Best Hair Thickening Products for 2023

Who doesn’t want full, lush hair? Full-volume styles are incredibly difficult to achieve when your hair is fine or thinning. In come hair thickening products! From growth serums that help your follicles do their job to styling creams and sprays that add some bulk, there are many ways to thicken up your tresses!

We’ve selected the best hair thickening products to help your hair look dense and full immediately or in the long term. Our selection includes both budget-friendly formulas and beloved professional brands, so you’ll have no problem finding the ideal boost for your hair. 

Best hair thickening products overview

• Best overall: Rogaine Women’s Rogaine 5% Minoxidil Unscented Foam
• Best budget: The Ordinary Multi-Peptide Serum for Hair Density
• Best styling product: Oribe Maximista Thickening Spray 
• Best budget styling product: Garnier Fructis Mega Full Thickening Lotion
• Best cream: Living Proof Full Thickening Cream
• Best shampoo: Bumble and Bumble. Thickening Volume Shampoo
• Best dry shampoo: Batiste Dry Shampoo Dark
• Best natural: Vegamour GRO Hair Serum
• Best fibers: Toppik Hair Building Fibers
• Best powder: BioSilk Volumizing Therapy Texturizing Powder
• Best for growth: Bondi Boost HG Shampoo
• Best paste: Christophe Robin Cleansing Volumizing Paste With Rose Extracts

How we chose the best hair thickening products

To compile this list, we researched manufacturer specifications, including product claims, key ingredients, and more to create a short list of the top hair thickeners. Then, we combed through detailed product descriptions, studies, ratings, and reviews to find the best hair thickening product for each category.

Our picks for the best hair thickening products

This is the ultimate heavy hitter — a real hair growth product. If you’re experiencing hair loss, minoxidil (the active ingredient in Rogaine) is the only over-the-counter compound that’s FDA-approved as a treatment. While many cosmetics allude to improving hair growth, this is the real deal. Minoxidil has years of clinical data showing that it can stimulate hair growth, especially in the case of hormonal pattern hair loss. 

This foam is our favorite Rogaine formula. It’s airy and easy to spread through the hair. Many reviewers described it as mousse-like, with a texture that doesn’t interfere with styling. Because it’s so potent, however, some users reported irritation after long-term use. You’ll want to be cautious and stop using this product if any complications arise.

Type: Foam | Main ingredients: 5% minoxidil | Size: 2.11 oz

This budget-friendly serum is designed to help increase hair density with regular use. Massage it into your scalp, and you might see a difference within a few months of use. The texture is light and easy to spread through the hair. 

While it’s technically a cosmetic, it’s made with ingredients like Redensyl, Capixyl, Procapil, and caffeine, which have some impressive clinical research backing their efficacy. Many reviewers have seen improved growth or a reduction in hair shedding. You’ll need to be patient, though, as results can take months.

Type: Serum | Main ingredients: Redensyl, Capixyl, Procapil, caffeine | Size: 2.03 oz

This beloved luxury styling product amps up the volume of your blowout while protecting your hair from damage. It’s made with a VP/VA copolymer that forms a coat over your strands, helping them hold their shape while adding thickness. 

Unlike the average hair spray, this formula keeps the hair soft, manageable, and silky. It also protects your hair from heat and UV damage and even includes some conditioning elements to prevent breakage.

Type: Spray | Main ingredients: Thickening copolymers, cetrimonium chloride, UV protection system | Size: 6.8 oz

Voluminous, fuller-looking hair is possible on a budget. This lotion from Garnier bulks up the strands and offers excellent hold, thanks to cotton extract and a few film-forming polymers. That said, it can feel a little sticky once it dries, so apply it to damp hair after detangling and before styling.

Type: Lotion | Main ingredients: PVP, polyacrylate-3, cotton extract | Size: 5 fl oz

This cream from one of our favorite professional haircare brands gives the hair an immediate lift with mild conditioning effects. It’s made with polyalkylaminoester-1, a flexible thickening polymer that may not feel like much but has a dramatic volumizing effect. While this formula shouldn’t make your hair feel greasy, it’s still not recommended to use near the roots.

Type: Cream | Main ingredients: Polyalkylaminoester-1 (PBAE) | Size: 3.7 oz

Your shampoo should absolutely be part of your hair thickening process. This gorgeous formula cleanses thoroughly to remove product buildup and help fine hair achieve maximum lift. It leaves the hair clean, soft, and full with the nourishing touch of aloe and panthenol. It contains sulfates, though, which might be drying for some.

Type: Shampoo | Main ingredients: Sodium laureth sulfate, aloe juice, panthenol | Size: 8.5 oz

Dry shampoo is the ultimate hack for giving the hair a thicker, fuller look. It absorbs oils that can weigh down your hair and adds heft to the roots. Most dry shampoos perform well when it comes to volume, but Batiste is a favorite for its gorgeous scent and budget-friendly price.

Another bonus is that this formula comes in a tinted version, so it can add a bit of a lift and camouflage sparse areas. Just be careful not to overdo it since the buildup may cause scalp issues.

Type: Dry shampoo | Main ingredients: Rice starch | Size: 4.23 oz each (2 pack)

This Vegamour serum is designed to give your hair follicles a boost with nothing but plant-based ingredients. Made with caffeine, mung beans, curcumin, and red clover, it combats multiple contributing factors to thinning hair. It shows actual clinical efficacy in slowing down hair shedding and increasing density.

Type: Serum | Main ingredients: Caffeine, mung beans, curcumin, red clover | Size: 1 fl oz

If you feel like too much of your scalp shows through your hair, Toppik is a simple solution. These fibers are made of keratin — just like real hair — and come in a range of natural hair colors. 

You shake or spray them over your scalp, and they fill in the gaps to minimize a wide part or hide thin patches. Unlike powder-based fillers, Toppik fibers look very natural. Note that they can be a little messy to use, and they may leave a residue on anything that comes in contact with your scalp.

Type: Fibers | Main ingredients: Keratin | Size: 1.94 oz

Powders can be a fantastic option if you want more lift at the roots. Unlike creams or sprays, there’s zero risk that this powder will make your scalp feel greasy — quite the opposite. It’s made with silica silylate, a lightweight powder that adds texture and thickening polymers to create an even layer over the hair shaft. You can use it alone or in conjunction with a volumizing cream on the mids and ends. 

This formula also includes quite a few nourishing proteins and plant extracts for a hint of shine, although we think BioSilk’s overall hair health claims are overblown.

Type: Powder | Main ingredients: Silica silylate | Size: 0.5 oz

This shampoo, made with saw palmetto, peppermint, and rosemary, is designed to nourish the scalp and encourage new growth while keeping your hair gently clean. It’s sulfate free, so your scalp won’t mind even if you choose to use it frequently. Just keep in mind that since it’s a wash-off product, the effects will be limited, but it can still support your hair growth efforts.

Type: Shampoo | Main ingredients: Saw palmetto, peppermint, rosemary | Size: 10.14 oz

The benefits of deep cleansing and exfoliation should never be underestimated, especially if you use hair thickening products that leave a residue behind. This paste is like a shampoo, clay mask, and scalp scrub in one! 

In the short term, this clay-to-foam formula gives a lot of lift and volume, especially at the roots. In the long term, sugar crystals remove dead skin cells, while clay eliminates excess oil — clearing the way for your scalp and hair follicles to thrive.

Type: Cleansing paste | Main ingredients: Volcanic clay, sugar | Size: 2.5 oz

Final thoughts

Achieving thicker-looking hair is a journey, but the right thickening products will keep the process (and your hair) smooth. Our best overall pick, Women’s Rogaine 5% Minoxidil Unscented Foam, is an FDA-approved hair growth treatment made with the highly clinically-researched ingredient minoxidil. 

The rest of the products on our list fall into two main categories: hair growth products for long-term effects and volumizing styling products that’ll give your hair an immediate boost. Pick one that stands out to you, or combine a few for optimal hair thickness. 

How to pick the right hair thickening product for you

What kind of hair thickening products are you after? There are all types of hairstyling and hair growth options that can amp up your tresses. Consider the following when shopping:

Intended use

• Growth-stimulating. Hair growth products stimulate the hair follicles to improve the growth of new strands or minimize hair shedding. They usually include ingredients like minoxidil, patented hair growth blends, saw palmetto, or peppermint. They’re ideal if you’re experiencing hair loss or thinning. 
• Volumizing styling products. If you want your hair to look fuller and more voluminous from root to tip, volumizing styling products thicken individual strands and add a lift with polymers, starches, or silica. 
• Scalp camouflaging. Tinted or fiber-based products, like Batiste’s Dry Shampoo, can create the illusion of more hair by hiding patches in your scalp. 

Types

• Serum/treatment. Lightweight products spread over the scalp easily and usually contain nourishing or stimulating ingredients that improve scalp function and hair growth.
• Mousse/cream. Reminiscent of leave-in conditioner, these thickening hair styling products have a creamy texture. They’re excellent when applied throughout the hair but can feel a little heavy at the root. 
• Spray. Sprays work similarly to mousses and creams but with a lighter texture. They’re more suitable for lifting and volumizing the roots or for those with oily hair. 
• Dry shampoo. Designed primarily to absorb excess oil, dry shampoos are also known for giving the roots a lift and helping to refresh hairstyles that have become limp. 
• Powder. These styling products add grit, texture, and thickness to your tresses with polymers, starches, or silica. 
• Shampoo. Volumizing shampoos usually have very cleansing formulas to remove residue that weighs down your roots. They can also include nourishing and follicle-boosting ingredients to help with thinning hair. 

Hair condition 

• Fine/flat hair. Look for styling products that’ll add body and volume to your hair. A good shampoo, like our pick from Bumble and Bumble., is a must to prime your hair for volume, along with any polymer-based styling products designed to give lift and bulk. 
• Hair loss. If you experience hair loss, it’s natural to want to grow your hair back. Look for science-backed hair growth treatments, like Rogaine, and consider thickening products that’ll camouflage your concerns in the short term. 
• Damaged. Sometimes, damage can lead to breakage and thinner-looking hair. Hair treatments will fortify and restore your hair long term, while styling creams will give you a short-term boost without compounding the damage. 
• All of the above. A combination of products will provide you with the best results. Use a hair growth treatment at night and try a combination of thickening styling products for more voluminous styles. 

FAQ

What’s the best thing to use to thicken your hair? 

If you want a treatment that’ll actually improve your hair’s density, Rogaine’s 5% Minoxidil Foam is our pick for the most effective hair growth remedy. If you’re looking for a styling product that’ll make your hair look thicker, sprays like Oribe Maximista are the ideal choice for their immediate coating and volumizing effects. 

Can thin hair become thick again?

If your hair has become thin due to age or damage, it’s possible that stimulating products, like Rogaine or The Ordinary’s Multi-Peptide Serum, will kick your follicles back into gear. If your hair is genetically fine and flat, styling products that’ll thicken your hair temporarily are likely the best option. 

What vitamins help thicken hair?

Deficiency in certain vitamins can lead to hair loss, so it’s essential to identify what you’re lacking in order to supplement it. The vitamins and minerals most likely to help with hair thickness are vitamin D, biotin, iron, and vitamin C.