These Popular Hairsprays Will Keep Your Hair Perfectly Styled (2024)

If you associate hairsprays with memories of nauseating clouds that shellac hair into place, you aren't alone. Since its invention in the 1940s, hairspray has been used to build elevated hairstyles like the bouffants of the '50s and the beehives of the '60s. It lost popularity in the '70s when relaxed hairstyles trended, but came back with full force in the '80s when Madonna-like volume in bangs, mullets and crimped ponytails once again made strong hold hairspray a necessity for women.

The hairspray on the market at the time made these high glam hairstyles feel stiff and unnatural, but hairsprays have come a long way since. The once-crunchy sprays are now available in fine mist formulas for the touchable, beachy waves and loose styles of this decade with the same level of holding power to make sure your hair doesn't fall flat (or frizz!) seconds after styling.

Whether you are looking for a spray with ultimate humidity resistance, something to keep ultra fine hair in place, or want an extra-strong hold for a special occasion up-do, these Good Housekeeping Institute tester-approved hairsprays will leave hair touchable and perfectly styled for up to 24 hours. These are the best hairsprays you can buy:

For the ultimate touchable hold, try It's a 10's Super Hold Hairspray with Keratin. This lab test winner scored high marks in hold and texture for all hair types. "I like that at the end of the day, when I brush my hair, my hair is not difficult to comb," said one tester. Similarly, others praised the hairspray for being so lightweight it's like not wearing it at all.

Want the results of a luxury hairspray at nearly half the price? Try John Frieda's Fizz Ease Hairspray. Testers reported a strong hold with a touchable feel. "I love it because it freezes my hair in place instantly," said one tester.

Whether you want to maintain your voluminous up-do or tame flyaways without weighing your superfine hair down, L'Anza's Healing Style hairspray has the lightweight formula and spray application to keep your roots lifted and not shellacked to your head. After a quick spray, testers described their hair as "light and fluffy" and "super soft."

Some hairsprays have a distinct chemical odor that can linger in your hair for hours, but Dove's Style + Care Hairspray has a pleasant clean, fresh scent. Testers raved about the mild perfume as well as the flexible hold that left their hair feeling soft. The hair product smelled good, not like chemicals as some other products do," said one tester. "Also I liked how my hair was still touchable yet gave me the hold I needed."

Humid days can ruin even the best hairstyles, so to keep flyaways in place, try Phyto's Workable Holding Spray. "The hairspray made my hair look smooth and helped keep the curl instead of the frizz," said one tester. Other testers even said that this spray held their style overnight and through exercise classes. Impressive!

Some of us have unruly hair that needs an extra firm hold. If your hair has a stubborn mind of it's own, try Aussie's Instant Freeze Hairspray. "No need to worry whether your hair will hold," said one tester. "Your hair is staying in place, believe it!" Some said the spray made their hair a little crunchy, but admitted that it would be a perfect extra strong spray for styling your hair into a special occasion up-do or a classic ballerina bun.

Locking your hair in place doesn't have to mean losing your hair's natural movement. For a flexible hold that still allows your curls to bounce, your waves to roll, or your straight strands to tousle, try Matrix's Biolage Styling Freeze Fix Hairspray. Testers loved the fine mist application that held their hair all day.

“I steered away from hairspray most of my life because I feared the dreaded stickiness, but this product works more like a lightweight mist that keeps my hair feeling soft," says Good Housekeeping's Associate Beauty Editor Pia Velasco. "I use it whenever I want to maintain the life and bounciness of a blowout, or if I ever want to tame flyaways without the heaviness of a gel."