The best hairstyles to add volume to thin hair - Garnier The best hairstyles to add volume to thin hair - Garnier

The Best Hairstyles for Thin Hair

Pump up the volume of your thin hair! There are three main ways to make thin and fine hair look fuller, thicker, and bouncier. One: get creative with cuts that add height, body, and bounce. Two: use volumizing hair care products like thickening shampoos and conditioners, intensely hydrating hair masks, and root-lifting dry shampoo. Three: learn easy thin hair hairstyles that add a ton of confidence-boosting allure to any look. Whether your fine hair is short, medium, or long, bookmark this page with great hacks and techniques for achieving the best hairstyles for thin hair.

Top Tips for Styling Thin Hair

• Start with lightweight, volumizing shampoo and conditioner; avoid heavy oils and butters at the roots.
• Blow-dry upside down or lift at the roots with a round brush; finish with a cool-shot to set volume.
• Use dry shampoo on clean or second-day hair to add grip and lift at the scalp.
• Embrace texture: layers, soft waves, and highlights can create the illusion of density.
• Go easy on tight styles; keep ponytails and braids loose to reduce tension on follicles.
• Always use heat protectant before hot tools and keep temperatures moderate.
• Part strategically (deep side or zigzag) to disguise scalp show-through and add instant lift.

Short Hairstyles for Thin Hair

Thin hairstyles for short hair focus on making your locks look thicker by creating lift and volume. In addition to giving your hair a fuller cut, you can amp things up with volumizing products, texturizers and max-hold sprays.

Shaggy Bob
Asymmetrical Pixie
Stacked Bob
Lob with Layers
A-line Bob
Wispy Pixie
01
Shaggy Bob
This versatile cut creates the illusion of volume and movement because it adds layers. For curly hair, try increasing the definition of this hairstyle for thin hair with a leave-in such as Curl Scrunch Gel. If your hair is straight, give it more body by blow-drying it upside down after applying heat protection like Flat Iron Perfector Heat Protectant Spray.

Styling tip: Scrunch a small amount of gel into damp hair and diffuse for lift; mist roots with heat protectant before a quick upside-down blow-dry.
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Garnier Fructis
Curl Control Scrunching Gel
Curl Control Scrunching Gel
02
Asymmetrical Pixie
Even though your face is symmetrical, this one-side-shorter pixie suits all face shapes. The contrast can make the slightly longer side look fuller, but if you want to pump up both sides, grab some Sky-Hi Volume Mousse to maximize body and hold.

Styling tip: Work mousse through damp hair, blow-dry with fingers lifting at the crown, then define ends with a light paste.
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Garnier Fructis
Sky-Hi Volume Mousse
Sky-Hi Volume Mousse
03
Stacked Bob
This face-framing angled cut goes shorter at the nape of the neck to build volume at the crown. It can be layered as well and lifted on the regular with volumizing products in the Fructis Grow Strong Thickening line.

Styling tip: Round-brush the back in small sections to over-direct hair toward the crown for maximum lift.
04
Lob with Layers
Short for “long bob,” a lob cut frames the face and light layers soften it up. They also give you the option of creating more body, especially when well hydrated and made chunkier with a texturizer like Power Putty for a beachy windswept look.

Styling tip: Twist random 1-inch sections with a texturizing paste, then tousle and set with a light spray.
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Garnier Fructis
Power Putty Surfer Hair
Power Putty Surfer Hair
05
A-line Bob
This cut is also shorter at the nape and angles down toward the front. You can opt for bangs as well. Either way, it nicely frames the face and keeps looking great as it grows out. Since the cut itself adds volume, you can keep it sleek with leave-in Anti-Frizz Serum.

Styling tip: Smooth a drop of serum from mid-lengths to ends and blow-dry with a paddle brush to maintain shape without flattening roots.
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Garnier Fructis
Sleek & Shine Anti-Frizz Serum
Sleek & Shine Anti-Frizz Serum
06
Wispy Pixie
This cute Betty Boop cut is one of the best hairstyles for thin hair because of the face-hugging wisps that create a sculptured look. Add texture and hold with a gel or paste like Pure Clean Finishing Paste.

Styling tip: Pinch small sections forward around the hairline to frame the face and create airy movement.
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Garnier Fructis
Pure Clean Finishing Paste
Pure Clean Finishing Paste

Medium-Length Hairstyles for Thin Hair

If short hair seems a little high-maintenance for your lifestyle, there are some super flattering medium-length hairstyles for thin hair. Here are some of the hottest looks that can also be enhanced with our tips on getting thick healthy hair.

Half-Up Half-Down
Choppy Razored Layers
Curly Shag
Balayage
High Pony
Hollywood Pinwaves
01
Half-Up Half-Down
For special occasions or just because, this volumizing updo for thin hair draws attention to the face. Choose a texturizer for the front half that’s pinned up to build height. Add a cute clip or ribbon for extra pizzazz.

Styling tip: Tease the crown lightly before pinning and leave a few face-framing pieces out for softness.
02
Choppy Razored Layers
This chunky cut makes fine hair look light and fluffy for instant texture and volume. Keep it frizz-free with Sleek and Shine shampoo and conditioner.

Styling tip: Air-dry with a curl-boosting mousse, then add definition with a tiny bit of paste on the ends.
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Garnier Fructis
Sleek & Shine Smoothing Shampoo
Sleek & Shine Smoothing Shampoo
03
Curly Shag
This casual shag is a low-maintenance thin hair hairstyle for curly heads. It really looks its best when well hydrated and defined, so look for a flake-free curl styling product like Curl Construct Creation Mousse.

Styling tip: Air-dry with a curl-boosting mousse, then add definition with a tiny bit of paste on the ends.
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Garnier Fructis
Curl Construct Creation Mousse
Curl Construct Creation Mousse
04
Balayage
Color contrasts can really take hairstyles for fine hair to a new level, especially when they look natural. The freehand application of balayage highlights on a good shoulder-length cut goes a long way to creating depth and the illusion of thickness. Check out our Nutrisse Ultra Balayage kit for an easy DIY solution.

Styling tip: Ask for soft, face-framing highlights and a shadowed root to add depth without harsh lines.
05
High Pony
This quick thin hair style is great at concealing thinning areas because it makes it look like you have more hair than you actually do. Brush it gently upside down first for extra lift, then secure a ponytail toward the top of your head. Add a large colorful scrunchy or scarf for drama and keep everything in place with a few spritzes of Volume Anti-Humidity Aerosol Spray.

Styling tip: Wrap a small section of hair around the elastic and pin it underneath for a fuller, polished finish.
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Garnier Fructis
Volume Anti-Humidity Aerosol Hairspray
Volume Anti-Humidity Aerosol Hairspray
06
Hollywood Pinwaves
As well as adding texture, pinwaves can last for days with a good gel and a silk pillowcase. Try doing them with Curl Sculpt Cream Gel for bounce, moisture and extra strong hold.

Styling tip: Clip each wave to cool completely before releasing; mist with flexible hold spray to keep movement.
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Garnier Fructis
Curl Shine Conditioning Jelly
Curl Shine Conditioning Jelly

Hairstyles for Long Thin Hair

Contrary to popular belief, wearing your thin hair long doesn’t make it look flatter. There are plenty of hairstyles for fine hair that make length look voluminous; it’s all about the cut, the styling, and the right thin hair products.

Layerless Long Bob
Long and Sleek
Braids
Messy Topknot
Bubble Ponytail
Lift and Curl
01
Layerless Long Bob
This is a versatile hairstyle for long thin hair that can be dressed up or down. Without the layers to create a fuller look, add thickness and body with the Fructis Hair Filler Fullness Repair System with Polypeptides. This four-step regimen really boosts volume to make this style perfect for anyone with thin or fine hair.

Styling tip: Blow-dry with a large round brush, focusing on lifting at the roots and beveling the ends.
02
Long and Sleek
Add extra volume to this timeless style by blow-drying your hair upside down and scrunching the roots to create lift. If you’re using a flat iron to straighten it up, protect your hair from the heat with Sleek & Shine Flat Iron Perfector.

Styling tip: Keep the crown slightly lifted; avoid pressing the flat iron too close to the scalp to preserve volume.
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Garnier Fructis
Flat Iron Perfector Heat Protectant Spray
Flat Iron Perfector Heat Protectant Spray
03
Braids
Braids are one of the best thin hair hairstyles because they automatically give your hair a fuller feel while hiding thinner patches. And there are so many braided styles to choose from! Remember to keep them loose to avoid pulling on the follicles and weakening your hair.

Styling tip: Pancake your braids—gently pull apart each loop—to instantly make them look thicker.
04
Messy Topknot
Add texture and volume to this carefree hairstyle for thin hair. It’s easy to do whenever you want, and you usually don’t even need a mirror. Apply some 10-in-1 Leave-In Spray for best results, and don’t place the knot too far forward on your head.

Styling tip: Backcomb the ponytail lightly before wrapping for a fuller bun; finish with a flexible hold spray.
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Garnier Fructis
Grow Strong Thickening 10-in-1 Leave-In Spray
Grow Strong Thickening 10-in-1 Leave-In Spray
05
Bubble Ponytail
Get out your hair elastics and have fun with this bouncy hairstyle for fine hair. It couldn’t be easier to achieve, and the ‘bubbles’ really create the illusion of volume. Keep your style fresh all day long with Flexible Control Anti-Humidity Hair Spray.

Styling tip: Gently tug each bubble outward to widen it and boost the body between elastics.
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Garnier Fructis
Flexible Control Anti-Humidity Aerosol Hair Spray
Flexible Control Anti-Humidity Aerosol Hair Spray
06
Lift and Curl
Maximize your curls by lifting them higher from the roots. Apply Curl Refresher Spray as you scrunch up your ringlets for extra volume. It also supplies moisture and bounce between washes.

Styling tip: Diffuse with your head upside down and clip roots while cooling to set height at the scalp.
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Garnier Fructis
Curl Refresher Spray
Curl Refresher Spray

Best Products for Volume

• Thickening shampoo and conditioner to prep hair without weighing it down.
• Root-lifting mousse for body and hold on damp hair.
• Texturizing paste or putty to add grit and separation.
• Dry shampoo to refresh and boost lift at the crown.
• Flexible-hold hairspray to set styles without stiffness.
• Heat protectant spray to safeguard hair while styling.

Expert Advice on Hair Care

Explore trusted resources for caring for thin or fine hair:

• AAD: Healthy hair care basics
• MedlinePlus (NIH): Hair loss information
• NCBI (NIH): Hair cosmetics and effects of heat/chemicals
• NIH Office of Dietary Supplements: Biotin fact sheet
• NHS (UK): Hair loss overview

Caring for Thin Hair

Making the most of thin hair can seem a little daunting, but you can add visible volume by using these thin hair hairstyles and products. Also consult a stylist to find the right cut for your face shape and type of hair (straight, curly, etc.). For lots more information about all your options, see the Garnier guide on caring for and styling fine and thin hair.

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Thin Hair Frequently Asked Questions

  • What are the best short hairstyles for thin hair?
  • How do layers help thin hair look thicker?
  • What medium-length hairstyles work well for thin hair?