For those with very fine strands, a thinning head of hair or both, the best shampoo for fine hair will deeply cleanse strands and help to amplify volume – not, of course, weighing things down and leaving your hair looking flat or limp.
You don't need to be a trichologist or hairdresser to know that the key to a good hair routine is choosing products that suit your hair type and tend to its unique needs, from the best shampoo and conditioner to styling products. Long before we consider slathering on the best hair masks or investing in the best hair dryer, it's vital to get that cleansing routine down pat.
Several factors can contribute to fine or thinning hair, including genetics, ageing, and hormones. I have personally experienced hair thinning and my hair is slightly wavy, bleached and gets greasy super quickly – so I'm all too familiar with what to look for in a good shampoo for fine hair. Ahead, I've reviewed products that will boost your scalp and haircare routine to encourage healthy growth and add an injection of volume. (When you're done here, I've also tried the best conditioners for fine hair to pair with your brand new shampoo.)
The best shampoo for fine hair, tested by our beauty experts
Best shampoo for fine hair overall
RRP: £30
Rich in nourishing ingredients like rice amino acids, shea butter and aloe vera leaf extract, this shampoo made our hair feel super silky as well as instantly thicker. It's light as a feather and formed a lovely lather, which made our hair and scalp feel squeaky clean, and it smells truly delicious.
We loved the instant lifting effect it had on our hair. Even while it was wet our hair felt thicker and, after testing it both before air drying and blasting hair with the best hair dryer for fine hair, the results were incredible. We also found our scalp and hair still fresh as a daisy the morning after we used it, plus strands had a whole lot of bounce, volume, density, and thickness.
Reasons to buy: Deep cleansing and adds volume
Reasons to avoid: Not budget-friendly
Best shampoo for fine hair that suits all hair types
RRP: £55
Lovers of clean beauty, sulfate-free shampoos, and eco friendly beauty routines will love the way New Wash cleans and conditions your scalp and hair without using harsh detergents.
At first this felt a little unusual as it's got quite a thick consistency, almost like conditioner, and initially we were concerned that it would weigh our hair down. Washing it out took slightly longer – Hairstory suggests using its Massaging Scalp Brush, which in itself was a lovely treat. This stuff smells lovely and clean, with a subtle baby powder-like aroma, and left our hair voluminous with enhanced texture both when we blow-dried it and let it dry naturally. There wasn't a hint of oiliness in our scalp until the evening of day two after washing, a first for our tester.
Reasons to buy: Shampoo and conditioner in one
Reasons to avoid: Expensive
Best shampoo for fine hair that's curly or wavy
RRP: £10.99
Shea butter may sound like it could weigh quite heavily on fine hair, but having used this product many times over the years we can testify that it doesn't weigh ours down at all. There's a lovely clean smell from this product, which we enjoy. The shampoo itself has a medium density thickness and a little goes a long way. It yields a lovely lather that gently cleans your scalp, leaving your hair super soft and feeling lifted from the inside out. All those conditioning properties are also a plus in terms of not stripping curly textured hair – so if you've got a bit of a wave or tight curls, this formula will compliment your natural hair.
Reasons to buy: Affordable option; great for coloured hair
Reasons to avoid: Packaging isn't as luxe as others
Best deep cleansing shampoo for fine hair
RRP: £23.35
Living Proof's volume-boosting buys often feature on lists of the best hair styling products – and with good reason. Not only do these products smell great, they seriously pack a punch, and the Full Shampoo is a great example of why they're worth the investment. Yes, it's expensive but a little goes a long way, meaning it lasts for ages.
This particular formula has an almost gel-like consistency, which was very gentle and light on our fine hair. It smells lovely and fresh, leaving our hair feeling smooth and lightweight. This may be great for cleansing, but using the brand's matching conditioner is recommended for best results.
Reasons to buy: Smells great; refillable bottle
Reasons to avoid: Relies on using the brand's conditioner
The best shampoo for fine hair that's great for layering
RRP: £24
As purveyors of some of the industry's best scalp treatments, the trichologists at Philip Kingsley are well acquainted with the whole maelstrom of scalp and hair needs.
This particular product is among the best shampoos for thin hair as it's chock-full of ingredients like keratin and natural cellulose. It's the latter that helps to plump the surface of every hair strand, making our hair look more luscious, bouncy and shiny. This shampoo is super light and slightly floral-scented, which we really enjoyed. Not only is its scent mild, but the shampoo itself was also really gentle on our scalp while providing all the cleansing power needed to keep it healthy.
Reasons to buy: Volumising; smells great
Reasons to avoid: Contains sulphates
Best shampoo for fine hair that removes build-up
RRP: £39
Shout out to our fellow greasy-haired beauty fans who load up on the best dry shampoos for oily hair. K18's Peptide Prep Detox shampoo may be about to revolutionise your scalp and hair's well-being.
While our beauty editor's K18 review examines the brand's hero hair mask, this deep-cleansing shampoo is a lesser-known buy from the brand – but a real godsend. It cleared all excess oils, product residue and sebum in our follicles and we were amazed how it achieved such intense clarifying without stripping our scalp and hair of moisture. Remarkably, it didn't affect the hair's colour, either. The brand recommends using this once a week, swapping it out for your usual shampoo, but if you've got a lot of build-up then using it twice a week is a good idea. It's the best deep cleansing product we've ever used.
Reasons to buy: Deep cleansing for coloured hair
Reasons to avoid: Not for everyday use; expensive
Best budget shampoo for fine hair
RRP: £6.99
OGX's Biotin and Collagen shampoo harnesses the power of biotin for hair (also called vitamin B7) and collagen to swell the hair up from the inside. This shampoo is very much on the thicker side, unlike the gel-like consistency of Living Proof's Full Shampoo, for example. We found the texture was very nourishing to our hair and noticed it had a slight extra bounce, which is always a delight.
That being said, having hair that gets greasy quickly, this shampoo wasn't the best on our list in terms of scalp cleansing; by the end of the day, our hair already had a bit of oiliness. However, if you're on a budget and looking for a product that will deliver bounce to your hair, this is a solid option at a very good price.
Reasons to buy: Affordable and sulphate-free
Reasons to avoid: Thicker texture isn't great for oily hair
The best shampoo for fine hair that doesn't need conditioner
RRP: £28.25
Kérastase Densifique Bain Densité is an ultra-nourishing shampoo that worked to lock in all the moisture in our hair with the deep (yet lightweight) hydrating power of hyaluronic acid.
This shampoo was super cleansing and added a great amount of lift to our hair. It's also one of the few shampoos for fine hair that leaves it feeling like you can give conditioner a miss – which may be favourable to anyone with particularly oily hair like ours. The only issue we could potentially see with this product is its perfumed smell , which could be overpowering to some.
Reasons to buy: Adds instant volume
Reasons to avoid: Scent may be too overpowering
Best botanical shampoo for fine hair
RRP: £39
Philip B's haircare line is powered by botanical ingredients such as green tea leaves, aloe extracts and rosemary. The Weightless Volumizing Shampoo treated our scalp to a – yet – refresh. It scrubbed away all of that pesky build-up and worked wonders on our hair, even after we'd used a lot of dry shampoo the day before.
It works into a lovely lather and, of all the products we tested for this feature, this has the most glorious fragrance. It's subtle, androgynous, fresh and just smells so clean! Our ends definitely needed conditioner to detangle them after rinsing, but our hair felt so healthy after using this product and we were left with bouncy, shiny and fresh-feeling strands.
Reasons to buy: Smells great and cleans thoroughly
Reasons to avoid: Leaves hair tangled pre-conditioner; expensive
Best shampoo for very greasy fine hair
RRP: £32
This rose-based paste contains super fine sugar crystals that gently exfoliate while rassoul clay and rose extracts work to detoxify and nourish the scalp and hair. It's got quite an unusual texture and appearance (it looks like mud), but when we rubbed it in our hands with a little water it foamed up nicely. All that clay sucked up excess oils and gave our hair a lovely boost.
It smells absolutely heavenly and really deeply cleansed our scalp, leaving our hair feeling clean as a whistle and healthy as can be. However, we definitely needed a conditioner alongside this particular shampoo, particularly as our hair has dry ends. We stayed loyal to the brand and used the Christophe Robin Delicate Volumising conditioner, which is divine and left our hair silky smooth without being weighed down.
Reasons to buy: Deep exfoliating and foams well
Reasons to avoid: Not great for dry hair
Best ultra-luxurious shampoo for fine hair
RRP: £64
We'd call Sisley's Revitalising Volumising shampoo with camellia oil the best shampoo for fine hair if you're feeling like a real splurge, as its price point makes it inaccessible for many. However, if you want to invest in your hair health, then this product is absolutely worth considering.
What amazed us was how the very light, thin shampoo quickly foamed into an almost mousse-like consistency that was an absolute joy to massage into our scalp. It has a light scent and really helped rid the scalp of build-up, leaving our hair feeling light, airy and bouncy. As with most formulas on this list, using this without conditioner was not possible, but when used alongside Sisley's matching formula our hair was left feeling gorgeously clean, volumised, strong and healthy.
Reasons to buy: Incredibly light yet hydrating
Reasons to avoid: Very expensive
Best shampoo for fine hair with biotin
RRP: £24.50
Dallas has more than earned its spot on our list of the best shampoos for thin hair. The brand claims this popular product will yield "big bouncy hair" and they're not kidding. This shampoo contains biotin, a vitamin that can help improve your hair's keratin infrastructure.
The texture of the shampoo is a little thicker than we expected, so it's best to rub it between your hands before massaging it into damp hair – but a little goes a long way with this product, so exercise caution when squeezing the bottle. Not only did our hair feel voluminous after using Dallas, it was silky smooth, and we loved the added strength it seemed to impart on our brittle strands. The results weren't instant, but after three washes we noticed our hair not only looked fuller, it felt stronger, too.
Reasons to buy: A little goes a long way
Reasons to avoid: You have to wait to see results
How we tested the best shampoo for fine hair
A selection of the shampoos tested for this guide
I took on the task of testing several products for this guide, well versed as I am in choosing the best hair products for baby fine hair. To pare down a list of the best of the best, I tried dozens of products ranging in price points.
I used each one for several days, testing both with and without using conditioner afterwards, to get a clear idea of how they made my hair look, feel and behave. I also paid attention to packaging, how much of the formula was needed to wash my full head of hair and how well the results lasted between wash days.
Many of the best shampoos for thinning hair come up a little more expensive than regular hair wash. With this in mind, you might be wondering if expensive shampoo is better – in my honest opinion, if you have thin hair and can spend a little extra on your products, it's an investment you won't regret. Apart from the fact that pricier shampoos can last longer, these brands can be more transparent about the ingredients used, while many formulas are gentler on your strands.
How to choose the best shampoo for fine hair
As for what makes a product join the ranks of the best shampoo for fine hair, I considered the following factors when whittling down this list.
- Cleansing: It's important that your chosen product cleanses your scalp thoroughly to help remove any build-up on the scalp. As fine hair can show an excess of grease more easily, deeply clarifying and removing build-up is one of the most important parts of your haircare routine.
- Consistency: Anything with oils, butter or simply a heavier consistency in general is a huge no-no for very thin and/or fine hair. This can weigh the hair down and also cause more scalp build-up, which can even impact healthy hair growth.
- Ingredients: it's as important to consider what's in the shampo as it is to consider what's not in it. Ingredients like protein, Vitamin B5, lactic acid and hyaluronic acid are all beneficial to fine hair. However, sulphates can strip more moisture from weaker strands, while silicones can be heavy and film-forming, which is worth bearing in mind.
What ingredients can boost fine hair?
"Specific ingredients like caffeine are linked to hair growth and can provide invigorating effects," says Tyler Moore, expert stylist at Live True London. "While lighter moisturizing ingredients like aloe vera and hyaluronic acid can provide hydration without weighing your hair down."
Leading trichologist Ricardo Vila Nova tells us that there are loads of volumizing products that build density and texture containing polymers. But when it comes to rebuilding and strengthening the internal bonds of the hair he says, "I always suggest products with protein or lactic acid if we’re dealing with fine, dry hair."
Although choosing a shampoo filled to the brim with all the right ingredients for thin hair is helpful, healthy growth comes from within, says Lauren Marr, Artistic Colourist at Gielly Green. She suggests a good healthy diet that is, "high in proteins, leafy greens and vitamins to naturally increase hair volume."
Tyler Moore is an experienced hair stylist working for Live True salons in London.
Ricardo Vila Nova is a trichologist and former biochemist. Known around the world as "the hair whisperer", he has clinics in London, Portugal and Bahrain and is the only trichologist who uses DNA profiling.
Lauren Marr is an experienced colourist based at London's Gielly Green salons. As well as colour, she also specialises in hair extensions.
What ingredients should you avoid if you have fine hair?
Vila Nova advises we "avoid deep-cleansing shampoos containing salicylic acid as it may tangle the hair." Meanwhile Moore recommends avoiding ingredients such as oils and butter if your hair is on the fine side. "These can work well in hair masks and oil treatments, but in daily use shampoos and conditioners, these will weigh your hair down and cause it to become oiler faster," he explains. "These include coconut oil and argan oil."
Another potential concern for those with more delicate hair is sulphates. "They strip the hair of its natural oils, which can make your hair dry and flyaway," Marr says. "This can also cause scalp irritation."
What's the best way to shampoo and condition fine hair?
According to Vila Nova, when washing fine hair you should distribute the shampoo evenly on the scalp and massage, "thoroughly yet gently so as not to tangle middle lengths and ends."
Incorporating a lovely little scalp massage into your cleansing routine is not only a delicious bit of self care, it will increase blood flow to the scalp and can, in turn, benefit hair health and support growth. The best way to massage your scalp is to use the fingertips of both your hands and apply gentle pressure on your scalp, moving them in small circles.
Moore notes that temperature is also important, noting that it's best to wash and rinse your hair with lukewarm water to avoid damage and breakage. "First, make sure to wet your hair thoroughly before applying shampoo to ensure the hair shaft [or] follicles will be open enough to absorb the product and also to create a good lather," he says. "After 1-2 minutes, rinse your hair thoroughly with lukewarm water."
How often should you wash fine hair?
The age-old question as to how often should you wash your hair varies depending on your scalp type, whether you're oil-prone or have a dry scalp - as well as what your lifestyle is like and the kinds of products you use.
"There is no set rule on how often one should wash the hair, but fine hair usually requires a more frequent wash to help build structure and volume," says Vila Nova.
"Those with finer hair might find their hair getting oiler quicker due to product build-up," adds Moore. "Products can weigh down fine hair causing it to look greasy faster, even if you are prone to a drier scalp. Oil build-up will also look heavier on finer hair, meaning you might need to wash every one to three days, depending on your personal preference."
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