I may not be from the South, but the phrase "The higher the hair, the closer to God" has always resonated with me. If my hair is lacking volume, I don't want it. Listen, I'm not saying I need pageant-level fullness, but nothing irks me more than a flat hairstyle, which is why my blow-dry routine has to include some kind of volumizing spray. Lucky for me, there are a ton of options out there. Not so lucky for me ... there are a ton of options.
So, in the interest of hair science (and having a good hair day), I researched the top three most popular volumizing sprays shoppers are reaching for right now and put them to the test. Which one took my style from flat to fab? Read on to find out.
Won't weigh hair down$undefined$46.00
How I tried the hair volumizers
Each product was applied before at least two blowout sessions. Each spray was used on fully washed, wet hair before adding any kind of heat to it. An exception to the latter was made for any product that was allowed on dry hair for adding extra volume, let's say, on non-wash days.
Best for fullness from root to ends:
All-over volume without the crunch
When we talk volume, there's normally a big emphasis on getting lift in the root area. And while that's super important, you can't forget about adding those same benefits to the rest of the hair. Adding body to the rest of your strands can make a huge difference to your blowout — it certainly did for mine. I applied this formula from root to tip before rough drying and putting my hair in a few rollers, which resulted in one of the best bombshell blowouts of my life. What gives this volumizing spray its edge is that my hair remained full and thick for days, without feeling heavy or crunchy.
This has the best spray nozzle
I don't think this topic is talked about enough, but it's a huge selling point for me. Packaging of hair products shouldn't be taken lightly, especially for sprays, since I can't just open the bottle up and scoop out the last bits of product. So, I prefer a spray nozzle that is not only powerful, but also delivers as much product as possible in a single spritz. Amika should give pointers to other brands because this bottle has the best delivery system I've seen in a long time, if not ever. The mist is wide, covering a ton more ground than your average bottle, which allows me to actively spray less and get more uses out of it. Genius.
Best for getting super-soft hair and weightless volume:
Grab if you want super soft hair!
You know when your hair feels so soft that you can't stop touching it? If you do, and want to re-live that type of experience over and over again, I recommend getting your hands on this K18 product ASAP. If you don't, I'm so sorry. Please, buy this immediately and show your hair some love! This is the formula that gets me in trouble, because touching my hair leads to greasiness. BUT I can't help it; I can't resist whatever K18 put in this volume spray that makes me want to run my fingers through each and every strand.
Promises two-day hold
I applied this formula to towel-dried hair and let it air-dry to about 80% complete before using the blow-dryer. I can usually tell how a blowout is going to go by how well my round brush strokes through my hair — and my brush didn't catch or tangle once. After being thoroughly dried, each section of hair felt bouncy and full. Overall, it also felt pretty weightless. And that style didn't waver; in fact, the brand promises a two-day hold, and I can say that this held true.
This scent is delicious
It would be remiss of me to not mention how lovely this spray smells. I was taken aback when I first misted this onto my hair and had to stop what I was doing to look at the bottle to see if any specific fragrance was added. The brand doesn't specify, so it remains a mystery, but I don't mind. What's great is that the scent seems to peter out after the blowout, so if you're sensitive to fragrance, it doesn't linger.
Best for bouncy touchups and shine:
Creates a sleek, shiny blowout
Ask anyone on the Shop TODAY team, and they'll tell you that Olaplex is one of the most reliable hair brands on the market. I'm just glad this volume spray didn't prove that sentiment wrong. While it didn't offer the same va-va-voom lift that I experienced with the other two formulas, it is still capable of giving hair that extra boost. I think it did a better job of giving my hair a glossy sheen, as well as, temporarily bringing my highlights (which are seriously due for a touchup) back to life.
I'd actually argue that this spray is perfect for having on hand for touchups. In between hair wash days, when you want a little more oomph, just spritz your roots with this blow-dry mist and use a round brush to lift them up as you put a blow-dryer to them. And if you want even more lift, the brand says the formula is buildable and won't leave your strands feeling crunchy.
My overall pick
There's no question that Amika takes the gold in this hair competition. Don't get me wrong — there's obviously major benefits to each of these products, and I had a great experience with them all (and will absolutely be finishing each bottle), but there's no denying that Amika gave me the volume of my dreams.
For the last couple of summers, I've gotten into the routine of chopping my hair in preparation because it's extremely hard to keep my longer, heavier hair from looking flat all the time. Now, I'm excited to have longer strands this season because I found this Amika spray. I think it can take on the challenge of keeping my 'do lifted and bouncy for longer.
CeraVe Gentle Scalp Care Conditioner
Winner: Best conditioner for scalp care
$8.97
$10.99
Amazon
$10.99
Target
$8.97
Walmart
Red by Kiss Growth MD Silicone-Free Conditioner
Winner: Best conditioner for aging hair
$10.99
$11.99
Amazon
$11.99
Ivy Beauty
The Mane Choice The Alpha Bond Repair Leave-In Conditioner
Winner: Best leave-in conditioner for instant results
$13.97
$14.99
Amazon
$14.99
The Mane Choice
$13.97
Walmart
Dae Hair Cactus Fruit 3-In-1 Styling Cream
Winner: Best overall styling cream
$30.00
Amazon
$21.00
$30.00
DAE Hair
Color Wow Texas Hold 'Em Big Hold Hairspray
Winner: Best overall hairspray
$30.00
Amazon
$30.00
Sephora
$30.00
Color Wow
FHI Heat UNbrush Detangling Brush
Winner: Best overall hair brush
$18.00
Amazon
$18.00
Target
$18.00
FHI Heat
Lottabody Wrap Me Foaming Curl Mousse with Coconut and Shea Oil
Winner: Best value curl cream
$3.98
$5.74
Amazon
$3.98
Walmart
$4.99
Sally Beauty
Why trust Shop TODAY?
The Shop TODAY editors and writers search the internet to find the best products out there. We interview expert sources and use our own personal experiences with the product and brand to make shopping easier for our readers.
Danielle Murphy is the audience development writer for Shop TODAY. She’s been writing for the team since 2021, covering everything from fashion and beauty to product reviews and sales content.
