To tame and keep your curls from turning into an unmanageable mess, we have recommended for you the best hairsprays to hold curls against all odds, that will keep your ringlets intact, even in humid conditions.

Stephen Marinaro, celebrity hairstylist, and salon expert, says, “Hairspray is a product that’s designed to hold your hair in place. It is designed to be sprayed on the hair. It has been around for many years and works to hold your style in place. Hairspray can be a valuable tool to have that magical moment of ‘Oh my god! My hair looks amazing and I want to keep it that way!’ There are good types of alcohol in hairsprays that are necessary to hold the hair together.”

Our contributor Kate Ross, a hair and beauty specialist at Irresistible Me, a hair extension brand, says, “To protect your hair, always choose alcohol-free hair sprays when possible, and don’t apply it too close to your hair. Keeping your hair well-moisturized and using a heat protectant can also help.”

There is no doubt that hairspray has acquired a poor reputation in the past. However, the old formulas that wreaked havoc in the ’80s and ‘90s, leaving hair crunchy, stiff, and wafer-like are now a thing of the past. Hairsprays now not only facilitate a flexible hold, but also help fight humidity, amp up your hair volume, and add a natural-looking shine to hair. So check out our list below to find your holy grail product, best suited to your precious curls.

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  Best Overall

  BOLDIFY Hair Thickening Spray

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The BOLDIFY Hair Thickening Spray promises thicker, more voluminous hair in as little as 60 seconds. The formula is lightweight and non-sticky and does not leave behind a trail of residue or buildup that often comes with products such as a mousse or a sea salt spray. This means your hair will not be weighed down. The curl hold spray is best for medium to oily, and even color-treated hair. It is also great for adding an added boost to silkier strands for an enhanced hold. You can use it as a pre-styler as it provides a perfect, light hold while also ensuring a natural definition and effortless finish.

2

Best Volumizing

Paul Mitchell Extra-Body Boost Volumizing Spray

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The Paul Mitchell Volumizing Spray will give you the extra hold and extra volume you desire, and more. The spray is vegan, gluten-free, and also completely free of any added parabens. This hairspray lifts the roots while drying and also adds a fuller body to the hair. The holding spray for curls provides a ten times fuller body to thinner, finer hair without leaving behind any gross buildup and messy, ashy residue. And as a bonus, it makes your hair smell amazing! For best use: spray it on wet hair after applying heat protectant and then blow dry your curls using a diffuser.

3

Best Texturizing

OGX Argan Oil of Morocco Hair-Texturizing Sea Salt Spray

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For breezy, beachy hair all day long the OGX Argan Oil of Morocco Hair Spray should be your go-to. The texturizing formula is ideal for oily to average hair, and the leave-in nature of it further defines the curls accompanied by a textured hold. The mist is formulated with sea salt, which helps give a beautifully messy yet put-together hair texture while also adding fullness and shine. The hair product is also completely free from most toxic chemicals and has a sulfate-free surfactant haircare system that is so gentle it can be used on all hair types. It also facilitates non-coarse hair textures to help create tousled tresses with a touchably soft feel.

4

Best Heat Protection

Artnaturals Thermal Hair Protector Spray

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The Artnaturals Thermal Hair Protector Spray protects your hair from not only the weather but also your mechanical heat styling products, such as flat irons, blow dryers, and curling wands - that too up to 450 degrees Fahrenheit! Not just as a heat protector but the spray to hold curls also doubles as an expert leave-in conditioner. The formula contains argan oil which is widely famous for its ability to help rejuvenate and enhance and grow it. It is also a natural moisturizer that will help repair, dry, brittle, and damaged hair from constant sun exposure. As if that wasn’t enough, it also helps fight hair loss!

5

Best Unisex

Sea Salt Spray for Hair Men & Women

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A top-notch hairspray that mimics the appearance of beachy hair that one would have after a fun and frolicking day at the beach, the Sea Salt Spray for Hair Men & Women promises a bouncy texture. It is lightweight and has a non-sticky old with minimum build-up. It has a tropical, coconut-y smell promising your hair to smell delicious always. It naturally enhances your curls providing an elevated look, while also creating a layer that blocks humidity and protects hair from frizz. The sea salt in it adds volume and texture to your hair, the aloe vera hydrates, and the raspberry extract works to heal and nourish damaged hair cuticles from the root to the tip.

6

Best Smooth-Finish

CHI Keratin Flex Finish Hair Spray

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The CHI Keratin Flex Finish Hair Spray is a flexible styling hairspray with lightweight control that aims to provide a flawless ultra-smooth finish. It completely seals out humidity and eliminates frizz and flyaways from your hair resulting in a sleek, velvety finish that lasts all day long. The intricately crafted formula is infused with keratin to strengthen hair and reduce breakage. It smells fresh and airy while also giving an extra tight hold to your desired hairstyle. No matter what hairstyle you pick, your curls are bulletproof. It’s a great option for anyone who does not wash their hair every day (which happens to the best of us).

7

Best Extra Large Bottle

Color Wow Xtra Large Bombshell Volumizer

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A super safe and extremely gentle way to volumize fine, thin hair that tends to fall limp and flat due to excess hair grease, the Color Wow Xtra Large Bombshell Volumizer is one of the best products on the market. Equipped with a futuristic foam technology this hairspray for curls adds a weightless mass to each strand without messing with the cuticle thus ensuring the hair remains glossy and silky while also being thick. Its innovative formula adds a bulky polymer blend that is expertly fortified by strand-strengthening bamboo extract to the surface of the hair. As the product dries, it expands outwards to mimic a roughed-up cuticle but leaves your actual cuticle tight and intact.

8

Best Satin-Finish

L'Oreal Paris Hair Care Elnett Satin Extra Strong Hold Hairspray

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The L'Oreal Paris Hair Care Elnett Satin Extra Strong Hold Hairspray is an anti-humidity hair care product. It guarantees an extra strong hold via an ultra-fine mist that disappears at the stroke of a brush so you can style and re-style. The formula is also curated with a unique micro-diffusion technology. Basically, what it does is create a quick dry mist of light micro-droplets dispersing from the spray that evenly coats every strand for extra strong hold. All this goodness with zero added silicone, zero hair crunch, and most importantly zero yucky residue. The dream!

9

Best For Thin Hair

Paisle Botanics Biotin Hair Thickening Spray

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The Paisle Botanics Biotin Hair Thickening Spray is a holy grail for all looking for hair growth and thicker, fuller hair. You can achieve the voluminous look you dream of merely in seconds – that too with zero heat styling. Simply apply the curly hair hairspray onto damp hair and pat it with your hands lightly. Once it dries, you’ll be surprised by the appearance of the new volume of hair. The formula is also infused with a biotin vitamin protein and extra caffeine that seeps into the hair follicles to block the DHT hormone. Thus it helps prevent hair loss and promotes healthy hair regrowth. Now that’s what we call a deal!

10

Best Steal Deal

Herbal Essences Hairspray

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Maximum body yet silky soft, moisturized hair, the Herbal Essences Hairspray does it all. One of the best hairspray to hold curls, its effects last up to 24 hours which is a rare catch. The hairspray also has a fresh citrus scent so your hair smells like a gentle summer breeze in the orchards of Tuscany. A little goes a long way with this one, so simply apply it from a distance and at an angle, by gently running your fingers through the curls in your hair for a natural yet textured look. As a bonus, the formula is PETA-certified and completely void of any added parabens or sulfates.

11

KERASTASE Laque Extreme Hair Spray

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A high-hold, hairspray that provides an unparalleled hold, the KERASTASE Laque Extreme Hair Spray is a brushable formula that leaves a subtle and natural finish while also promising maximum hold. It locks the volume in place against all humidity while also never letting hair become stiff or crunchy. A pro stylist tip: gently massage it onto your strands for a more natural and fuller finish. The formula is strategically crafted to avoid hair limp or being weighed down while also ensuring the absolute maximum fullness possible. That’s a win-win in our books!

12

Kerotin Extensive Thickening Treatment Spray

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The Kerotin Extensive Thickening Treatment Spray is a diameter booster hair treatment that is so light you won’t even feel it’s on your hair. The powerful formula uses a polymer technology with scientifically proven natural ingredients that increase hair diameter and boost hair growth while also providing hold and heat protection. The hairspray is made with powerful ingredients like amaranth to penetrate the hair fiber and increase thickness in as little as three applications. It also prevents breakage and eliminates frizz. All of this while also protecting your beautiful curls!

Now that you know hairspray can do wonders for your hair and amplify your curls to the next level, here’s how you pick the best hairspray tailored for your curl type:

Before choosing a hairspray, one must know how it is different from other styling products. To provide more clarity on this, our contributor Kate Ross says, “Hairspray is mainly for setting hairstyles in place. Hair mousse is typically applied to damp hair, and it offers volume and a light hold. Volumizing or texturizing sprays are used on dry hair to add body and texture without the weight of mousse or the stiffness of hairspray.”

Picking a hairspray that is specific to your hair type is key. For example, hairsprays have dramatically different effects on straight hair v/s curly hair. If you have curly hair, our exhaustive list of curl hold spray covers it all - from impenetrable formulas to those that hold the lift of your curl or leave behind a natural-looking sheen.

- If you have normal, natural curls, texturizing hairsprays will work best on your hair. They help hold the curl pattern in place without weighing your hair down or making it feel crunchy. 

- For thin, fine curls, opt for a volumizing formula. This prevents the hair from appearing flat and limp. 

- For those of you who have blonde or color-treated hair, the maintenance of your mane is crucial to ensure the brightest glow. Opt for hairsprays that are specifically formulated to treat colored hair.

- If you have dull hair, you should pick a hairspray that gives out a fine mist, and gently and evenly coat the hair with a subtle sheen. However, be careful not to go too hard on this as you could end up with greasy hair. 

- For thicker hair types, it is important to pick the best hairspray to hold curls in thick hair that has a strong hold but isn’t too volumizing. 

- For the stiff and infallible hold, high strength, extra hold formulas are your best friend. But beware, they might end up making your hair look rigid.

To use hairspray like a pro, follow the steps below to the T.

Hold It Away
Never, ever spray hairspray directly onto your roots. If you spray it too close, you risk saturating your hair which results in grease buildup. Not to mention, it will dispense too much product onto one concentrated area, resulting in hardening or weighing down the hair. 

Be Gentle
After you use hairspray, brush through your hair gently and do not use excessive force. It could potentially cause hair wear and tear since the hair has already been locked in place.

Protect Your Curls
Spray the product on each curl individually as opposed to spraying the entire head of ringlets. When you spray the entire head at once your curls tend to get clumped together. 

Tame Flyways
There’s always a strand or two that gets left out. To tame flyaways do not apply the hairspray directly. Instead, spray some on your hands and using your hands lightly pat it onto the hair. 

Contributor: Stephen Marinaro, Celebrity hair stylist, and salon expert

Kate Ross, Hair and Beauty Specialist - Irresistible Me