I have always had relatively fine, flat hair. I’ve been told there’s ‘a lot of it’, but that doesn’t really help the fact I have zero volume. Getting my hands on a Dyson Airwrap greatly helped, allowing me to achieve salon-worthy blow-dries from home, but without the right products, it only goes so far.
This is why I started on my journey to find the ultimate volume-boosting blow dry sprays that will lift my strands from the roots. An efficacious spray can make all the difference at the styling stage post-wash. Designed to be used on damp hair, most of these should be directed at the roots of hair in order to build volume that will stick.
Here are the eight best blow dry sprays that have vastly improved my at-home styling.
1. LIVING PROOF Full Volume & Root-Lifting Spray
(Image credit: Living Proof)
This is hands down one of the very best blowdry sprays I’ve ever used. You spritz this from the roots of your hair all the way down to the tips, then blowdry with either a hair dryer and round brush, hot brush or a multi-styler, like the Dyson Airwrap. Not only does it add incredible volume, it also has built-in heat protection, meaning more bang for your buck.
2. Larry King Haircare Volumizing Hair Mist
(Image credit: Larry King)
Perhaps the most boujee-feeling of the bunch, you can tell this has been created by renowned hair stylist Larry King. Not only is the packaging luxe (I adore the weighty glass bottle), the product inside delivers on all fronts. This mist is designed to be sprayed at the roots and crown of hair to create volume, while also scenting hair delicately with notes of rosemary, pine needles, lavender, jasmine and violet. Delicious.
3. amika Brooklyn Bombshell Blowout Spray
(Image credit: Amika)
I’m a big Amika fan so was not surprised its volume spray was another great addition to my collection. First, the scents the brand uses in its products are phenomenal, so if that’s important to you, this is a brilliant option. Then there’s the fact this delivers crunch-free volume for all hair types, while omega 7, fatty acids and antioxidant-rich vitamins protect and nourish in the background.
4. Color Wow Raise the Root Thicken + Lift Spray
(Image credit: Color Wow)
Color Wow’s volume-boosting mousse is a bestseller, and this spray has certainly followed in its footsteps. It harnesses the power of elastomers, which create a ‘spring’ at the roots to build body, all through an invisible formula that also provides UV and heat protection. As well as being used as a blow-dry spray, it can also be sprayed onto dry hair.
5. Oribe Maximista Spray
(Image credit: Oribe)
Oribe’s was the first ever volume spray I tried years ago back at uni. And let me tell you, if a look that screams ‘volume, body and hold’ is your goal, this is actually incredible at delivering results. You only need a little to achieve a beautiful blow dry, and it’s best to spray on sparingly at the roots anyway as it can feel a little sticky when used in excess. It also provides thermal protection, and is designed to be used on damp hair making it perfect pre-heat styling.
6. Hair By Sam McKnight Cool Girl Superlift Volumising Spray
(Image credit: Sam McKnight)
For root lift and that signature Hair By Sam McKnight scent, you’ll want to snap this up in an instant. As well as building body and volume, Cool Girl Superlift Volumising Spray works brilliantly in tandem with the brand’s Cool Girl Texture Mist to create an effortless finish that makes blow-dried hair feel modern rather than dated.
7. John Frieda Volume Lift Fine to Full Blow Out Styling Spray
(Image credit: John Frieda)
For a drugstore buy that won’t break the bank (but will build volume), John Frieda’s is a great option. The heat-activated spray is a part of the brand’s ‘Volume Lift’ range, and works super well when used with the shampoo and conditioner from the same line.
8. L’Oréal Professionnel TECNI.ART Art Volume Lift Force 3 Mousse Spray
(Image credit: L’Oreal Professional)
If you have fine hair and your concern is that a volume spray will weigh strands down and thus, be counterproductive, let me introduce you to L’Oréal Professionnel’s offering. Seen backstage at almost every fashion show, this is the hair stylist’s blowdry spray of choice. This unique mousse spray makes fast work of flat roots, while feeling completely featherlight and undetectable in hair afterwards. Smart.