In an ideal world, we'd all wake up with Duchess of Cambridge, Kate Middleton-worthy, bouncy locks. Alas, the flat hair struggle is real, and many of us aren't sure how to achieve volume without the right products.
According to the pros, the secret to voluminous hair starts in the shower, and the right shampoo can set your strands on the track to major lift.
With that in mind, we consulted some of the top celeb hairstylists to find out what shampoos they use to get larger-than-life locks. With the help of these rock star products, your hair will soon be transformed from flat to fab!
The best volumizing shampoos
- 1. By Gina Pure BioGen Shampoo, $29, Amazon
“This shampoo combines a rich blend of vitamins and minerals such as B7, B5, B12, biotin, collagen, wheat proteins, amino acids and peptides that all help create the appearance of fuller, thicker and healthier looking hair," said celebrity grooming expert and hairstylist Kendall Dorsey.
- 2. OGX Thick & Full Biotin & Collagen Shampoo, $8, Ulta
"So you may have heard about taking vitamins for thick, luscious locks but why not get some added collagen and biotin in your shampoo, too? This product helps flat hair get much-needed volume, and as an added bonus it's also paraben-free,” said hairstylist and makeup artistBlondie.
- 3. R & Co Dallas Thickening Shampoo, $24, Amazon
"For my customers craving vegan formulas, this is my go-to volume solution. Plus I really love its added thermal protectants since my clients use a lot of hot tools to achieve heathy, voluminous hair," said Cris Baadsgard, owner of Scene Salon and Colour Collective artist.
- 4. IGK 30,000 Feet Volume Shampoo, $25, Sephora
"While a lot of volumizing shampoos are drying or strip away your natural oils, this one strengthens, detangles, softens and hydrates hair. It will give you bounce and body with the help of hydrolyzed vegetable protein, which strengthens each strand of hair (making it appear thicker with more volume), and sunflower extract, which conditions and softens hair," said NYC Master Colorist @ IGK Soho Stephanie Brown.
- 5. ArtNaturals Moroccan Argan Oil Shampoo, $12, Amazon
“This cruelty, sulfate and paraben-free product takes away any residue and adds moisture to brittle hair, giving it a voluminous look without tons of products. This shampoo is especially perfect for women who just like to wash and go!" said celebrity makeup artist and hairstylist Aleetha Clanton.
- 6. Bumble and Bumble Thickening Volume Shampoo, $26, Sephora
"It gives limp, fine hair a noticeable amount of volume, and my clients' hair always feels thicker after each use. Of course, using this shampoo with a thickening styling product when blow drying will always give you even more volume, and help you bring sexy hair back," said celebrity hairstylist Michael Kanyon.
- 7. Ouai Volumizing Shampoo, $28, Sephora
"Unlike many volumizing shampoos, this one doesn’t strip your color, and it leaves hair nice and shiny. It does so by penetrating through the cuticle layer and pumping up the volume without destroying the outside layer of the hair strands," said colorist Bianca Hillier of Andy Lecompte Salon in Los Angeles.
- 8. Amika 3D Volume and Thickening Shampoo, $20, Sephora
"The foundation for beautiful full hair starts with a great shampoo that not only adds volume and fullness, but additionally keeps your strands moisturized. This shampoo is packed with rice and vegetable proteins, which improve volume and manageability while lightly adding moisture to the follicles. Women with fine hair that feels dry and damaged tend to love this product," said Glamsquad hairstylist Gio Vaccaro.
- 9. Pureology Clean Volume Shampoo, $30, Ulta
"This is my absolute go-to for volume! I love that you can actually feel the shampoo cleansing the oil from your hair. This is amazing for anyone prone to excess oil on the scalp," said Blondie, whose clients include Cara Delevingne and Allison Janney.
- 10. L'Oréal Paris Elvive Volume Filler Thickening Cleansing Shampoo, $7, Amazon
"This is my staple shampoo! I like that it creates tons of texture, making fine hair feel and look thicker after one use. It will give your hair the perfect body, especially after blow drying," said Clanton, whose clients include Solange and Aaron Eckhart.
- 11. Oribe Shampoo for Magnificent Volume, $44, Amazon
“This shampoo gives beautiful, effortless volume without weighing down hair, and also leaves flat, lifeless hair full of bounce," said Dorsey, whose clients include Nick Minaj and Cardi B.
- 12. Schwarzkopf Gliss Hair Repair Extra Volume Shampoo, $28 (pack of three), Amazon
"Another great shampoo that moisturizes hair and adds shine. It's weightless so it leaves you with long-lasting volume throughout the day, and it also helps repair inner hair damage, adding lift at the root," said Brown, whose clients include Kate McKinnon and Melissa Villaseñor.
- 13. Foligain Stimulating Shampoo for Thinning Hair, $30, Amazon
"If you want volume but are also worried about thinning hair, try this shampoo. It works over time to build body and help regrow hair with the help of Trioxidil, biotin and fruit stem cells," Brown said.
- 14. Briogeo Blossom & Bloom Ginseng + Biotin Volumizing Shampoo, $24, Sephora
“This is one of my new favorites! I love this shampoo because you get effortless volume and added biotin to strengthen hair,” Dorsey said.
For more hair care favorites, check out:
- The best shampoos for gray and silver hair
- The best purple shampoos for blonde hair
- The best blue shampoos for brunettes
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