13 Hair-Thickening Shampoos That Add Instant Volume

This Kérastase formula was a winner across the board in the GH Beauty Lab's hair thickening and volumizing shampoo test. It scored highest for making strands feel thicker, best at leaving hair feeling clean and earned top points for being lightweight. The only negative? A few testers didn't love the twist off caps.

“They truly worked!" a tester marveled. "My hair has so much volume and bounce when I use these products!” Another loved that her hair "never felt weighed down and didn’t go limp by mid-day."

Garnier’s sweet fruity-scented shampoo tied for top in GH Beauty Lab testing for volumizing strands while also leaving hair feeling soft and conditioned — at a fraction of the price of other products. The formula was easy to dispense and left hair easy to comb after towel-drying. If you are using the matching conditioner, start sparingly: One tester noted that it was difficult to rinse out.

Reviewers loved both the instant and long-term effects. “My hair instantly felt fuller after just one use," a tester raved. "I was shocked!” Another commented that she liked it even more after multiple uses.

Celebrity hair colorist George Papanikolas loves this Biolage shampoo because it "really shows results!" Here's why: "One of the things that prevents fullness and hair growth is a clogged scalp, and this thickening shampoo helps to remove impurities and buildup to encourage hair growth," he explains, adding that he also loves that it's combined with an effective "thickness formula" including ingredients like biotin, zinc PCA and gluco-omega.

While many reviewers loved the fullness this shampoo provides, a few felt it dried out their strands.

This affordable Pantene powerhouse can transform fine or flat hair that's also dehydrated and in need of extra conditioning. One GH Beauty Lab tester commented, “This shampoo made my hair so nice and full, and considerably cut down the frizz.” Others loved the “clean,” “fruity” scent and how well it conditioned hair, which made for easy combing after towel-drying.

While testers overall liked the formula, there was one consistent complaint: a few found it hard to fully rinse the shampoo out.

Despite being made without sulfates, bargain-priced OGX was beloved in GH Beauty Lab testing for its "luxurious" cleansing lather. The formula rated highly at applying and rinsing easily, effortlessly providing sufficient lather and leaving hair feeling cleansed and easy to comb. It does have a strong scent which had mixed reviews amongst our testers.

"It helped give my hair more body," a tester commented. "I loved the scent and that I didn't need to use a lot to produce a nice lather," said another.

Those with fine hair that are concerned about products making it feel heavy can turn to Paul Mitchell’s shampoo. Testers rated the formula best for not weighing hair down. However, it didn't lather as well as some others.

“This definitely added a good amount of volume to my fine, limp hair," a tester reported. "I didn’t have to put any product in to help with volume.” Another shared that her "hair was thicker looking and the volume lasted the whole day."

Briogeo's shampoo boasts a powerful combo of caffeine, biotin and peptides to stimulate microcirculation at the scalp and nourish and strengthen strands. "It's light, smells good and rinses easily," one GH editor said. "Plus, it leaves my hair bouncy and full when I blow dry it."

Curly girls with fine hair really like the formula. A few reviewers noted that it didn't dry out or weigh down their curly hair. Although a few others noted scalp irritation, so proceed with caution if you have a sensitive scalp.

Made with natural ingredients like wheat protein and aloe, Aveda’s shampoo earned top marks from GH Beauty Lab testers for making their hair feel thicker. It has a natural, botanical scent that some loved, while others found it too intense.

“This product gave my hair volume and thickness — and created the appearance of actually having more hair!” one exclaimed. Another loved the instant effect: "When lathering the shampoo it felt like my hair was already pumping up with volume."

Even those with dandruff can use volumizing benefits, too. This shampoo from Head & Shoulders contains pyrithione zinc to treat dandruff, while adding lift and volume for up to 24 hours, according to the brand. "I have used and always liked Head & Shoulders products and especially love their nice, clean scents," says GH Beauty Lab Senior Chemist Danusia Wnek.

While it is ideal for those with fine or thin hair, a few reviewers noted it doesn't work well on coarse strands.

If you have hair that gets greasy easily, this pick from Kenra, which performed well in GH Beauty Lab testing for giving hair a clean feel, may be for you. It scored highly for washing out easily and leaving hair feeling clean after rinsing, plus highest for making strands easy to comb after towel-drying. A few reviewers did find that it made hair feel drier, so keep that in mind if your hair is on the dry side.

"My fine, thin hair looks thicker, has more volume than before and it lasts all day!" a tester remarked. "I liked the scent and the ease of use," said another.

Give lifeless strands a refresh with this Dove shampoo, which ranked at the top for its pleasant "fresh and clean" scent. It also scored well for leaving hair feeling clean, soft and not weighed down. Keep in mind, some testers felt that the shampoo didn't lather well and was hard to move through hair.

"My styled hair had more volume and body after using these products and I received compliments," a tester noted. Another said: "My hair had more bounce."

A powerful combination of apple stem cells and rice and soy protein help strengthen strands and add lift and bounce in NatureLab Tokyo's sweetly-scented formula. While it has serious volumizing power, some reviewers felt it was drying at the same time.

"This is one of the only shampoos I've tried that made my hair instantly feel fuller once it was dried," says GH Beauty Director April Franzino. "Even the next morning, my hair still has visible lift and volume — it's light and bouncy instead of going flat."

Want a gentle option that won't weigh down your hair? "Super lightweight, this shampoo only uses mild natural ingredients, and encourages natural thickness," explains Nick Arrojo, hairstylist and founder of Arrojo Salon in New York City. "It's great for making all hair types look and feel full and thick." A thin, liquid formula, some reviewers felt the texture was "runny" and that it drips easily.