Trust: These Hairsprays Won’t Make Your Hair Feel Like a Helmet (2024)

Those with curly hair understand how effing hard it can be to find products and create a routine that works with and for your curls—just as hard as it is for someone with thin, fine, straight hair to find a product that doesn't weigh the hair down. Now, what if I told you there's a hairspray that works for most hair types? Enter: The Hair Rules Volumizing Hair Spray that does, indeed, work for the curliest of hair to the straightest. Oh, and scroll down on the product page to see how they recommend applying the hairspray for every single hair type and texture. YW in advance.

• Size: 5.5 oz.
• Hold: Light

THE REVIEW: My friend who has 2c/3a curls, and me, with fine but very dense straight hair, both absolutely love this product. Both of us struggle to find products that won't weigh our hair down, and this hairspray makes the cut.

Say hello to the OG hairspray I've been using since I first learned how to use one—yes, seriously. Not only does this Tresemmé hairspray cost less than my morning coffee, but it also gives my hair maximum hold, all while avoiding that stiff helmet hair.

• Size: 11 oz.
• Scent: Floral and fruity
• Hold: Extra Strong

THE REVIEW: "The spray is on the finer side, and it provides a decent hold on your hair without it getting too crunchy," writes one reviewer. "Nothing compares to this Tresemme Extra Hold Hairspray," writes another tester.

If you blow-dry, straighten, or curl your hair on the reg, this is hands down the best hairspray option for you. Spray it on to protect your hair from heat damage, lock your style in place, and smooth down frizz and flyaways.

• Size: 8 oz.
• Scent: Morocco
• Hold: Light

THE REVIEW: "A good hold without being too crunchy," writes one reviewer with thick, heavy hair. "There is a scent at first but it does not linger."

This semi-strong hairspray is filled with Moroccanoil's iconic argan oil, which helps mitigate the drying effects of hairspray by coating your strands with a sheer layer of moisture. Bonus: It'll give you a super-reflective finish without looking oily.

• Size: 1o oz.
• Scent: Citrus, vanilla, amber
• Hold: Semi-strong
  

THE REVIEW: "It provides a great deal of shine, and it is not sticky at all," reads one review. "I wear my medium-length hair in very loose beach waves—it holds the loose curl, and I can run my fingers through it easily," reads another.

This flexible hairspray from Living Proof is ideal for days when you're doing multiple styles. It can be used on damp or dry hair and will keep the shape of whatever look you're going for (updos, beachy waves, you name it), but isn't so stiff or strong that you can't switch things up without having to wash your hair first.

• Size: 7.5 oz.
• Scent: Vanilla, amber
• Hold: Medium

THE REVIEW: "I have thick, dry, wavy hair and I prefer soft touchable styles," writes one tester, adding that the "hold on this is great with no added stiffness, and it's absolutely great in humidity, at the beach, or in the winter against static."

When you need a little lift, this fast-drying hairspray will be your BFF. Spritz along the crown for some volume without any stiffness. No matter your preferred style (straight, curly, wavy), you'll have moveable, head-turning hair—yes, pun intended.

• Size: 10 oz.
• Scent: Light and fresh
• Hold: Medium

THE REVIEW: "I have fine, straight hair without much body," writes one reviewer, adding that this hairspray doesn't cause flat, stiff hair, and the hold "can withstand hurricanes."

This eco-friendly, non-aerosol hairspray is powered by air instead of the harmful greenhouse gases traditional hairsprays use. Even better: It's made with organic and natural ingredients, like coconut oil, coconut milk, and jasmine, to give your hair a light hold.

• Size: 6.8 oz.
• Scent: White jasmine
• Hold: Light

THE REVIEW: "I like this spray as an alternative to dry shampoo for volume," writes one reviewer, adding that it comes out of the container in a stream, as water would, so if you're looking for a traditional "hairspray" experience, this isn't it.

There are so many reasons to love this hairspray: it adds instant volume, creates body, and absorbs oil. It also smells amazing. The fragrance is North Bondi—a fresh floral scent with notes of bergamot, Italian lemon, rose de mai, violet, and white musk.

• Size: 4.5 ozor 1.4 oz.
• Scent: Floral
• Hold: Light

THE REVIEW: "I was looking for a hairspray to use after curling my hair that wouldn’t weigh it down or make it crunchy, and this does just that," writes one reviewer, adding that they love the smell.

First of all, you gotta just trust me. But if you still don't, then at least trust this lightweight hairspray. It gives you that flexible-yet-natural hold that keeps flyaways in place without feeling like a helmet, and never, ever, ever feels sticky or crunchy. Promise.

• Size: 9 oz. or 2.2 oz
• Scent: Lightly scented hair perfume* (*not specified)
• Hold: Medium

THE REVIEW: "As with all Oribe products, this has an amazing fragrance that isn’t too overpowering," writes one tester, adding that the hairspray provides a "decent hold without making the hair crunchy or sticky."

My biggest beef with most hairsprays is that they leave my hair looking and feeling crunchy as hell. Yuck. But honestly? This hairspray from IGK doesn't create stiffness or stickiness at all. It has a soft, flexible finish that's perfect for smoothing frizz and flyaways.

• Size: 5 oz.
• Scent: Not specified
• Hold: Medium

THE REVIEW: "I love that it is a multi-purpose [product] that not only holds [the hair] but has heat protection as well," reads one review. "It really gives your hair a nice natural-looking shine."

Got long, fine, and/or frizzy hair? This lightweight formula keeps your hair in place without giving it a firm, helmet-head feeling. Another reason to love this hairspray: it provides a UV filter and color protection, so your highlights always shine (literally).

• Size: 10 oz.
• Scent: Not specified
• Hold: Medium

THE REVIEW: "FINALLY a non-sticky, helmet-producing hairspray," writes one reviewer with fine, color-treated hair that tangles easily. "I like a flexible, styling spray, not one you can't comb or move," adds the tester.

Other than the bottle being totally adorable, this hairspray by Amika will give you the shiny hair of your dreams, all without that oily look we all know and dread. Bonus: Your hair will also feel smooth asf.

• Size: 4.8 oz.
• Scent: Not specified, but testers note it smells a bit citrus-y
• Hold: Light

THE REVIEW: "This makes my hair shiny instantly without that 'oily' feeling," writes one reviewer, adding that the texture is light and it leaves the hair feeling smooth.

Those with thick, curly hair will love this moisturizing hairspray mist from SheaMoisture. The gentle, hydrating formula smooths and softens hair while providing a very light hold and protecting it from environmental aggressors (hi, pollution, and UV rays) with a combo of proteins, neem oil, coconut oil, and hibiscus extract.

• Size: 8 oz.
• Scent: Coconut and hibiscus
• Hold: Very light

THE REVIEW: "This product is honestly amazing on my 3b/3c/4a low porosity high-density hair," writes one reviewer, adding "as people with low porosity hair know, it’s super hard to find a product that actually smoothes and moisturizes our hair, but, this product worked WONDERS."

This cult-classic hairspray gives you an ultra-strong, glossy hold that will last through a summer party in Miami (speaking from experience here) without any of the heaviness or stickiness that you usually get with a strong-hold hairspray.

• Size: 8 oz.
• Scent: Not specified
• Hold: Strong

THE REVIEW: "I've always had trouble finding a hairspray that didn't make my hair feel stiff or chunky, but I haven't had any issues like that with this one in particular," writes one reviewer, adding that "it holds well while also being flexible." Another review reads, "I sprayed it on my edges and it held them in place all day."

Consider your hair type

It's important to keep in mind what kind of hair you have in order to choose which hairspray will work best for you. Is it straight, curly, frizzy, flat, thin, fine, wavy, or so on? Hairsprays are specially formulated to work with specific hair types and combat a series of common hair problems (think: keeping frizzy hair at bay during humid days).

Choose the hold

Hairsprays are made using a blend of different types of polymers, allowing the formula to be either a light, medium, or maximum hold. If you're looking for something moveable that still provides a little bit of hold, go for a light or medium hairspray. If you don't want your hair to budge, a maximum hold hairspray is the way to go.

• Donavin Maxwell is a hairstylist who has worked in the beauty and hair industry for 10 years. He performs cuts and colors at the Frederick Fekkai salon located inside the Mark Hotel in New York, NY.
  

Siena Gagliano is an associate editor at Cosmopolitan and has three years of experience writing about beauty, fashion, and lifestyle news. She’s an expert at researching and writing beauty and hair stories, like the best texture sprays and the greatest purple shampoos on the market, and feels especially knowledgeable in hairsprays, because finding one that works on her fine, dense hair is a major job. She regularly tests and analyzes hairsprays on her own hair for efficacy, while working with the industry’s top hairstylists and cosmetic chemists to assess new formulas and brands.

Lauren Balsamo is the deputy beauty director at Cosmopolitan with eight years of experience researching, writing, and editing skincare, hair, and makeup stories that range from the best hair detanglers to the greatest hair straightening brushes on the market. She chose her picks based on product reviews and personal testing.