put it? A flat mess.
Achieving volume in fine hair can be really tricky. Many products are touted for their maximal volume effect but because they are formulated with harsh ingredients they can leave fine strands dry, frizzy, and prone to damage. But don't worry! I'll tell you how to identify the best volumizing shampoos and conditioners that give your hair extra body, bounce and airiness, while feeling soft and nourished.
I’ll also tell you my top product picks, the most effective way to use them, and some extra secrets for voluminous hair. Let’s go.
Index
What Is Volume Shampoo?
The best hair volumizing shampoos for fine hair are designed to make your hair look and feel temporarily thicker.
I know fine hair is sometimes frustrating (trust me, I know what I’m talking about!), and unfortunately, it’s not something you can change. Your genetics determine hair thickness, specifically the size of your hair follicle. The wider the follicle, the thicker the hair.
A volumizing shampoo for fine hair is an incredible way to give the illusion of full, voluptuous hair, and they aren’t just for people with fine hair. Volume shampoos are an excellent option for anyone who wants to take their hair volume to the next level.
Should You Use Volume Shampoos for Thinning Hair?
You can definitely use volume shampoo on thin hair but if your goal is to make your hair grow back thicker it’s not the optimal solution. Keep in mind that fine and thinning hair are very different. If you are dealing with hair thinning you are better off opting for a shampoo for hair loss if that’s something you’re trying to manage.
If you’re looking for a product for thinning hair, then the Grow Perfect™ Duo (shampoo and conditioner set) is perfect. It contains pea sprout extract called Anagain™, rosemary oil, and caffeine to boost hair growth. These products are also enriched with aloe vera and acai fruit extract to protect and hydrate thin strands.
What Makes Volume Conditioners Different?
A high quality volumizing conditioner nourishes, hydrates, and smooths your hair strands - without weighing them down. Some people with fine hair don’t use conditioner because they worry it will make their hair flat. Don’t make that mistake! Not using conditioner will dry out your ends and cause breakage.
Volume conditioners are often formulated with more lightweight ingredients than ultra-hydrating conditioners developed for dry and damaged hair. Best conditioners for fine hair will leave your hair airy and bouncy, while still feeling soft, strong, and moisturized.
How To Identify a Good Volume Shampoo
Here are some essential things to consider when picking the best shampoo and conditioner for fine hair.
Choose a Product That Cleanses Your Hair Well
Skin cells, oils, and even styling products can gradually build up on your scalp and stick to your hair strands, weighing them down and blocking hair follicles. Build up can make fine hair look flat and lifeless. In the long run, build up could even lead to hair loss.
The good news is that high-quality volume shampoos cleanse hair of all excess dirt and sebum, creating maximum volume and airiness.
Avoid Heavy Oils or Butters in High Amounts
Heavy oils and butters are your nemeses if you have fine hair. Why? Because they have a higher molecule density, which pulls your hair down. If you want volume, stick to products with small amounts of heavier nourishing ingredients, like shea butter and argan oil.
Avoid Ultra-Moisturizing or Smoothing Products
Deeply moisturizing shampoos often contain those above mentioned heavy butters and oils. These will sit on your roots and strands even after rinsing, making it hard to achieve volume on fine hair. These products are great for dry, frizzy, curly, or coily hair, all hair types, which often require a lot of moisture to stay healthy-looking. But not a match for fine hair! Instead, opt for products that focus on volume with lightweight hydration.
Avoid Harsh Ingredients Like Sulfates and Silicones
Sulfates can strip and dry out the hair and scalp, while silicones coat the hair shaft and build up your hair preventing nourishing ingredients from doing their job. This can dry out and damage fine hair that is prone to breakage and split ends. Instead, choose gentle products that protect your fine hair, while adding volume.
Look for Strengthening Ingredients
Fine hair is very prone to breakage, so the best volumizing shampoo and conditioner for fine hair contain ingredients that strengthen it. I’ll go through some key ingredients to look out for in the next section.
The Best Ingredients in Volumizing Products
The best volumizing shampoos and conditioners for fine hair need high quality ingredients. When on the hunt for a volume-boosting product, keep your eyeballs peeled for these things:
Microproteins That Strengthen Hair
The majority of your hair is protein, specifically a protein called keratin, which forms the structure of your hair. If your hair is protein deficient, it loses its elasticity, becomes lifeless and breaks.
Hydrolyzed wheat protein is an excellent remedy. It’s a microprotein with molecules small enough to penetrate the hair shaft. It fills gaps in your hair’s structure for a thicker and fuller look.
Lightweight Hydrating Ingredients
Hydrating ingredients keep your strands moisturized and protected from damage without pulling them down. Glycerin is a hydrating humectant that draws water molecules to your strands, giving you softness and shine without creating a flat mess!
Antioxidants That Protect Hair From Damage
Antioxidants protect your hair from free radicals, which attack the hair follicle and can lead to hair loss, slower growth, and thinning hair.
The best volumizing shampoos and conditioners for fine hair include ingredients that protect your hair using antioxidants, giving you incredible hair volume. Some great antioxidants that shield the hair from harm include organic apple and cranberry extracts. They enhance the effectiveness of shampoo for fine hair.
Scalp Health Promoting Ingredients
Scalp care is a part of hair care that people often forget. But keep in mind that if you want to impact how thick and healthy your hair grows, you need to target it at the root.
If hair is mainly made of keratin, skin consists primarily of collagen. That is why the best volume shampoos and conditioners contain ingredients that promote collagen production, such as extracts from organic grapefruit and cranberry. Grapefruit also has antifungal properties and fights bacteria for a healthy scalp and full-looking hair.
Another incredible ingredient for nourishing the scalp and hair is oat extract. Oats are known for repairing skin's lipid barrier and reducing irritation.
How to Use Volume Shampoo and Conditioner
I think we can agree that you’re now an expert in the best shampoo for fine hair, and you know what to look for in the best conditioner for fine hair. But it’s also vital to use these products properly. Here’s how:
1. Double-Shampoo Your Fine Hair
People often whack on a bit of shampoo, give it a scrub, then rinse. Afterward, they wonder why their scalp is itchy and their hair doesn’t feel clean.
The trick is to shampoo fine hair twice. The first wash lifts built-up dirt and skin cells (gross, I know!). The second wash gets into the scalp to ensure everything is nice and clean so you can achieve that bouncy volume.
2. Apply Conditioner Below Your Ears Only
Whatever happens, do not, and I repeat, DO NOT, put conditioner on your scalp. Applying conditioner to your roots counteracts volumizing shampoo for fine hair.
Instead, apply it from the ears down, focusing on your ends. Leave the volumizing conditioner in for a few minutes, then rinse thoroughly for a healthy, bouncy shine.
3. Use Volumizing Styling Products to Boost Volume
If you want volume, then grabbing any old product won’t do. You need something specifically formulated to boost your hair’s volume – that’s what they’re for!
Invest in the best volumizing shampoo and best conditioner for fine hair. Then, combine them with hair-lifting styling products, like Volume Wizard™ Hair Powder or Volume Wizard™ Pre-Styling Spray (I’ve got more recommendations at the end of this article).
4. Find the Best Hair Wash Routine for Your Hair
Fine hair is prone to breakage, so avoid overwashing as it strips its natural oils. However, if you avoid wash day for too long, sebum and dirt builds up and weighs down your strands. Tricky, right?
Try washing your hair a maximum of two to three times a week and top up with a natural dry shampoo in between. My absolute favorite is the non-aerosol Refresh Powder™ Dry Shampoo that refreshes your hair instantly. Really, it’s whatever works for you and what makes your hair look its best. So, experiment to find your groove.
5. Use a Bamboo Towel to Dry Your Hair
Fine hair is, well…fine. And can snap easily. That’s why you should avoid terry cloth towels that cause friction and breakage.
Instead, wrap your hair in a bamboo towel after using the best shampoo for fine hair and the best volumizing conditioner. Squeeze out the excess water, leave the towel on for ten minutes (too long can cause an itchy scalp), then apply a silicone-free heat protectant and blow dry on low-medium heat.
The Best Volume Shampoo and Conditioner for Fine Hair
Here’s my top pick for the best volumizing shampoo and conditioner for fine hair. Keep reading to find out why!
Volume Wizard™ Duo (Shampoo and Conditioner)
When it comes to the best shampoo and conditioner for fine hair, I have to go for the Volume Wizard™ Duo set. You can get the shampoo and volumizing conditioner separately, but together they’re a super team.
The shampoo is sulfate and silicone-free, so it doesn’t strip your hair or create buildup. It’s formulated with organic grapefruit extract, glycerin, and hydrolyzed wheat protein to keep hair full and hydrated.
The Volume Wizard™ Conditioner is the best conditioner for fine hair if you ask me. It nourishes hair strands using ingredients such as organic inulin, cranberry extract and wheat protein, giving them a hydrated and weightless bounce.
Bonus Tips to Boost Volume in Fine Hair
Now you know about root-boosting shampoos and conditioners for fine hair, I want to share some other tips that give your locks added va va voom.
Use Volume-Boosting Styling Products
If you want that wow factor, combine the best shampoo for fine hair and the best volumizing conditioner with styling products for fine hair. Here are some of my favorites:
Volume Wizard™ Hair Powder
This innovative hair styling powder gives instant volume and texture with medium hold and a matte finish. It's perfect for anyone who wants to add more body and texture to their hair while achieving a natural finish. Read more about how to use hair styling powder here.
Volume Wizard™ Pre-Styling Spray
Volume Wizard™ Pre-Styling Spray creates the perfect base for any hairstyle by providing touchable texture and body. Apply it before blowdrying, or spritz it onto dry hair for a quick volume boost.
Grow Perfect™ Thickening Spray
Grow Perfect™ Hair Thickening Spray is a 3-in-1 scalp treatment that both soothes the scalp, improves circulation to support regular hair follicle function, and gives instant volume to the roots. It's a great option to add natural volume if you also have an irritated scalp or are looking to boost hair growth.
Ocean Water Sea Salt Spray
This nourishing sea salt spray gives a voluminous beachy vibe without drying out your hair. It adds texture to all hair types and is the perfect product for creating a messy wavy look with bounce.
Mineral Clay Wax
This naturally-derived hair wax gives a strong hold, texture and a matte finish. It offers firm styling with a dry finish, while providing conditioning benefits.
Curl Crush™ Defining Mousse
This curl mousse is a great product for achieving bouncy and voluminous curls. Unlike many products for curly hair, this styling product won't weigh down fine hair types. Instead the result is bouncy volume, while keeping frizz at bay.
Take Hair Supplements
Healthy hair starts from the inside, so including supplements is a great way to get nutrients.
You can try Hair Formula Tablets for Men or for Women. If you’re not into tablets, then opt for tasty gummies! There are gummies designed for men and for women.
Clarify Your Hair
Over time products and dirt build-up. That’s where clarifying comes in. The best-clarifying shampoos thoroughly remove dirt on your scalp and strands. Make sure you only wash with a clarifying shampoo a few times a month, or it can dry out your hair.
If it’s volume you’re looking for, choose a great volumizing shampoo and the best volume conditioner for fine hair. Alongside my other hair-boosting tips and tricks, you’ll be flaunting that fullness in no time.
