Want More Volume? Try These 15 Shampoos for Fine Hair ASAP

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A PSA to all my fine hair friends out there: You can use all the volumizing products, texturizing sprays, and bodifying mousses money can buy, but if you’re not prepping your hair in the shower before you start styling—specifically with a volumizing shampoo—your hair will fall flat 9/10 times.

Most shampoos are loaded with a combo of cleansers and moisturizing ingredients, and while this is great if your is dry, damaged or in need of some smoothing, it’s not so great if your hair is lacking in the volume departement since most moisturizers end up weighing fine hair down. That’s where the right volumizing shampoo comes in handy. It’ll cleanse your hair, lightly hydrate it, and use plumping or thickening agents to give your stands a bit more oomph straight out of the shower.

So to help you find the perfect volumizing shampoo for your hair type and concerns, I tested and reviewed a ton of different formulas on my fine, flat hair and reached out to two pro hair stylists (shoutout to Rogerio Cavalcante and Adam Maclay) for their top picks and expert insights. Here's a sneak peek of the 15 best shampoos for fine hair that’ll give you the perfect amount of oomph with each wash.

✔️ P.S., This is new, up-to-date info, bb. We updated this article in May 2023 to add new volumizing shampoos, complete with more specifications and real-tester reviews, and also delete outdated oldies, just for you.

Ready to transform your hair from fine and thin to thick and voluminous? Check out the full list of the 15 best volumizing shampoos below and don't forget to check out the expert tips for choosing a volumizing shampoo too.

Amplify Cleanser for Fine Hair

This shampoo gives hair amazing lift and shine, says Cavalcante, adding that it's "gentle and non-drying so it won't strip your hair and scalp." It's a great option for fine or thin hair that's straight, curly, or wavy and needs some extra bounce and body—and it's a safe choice for color-treated hair too.

• Sulfate-free? Yes

• Key ingredients: Green tea extract (antioxidant protection); lime extract (energizing)

THE REVIEW: "I have tried so many volumizing shampoos and they all seem to do the same thing—strip the hair of any natural oils in order to increase volume," writes a tester. "This is one of the better shampoos that cleanses the hair without removing those oils so your hair feels soft but with a bit of extra volume! I love the fresh and light floral scent too."

EverPure Volume Shampoo

If you dye or bleach your fine hair, this lightweight volumizing shampoo for color-treated hair is a must-have. It’s sulfate-free, so it gently gets rid of dirt and buildup without damaging your hair or stripping your color. And to help give fine, flat hair a boost, it contains volumizing lotus extract too.

• Sulfate-free? Yes

• Key ingredients: Lotus flower extract (volumizing)

THE REVIEW: "I actually like this shampoo better than more expensive options I've tried," reads a tester review. "My hair tends to get oily and weighed down easily but that never happens when I use this—and I love that it helps maintain my red hair color too."

Flourish Volumizing Keratin Shampoo for Thinning Hair

Stress, hormones, diet—there are a ton of things that can cause your hair to start thinning. Instead of freaking out, grab this shampoo for fine, thinning hair. It balances your scalp's microbiome to encourage healthy hair growth, plus it's got lightweight hydrators to smooth and soften sans heaviness.

• Sulfate free? Yes

• Key ingredients: Alpha keratin 60ku protein (encourages hair growth); sodium hyaluronate, red algae extract (hydration)

THE REVIEW: “I always had thick hair but after getting Covid I started losing my hair and it lacked its luster," writes a tester. "I was desperate so I wanted tried this shampoo and I'm so pleased with the results. It's made my hair feel thicker and and I've noticed I'm not losing as much in the shower."

Total Results High Amplify Super Clarifying Root Cleanser

Even if your hair is naturally thick and full, flat roots and lack of volume can happen if you wash infrequently and product buildup and oil start to accumulate on your scalp. The fix? This clarifying shampoo from Matrix. It deep cleanses and degunks for added lift and volume...all without stripping away your color or making your hair feel straw-like.

• Sulfate-free? No

• Key ingredients: Salicylic acid (exfoliating); hydrolyzed wheat protein (volumizing)

THE REVIEW: "I've been trying to find a shampoo that doesn't "gunk-up" my hair or break the budget...and THIS IS IT," one tester's review reads. "Plus, I only wash my hair twice a week!! Let's see... saves me washes, time, money & luv it??? No brainer."

Weightless Hydration Shampoo for Fine/Thin Hair

If your fine, flat hair get greasy no matter how much dry shampoo you apply, this volumizing shampoo for oily hair from Ceremonia is a must. It uses witch hazel to minimize excess oil on the scalp so you can go longer in between wash days, plus pea and potato-derived proteins to boost hair volume.

• Sulfate-free? Yes

• Key ingredients: Witch hazel (clarifying); yucca extract (cleansing); plant-based keratin (strengthening and volumizing)

THE REVIEW: "First off, this product smells good enough to eat. I love that this product is very clean but also suds VERY well! It left my hair feeling incredibly soft and I got so many compliments on it afterwards. Highly recommend!

Shampoo for Magnificent Volume

There's nothing more luxe than lathering up with Oribe's Shampoo for Magnificent volume on wash day. A favorite of Cavalcante, he says "it provides weightless moisture to make hair ultra soft but not weighed down"—plus it uses plumping polymers to add fullness and body to each strand of hair.

• Sulfate-free? Yes

• Key ingredients: Lupine protein, saw palmetto extract (scalp balancing); Oribe's signature complex (antioxidant protection, color protection)

THE REVIEW: “Oribe is the GOAT of hair products in my opinion, and this particular one is my favorite," says a tester. "I have fine hair that is very straight. This has changed my hair, it feels fuller and looks so good all the time."

Thick & Full Biotin & Collagen Shampoo

Think a shampoo has to be pricey to get the job done? This volumizing drugstore shampoo for fine hair (it's less than $11!) is here to prove you wrong. It’ll give you more volume at the roots and all over thickness thanks to collagen, biotin, and wheat proteins.

• Sulfate-free? Yes

• Key ingredients: Biotin, collagen (strengthening); vitamin B7 (thickening)

THE REVIEW: “You won't find a better shampoo at this price points," writes one tester. "It makes my hair feel just as smooth and bouncy as shampoos that are triple, even quadruple, the price."

Fine Hair Shampoo

You (probably) know her, and you (probably) love her. This popular volumizing and thickening shampoo from celeb hairstylist Jen Atkin's line adds major bounce and volume to hair. It even has strengthening benefits and nourishing properties that help smooth frizz and flyaways too. Reviewers also note that it lathers well and leaves hair feeling super healthy after every wash.

• Sulfate-free? Yes

• Key ingredients: Biotin (strengthening); hydrolyzed keratin (smoothing); chia seed oil (thickening)

THE REVIEW: “This shampoo has a beautiful scent that reminds me of a rose garden," writes a tester. "Aside from the great fragrance, it really helps make my fine hair feels super full and very soft too."

Cleansing Volumising Paste

This deeply clarifying shampoo-like treatment transforms from a paste to a foam upon application. The unique consistency provides lift at the roots roots and tons of thickness from mid-lengths to ends for all-over body and volume.

• Sulfate-free? No

• Key ingredients: Rassoul clay (deep cleansing and volumizing); baobab leaf extract (conditioning)

THE REVIEW: “I got this product as a sample and had to buy a full- size version because I loved how volumizing it was! I use it once a week in place of my regular shampoo and absolutely love how thick and full it makes my hair look," writes a tester.

Extra Volume Shampoo

Whether you have stick-straight hair or type 4 curls, this volumizing shampoo has got you covered. It uses linden-bud extract to plump each individual strand—plus it contains a dose of moisturizing argan oil, coconut oil, and glycerin to nourish and moisturize your hair too.

• Sulfate-free? Yes

• Key ingredients: Argan oil, coconut oil (moisturizing); glycerin (hydrating); linden-bud extract (volumizing)

THE REVIEW: “I love it! Make sure to lather it in your hands first before applying it to your hair. I have long medium thick hair that’s wavy when air dried. Gets oily fast so my hair gets flat and gross looking after a day of not washing. This shampoo has helped that problem a lot!" says a tester.

Volu Shampoo Bar

This volumizing shampoo bar is an easy way to make your beauty routine more eco-friendly and give your fine hair a boost too. The sustainably-made, plastic-free formula comes in 100 percent recyclable paper and lasts for up to 40 washes too.

• Sulfate-free? Yes

• Key ingredients: Turnip root extract (improves hair health); sunflower seed oil (moisturizing)

THE REVIEW: “This is one of the best shampoos I’ve ever used," says a tester. "I appreciate that there is no chemically-derived fragrance and that the packaging is sustainable, but I really love the oomph it gives my fine hair."

Volume Injection Shampoo

If your fine, flat hair needs a little extra oomph but you don’t want it to look or feel weighed down, you're about to become BFFs with this volumizing shampoo. The lightweight formula gives your hair instant lift and body that's totally weightless.

• Sulfate-free? No

• Key ingredients: Filoxane (volumizing); silicone polymers (softening)

THE REVIEW: “This stuff is the best. My typically fine, thin hair looks so much healthier and full after using it. A genuine life, er, hair saver," writes a reviewer.

Blossom & Bloom Ginseng + Biotin Volumizing Shampoo

Sad-looking curls are...well, sad. This shampoo for curly hair that's prone to falling flat will give strands—no matter your curl type—a much-needed boost. Biotin, maltodextrin, and ginseng extract add volume and softness, giving your curls a defined yet weightless bounce.

• Sulfate-free? Yes

• Key ingredients: Maltodextrin (thickening); biotin (strengthening); ginseng (energizing)

THE REVIEW: "This shampoo not only smells amazing but I can now go multiple days without washing my hair and it still looks and feels clean and voluminous," reads a review. "I've been looking for something like this for my fine curls for years and I'm happy that I’ve finally found it," writes another tester.

Dallas Biotin Thickening Shampoo

Think of this shampoo for damaged hair as an instant volume boost for your fine hair. The formula's combo of saw palmetto berry extract—which adds volume and dimension—and biotin work to plump and strengthen, leaving you with hair so thick, full, and healthy, you legit won't be able to stop playing with it.

• Sulfate-free? Yes

• Key ingredients: Biotin (strengthening); vitamin b5 (hydrating); coconut oil (conditioning); saw palmetto berry extract (thickening)

THE REVIEW: “I have fine that gets flat and greasy easily, but with this shampoo my hair looks great," writes one tester. "I was even able to skip days in between shampooing—something I normally never get to do with other shampoo formulas," writes another tester.

Strengthening Shampoo with Quinine and Edelweiss

Fine or thin hair is sometimes hard to style, and this sulfate-free shampoo for fine hair helps to strengthen and lengthen hair so it can truly take any heat-styling. It uses the ingredients quinine and edelweiss to build up your strands while enveloping them for a thicker look and feel.

• Sulfate-free? Yes

• Key ingredients: Quinine (strengthening); edelweiss (thickening); caffeine (scalp energizing)

THE REVIEW: “This shampoo works great. I have fine, thin hair and the volume it gave me was definitely noticeable. Not only did it help with volume, but it made my color look more vibrant too. My hair had an overall healthier look and feel," writes a reviewer.

What hair type is volumizing shampoo for?

In general, anyone with fine or thin hair will benefit the most from using a volumizing shampoo. "Fine hair refers to the texture of your hair strands, while thin hair is the density of hairs per square inch on the scalp (i.e. how many hairs within that square inch)," says Maclay. Even though there is a difference between the two, fine and thin hair types can both benefit from using a volumizing shampoo that gently cleanses hair and contains vitamins and proteins that increase body, thickness, and fullness.

Maclay also recommends that anyone with fine hair limit heat-styling with irons and wands when possible. If and when you need to heat style, always use a heat protectant spray or lotion to prevent breakage and split ends.

Which volumizing shampoo is best?

The best volumizing shampoo is the one that's designed to work with your hair type and texture but, in general, you can't go wrong with a formula that's lightweight, uses gentle cleansing agents, and is made with thickening and volumizing ingredients. A good volumizing shampoo should also be made without heavy oils, says Cavalcante, since they can weigh hair down.

How to choose a volumizing shampoo:

Look for a formula that promises volume and thickness.

When it comes to shampoos for fine hair, one of the most important things to look for are words like "volumizing" and "thickening" on the label or bottle and keep an eye out for strand-plumping ingredients like hyaluronic acid and bamboo extract to really give your hair that oomph factor.

Skip the sulfates and silicones.

Sulfates (you'll often see them as SLS and SLES on the ingredient list) are harsh surfactants that can strip away your hair and scalp's natural oils and leave your strands looking straw-like, so avoid them in your shampoo if you can. As for silicones? They are great for giving hair slip and shine, then can also weigh finer hair types down. Avoid them in your shampoo and conditioner if you're looking for max bounciness and volume.

Meet the experts:

• Rogerio Cavalcante is a hairstylist and owner of The Second Floor Salon in New York, NY.

• Adam Maclay is a hairstylist based in New York, NY who has worked with industry legends and cultural tastemakers, including Ashley Graham, Christine Quinn, and Vanessa Lachey.

Why trust Cosmopolitan?

Lauren Balsamo is deputy beauty director at Cosmopolitan with nine years of experience researching, writing, and editing hair stories that range from the best detanglers to the best blue shampoos for brunettes. She’s an authority in all hair categories but is an expert when it comes to volumizing shampoo. She regularly tests and analyzes shampoos for damaged hair for efficacy, while working with the industry’s top stylists and trichologists to assess new formulas and brands.

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