11 Best Hairsprays for Fine Hair of 2024, Tried and Tested

Hairspray is no longer the sticky, crunchy, untouchable product from dance recital days. The newest iterations manage to keep hair intact, fresh-looking, and completely touchable—even if it's thin and tends to be weighed down by styling products. The right hairspray will keep flyaways, static, and baby hairs in check while locking your style in place.

"Use a light hold for finer hair or fine-tuning when styling a natural wave," says hairstylist Mikayla Ricketts. She suggests a firmer hold if your hair doesn't hold style well or if you're combatting the effects of humidity.

We tried 17 formulas ourselves to compile this curated list of the best hairsprays for fine hair. We considered a few key factors, including ingredients, hold, effectiveness, application, feel, and price per ounce, and then narrowed it down to products worth buying.

Best Overall

• Feels tacky at first

This hairspray surprised us in the best way. While we weren't sure about it initially, by the end of the day, we decided it was the best hairspray we tried. Let us explain: Although we loved the tall, sleek bottle and the way it dispersed an even, generous mist (plus a mild scent with fresh, citrusy notes), it left behind a crunchy feeling and didn't hide our flyaways. We noticed, however, that it really gave our hair a boost.

Then, as the day wore on, we realized the residue had completely disappeared, and our hair just felt like our hair but with added volume and hold. There was zero crunch and zero product buildup—just completely touchable strands. By the end of the day, the waves we'd added remained smooth, intact, and fresher than they'd look without hairspray.

Who It's For

This product creates body, holds style, smells nice, and keeps hair feeling soft. We recommend it to anyone with fine hair looking for a lightweight, medium-hold hairspray.

Hold: Medium | Size: 8.3 ounces | Alcohol-Free: No | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Best Budget

We loved how this affordable hairspray kept our hair extremely soft and touchable throughout the entire day. Plus, when it dried down, it felt totally weightless and prevented super-fine hair from looking flat. While it didn't deliver much in terms of volume, the formula plumped up our strands slightly. Overall, this strong-hold pick is good for humid days when you want to combat flyaways. The only drawback is that the scent might be too intense for some people.

Who It's For

This budget option comes in a ridiculously large bottle—though there are also smaller sizes available—making it the best bang for your buck out of all the hairsprays we tried.

Hold: Strong | Size: 4.2–14.6 ounces | Alcohol-Free: No | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Best Splurge

We had high hopes for this product, given how popular the brand's Dry Texturizing Spray is. TL;DR: It delivered. The first thing that impressed us was the spray itself—out of all the hairsprays we tested, this one had the finest, most mist-like texture. Because of this, it was really easy to build volume. With just a small spritz and a little encouragement to the roots, hair was noticeably fuller and more voluminous. That said, it left behind some buildup and classic crunch, even after it dried.

Who It's For

If you like high-end beauty products, you can't go wrong with Oribe. This strong-hold hairspray is great for adding fullness and body

Hold: Strong | Size: 9 ounces | Alcohol-Free: No | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Best Medium Hold

Though the bottle is smaller than most other hairsprays, we like its slim design and soft matte finish. And while the nozzle is kind of tough to press, it sends out a broad, even mist. When sprayed directly at the roots, it gave our hair a subtle boost of volume. This hairspray may not be enough to keep an updo intact, but it controls flyaways and keeps hair looking neat for hours on end. It's not the softest when it dries down, but hair remains touchable nonetheless.

Who It's For

This is the hairspray Goldilocks would choose—it's not too weak, not too strong, and keeps hair just right all day long. It's also a good option for heat styling, as it protects against temperatures as high as 410 degrees.

Hold: Medium | Size: 7.5 ounces | Alcohol-Free: No | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Best Strong Hold

Elnett Satin delivers major volume when applied at the roots, and it sticks around for most of the day. The amount of hold you'll get depends on how much product you use (and how much movement you want to retain). We found that even a few small spritzes calmed flyaways and kept hair in place. With a more generous spray, it's strong enough to hold hair in the most extreme conditions—like dancing at a wedding—as long as you don't mind a slightly crunchy feel. This hairspray also claims to be humidity-resistant and easy to brush out—which we found to be mostly true.

Who It's For

L'Oréal's Elnett Satin Hairspray has been a beauty staple since its 1960 launch. It's the best option for serious hold if you're OK with sacrificing movement and touch-ability.

Hold: Extra strong | Size: 11 ounces | Alcohol-Free: No | Cruelty-Free: No

Best Flexible

• Minimal volume boost

R+Co's Outer Space Hairspray dispenses in a continuous, even mist—it immediately felt like it gave our hair a better hold while remaining pliant. We didn't notice any notable volume change, but it did provide more texture for a bit of oomph. Our hair felt soft after application, and we loved how it tamed stray hairs and flyaways. By the end of the day, our hair looked smooth and still felt soft—a win-win.

Who It's For

If you need something flexible that adds texture and allows for movement, this is the hairspray to pick.

Hold: Medium-strong | Size: 2.25–9.5 ounces | Alcohol-Free: No | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Best for Shine

If you're looking for major shine, check out this option from Moroccanoil. During testing, we noticed that it kept flyaways and stray hairs at bay. While we'd be comfortable relying on this hairspray in most circumstances that require style to stay intact, it's probably not strong enough for situations where you need a more solid hold. The most notable feature is the luminous finish it imparts.

Who It's For

We'd reach for this hairspray any time we want hair to stay shiny and in place without compromising on movement.

Hold: Medium | Size: 2.3–10 ounces | Alcohol-Free: No | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Best for Volume

• Dispenses evenly distributed mist
  

• Creates noticeable volume and fullness

• Good for wind and humidity

With just a few spritzes to the roots, this brilliant formula provides a lift of airy volume. The slim bottle sprays out a fine mist that distributes evenly across an entire head of hair. It offers a strong hold, which the brand claims stands up to winds of up to 25 miles per hour. While it never got too windy in the studio, our hair stayed in place throughout the day. The formula isn't the most lightweight, though—we could still feel the product on our strands even after it dried, and it clumped hair together in spots.

Who It's For

If your hair craves a big boost or you need a strong hold for inclement weather, Kenra Volume Spray is your best bet.

Hold: Strong | Size: 1.5–16 ounces | Alcohol-Free: No | Cruelty-Free: yes

Best for Texture

• Good for tousled styles

• Adds grip to hair

• Nice fragrance

• Not much hold

Bumble and Bumble's fan-favorite Dryspun Texture Spray dispenses a strong mist (so you'll need to move quickly to distribute evenly across your hair), coating strands evenly and giving them grip and texture. Even with this extra grip, our hair stayed soft to the touch and free of crunch.

Since it's not technically a hairspray, the hold isn't quite the same—our hair started slipping out of its style as the day wore on. However, it plays well with other hairsprays when a bit more control is necessary, making it a great option to "dirty up" freshly washed hair for updos or messy styles.

Who It's For

Sometimes, adding texture to hair is enough to create volume, hold, and a little something extra. If that's what your hair needs, this product has your name on it.

Hold: Light | Size: 1.5–8.2 ounces | Alcohol-Free: No  | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Best Cruelty-Free

• Small bottle

• Not much volume

With just a spray or two, this hairspray gave our fine hair shape, hold, and a little volume boost. It almost seems to plump up individual strands to make hair look and feel thicker. The formula is nearly undetectable, too. It left a lightweight texture but nothing that felt crunchy or dirty. Even the scent is mild, though if you've used other Living Proof products, you'll recognize the fragrance. We also like that it provides heat protection.

Who It's For

While several products on this list are cruelty-free, this is one of the best. The vegan formula boasts clean ingredients, plus the brand uses sustainable packaging and containers.

Hold: Medium | Size: 3–7.5 ounces | Alcohol-Free: No | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Best for Heat Protection

• Small size

A hairspray with heat protection can do double duty when applied before using hot tools. This one offers safeguards strands against temperatures up to 450 degrees, making it an excellent multi-use product to have in your arsenal. It relies on micro-light reflectors to add shine and offers a medium hold that keeps waves and curls intact. Keep in mind, though, that it isn't the most volumizing. This hairspray delivers some texture and a nice grip, but it doesn't create that va-va-voom factor you might be expecting.

Who It's For

We recommend this protective, heat-resistant formula for those who use hairspray when styling with hot tools.

Hold: Medium | Size: 5 ounces | Alcohol-Free: No | Cruelty-Free: Yes

What to Consider When Buying Hairspray for Fine Hair

• Hold Level: Ricketts suggests choosing a hold level based on your hair type and styling goals. A stronger hold is ideal for thicker hair, updos, and preventing the effects of humidity, while a lighter hold is better for styling loose waves or curls. We like Bumble and Bumble Dryspun Volume Texture Spray for a stronger hold. Nexxus Ultra Fine Hairspray impressed us with its light mist and natural hold.
• Application: How you use hairspray can ultimately affect how well it works. "Some stylists go in with a light-hold hairspray before using a hot tool on each section and after combing out to ensure maximum coverage," says Ricketts. To avoid a heavy, sticky feel, she recommends using a light-hold hairspray for styling and a heavier-hold one (like Living Proof Control Hairspray) to fine-tune.
• Finish and Feel: As with Moroccanoil Luminous Hairspray, some formulas excel at adding shine, while others mattify hair. Think about what you want your ultimate style to look like, and then choose hairsprays that align with your goals.
  

FAQ

• This can depend on the hairspray itself, as well as how you use it. "Hairsprays can be drying—some more than others," Ricketts tells Byrdie. "Sometimes, adding a light heat protectant or hair oil before using hairspray can help you avoid that crunchy feel."

• Ricketts recommends keeping a distance when spraying hairspray over your final look to prevent it from over-saturating any one area. "For my finer-haired clients, I tend to use my hand and fluff the hair while misting from a distance to create an aerated look that will hold," she says.

• 
  Yes, you can use hairspray on fine hair. If you're looking to boost volume, hairspray can actually add body and shape to thin strands without causing them to fall flat.

How We Tested

To compile this list, we spent countless hours researching and testing today's best hairsprays for fine hair. Each product was evaluated based on ingredients, hold, effectiveness, application, feel, and price per ounce. We then assigned a star rating from one to five (five being the best; one being the worst) for each category and narrowed it down to hairsprays with the highest overall scores.

Attributes we evaluated each hairspray for fine hair on:

• Ingredients
• Hold and effectiveness
• Application
• Feel
• Price per ounce

Why Trust Byrdie

Byrdie contributor Joline Buscemi spent more than 100 hours testing every hairspray on this list to determine which ones were worth using—and to recommend the best times to use each. This article was updated by Theresa Holland, a freelance commerce writer specializing in haircare and skincare.