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The 13 Best Hairsprays for Fine Hair, Tested & Vetted by Editors
By Marissa Wu,
1 day ago
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My hair has three major defining features: It’s straight , thin and it doesn’t hold any shape. I learned this early on, when, after my mother had slaved for an hour to curl my hair, it fell flat within minutes, despite the fact that the hairspray bottle said “firm hold.” Since then, I set off to determine the best hairspray for fine hair, and after weeks of testing myriad brands and living through heat waves and crazy humidity, these are 13 that passed the test. They include the multi-hyphenate and best overall winner Bumble & bumble’s Dryspun ($16), budget-friendly Tresemmé Très Two Extra Hold Hairspray ($12) and curl-holding Sebastian Shaper Plus Hairspray (was $30, now $16). I also spoke with two celebrity hairstylists about their application tips and tricks.
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The Best Hairspray for Fine Hair at a Glance
Meet the Experts
How I Researched and Tested the Best Hairsprays for Fine Hair
To create this list of the 13 best hairsprays for fine hair, I reached out to my favorite hairstylists and asked them for their recommendations. I also combed through data in Google Trends and forums like Reddit to see what people were searching for and loving. Additionally, I polled fellow PureWow editors about the hairsprays they used. Ultimately, I ended up considering 25 hairsprays, testing as many as I could and evaluating them on efficacy (did they do what they promised?), ease of use, longevity and scent. Throughout the testing process, I followed the directions for each product and curled my notoriously flat hair with either the T3 Curl ID curling iron ($249) or the Dyson Airwrap ($599). Then, I went about my daily life in New York City—through multiple heat waves and oppressive humidity (we’re talking 92 percent one day)—to see how each hairspray held up. Below are the ones that made the cut.
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Out of all the hairsprays I tested for this article, Bumble and bumble’s Dryspun blew me away. It’s a volume spray, dry shampoo, texture spray and hairspray all in one. The initial claim that it would provide three days’ hold had me skeptical—but I tried it and can confirm my hair looked just as fresh as it did on day one as it did on day two. When I say my hair looked the best it's ever looked, I’m not exaggerating. Dryspun allowed my hair to hold its shape very well, while feeling natural and silky.
One hiccup I often run into when trying to amp up the volume of my hair is the grittiness. I hate sprays that feel crispy and leave my hair looking like I touched an electric wire. (It’s happened.) I found that R+Co Bleu’s Featherlight hairspray was the happy medium between natural-feeling strands and more volume/texture. Though the hold didn’t perform the best in the crazy humidity NYC’s been experiencing lately, the hairspray helped my hair maintain its volume and by the end of the day I was left with some fun loose waves . The formula features vitamin B (keeps hair soft), flower extract (smooths) and styling resins (hold), packaged in a light aerosol that’s got a gentle, fresh scent.
When I think of extreme hold, I think crunch. However, Tresemmé manages to deliver with the lightest mist and most natural results I’ve ever experienced. The hairspray isn’t supremely crunchy, but does add a pleasant amount of texture. It’s also easy to use—the best experience I’ve had by far. The nozzle is not at all sticky, while the hairspray itself is an ultra-fine mist that doesn’t feel like you’re being enveloped in a cloud of fire extinguisher. And, at 85 cents per ounce, it’s one of the least expensive buys on this list.
If you’re wanting to avoid the ubiquitous hydrocarbons found in aerosol hairsprays, R+Co’s Backbend is the best non-aerosol hairspray for fine hair. Of course, you will have to compromise on some features, such as continuous spray and the fact that the mist will be less fine. However, I found that Backbend had a nice, light scent and a pretty strong hold—though it won’t hold up well in humidity. Initially, your hair will feel a tad crispy, but that’s easily solved by combing the product through your hair. The brand loads the formula with black currant (frizz control), blueberry extract (shine and bounce) and plum seed oil (antioxidant protection and hydration).
As discussed, sticky hair is an unpleasant feeling. To avoid that, I recommend Living Proof’s Style Lab Flex Hairspray. The end result is a light texture, but nothing super crunchy—my hair remained brushable. This is a medium-hold hairspray that works on all hair types and textures. Ingredients like vitamin B condition the hair, while the brand’s Flexible Web Technology allows you to apply it to wet or dry hair. There’s also the added bonus of heat protection, which was a plus for me as I try to limit the amount of products I use on my hair.
“I find the Color Wow to have a light-but-effective hold in my hair, which is naturally wavy but tends to frizz and fall in humidity,” says PureWow senior commerce editor Stephanie Maida . “I spritzed this on before a day spent outdoors in July and my curls held on all day, with less frizz and no hard, crunchy feeling (and I used quite a bit). I also love that there’s barely any smell.” This hairspray is brushable and flexible with heat and UV protection.
I’m pretty sensitive to smells, and there have been plenty of times I’ve caught whiffs of a product and it made me want to gag. But WEN’s finishing spray? Best scent ever. Think fresh apples on a crisp fall afternoon. The formula includes nourishing ingredients like amino acids and peptides, in addition to lavender extract, eucalyptus extract and mandarin orange peel oil, which gives your hair a glossy finish. The hold is strong and the hairspray adds a bit of texture. It’s crunchy at first, but if you comb it out, you’ll get a softer volume and shape.
This is my number two to Bumble and bumble in terms of ease. Kristin Ess’s Ultra Fine Workable Hairspray offers heat protection and the ability to dry style, which I’ve learned is my preferred method. I tested this hairspray on a day when it was wretchedly humid outside, and to my surprise, it held my hairstyle pretty well. The other thing I loved was that the formula is super flexible and weightless—I literally couldn't feel it in my hair. My strands maintained their silky texture, while staying curled.
“Ghost” seems like a fitting name for a lightweight hairspray. Verb’s is an ultra-fine formula featuring vitamin B and moringa oil to smooth frizz. It dispenses like a cloud for a flexible, medium hold. I’ll note that when you first apply it, the spray can feel crunchy, but combing out your hair will soften things, while still maintaining your style. The scent isn’t overpowering either; it smells like fresh laundry.
A friend introduced me to Kenra’s volume spray years ago, and it’s one of the few beauty products I actually buy. The volume and hold are INTENSE—though the trade-off is that your hair will be extremely crunchy. However, I find that brushing the product through my hair helps to taper the crispiness, and it mellows as the day goes on. You also don’t need a ton of product to achieve the extreme hold, and as someone whose hair needs all the help it can get, this is a welcome perk. I like stocking up on the two-pack at Amazon, which puts it about $1.80/ounce.
This is technically not a spray, but I thought it was too good not to share. Biolage’s Gelée Styler blows drugstore hair gel out of the water. The caveat is that you apply it to wet hair. I was skeptical at first, but after blow drying and heat styling, my hair felt smooth and silky with an added volume boost. For a moment I thought, I’m definitely losing these curls . But no—my curls lasted all day, despite being whipped around by the wind. Volume and curls made it through intact, and I loved that my hair felt natural and not sticky. The only con for me is that right out of the bottle, the scent is cloyingly sweet. Luckily, it doesn’t stick around.
“I have incredibly fine hair. With no product, hair ties and clips slip down super easily, curls are gone within an hour, half-up styles are falling out if I turn my head too quickly—all of this to say, I need a super-strong hold hair spray to get whatever style I’m going for,” explains PureWow commerce editor Olivia Dubyak . “My go-to? Got2B Glued spray. I have been using this since high school (a good 12 years now) and it keeps everything locked exactly where I want it to be. It’s definitely got a harder finish, but I find if you lightly spritz several inches away from your head, it won't look shiny. Another key thing I’ve learned with this formula is to make sure you don’t touch the area you sprayed until it's dry or else it will look gelled and wet. It may be finicky as far as technique goes, but once you see how it reacts on your hair, it's a must-have if you’ve got slippery hair like me.”
“When I want a lightweight finish for my curls or straightened styles, I opt for this effective-yet-weightless spray,” Dubyak tells me. “It’s described as extra-hold, but make no mistake: It won’t leave your hair feeling like cement. My hair is still very workable after application and if I spray it through my hair and brush it out, it helps my curls stay longer because it gives my locks a little grit.”
What to Consider When Shopping for Hairspray for Fine Hair
When shopping for hairspray for fine hair, there are a few factors to consider, as different sprays are formulated to yield different results.
“If you’re looking to add more texture, you might want to test out a texture spray , and if you’re looking for a serious hold, you’ll want to go with a freeze spray,” Alvarez advises.
For those looking for “healthy” or “natural” hairsprays, Dean notes that you’ll want to avoid ingredients such as propane, butane, isobutane and vinyl acetate. Additionally, he says, “Avoid products containing drying, damaging and harsh chemicals like propane, butane, isobutane or vinyl acetate. Instead, look for brands containing skin-loving ingredients that will help hydrate, treat and condition your hair while delivering shine, hold and flexibility.”
Then there’s the crunch factor, and Dean has a trick for determining what kind of finish a hairspray will leave behind. “A good rule of thumb is that if it feels tacky, sticky or heavy on your skin, it will leave your hair the same way,” he says. “[When applying hairspray], I suggest spraying it an arm’s length away and misting in a circular motion as you spray so you’re not spraying directly onto one spot. Spritz lightly and let it dry. Layering it like this creates a firmer hold.”
What’s the Best Overall Hairspray for Fine Hair?
After extensive research and consulting with hair professionals, Bumble & bumble’s Dryspun proved itself to be the best overall hairspray for fine hair. The lightweight formula adds texture and volume without leaving the hair crunchy, and it acts as a dry shampoo and heat protectant. Additionally, your hairstyle will last for days—I tried it and was shocked that my hair looked fresh at the end of day two.
PureWow's editors and writers have spent more than a decade shopping online, digging through sales and putting our home goods, beauty finds, wellness picks and more through the wringer—all to help you determine which are actually worth your hard-earned cash. From our PureWow100 series (where we rank items on a 100-point scale) to our painstakingly curated lists of fashion, beauty, cooking, home and family picks, you can trust that our recommendations have been thoroughly vetted for function, aesthetics and innovation. Whether you're looking for travel-size hair dryers you can take on-the-go or women’s walking shoes that won’t hurt your feet, we’ve got you covered.
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