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Not everyone is blessed with lush, thick, commercial type hair. Some people are born with thinner strands, while others experience hair thinning (think an expanding part or shrinking ponytail) at some point in their life.
"The diameter of the hair shaft diminishes as we get older," explains Zoe Draelos, M.D., a clinical and research dermatologist in High Point, North Carolina. That means you may have the same number of follicles, but thinner individual strands will make it look like there's less volume. Thin hair is also more prone to breakage, and since hair growth slows as you age, the damage becomes more apparent.
While you can't permanently restore thickness to individual strands, there are plenty of ways (and hair thickening products) to help you fake it. The first (and easiest) step: a volumizing shampoo. According to our Good Housekeeping Institute Beauty, Health and Sustainability Lab experts, these cleansers can help make hair appear fuller and thicker since they typically contain fewer conditioning ingredients, so they’re less likely to weigh hair down.
To find the formulas that really work, our scientists evaluated hair thickening and volumizing shampoos both in the Lab and with consumer testers at home, looking at various factors including application, scent, cleansing ability, weight and thickening effects. We tallied over 6,254 data points in our most recent test, combining those results with insights from hair experts to create this list of the best hair thickening shampoos.
Pros
- Most thickening formula we tested
- Thorough cleansing
- Lightweight
- Easy to apply and rinse
Cons
- Some testers didn't love the twist-off caps
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."
Main ingredients | Hyaluronic acid |
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Best for | All types of thinning hair |
Size | 8.5 oz. |
Pros
- Highly volumizing
- Measurable conditioning benefits
- Great scent
Cons
- Complementary conditioner is difficult to rinse out
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.
Main ingredients | Citrus protein, vitamins B3 and B6 |
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Best for | Oily, fine and flat hair |
Size | 12.5 oz. |
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Pros
- Purifies the scalp
- Powerful thickening ingredients
Cons
- Some reviewers felt it dried out hair
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.
Main ingredients | Biotin, zinc PCA, gluco-omega |
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Best for | Fine, color-treated hair |
Size | 13.5 oz. |
4
Best for Dry Hair
Pantene Pro-V Sheer Volume Shampoo (Pack of 2)
Pros
- Highly conditioning formula
- Boosts fullness
- Good value
Cons
- Can be hard to rinse out
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.
Main ingredients | Pro-V nutrients, antioxidants |
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Best for | Fine hair |
Size | 25.4 oz. |
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Pros
- Great value
- Lathers well
- Deeply cleans
Cons
- Strong scent
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.
Main ingredients | Biotin, collagen |
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Best for | Fine, color-treated hair |
Size | 13 oz. |
Pros
- Not heavy on hair
- Tester favorite for volumizing strands
- Long-lasting volume
Cons
- Doesn't lather well
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."
Main ingredients | Panthenol, wheat-derived ingredients |
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Best for | Fine to normal hair |
Size | 16.9 oz. |
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Pros
- Boosts microcirculation at scalp
- Lightweight
- Good for curly hair
Cons
- Could be irritating on a sensitive scalp
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.
Main ingredients | Caffeine, biotin, peptides |
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Best for | Fine, thinning hair (including curly) |
Size | 8 oz. |
Pros
- Made with plant-based ingredients
- Makes hair feel thicker
- Quick results
Cons
- Botanical scent may be polarizing
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."
Main ingredients | Wheat protein, aloe |
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Best for | Fine, limp hair |
Size | 8.5 oz. |
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Pros
- Multitasking formula that treats dandruff and flat hair
- Great scent
Cons
- Not great for coarse hair
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.
Main ingredients | Pyrithione zinc |
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Best for | Dandruff-prone, color-treated and fine hair |
Size | 12.8 oz. |
Pros
- Rinses thoroughly
- Deep cleans hair
- Makes strands easy to comb
Cons
- May make hair dry
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.
Main ingredients | Panthenol, sodium carbonate |
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Best for | Fine, thin, oily hair |
Size | 10.1 oz. |
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Pros
- Appealing scent
- Purifies and softens
- Doesn't weigh down hair
Cons
- Shampoo doesn't lather well
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."
Main ingredients | Oxyfusion technology |
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Best for | Fine, flat hair |
Size | 12 oz. |
Pros
- Instant and long-lasting benefits
- Strengthens strands
- Light, sweet scent
Cons
- Some found it drying
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."
Main ingredients | Apple stem cells, rice and soy proteins |
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Best for | Flat, limp hair |
Size | 11.5 oz. |
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Pros
- Mild formula
- Sulfate-free
Cons
- Some feel it has a runny texture and drips easily
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.
Main ingredients | Vitamin B5, coconut and avocado oil |
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Best for | All hair types, including sensitive scalps |
Size | 8.5 oz. |
How we test hair thickening shampoos
GH Beauty Lab scientists test label-masked hair thickening shampoos and conditioners of various price points on consumers across the country for attributes like application, scent, cleansing ability, weight and feel on hair, and volumizing and thickening effects.
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In the Lab, the Instron machine (pictured here) is used to measure the conditioning ability of each pair on human hair samples. In total, 6,254 data points were tallied in the most recent test to find the best thickening shampoos.
What to look for when shopping for the best hair thickening shampoo
When it comes to product selection, Chiara Butler, GH's Beauty, Health & Sustainability Lab Reviews Analyst, suggests focusing on certain buzzwords on the packaging.
"Look for keywords like 'thickening,' 'volumizing,' 'lifting' or 'for thin hair,'" she says. "Avoid products with keywords such as 'deeply moisturizing' and 'deep conditioning' since these can feel heavy on fine hair." Ingredients may vary within this category; Butler doesn't feel there are specific ones to look for or avoid.
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Does hair thickening shampoo really work?
Yes, thickening shampoos can help make hair temporarily look and feel fuller and thicker.
Products that make hair thicker usually refer to increasing volume within hair. "Volume is used to describe the 3-D state of hair," Wnek explains. "There are a number of hair properties that influence volume which include curvature of the hair strand, the amount of hair on one’s head, the diameter of the individual strand and the friction between strands — the more curls in your strands, the more hair on your head or the larger the diameter of the hair strand, the more space it will take up and the more voluminous it will look."
Currently the GH Beauty Lab is not aware of any ingredients that can permanently increase the diameter of hair, she says. And only a handful of products claim to actually increase the individual diameter of hair strands; most refer to increasing volume. "We believe that the thickening claims echo volume in the sense that the overall hair appears and feels thicker," Wnek adds.
In that sense, thickening shampoos can "work" to impact the appearance and feel of the hair. “It’s important to use shampoos with their matching conditioners as a pair,” she says. “Companies test how well shampoos and conditioners work in tandem, so to get the benefits promised by either, you’ll need to use them together.”
Why trust Good Housekeeping?
Dori Price has over 15 years of experience researching and writing haircare and hairstyling stories, combining her knowledge with the expertise of top industry professionals such as hairstylists, hair colorists and trichologists.
For this story, she worked closely with GH Beauty Lab Senior Chemist Danusia Wnek, who contributed her expertise on top Beauty Lab-tested product picks and her knowledge of how the shampoos work. She has spent seven years researching and developing testing protocols for haircare products at the Good Housekeeping Institute in categories including cleansing conditioners, moisturizing shampoos and conditioners, volumizing sprays, flat irons, hairdryer brushes and dry shampoos.
Dori also consulted Chiara Butler, Beauty, Health & Sustainability Lab Reviews Analyst at the Good Housekeeping Institute, about hair thickening shampoos and how to shop for them. At the Lab, Chiara conducts hands-on testing of health and beauty products. Before joining GH in 2022, she worked as a cosmetic chemist, formulating skincare products for a variety of brands and learning to decode ingredient lists, evaluate ingredient efficacy and scrutinize product claims.
Dori Price
Contributing Beauty Editor
Dori Price is a New York City-based freelance writer and editor and beauty, style and wellness expert who was the Beauty & Fashion Director at Family Circle for 13 years before she joined Good Housekeeping, Prevention and Woman’s Day as a freelance beauty editor. She has also written for WomensHealthMag.com, Elle.com and HealthCentral.com.