Has your hair gone limp? The best volumizing shampoos can restore bounce, plumping up your strands by removing the product buildup that’s weighing things down. “Volumizing shampoos work by targeting the hair cuticle, which is the outer layer of each strand. This layer is responsible for protecting the inner parts of your hair from damage and external factors. When the hair cuticle lays flat or gets damaged, it can cause hair strands to appear limp and lack volume,” professional hair stylist and Virtue creative director Adir Abergel tells Vogue.
Vogue’s Favorite Volumizing Shampoos
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Now comes the task of finding the best volumizing shampoos for you. Below, experts weigh in on their favorites—and share insights on how to choose one and the ingredients to look out for in the formulas. No matter your hair texture, you’re one wash away from fuller, bouncier hair.
Best Keratin-Like: Virtue Full Shampoo
- Why We Love It: Virtue’s volumizing shampoo strikes the perfect balance of clarifying and nourishing. The secret behind this formula is a keratin protein, designed in Virtue’s lab, to replenish lost keratin and fill in follicle damage. Plus, a blend of soybeans and lipids work together to add moisture and fight unwanted frizz.
- Key Ingredients: Alpha Keratin 60ku, phospholipids
- More To Know: Color safe, paraben free, phthalates free
- Size: 2 fl oz, 8 fl oz, 17 fl oz
Best for Heat Protection: Oribe Shampoo for Magnificent Volume
- Why We Love It: Oribe’s volumizing shampoo does more than just add bounce to your hair (thanks to a blend of plumping polymers)—hydrolyzed vegetable protein in the formula also provides heat-activated protection against thermal styling. Meanwhile, the brand’s antioxidant-rich combination of watermelon, lychee, and edelweiss extracts protects against oxidative stress.
- Key Ingredients: Watermelon extract, lychee extract, edelweiss flower extract, lupine protein, saw palmetto extract, hydrolyzed vegetable protein, keratin protein, rice bran oil, polymers
- More To Know: Sulfate-free, color safe, keratin treatment safe
- Size: 8.5 fl oz
Best Lightweight: Sisley-Paris Revitalizing Volumizing Shampoo With Camellia Oil
- Why We Love It: No, it’s not a magic trick. Sisley-Paris’s volumizing shampoo transforms from a thin fluid into fluffy foam for lathering when it interacts with water. This lightweight formula allows for thorough cleansing without weighing down hair from heavy product. Meanwhile, a blend of oils hydrate your scalp and hair, leaving your lengths silky smooth to the touch.
- Key Ingredients: Alpha-bisabolol, shea oil, hazelnut oil, camellia oil, vitamin complex (zinc, copper, magnesium, vitamin B6, vitamin E acetate, vitamin B5)
- More To Know: Cruelty-free, clean, sulfate-free
- Size: 6.7 fl oz, 16.7 fl ox
Best for Thinning: Briogeo Destined for Density Caffeine and Biotin Peptide Shampoo
- Why We Love It: Those experiencing thinning can find a short-term solution for the appearance of thicker hair with Briogeo’s caffeinated shampoo, which adds volume and density. The formula features scientifically-backed ingredients such as copper peptides, zinc, biotin, and vitamin E to gently cleanse hair, increase circulation, and strengthen hair follicles.
- Key Ingredients: Caffeine, green coffee oil, biotin, copper peptides
- More To Know: Cruelty-free, silicone free, sulfate free, paraben free
- Size: 8 fl oz
Best for Fullness: Aveda Pure Abundance Volumizing Shampoo
- Why We Love It: With a name like Pure Abundance, your hair will indeed look fuller, thicker, and more voluminous. The star ingredient—acacia gu—acts as a natural thickener and texturizer, adding volume and body to fine hair follicles without weighing them down.
- Key Ingredients: Acacia gum, aloe leaf extract, hydrolyzed wheat protein, hydrolyzed wheat starch, glycerin, bixa orellana seed extract
- More To Know: Plant-based, cruelty-free
- Size: 8.5 fl oz, 33.8 fl oz
Best Plumping: Alterna Caviar Anti-Aging Multiplying Volume Shampoo
- Why We Love It: Inspired by skin-plumping ingredients, Alterna’s caviar-infused shampoo applies the same concept to adding moisture and shine to your hair with a marine-inspired complex featuring a combination of omega-3s and silk protein to stimulate blood circulation and future hair growth. With a host of nourishing ingredients derived from the ocean, this fortifying shampoo gives new meaning to “mermaid hair.”
- Key Ingredients: Caviar extract, omega-3, silk protein
- More To Know: Sulfate-free, color safe
- Size: 8.5 fl oz
Best Argan Oil: Moroccanoil Extra Volume Shampoo
- Why We Love It: It’s common knowledge that Moroccanoil products feature argan oil—the hero ingredient known for its antioxidant and nourishing properties. Surrounded in this shampoo with linden bud extract (naturally rich in amino acids and peptides), the formula plumps up hair by forming a protective film to reduce water loss and improve hydration.
- Key Ingredients: Argan oil, tomentosa bud extract, carageenan extract, citric acid, tocopherol
- More To Know: Paraben-free; sulfate-free; phosphate-free
- Size: 8.5 fl oz
Best for Reducing Breakage: Philip Kingsley Density Thickening Shampoo
- Why We Love It: For those with fragile hair, Philip Kingsley’s fortifying shampoo aims to give the appearance of thicker, stronger strands. It does so with hydrolyzed pea protein, which coats and thickens each strand while adding to smoothness and hydration. Meanwhile, BHA gently exfoliates the scalp to remove product buildup and excess sebum weighing hair down.
- Key Ingredients: Pea peptides, BHA, salicylic acid
- More To Know: Sulfate-free, paraben-free, cruelty-free, vegan
- Size: 6.76 fl oz
Best for Flat Hair: R+Co Dallas Biotin Thickening Shampoo
- Why We Love It: Ah, Dallas—a city synonymous with the ’80s hit drama of the same name and, of course, big hair. This R+Co shampoo hydrates the hair with a shine-boosting concoction of coconut oil, pro-vitamin B5, and hydrolyzed rice protein. Meanwhile, saw palmetto extract helps to kick-start hair growth. The addition of biotin provides volume and density to fine, flat hair.
- Key Ingredients: Biotin, pro-vitamin B5, saw palmetto berry extract, coconut oil, loquat fruit
- More To Know: Vegan, paraben-free, cruelty-free, gluten-free
- Size: 8.5 oz
Best for Thickening: Living Proof Full Shampoo
- Why We Love It: A Vogue editor favorite, Living Proof’s Full shampoo is lauded for its hair thickening abilities. “I love how voluptuous and full my hair looks after every wash,” production & marketing manager Clarissa Schmidt previously said. The formula features slip modifiers that reduce surface friction along the hair shaft, plus sugarcane extract to reduce frizz.
- Key Ingredients: Amaranthus caudatus seed extract, citric acid, orange peel oil, bergamot fruit oil, lemon peel oil
- More To Know: Vegan, color-safe, paraben-free, sulfates-free, silicones
- Size: 2 fl oz, 8 fl oz
Best for Fine Strands: Ouai Fine Hair Shampoo
- Why We Love It: For those who want to turn the volume all the way up on their fine strands, Ouai’s shampoo features a potent blend of hydrolyzed keratin, biotin, and chia seed oil. The results? Your hair will immediately appear fuller after blowdrying, with improved follicle strength over time.
- Key Ingredients: hydrolyzed keratin, biotin, chia seed oil, panthenol
- More To Know: Cruelty-free, gluten-free, paraben-free, phthalate-free
- Size: 10 fl oz
Best Clean Beauty: Rahua Voluminous Shampoo
- Why We Love It: For those seeking to add volume from a clean formula, Rahua offers a completely natural shampoo alternative. A blend of green tea antioxidants, eucalyptus, and lemongrass gently clarifies the scalp and controls excess oil production. Meanwhile, rahua oil and shea butter nourish hair, preventing dry, brittle strands.
- Key Ingredients: Rahua oil, eucalyptus oil, lemongrass extract, shea butter, green tea extract
- More To Know: Plant-based, clean, color-safe, sulfate-free, artificial fragrance-free
- Size: 9.3 fl oz
Best Natural Exfoliant: Crown Affair The Volumizing Shampoo
- Why We Love It: Extremely lightweight yet super effective, Crown Affair’s volumizing shampoo utilizes coconut-based surfactants to gently clarify hair without drying it out. Meanwhile, hydrolyzed rice protein boosts hair from the root, strengthening strands over time. Best of all, the combination of tsubaki and meadowfoam seed oil adds intensive hydration without unwanted weight.
- Key Ingredients: Tsubaki seed oil, meadowfoam seed oil, rice protein, panthenol, coconut acid, hyaluronic acid
- More To Know: Color safe, clean, cruelty-free, artificial fragrance-free
- Size: 8 fl oz
Everything You Need To Know
Do volumizing shampoos really work?
Volumizing shampoos aren’t just a matter of buzzy wording—it’s all in the ingredients, using clarifying exfoliants to clean hair, and thickening ingredients to add to follicle density. “The most effective volumizing shampoos have a moderately higher surfactant-to-cleanser composition, which removes excess sebum and product buildup to enhance your hair’s lift,” says pro hairstylist Adir Abergel. “Added volume comes from plumping polymers (often plant-derived), which help to thicken the appearance of each strand, and enhance the ease of detangling.” Long story short, volumizing shampoos can you help achieve fuller, bouncier hair and prevent future mechanical damage (while masking the appearance of damage that’s already done).
How To Choose a Volumizing Shampoo
According to Abergel, first and foremost, it’s best to always seek a sulfate-free formula, as sulfates will only lead to further frizz and dullness.
“Shampoos with a rich, thick lather help to remove excess oils and product build-up to enhance hair’s fullness. I also like to look for skin-care ingredients that support thickening and volumizing—think plant-based polymers, AHAs, and fruit acids, which will help to reduce residue, mineral deposits from hard water, and environmental pollutants that weigh hair down,” he explains.
How often should you use a volumizing shampoo?
Suppose your main concern is fullness, and your hair is thinner and oilier. In that case, Abergel recommends washing with a volumizing shampoo every other day. For thicker, coarser textures, reach for a volumizing shampoo on an as-needed basis for an extra boost.
- Adir Abergel is a celebrity hair stylist, and the creative director of Virtue. Known as “the Hollywood hitmaker of hair,” Abergel’s clients include Kristin Stewart, Nicole Kidman, Taylor Russell, Florence Pugh, Saoirse Ronan, Anne Hathaway, and more.
