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

Imagine, for a moment, a world without hairspray: It’s a pretty scary thought, right? Without hairspray, fancy updos would be no more, curling-iron curls would lose their shape, and breezy beach waves would fall flat. That all being said, let's be real—hairspray quite literally holds any hairstyle together, making it the ultimate must-have in your hair tool kit (in addition to, ya know, a quality hair brush and some good deep conditioner).

But let’s address the elephant in the salon head-on (hehe): Hairspray has gotten a bad rep in the past. But before you swear it off for good, I'm here to tell ya that the hairsprays of yesteryear that were known for leaving hair crunchy, stiff, and just downright not cute are GONE. In fact, today’s hairsprays not only give you a flexible hold, but also help fight humidity, amp up your volume, and add a natural-looking shine to your hair. And because ILY, I asked Donavin Maxwell, a NYC-based hairstylist at Fekkai Salon, about everything hairspray 101.

In anticipation of the roundup and all of the coming knowledge, here's a little preview before we jump down the hairspray rabbit hole...

Our top picks for the best hairsprays in 2022:

Did I pique your interest? Cool, great. Ready to go on your hairspray shopping journey with the help of a trusty expert that'll point you in the right direction? We got you! Countless spritzes and reviews later, we’ve managed to round up the 15 best hairsprays for holding curls, setting updos, and keeping fine hairs in check. Pick one (or all—I’m not judgin’) and try it for yourself. I promise you’ll be a hairspray convert, too.

OGX

amazon.com

$7.89

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."

Moroccanoil

amazon.com

$24.00

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, too.

• 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.

TRESemmé

$5.98

Say hello to the OG hairspray that I've been using since I first found out what a godsend hairspray is. 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.

Sexy Hair

amazon.com

$20.95

If you can't deal with a strong-hold hairspray because you're always touching, twirling, and combing your hair, then try this crunch-free formula. It contains a touch of mimosa oil to add shine and flexibility, while still keeping your flyaways in place.

• Size: 9 oz.
• Scent: Tropical
• Hold: Light

THE REVIEW: "This lightweight, yet touchable formula, keeps my curls in place—even after I sleep overnight in them," writes one tester, adding that "the spray has a fine mist, and the area that it covers is very adequate!"

Living Proof

sephora.com

$30.00

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.
• Hold: Medium

THE REVIEW: "I have thick, dry, wavy hair and I prefer soft touchable styles," writes a 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."

Kenra Professional

amazon.com

$15.99

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.

• 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."

Love Beauty and Planet

amazon.com

$5.59

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 without bombarding it with a ton of chemicals.

• 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.

Sephora

$28.00

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," reads one review, adding that they love the smell.

Oribe

sephora.com

$42.00

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
• 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."

IGK

$29.00

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.
• 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."

COLOR WOW

$26.00

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.
• 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.

amika

sephora.com

$27.00

Other than the bottle being totally effing cute, 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.
• 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.

SheaMoisture

amazon.com

$11.49

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 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."

hairrules.com

$22.00

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 say 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.

Shu Uemura

shuuemuraartofhair-usa.com

$42.00

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.
• 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."