What do fairytale princes and princesses share with supermodels on the runway? Hair that looks thick and bounces like Red Riding Hood on steroids. Most men and women, unfortunately, are never able to achieve that kind of hairy perfection.
However, you don’t have to resign to being that person with limp and hopeless hair, even if you have fine or thinning hair. There’s no denying that it is very difficult to make fine and thinning hairlook thick and bouncy, but this doesn’t mean that it is impossible.
You see, thick and bouncy hair is an extension of voluminous hair and volumizing fine or thinning hair is easy if you use the right hair products. While you should look into replacing all your hair products with those that specialize in volumizing hair, you should begin with volumizing shampoos.
At this point, you’re probably wondering why you can’t continue to use your regular, daily-use shampoo. Don’t worry. Even though this guide’s purpose is to help you find the best volumizing shampoo, we’ll answer that question for you too.
If you already know the difference between a volumizing shampoo and a daily-use shampoo, you can, of course, skip on to our reviews of ten of the best volumizing shampoos currently available in the market. The following quick-click navigation panel should help you do that.
Budget |
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Andalou Naturals Lavender & Biotin Full Volume Shampoo |
4.75/5.0 |
Volume: 11.5 ounces |
Cost: $0.69 per ounce |
An excellent but incredibly pocket-friendly volumizing shampoo with an amazing lavender smell. |
Check Amazon |
Best Value |
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Maple Holistics Biotin Shampoo for Hair Growth |
4.5/5.0 |
Volume: 16 ounces |
Cost: $1.12 per ounce |
A completely natural volumizing shampoo containing a series of ingredients with superb anti-hair loss qualities. |
Check Amazon |
Top Pick |
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ORIBE Shampoo for Magnificent Volume |
4.75/5.0 |
Volume: 8.5 ounces |
Cost: $5.17 per ounce |
Easily the best volumizing shampoo that offers all the benefits that you can ever ask for from any hair product. |
Check Amazon |
- What Is the Difference Between a Volumizing Shampoo and A Normal Shampoo?
- 10 Best Volumizing Shampoos: At a Glance
- Top 4 Budget Volumizing Shampoos: Detailed Reviews
- Top 3 Value Volumizing Shampoos: Detailed Reviews
- Top 3 Premium Volumizing Shampoos: Detailed Reviews
What Is the Difference Between a Volumizing Shampoo and A Normal Shampoo?
The vast majority of volumizing shampoos out there are made specifically for people with fine or thinning hair. So much so that, unless the label specifically states that the volumizing shampoo is meant for other types of hair, you can safely assume that it is for fine and thinning hair.
To understand why the majority of volumizing shampoos are for fine and thinning hair, you need to understand their texture. Fine and thinning hair have one thing in common – shorter diameters. In different words, fine and thinning hair tend to be “slimmer” than other types of hair.
When fine and thinning hair strands have a lot of oils and moisture in them, they become weighed down. When they become weighed down, they don’t give the impression of volume. Moreover, if they’re weighed down, they don’t have body and bounce.
If that moisture is removed, however, fine and thinning hair perk up and spread out, i.e. resulting in more space between individual strands. The result is that they seem more voluminous, display more body, and exhibit more bounce.
This is why volumizing shampoos almost always have reduced moisturizing capabilities when compared to other shampoos. Many volumizing shampoos also have great cleansing capabilities to remove excess moisture and product buildup from the hair and scalp.
Further, the best volumizing shampoos have excellent nourishing and strengthening properties as well. This allows them to improve hair quality, resulting in thicker hair strands. Some of them even contain ingredients with strong anti-hair loss and hair growth qualities.
However, there’s a dark side to volumizing shampoos too. Because they don’t offer a lot of conditioning and are so good at cleansing, they can end up making the hair too dry. This is just an extension of how the shampoos work, though, and not something you need to worry about.
To find body, bounce, and volume in your hair, you need to find a balance between moisture and dryness. You can’t have too much of either. Therefore, if your volumizing shampoo is making your hair too dry, we suggest getting a conditioner that will appropriately balance the excess dryness.
10 Best Volumizing Shampoos Comparison Table
Product Name | Volume | Cost per ounce (*Approx.) | Price |
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L’Oréal Paris Elvive Volume Filler Thickening Cleansing Shampoo | 28 ounces | $0.23 per ounce | Check Price |
Andalou Naturals Lavender & Biotin Full Volume Shampoo | 11.5 ounces | $0.69 per ounce | Check Price |
Luxurious Volume Full Splendor Shampoo by John Frieda | 8.45 ounces | $0.74 per ounce | Check Price |
TIGI Catwalk Volume Collection Your Highness Elevating Shampoo | 25.36 ounces | $0.80 per ounce | Check Price |
ArtNaturals Moroccan Argan Oil Shampoo | 16 ounces | $0.93 per ounce | Check Price |
Maple Holistics Biotin Shampoo for Hair Growth and Volume | 16 ounces | $1.12 per ounce | Check Price |
Biolage Volume bloom Shampoo for Fine Hair | 13.5 ounces | $1.33 per ounce | Check Price |
R+Co Dallas Biotin Thickening Shampoo | 33.8 ounces | $2.48 per ounce | Check Price |
Fekkai Full Blown Volume Shampoo | 8 ounces | $2.49 per ounce | Check Price |
ORIBE Shampoo for Magnificent Volume | 8.5 ounces | $5.17 per ounce | Check Price |
Top 4 Budget Volumizing Shampoos: Detailed Reviews
1. L’Oréal Paris Elvive Volume Filler Thickening Cleansing Shampoo
Editor’s Rating: 4.0/5.0
This volumizing shampoo from L’Oreal is a part of their newly renamed Paris Elvive series. This series was earlier called the Hair Expert series as many of you may already know. Apart from the respect that the L’Oreal brand automatically demands, there are two other aspects of this product that stand out.
The first is the cost. This is one of the most affordable volumizing shampoos that you can find in the market right now. The other exceptional feature of this shampoo is that it contains filloxane.
Filloxane is a gel-like substance whose primary ingredient is silica. As it is, silica is known to strengthen the structural integrity of hair. However, being a part of filloxane augments silica’s capabilities. The company says that filloxane goes deep into each hair strand to strengthen and thickensits core protein microfibrils.
L’Oreal also says that this volumizing shampoo delivers visible results after only one wash. For the most part, they’re right and the shampoo does thicken hair instantly after the first wash. However, there’s a condition. You’llhave to buy and use the conditioner and treatment in combination with the shampoo to get such quick results.
However, the look you’ll achieve from the mentioned combo will be long-lasting. You can expect it to add volume to your hair for more than a day. However, we won’t advise you to use this shampoo on a daily basis. Instead, we will recommend only using it on special occasions.
We’re giving such a cautious recommendation because of the kind of ingredients this shampoo contains. It contains both alcohols and sulfates. Each of these ingredients is known for its ability to dry the hair. Together, they make this shampoo very difficult to use daily.
Just to be sure, if you use this shampoo daily, you can expect your hair to become dry very fast. The fact that this shampoo also contains salicylic acid balances this to a certain extent since salicylic acid is known to combat excessive dryness and dandruff.
There’s a plus side to this shampoo’s sulfates content too. The quantity of sulfates it contains means that it lathers really well. Therefore, if you’re one of those people who like their shampoos to lather, then this shampoo won’t disappoint you.
In terms of its smell, this shampoo has a distinctly floral scent. While this should appeal to many of you, we should tell you that this smell can be a little on the overwhelming side. Therefore, if you’re not big on fragrances, you might find it a bit too overpowering.
Another good quality of this product is that it comes in a bottle that has a pump. The pump makes it easy to dispense the shampoo onto your hand and also prevents wastage, making the product even more economical.
Who’s it for: If you want to save tons of money and don’t have very sensitive hair or scalp, get this L’Oreal shampoo with filloxane.
Tech Specs |
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Product Volume: 28 ounces |
Active ingredients: Filloxane, sulfates, salicylic acid, and hydrolyzed wheat protein |
The Pros |
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Thickens hair and adds volume in a single wash |
Leaves hair soft and shiny |
Offers the benefits of salicylic acid |
Produces a good amount of lather |
Has a floral scent |
Comes with a pump |
The Cons |
---|
Can leave hair too dry |
Contains alcohols |
Contains sulfates |
The smell maybe too overpowering for some people |
2. Andalou Naturals Lavender & Biotin Full Volume Shampoo (Best Budget)
Editor’s Rating: 4.75/5.0
In the budget market segment, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a volumizing shampoo better than this one. Coming from the brand Andalou Naturals, this volumizing shampoo is based on two ingredients that are very beneficial for hair – biotin and lavender.
Biotin is a water-soluble vitamin that is also known as vitamin B7, which means that it is a part of the B-complex of vitamins. It is widely regarded as one of the most beneficial when it comes to hair health. There have been studies proving its effectiveness at improving the quality of existing hair as well as encouraging the growth of new hair.
Even though biotin is vital for many bodily processes, it helps hair health most. It works by strengthening the keratin infrastructure in the body. Since keratin is the most important protein in hair, an improvement in its structure and quality helps hair health on the whole.
The lavender in this shampoo can help grow hair too. This study, while conducted on mice, still showed that lavender oil could promote hair growth. Moreover, lavender has multiple other very helpful qualities.
For instance, it is an antimicrobial and antiinflammation agent. This means that it will prevent infections from taking root in the skull, along with minimizing inflammation. These two benefits will directly counteract dandruff and dry or flaky scalp. Also, lavender has some conditioning qualities that will prevent the hair from becoming too dry.
The biggest thing, though, is that the biotin and lavender combination makes this shampoo extremely effective at its primary purpose – adding volume, body, and bounce to hair. None of the competing shampoos in the same price bracket even come close to how effective this shampoo is, especially since it manages to make hair vibrant and lustrous too.
Lavender is also responsible for this shampoo’s scent. Since the majority of people tend to like the lavender smell, we expect that you will do. Even so, if you’ve not liked the lavender smell in the past, we suggest you avoid getting this shampoo.
This volumizing shampoo is suitable for all types of hair except very dry. Like all volumizing shampoos, this one also has the potential to dry hair really fast. Therefore, if your hair is already too dry or even mildly dry on a normal day, you can expect it to become really crisp after washing.
If this happens to you, then you should know that you never really needed a volumizing shampoo anyway and should’ve gone for conditioning shampoos instead.
This shampoo is appropriate for colored and chemically treated hair too because it doesn’t contain artificial substances like sulfates and parabens. The absence of sulfates, however, doesn’t mean that this shampoo doesn’t create enough lather. It creates sufficient lather for even the diehard lather fans to be happy.
Who’s it for: If you want to save money but still get a hugely effective volumizing shampoo with an amazing lavender scent, get this one.
Tech Specs |
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Product Volume: 11.5 ounces |
Active ingredients: Biotin and lavender |
The Pros |
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Adds volume and bounce |
Nourishes hair |
Leaves hair soft and shiny |
Produces a good amount of lather |
Has a very appealing lavender scent |
Mild enough for colored and chemically treated hair |
Doesn’t contain sulfates |
Doesn’t contain parabens |
Cruelty-free |
The Cons |
---|
Can leave hair too dry |
People with sensitive skin may find it a bit too strong |
3. Luxurious Volume Full Splendor Shampoo by John Frieda
Editor’s Rating: 4.0/5.0
Hair loss often starts with the hair shaft becoming slimmer along with the miniaturization of some hair follicles. As a result, it often looks like the hair lacks volume in the earlier stages of hair loss. This is why people in the earlier phases of hair loss often start looking for volumizing shampoos.
If you’re experiencing the beginnings of hair loss and looking for a volumizing shampoo as well, then you’ll be happy to know that there’s one that can solve both problems for you – the Luxurious Volume Full Splendor Shampoo by John Frieda.
It is based around the company’s proprietary Caffeine Vitality Complex. This Complex performs both the tasks, i.e. making your hair more voluminous and countering the dihydrotestosterone (DHT) in your scalp.
Since DHT prevents hair follicles from growing hair, this shampoo helps slow down the rate at which you lose your hair. Apart from adding volume, this shampoo also softens hair owing to its silicones content.
In addition to silicones, this shampoo contains alcohols and sulfates. This is a problem in our eyes as all these substances are individually known for drying hair. The fact that they’re together in this shampoo means that it will be a very powerful drying agent.
Luckily, the company says that the formula is gentle enough for the shampoo to be used daily. They even say that this shampoo is mild enough to be safe for colored and chemically treated hair. We can only assume that they’re claiming this because the drying ingredients are not in high concentrations in the formula.
Even so, we will suggest using a good conditioner after this shampoo, especially if you plan to use it daily. The conditioner should work well against excessive dryness.
If you do go want to try conditioners, we’ll advise starting with John Frieda’s Touchably Full Conditioner. The company says that if you used this shampoo with the mentioned conditioner and John Frieda’s Luxurious Volume Root Booster Blow Dry Lotion, you could expect your hair to be 40 percent more voluminous.
We should also add that this shampoo lathers quite well. This is expected because of its sulfates content, though. In terms of scent, it has a light, clean, and fresh fragrance. The smell is quite unique, but whether you like it or not will depend on your personal likes and dislikes.
Who’s it for: If you want to slow down hair loss and hair thinning while adding volume to your hair, get this shampoo from John Frieda.
Tech Specs |
---|
Product Volume: 8.45 ounces |
Active ingredients: Caffeine, alcohols, sulfates, silicones, and hydrolyzed wheat protein |
The Pros |
---|
Can add up to 40 percent more volume |
Counters DHT to slow down hair loss |
Produces a good amount of lather |
Has an appealing, clean scent |
Mild enough for colored and chemically treated hair |
Can be used daily |
The Cons |
---|
Can leave hair too dry |
Contains silicones |
Contains sulfates |
Contains alcohols |
4. TIGI Catwalk Volume Collection Your Highness Elevating Shampoo
Editor’s Rating: 4.25/5.0
Very few volumizing shampoos will even attempt to moisturize the hair. That is just not how volumizing shampoos work. Volumizing shampoos are supposed to take away product and oil buildup to free the hair’s movement. It is this that makes it seem voluminous.
This shampoo, however, tries to find a balance in the moisture in the hair. It still dries up hair like most volumizing shampoos, and can even make it very dry, but it also contains some moisturizing ingredients. In fact, the formula of this shampoo contains four key ingredients – marine glycogen, jasmine, lavender, and sweet almond.
Each of these ingredients has a specific role. The thickening or volumizing qualities of this shampoo are derived from its marine glycogen content. Its conditioner and moisturizing qualities are a result of jasmine and lavender. Sweet almonds’ role in this shampoo is to counter static and frizz in the hair.
Apart from these natural ingredients, this shampoo contains silicones and alcohols too. While the alcohols help with the cleansing of the scalp, the silicones smoothen and soften the hair. On the flipside, though, these ingredients mean that this shampoo may leave your hair a bit too dry.
Alcohols strip the hair of its natural oils in the short term while silicones dry up the hair from the inside in the long term. If you have oily hair, this will be to your benefit, but if you have dry hair, we suggest buying a light conditioner too.
These ingredients, along with others, combine to give this shampoo its scent too. The smell of this shampoo has been described with a wide variety of adjectives such as sandalwood, cashmere, chocolate, and vanilla.
None of these adjectives are completely apt and they all apply to a certain extent. Regardless of what note you sense in the scent of this shampoo; we can assure you of one thing. It will be sweet.
This shampoo produces a decent amount of lather too, despite not containing any sulfates.
Who’s it for: If you’re looking for a volumizing shampoo with a unique scent, get this one from TIGI.
Tech Specs |
---|
Product Volume: 25.36 ounces |
Active ingredients: Silicones, violet extract, sunflower seed extract, jasmine extract, lavender extract, vitamin B5, and alcohols |
The Pros |
---|
Adds volume and bounce |
Conditions and moisturizes hair |
Produces a good amount of lather |
Has a very appealing sweet scent with hints of sandalwood and vanilla |
Mild enough for colored and chemically treated hair |
Doesn’t contain sulfates |
The Cons |
---|
Can leave hair too dry |
Contains alcohols |
Contains silicones |
Top 3 Value Volumizing Shampoos: Detailed Reviews
5. ArtNaturals Moroccan Argan Oil Shampoo
Editor’s Rating: 4.25/5.0
Most volumizing shampoos tend to contain artificial ingredients such as sulfates, phthalates, parabens, alcohols, or silicones with the first and last ones being the most common.
However, each of these artificial ingredients can be very damaging to the health of your hair. The only way for you to avoid the adverse effects of these substances is to pick organic shampoos or shampoos that only contain natural ingredients.
This Moroccan Argan Oil Shampoo from ArtNaturals would be a great choice from that perspective. While this shampoo isn’t specifically made to volumize fine and thin hair, it can perform that task as well as any other shampoo.
The most important ingredient in this shampoo’s formula is argan oil, but it contains several other incredibly beneficial ingredients such as avocado oil, camellia seed oil, jojoba oil, almond oil, peach kernel oil, and phytokeratin.
Argan oil is one of the most nourishing substances in nature, especially when it comes to hair, skin, and nail health. It contains multiple nutrients that can strengthen and fortify hair. Similarly, avocado oil is an amazingly beneficial ingredient for hair because of its unique blend of nutrients.
Camellia seed oil is the direct replacement for artificially made silicones found in other volumizing shampoos. It coats the hair, sealing in the moisture and preventing external elements from damaging the hair.
Further, almond oil, peach kernel oil, and jojoba oil can reduce the rate of hair loss, while providing the hair with important vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and essential fatty acids.
The mix of these ingredients allows this shampoo to not only volumize the hair but also moisturize it, soften it, and give it a unique luster along with slowing down hair loss.
Being a natural product, this shampoo is also very gentle. In fact, it is so gentle that even people with extremely damaged hair can use it to gain volume. Its mildness makes it ideal for chemically treated and colored hair as well
However, this shampoo isn’t meant for people with oily hair. Instead of volumizing oily hair, this shampoo will weigh it down and take away its body and bounce.
It can even weigh down your hair if you have normal hair type. This won’t happen to all of you since normal hair type has the widest spectrum possible. However, if it does happen to you, you can fall back on the company’s 100 percent money-back guarantee and return the shampoo for a full refund.
The shampoohas a great scent too. Its smell is clean and herbal with a very strong rosy note. At the same time, it is subtle and not overpowering.
Despite not containing sulfates, this shampoo creates a lot of suds so that you don’t feel that your hair isn’t clean. It isn’t creamy, though. Instead, it has a very thin and watery consistency. Fortunately, it is affordably priced. Therefore, even if some of the shampoo flows through your palms while you use it, it won’t cost you a lot.
Who’s it for: This is an excellent organic volumizing shampoo, especially if your hair type is extremely dry and damaged.
Tech Specs |
---|
Product Volume: 16 ounces |
Active ingredients: Argan oil, phytokeratin, peach kernel oil, almond oil, jojoba oil, camellia seed oil, and avocado oil |
The Pros |
---|
Adds volume and bounce while conditioning hair |
Counters irritated and itchy scalp |
Leaves hair soft |
Has a very appealing, clean, and rosy scent that isn’t overpowering |
Produces a good amount of lather |
Doesn’t contain sulfates |
Doesn’t contain phthalates |
Doesn’t contain Parabens |
The Cons |
---|
Will make oily hair too greasy |
Has a watery consistency |
6. Maple Holistics Biotin Shampoo for Hair Growth and Volume (Best Value)
Editor’s Rating: 4.5/5.0
While natural ingredients are always healthier than artificial ones, it is also very difficult to target them to a specific purpose. After all, most naturally occurring ingredients tend to have multiple properties and qualities. This is why natural volumizing shampoos are rarer than generic natural shampoos.
However, the Biotin Shampoo for Hair Growth and Volume from Maple Holistics is the perfect example of how natural ingredients can be harnessed towards a single goal.
As its name suggests, this shampoo offers two great qualities – hair growth and volume. It is based on biotin but also contains several other very helpful ingredients such as argan oil, primrose oil, mulberry root, green tea, and rosemary. The ingredients’ qualities show how this shampoo goes about promoting hair growth and volume.
Biotin augments the body’s ability to produce keratin, which is an extremely critical building unit of hair. Mulberry root, primrose oil, and argan oil in this shampoo further strengthen the hair by nourishing it with a wide variety of nutrients. These oils are also responsible for moisturizing the hair and keeping it strong.
Rosemary and green tea in this shampoo’s formula act as dihydrotestosterone (DHT) blockers. DHT is a derivative of testosterone that tends to bond with hair follicles and force their early miniaturization.
Miniaturized hair follicles lose their ability to grow hair. Therefore, this shampoo not only thickens every hair shaft and promotesthe growth of new hair, but it also reduces the rate at which hair loss occurs.
One thing you need to remember about this shampoo, though, is that it is very strong for a natural shampoo. In fact, it is strong enough to become a problem for you if your scalp is very sensitive and prone to breaking out.
The strength also means that this shampoo is a great cleanser. At the same time, it’s cleansing capabilities mean that it will dry your hair very quickly if you use too much of it or use it too frequently.
As is the case with most volumizing shampoos, it is always best if you supplement this one with a volumizing conditioner. Being a natural shampoo, this product doesn’t contain sulfates. It still manages to generate a considerable amount of lather, though.
Further, since it contains so many different naturally-occurring ingredients and doesn’t contain any artificial fragrance, its smell is a result of the interaction between those ingredients. The outcome is a unique but pleasant scent that isn’t very overpowering. On the contrary, it is quite soothing and relaxing.
You can get this shampoo in two differently sized bottles. The larger and more economical one contains 16 ounces of this shampoo while the smaller one has only eight ounces.
Who’s it for: If you’re looking to naturally add volume to your hair while slowing down hair loss, get this excellent shampoo from Maple Holistics.
Tech Specs |
---|
Product Volume: 16 ounces |
Active ingredients: Biotin, rosemary, green tea, mulberry root, primrose oil, phytokeratin, and argan oil |
The Pros |
---|
Adds volume and bounce |
Cleanses strongly |
Leaves hair soft and shiny |
Counters DHT to slow down hair loss |
Nourishes hair to encourage hair growth |
Produces a good amount of lather |
Has a very appealing, gentle, and soothing scent |
Doesn’t contain parabens |
Doesn’t contain sulfates |
Available in two different sizes |
Protected by a 100% money-back guarantee |
The Cons |
---|
Can leave hair too dry |
May be too strong for sensitive people |
Not suitable for colored or chemically treated hair |
7. Biolage Volume bloom Shampoo for Fine Hair
Editor’s Rating: 4.0/5.0
Shampoos meant specifically for fine hair tend to contain fewer moisturizing elements because fine hair gets weighed down very easily. Volumizing shampoos can be described in the same way as well, i.e. fewer moisturizing elements.
Since the Biolage Volumebloom Shampoo is meant for fine hair, this also makes it a volumizing shampoo. Besides, its name does hint at its volumizing properties as well.
Biolage is a professional salon brand and this reflects in the shampoo’s quality and uniqueness. For instance, professional brands almost always offer products with a unique twist. In the case of Volumebloom, the twist is the inclusion of cotton flower extract in the formula.
According to the company, this product is “inspired by nature’s expanding cotton flower”. The cotton flower is one of the lightest flowers in nature. In fact, cotton trees rely on their cotton flowers floating away in the wind for propagation.
Marketing aside, it is true that this product gives flat, lifeless hair bounce and volume, while gently cleansing the scalp. Even though this is a gentle and mild shampoo, we can’t help but notice that its formula contains sulfates.
The sulfates ensure that this shampoo yields a healthy amount of lather, but they also mean that this shampoo can leave your hair a bit too dry after every wash. This is, especially, a concern because this shampoo also contains alcohols.
This is why we’re not completely sure that this shampoo is the best for chemically treated or colored hair. By the same logic, if you have a very sensitive scalp and skin, you may want to avoid this shampoo in favor of others on this list.
The shampoo is fairly lightweight and doesn’t weigh down the hair much either. However, it still manages to impart the kind of radiance that fine-haired people usually crave for their hair.
The smell of this shampoo reflects its lightweight nature. The scent is subtleand not overwhelming at all. Its nuanced nature is the primary reason why this shampoo’s smell is so popular amongst its users.
The price on the label of this shampoo means that it is a little on the expensive side. The saving grace is that you need to use very little of it in every wash. As a result, the bottle lasts a really long time making it well worth the cost.
Who’s it for: If you want a volumizing shampoo based around unique ingredients, you must consider this one from Biolage.
Tech Specs |
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Product Volume: 13.5 ounces |
Active ingredients: Sulfates, salicylic acid, quaternium, alcohols, hydrolyzed soy protein, and cotton extract |
The Pros |
---|
Adds volume and bounce |
Cleanses well |
Lightweight formula |
Produces a good amount of lather |
Has a very appealing but light scent |
Little goes a long way |
The Cons |
---|
Can leave hair too dry |
Contains sulfates |
Contains alcohols |
Top 3 Premium Volumizing Shampoos: Detailed Reviews
8. R+Co Dallas Biotin Thickening Shampoo
Editor’s Rating: 4.75/5.0
If it weren’t for Oribe’s offering reviewed at the end of this list, this Biotin Thickening Shampoo would’ve been our choice as the best volumizing shampoo ever. As it is, there is very little difference between this volumizing shampoo from R+Co and the one from Oribe. You can even see the race as a tie if you wish.
If we don’t compare it to Oribe’s offering, this shampoo comes off as really special. It is tremendous when it comes to adding volume to hair, but its real value becomes evident when you consider everything else that it offers as well.
In addition to adding body and volume to your hair, you can also rely on this shampoo to hydrate your hair well, block off dihydrotestosterone (DHT), and fortify every single hair strand.
The strengthening and fortifying begin with this shampoo’s biotin content. Biotin is the ingredient that this shampoo’s formula revolves around and rightly so considering how beneficial it is for keratin production in the body and overall hair health.
Apart from biotin, this shampoo also contains pro vitamin B5, saw palmetto berry extract, coconut oil, and loquat fruit extract. Each of these ingredients adds to the capabilities of this shampoo.
Pro vitamin B5 and coconut oil are excellent at hydrating and nourishing the hair while making it look more vibrant. Coconut oil goes even further by making the hair soft and resistant to breakage.
Saw Palmetto boosts coconut oil’s ability to strengthen the hair by strengthening hair follicles since it works directly against DHT. Finally, loquat fruit extract in this formula nourishes the hair since it contains several different types of minerals and vitamins.
One of the best qualities of this shampoo is that it is completely natural. It doesn’t contain any artificial compounds or chemicals such as sulfates and parabens.
This makes this shampoo suitable for all hair types, including damaged, colored, and chemically treated. It can also be used by extremely sensitive people since it is free of gluten. It will even soothe your conscience as it is vegan and cruelty-free.
At the same time, the fact that it doesn’t contain sulfates doesn’t stop it from lathering. It creates plenty of suds.
Moreover, once you’ve washed your hair, you’ll be left with a very pleasant but mild citrusy smell. The shampoo, in case you were wondering, can be used by men and women alike since its scent is gender-neutral.
However, you should know that this is one of the more expensive volumizing shampoos out there. One way to save some money on this product is to buy the larger bottle. It comes in two sizes with one containing 33.8 ounces of the shampoo and the other only 8.5 ounces.
Who’s it for: If money is not a concern and you want a premium volumizing shampoo with a gender-neutral scent, get this one from R+Co.
Tech Specs |
---|
Product Volume: 33.8 ounces |
Active ingredients: Biotin, vitamin B5, saw palmetto berry extract, coconut oil, loquat fruit, litchi chinensis pericarp extract, yuzu peel extract, rhodiolarosea root extract, artichoke leaf extract, hydrolyzed vegetable protein, and hydrolyzed rice protein |
The Pros |
---|
Adds volume and bounce |
Counters DHT to slow down hair loss |
Nourishes hair to encourage hair growth |
Produces a good amount of lather |
Has a very appealing citrusy scent that isn’t overwhelming |
Mild enough for colored and chemically treated hair |
Doesn’t contain sulfates |
Doesn’t contain parabens |
Doesn’t contain gluten |
Vegan product |
Cruelty-free |
Available in two different sizes |
The Cons |
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Can leave hair too dry |
Very expensive |
9. Fekkai Full Blown Volume Shampoo
Editor’s Rating: 4.5/5.0
Fekkai is another professional salon brand that only deals in premium hair products. The company was founded by Frederic Fekkai, who is globally recognized for his hairstyling skills. This Full Blown Volume Shampoo is a staple at all Fekkai salons.
Like all professional, salon-grade shampoos, this one’s claim to fame is its unique ingredients. This shampoo is based on citrus extract and ginseng. While not uncommon individually, these ingredients aren’t used together that often and especially not in such large quantities. However, in this shampoo, they’re the main ingredients.
Apart from imparting this shampoo with a very pleasant and fresh smell, the citrus extract also means that this shampoo is loaded with vitamin C. Vitamin C, as you may already know, is a powerful antioxidant that can neutralize free radicals in the scalp and keep inflammation at bay.
Since inflammation often causes hair loss by making the individual more sensitive to dihydrotestosterone (DHT) adverse effects, this shampoo can slow it down indirectly. Ginseng performs a similar function but much more actively than the citrus extract in this formula.
Studies have shown that ginseng increases dermal cells in the scalp. This strengthens the hair follicles and hair strands, making them significantly more resistant to breakage and thinning. The fact that it contains salicylic acid also helps because this ingredient prevents the scalp from getting too dry.
Coming back to the core function of this shampoo, it is extremely effective at making hair look more voluminous. Regardless of how limp or lifeless your hair may be, this shampoo will give it “luxurious body”.
More importantly, it does this without containing any silicones. The absence of silicones is important too. Silicones are manmade compounds that can drain the hair strand of moisture over time. This can weaken the hair structure in the long term and cause breakage.
This shampoo is free of all artificial substances except for sulfates. This is a big flaw in our eyes since sulfates are not good for hair health. The majority of shampoos contain them, however, because they’re great cleansers. This is evident in this shampoo too. Because it contains sulfates, it lathers excellently and cleanses the scalp well.
Being a professional-grade, salon-class, premium product, this volumizing shampoo is very much on the expensive end of the spectrum and may require you to accept a hole in your pocket.
Who’s it for: If you want great cleansing power in your volumizing shampoo and like the citrusy smell, get this shampoo from Fekkai.
Tech Specs |
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Product Volume: 8 ounces |
Active ingredients: Sulfates, lemon fruit extract, ginseng root extract, and salicylic acid |
The Pros |
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Adds body, volume, and bounce |
Counters DHT to slow down hair loss |
Offers the benefits of salicylic acid |
Produces a good amount of lather |
Has a very appealing and subtlecitrusy scent |
Mild enough for colored and chemically treated hair |
The Cons |
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Can leave hair too dry |
Contains sulfates |
Very expensive |
10. ORIBE Shampoo for Magnificent Volume (Top Pick)
Editor’s Rating: 4.75/5.0
Along with R+Co, this product from ORIBE is the best volumizing shampoo you’ll find anywhere in the world, provided you’re willing to pay a princely sum for its amazing benefits. While a class apart in terms of its benefits and qualities, the ORIBE Shampoo for Magnificent Volume is expensive enough to empty the bank balances of most business tycoons.
However, if you can foot the bill, you’ll get a volumizing shampoo that will never disappoint you. The reason why this shampoo is so exceptional is the nature of its formula and the kind of ingredients it contains.
The primary ingredient in this shampoo is the company’s proprietary blend aptly named Oribe Signature Complex. This complex is based on three ingredients, which are watermelon, lychee, and edelweiss flower extracts.
The Signature Complex is present in most ORIBE shampoos and was developed to prevent the gradual degradation of keratin in hair. The degradation of keratin can happen in various ways, but the two most responsible processes are oxidation and photoaging. This complex manages to prevent both these processes from occurring.
The volumizing quality of this shampoo is a result of the high-tech polymer blend present in this shampoo’s formula. The blend is derived from natural sources but behaves a lot like silicones, i.e. it coats the hair and makes it appear thicker.
The hydrolyzed proteins in the shampoo, both vegetable and keratin, perform a similar function. They’re excellent at coating and protecting hair from negative external influences such as pollution and heat. The coating of these proteins also smoothens and detangles the hair, just like the rice bran oil in this shampoo.
Other ingredients you’ll find in this shampoo include coconut and sugar-based cleansers, lupine protein, saw palmetto extract, amber seed extract, and moringa seed extract.
The coconut and sugar-based cleansers are direct and natural replacements for sulfates, which are responsible for cleansing scalps in most shampoos. The natural cleansers in this shampoo produce a lot of lather and remove all kinds of buildup, including dust, hair products, and the oils produced in the scalp.
The reason why this shampoo’s formula contains lupine proteins and saw palmetto is that they protect hair follicles from the adverse effects of excess dihydrotestosterone (DHT). Saw palmetto particularly is a very effective DHT blocker that can slow down hair loss caused by miniaturization of the hair follicles.
Amber and moringa seed extracts are a part of this shampoo’s formula because they contain a lot of nutrients that the hair needs to grow strong.
As is evident from all the benefits, qualities, and properties of the ingredients incorporated in this shampoo’s formula, this product covers virtually all requirements any person with fine or thinning hair may have.
This shampoo offers all these benefits without being overbearingly strong. It is quite gentle, which makes it ideal for people with extra sensitive scalp, colored hair, or chemically treated hair. Even so, if you already have dry hair, we wouldn’t recommend using this shampoo.
At the same time, any individual with dry hair shouldn’t be using volumizing shampoos anyway. Volumizing shampoos aren’t meant for people with dry hair since they work by reducing the oils in the air.
However, this shampoo does have a great smell. Its scent is so good that it is incomparable to any other shampoo. It is, still, neutral enough for everyone to like it. In fact, many users even say that they buy this shampoo purely for its excellent scent and that all its other super qualities are add-ons.
Who’s it for: If you’re a discerning customer who is willing to spend for top-notch quality, get this volumizing shampoo from ORIBE.
Tech Specs |
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Product Volume: 8.5 ounces |
Active ingredients: Oribe Signature Complex, coconut derived cleansers, sugar derived cleansers, lupine protein, saw palmetto extract, hydrolyzed vegetable protein, hydrolyzed keratin, rice bran oil, amber seed extract, and moringa seed extract |
The Pros |
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Adds volume and bounce |
Counters DHT to slow down hair loss |
Nourishes hair to encourage hair growth |
Produces a good amount of lather |
Has a very appealing scent that everyone likes |
Doesn’t contain parabens |
Doesn’t contain sulfates |
Mild enough for colored and chemically treated hair |
The Cons |
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Can leave hair too dry |
Crazy expensive |