The 11 Best Shampoos for Fine Hair That We Tested, to Add Instant Volume and Lift

“This distinction matters because shampoos for fine hair focus on volume and strand ‘plumping,’ while shampoos for thinning hair often target scalp health and strengthen the follicle environment,” says Alan Bauman, MD, a board-certified hair restoration physician and founder of Bauman Medical in Boca Raton, Florida. You should aim for lightweight cleansing and scalp balance, not growth stimulation. “Scalp health is essential. Inflammation, flaking, or buildup can cause fine hair to clump together and look even sparser,” says Ross Kopelman, MD, a hair transplant surgeon at Kopelman Hair Restoration with offices in New York, Florida, and New Jersey. “Using a gentle thickening shampoo that keeps the scalp balanced is one of the most effective ways to help hair appear fuller.”

To help you choose the right shampoo for your fine hair, we tested more than 30 top-rated formulas, incorporated expert input from Dr. Bauman and Dr. Kopelman, and reviewed current dermatology guidance. During testing, we considered products’ ingredients, scalp compatibility, and volumizing performance to determine which ones worked best for fine hair.

• Best for instant volume: Living Proof Full Shampoo
• Best for oily, fine hair: Kérastase Spécifique Bain Divalent Balancing Shampoo
• Best for dandruff: Nizoral Anti-Dandruff Shampoo
• Best for color-treated hair: Pureology Hydrate Sheer Shampoo
• Best for sensitive scalps: Vanicream Shampoo
• Best everyday volumizer: OUAI Fine Hair Shampoo
• Best budget pick: OGX Thick & Full + Biotin & Collagen Shampoo
• Best gentle cleanse: Virtue Full Shampoo
• Best salon-level volumizer: Redken Volume Injection Shampoo
• Best system for early thinning: Nioxin System 1 Shampoo
• Best clarifying reset: Redken Hair Cleansing Cream Shampoo

We combined independent testing with medical and ingredient-based research. Our team tested more than 30 top-rated shampoos from salon, drugstore, and dermatologist-recommended brands to see which delivered real results. We were looking for cleaner roots, healthier scalps, lasting lift, and softer, fuller-feeling strands. Each product was reviewed for how well it removed buildup without stripping, balanced hydration for fine or low-density hair, and supported scalp health over time.

We also consulted two board-certified MDs with hair expertise and reviewed ingredient guidance from the International Journal of Trichology and the International Journal of Medical Sciences. Staying true to the Everyday Health value proposition, our process included independent vetting, conflict checks, clear pros and cons, and alignment with dermatologist guidance. The result is a curated list of shampoos that not only meet expert standards but also perform in real life — helping thin hair look and feel its healthiest.

If you have fine hair, you should choose a shampoo that cleanses well but doesn’t weigh your hair down. Kopelman typically recommends lightweight formulas that avoid heavy silicones, parabens, and excessive oils, which can flatten hair and make it look stringy. “Instead, focus on shampoos that use ingredients that support scalp health and the strength of the follicle,” he says.

“If your goal is simply cosmetic and you want thin hair to appear fuller, look for a thickening shampoo that deposits lightweight polymers or proteins on the strand to give it more substance,” he explains. But make sure it rinses clean so your hair doesn’t get weighed down.

Kopelman cautions patients against overly moisturizing or heavy “smoothing” shampoos, as they can collapse thin hair at the root and make it look even flatter.

Shampoos that support a healthier scalp environment can help existing follicles function better though. In addition, Bauman mentions that nutritional supplements, physician-compounded medications, and regenerative treatments like platelet-rich plasma or exosomes can be used to restore growth. If you’re looking for true hair regrowth, you’ll have to seek interventions like minoxidil, finasteride, microneedling, or platelet-rich plasma. These rely on mechanisms beyond what a rinse-off product, such as shampoo, can achieve.

A shampoo that is meant to “thicken” is not the same thing as a shampoo that’s meant to “volumize,” says Kopelman. “A thickening shampoo is formulated to temporarily increase the diameter of each strand of hair, so when you run your hands through it, the hair feels more substantial and denser at the scalp,” he explains. “A volumizing shampoo is designed to create lift at the roots and give the hair more body overall. The effect is more about how the hair sits and moves rather than actually plumping the hair shaft itself.”

While both types — thickening shampoos and volumizing shampoos — can improve the look of fine hair, the approach differs.

Here, Kopelman breaks down the differences between hair types:

• Fine Hair This refers to the diameter of the strand, meaning the hair itself is very small in circumference.
• Thin Hair Here there are fewer strands (fewer follicles) per square centimeter, so the overall density of the hair is low.
• Thinning Hair This describes active hair loss, compared with a person’s baseline.

Kopelman says that the distinctions between hair types matter because fine hair benefits from lightweight volumizing ingredients, while thinning hair also requires shampoos that support scalp health without leaving residue.

Bauman points out one big misconception, which is that having fine hair automatically means you are “losing” your hair — but that’s not always the case. “Many people naturally have fine strands, and while they may be more susceptible to decreased coverage in general and perceive their hair as thinner, it doesn’t necessarily mean active shedding or follicle loss is occurring,” he explains. “Conversely, someone with naturally thick strands may still be experiencing early-stage hair loss that isn’t obvious to the naked eye.”

You may not know how to classify your hair. In that case, Bauman says you can “undergo proper measurements and diagnostics, like HairCheck or HairMetrix, to determine whether true thinning is present and to track changes over time.”

Bauman recommends avoiding heavy silicones, waxes, butters, or oils that weigh hair down and make the scalp greasy faster. “Sulfates are included in shampoo for their cleansing properties, but sometimes they can be too harsh,” he says. He recommends sulfate-free shampoos, which are gentler and less prone to stripping natural scalp oil or sebum. Though few and far between, these options should be favored, especially if your hair is color-treated or your scalp is sensitive.

And while you should aim to go sulfate-free, Bauman stresses that seeing this on the label doesn’t necessarily mean “safe.” “Sometimes traditional sulfates are replaced with ingredients that are just as harsh,” he explains. He attests that traditional sulfates can compromise scalp health over time. “For those with oilier scalps, there are alternatives that provide an effective yet gentle cleanse, without the drawbacks of sulfates,” he says.

As for silicones, they’re not automatically harmful. “Certain lightweight silicones can smooth the cuticle, reduce tangling, and add shine without weighing the hair down,” Bauman points out. “The issue comes with heavier, buildup-prone silicones that can flatten fine hair and make thinning more obvious.” A problematic shampoo formula really depends on the type and concentration of silicones, he adds, plus the individual’s hair texture and styling habits.