The 7 Best Texturizing Sprays of 2024, Tested by Real People

Person spraying texturizing spray at a section of their hair — Photo:
People / Tamara Staples

Whether you have fine, thick, straight, or curly strands, a high-quality texturizing spray can make your hair look that much better when all is said and done. The reason? Texturizing spray coats strands in a lightweight mist that creates "grit" for a more lifted, long-lasting hairstyle. Think: the tousled hairstyle of your dreams.

We know that a good hair product isn’t one-size-fits-all, so we tried 23 of the most popular texturizing sprays on different types (and lengths) of hair. Celebrity hairstylist Andrew Fitzsimons (who works with clients like Kim Kardashian, Bella Hadid, and Mariah Carey) encourages shoppers to focus on their individual hair needs: “If your hair is thick or coarse, you’ll want to look for ingredients to moisturize. If your hair is finer, you’ll want to look for ingredients that absorb oil and/or really add volume to the hair.”

We put together the best of the best, for every hair concern. Read on for the best texturizing sprays PEOPLE tested.

Our Top Picks

Best Overall:

Drybar Triple Sec 3-in-1 Finishing Spray at Amazon $29

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Best for Everyday:

Oribe Dry Texturizing Spray at Amazon $52

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Best Volumizing:

Ouai Texturizing Hair Spray at Amazon $14

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Best Buildable:

Amika Un.done Volume & Texture Spray at Amazon $29

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Best for Curly & Coily Hair:

Ceremonia Açai Style Refresher at Sephora $24

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Best for Strong Hold:

Moroccanoil Dry Texture Spray at Amazon $30

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Best Lightweight:

R+Co Balloon Dry Volume Spray at Amazon $36

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Best Overall

Drybar Triple Sec 3-in-1 Finishing Spray

PHOTO: Amazon

$29 at Amazon $29 at Target $15 at Nordstrom

Pros

Enhances volume, bounce, hold, and shine
Light, subtle scent
Available in convenient travel-size cans

Cons

May leave a white cast if sprayed too close to hair
Bit sticky until fully dried

The Drybar Triple Sec 3-in-1 Finishing Spray is in a league of its own. On Amazon, the texturizing spray has earned over 1,400 5-star ratings, and at Sephora, it’s amassed over 44,000 "likes." What makes this texturizing spray so lovable is its easy-to-hold can, delectable (but subtle) scent, and textured, tousled result it makes possible. Its hero ingredient is crystalline zeolite (a naturally absorbent ingredient) that absorbs excess oil while also creating a matte texture and a piece-y effect to the hair.

While we found it to feel a bit tacky when first spritzed on, this texturizing spray boosts volume and provides extra bounce to curls while enhancing shine overall. What’s more, our testers who had wavy or curled hair before testing found that after using the spray, the shape of their styles held longer. This product keeps curls or waves intact without leaving behind a crunchy or stiff feel, essentially eliminating the need for hairspray. It's available in two sizes, 4.2 ounces, and a 1.67-ounce travel-size container.

Scent: Blanc Scent | Hold: Light | Size: 4.2 ounces., 1.67 ounces (travel size) | Ingredients: Crystalline zeolite

People / Tamara Staples
People / Tamara Staples

Best for Everyday

Oribe Dry Texturizing Spray

PHOTO: Amazon

$45 at Amazon $26 at Nordstrom $26 at Sephora

Pros

Great scent
Doesn’t leave a white cast on hair
Provides lightweight volume, texture, and hold

Cons

Makes hair feel somewhat dry after a few hours

The Oribe Dry Texturizing Spray, which has over 6,000 5-star ratings on Amazon, creates a soft, touchable texture that lasts for hours, all while smelling divine. Similar to the Drybar offering we tested, it's infused with zeolites, meaning it practically doubles as a dry shampoo, absorbing oil at the root to make hair not only look fuller, but fresher, too.

We found this spray to be incredibly easy to use — just spray, shake, and go. The results were immediate and created notable lift and volume in the hair. What we found most impressive about this texturizing spray, though, is how well it works on fine hair. Rather than weighing the hair down, it provided lightweight, natural-looking volume, texture, and hold that lasted for hours on our fine-haired tester. We were also pleased to note that this product didn't leave a white cast on our hair after spraying.

While the Oribe Dry Texturizing Spray works wonders for texture and volume, it does slightly dry out the hair after a few hours of wear — though that’s likely because it’s formulated with oil-absorbing ingredients.

Scent: Cote d’Azur | Hold: Touchable | Size: 8.5 ounces | Ingredients: Crystalline zeolite, mango extract, aloe extract

People / Tamara Staples
People / Tamara Staples

Best Volumizing

Ouai Texturizing Hair Spray

PHOTO: Ulta

$14 at Amazon $29 at Selfridges.com View on Revolve

Pros

Spray can is comfortable to hold and easy to use
Adds definition and texture to hair
Doubles as a dry shampoo

Cons

Leaves behind a sticky residue that you can feel but not necessarily see

If your main goal is to boost texture and volume on a day-two ‘do, the Ouai Texturizing Hair Spray needs to be on your radar. The popular texturizing spray is formulated with volcanic minerals to absorb oil and mattify strands, copolymers to offer ample hold, and fruit and flower extracts to boost softness and shine.

We noticed that this spray helped those with existing natural curls to achieve a more defined look in their coils in a way that appeared healthier and bouncier. It even helped to refresh day-two hair thanks to its dry shampoo nature.

We think this spray is great for building volume and absorbing oil, but it’s best used with a sink nearby so that you can wash your hands post-styling.

Scent: North Bondi | Hold: Medium | Size: 1.4 ounces | Ingredients: Volcanic minerals, aloe vera leaf extract, passion flower extract, mango extract

People / Tamara Staples
People / Tamara Staples

Best Buildable

Amika Un.done Volume & Texture Spray

PHOTO: Sephora

$29 at Amazon $10 at Sephora

Pros

Does not leave a stiff or sticky feel
Provides notable volume

Cons

Some shoppers find that it makes their hair feel crunchy

You shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, but in the case of Amika’s Un.done Volume & Texture Spray, it’s hard not to. The adorably packaged styling spray is an instant stand-out in the appearance category — and the winning formula. This product makes hair look incredible, in large part thanks to sea buckthorn berry, which adds hydration and nourishes the hair, as well as zeolite and rice starch to add grit for noticeable texture.

We found that this spray can be customizable to your needs depending on how you use it. For example, if you layer the spray, the first layer gives a soft, touchable texture, but continuing to add more product will give you even more notable volume and grit without feeling stiff or sticky or getting weighed down, in a way that outperformed many of the other products we tested. We even found that you could brush your hair in between layers — something that's typically quite difficult with a texturizing spray. While we didn't experience it, some shoppers report that this spray makes their hair feel crunchy.

Finally, this spray continued to work as the days wore on — thanks to its dry shampoo nature (made possible by oil-absorbing zeolite), our tester noted that their hair still looked freshly styled even on the second (and third!) days post-shower.

Scent: Unscented | Hold: Light | Size: 5.3 ounces | Ingredients: Zeolite, rice starch, glycerin, sea buckthorn berry

Amika Un.done Volume & Texture Spray sitting on a bathroom shelf — People / Tamara Staples

Best for Curly & Coily Hair

Ceremonia Açai Style Refresher

PHOTO: Credo

$24 at Sephora View on Ceremonia.com View on Credo Beauty

Pros

Refreshes hair nearly instantly.
Adds a bit of grit, which enhances the styling process
Makes hair feel soft, shiny, and bouncy when used with heat

Cons

Very popular and often sells out, so grab it while you can!

While most texturizing sprays are either a powerful, gritty mist or come out in a mist so fine you can barely tell it's there, the Ceremonia Açai Style Refresher has a formula that’s more like water than a powdery spray. As such, it moistens strands instantly so that they’re easy to reshape on days two and three post-wash while still delivering a decent amount of grit to give volume to the hair.

Our tester found that while this spray does moisten the hair, it doesn't weigh it down or make it appear "damp," but rather acts as a soft mist that brings new life to dirty strands. She even found that it gave more bounce to her kinky, coily hair.

While this spray can be used to boost dry hair, it can also be used before restyling with heat, such as with a hot air brush. As it turns out, our tester raved about the level of hold and shine she received post-curling her hair. While this isn't technically a volumizing spray, it provides what our tester called an "oomph" after you massage the product into your scalp, either with your fingers or a scalp massager. The result is a refreshed, more vibrant texture. No wonder this refreshing spray has sold out multiple times!

Scent: Subtle | Hold: Light | Size: 6.7 ounces | Ingredients: Aloe vera leaf juice, açai extract, avocado oil

Ceremonia Style Refresher being used on curly hair — People / Tamara Staples

Best for Strong Hold

Moroccanoil Dry Texture Spray

PHOTO: Amazon

$30 at Amazon $14 at Nordstrom $30 at Sephora

Pros

Fantastic scent
Dries quickly
Makes the hair look instantly lifted

Cons

Leaves a sticky residue if it's sprayed too closely
Makes hair feel drier

If you’re a fan of the classic Moroccanoil scent, you’ll swoon over this dry texture spray, which provides strands with not only a boost of texture and volume but heavenly fragrance, too. Beloved by 35,000 Sephora shoppers, this texturizing spray is particularly popular because it can easily be used on dry hair to lift and refresh a style or to prep hair before styling.

We found that the force of the spray was quite strong and offered immediate volumizing prowess as well as a strong hold not unlike that you'd get from a hairspray. It’s worth noting, though, that the results of this texturizing spray vary based on proximity. The closer you spray it, the more likely it will create a firm-hold effect. When you spray it from six inches or so away, you can easily achieve a more touchable hold that feels notably less sticky and dries quickly. We also noticed that this spray was overall a bit drying, similar to the Oribe Dry Texture Spray — so take the "dry" nomenclature at face value.

Scent: Floral | Hold: Firm | Size: 5.4 ounces | Ingredients: Argan oil, zeolite, hydrolyzed wheat protein

People / Tamara Staples
People / Tamara Staples

Best Lightweight

R+Co Balloon Dry Volume Spray

PHOTO: Amazon

$36 at Amazon $18 at Nordstrom $36 at Dermstore

Pros

Instantly boosts volume and hair texture
Works well with both straight and curly hair
Makes hair soft and shiny

Cons

The nozzle is tricky to press down at first

There’s so much to love about the R+Co Balloon Dry Volume Spray. For starters, it's compatible with all hair types. Additionally, it’s designed to absorb excess moisture in the hair, which is often responsible for weighing hair down. As a result, we found that just a few spritzes of this spray instantly perked up our strands — like blowing air into a balloon (hence the name).

This spray works equally well with straight or curly hair. What's interesting to note is that the more we styled, the better this product got. As we continued with curling and spraying the hair, more volume appeared without crunch or weight — just a soft-to-the-touch finish and even added shine. Plus, it smells fresh in a way that isn't overpowering.

The only downfall of this incredible texturizing spray is its nozzle, which other shoppers agree is tricky to maneuver — like the Oribe spray, it's a bit difficult to push down at first, but after the first spray, it becomes easier with use.

Scent: Warm Romantic | Hold: Flexible | Size: 5 ounces | Ingredients: Silica, zeolite, calendula, mica

R+Co Balloon Dry Volume Spray on a glass shelf — People / Tamara Staples

What to Know About Texturizing Spray

Hold

Depending on the texturizing spray at hand, the level of hold you may experience (meaning how well it keeps your style intact) varies. While some texturizing sprays nearly mimic hairspray, many only offer light-to-medium hold. That said, if your goal is to swap out your hairspray for a texturizing spray, you’ll want to look for formulas with the highest hold, like the Moroccanoil Dry Texture Spray. If, on the other hand, you want super touchable yet slightly textured hair, a light-hold texturizing spray, like our best overall pick, Drybar Triple Sec 3-in-1 Finishing Spray, or a light-to-medium hold spray may be best.

Hair Type

Texturizing sprays come in a few forms. Where most are matte, others offer a touch of shine; where many focus on adding texture and grit, plenty of others boost volume, too. Keeping this in mind, you’ll want to consider your hair type. If you have thick hair, you may not feel like extra volume is necessary. If you have oily hair, you'll want to reach for a formula that contains zeolite (which absorbs excess oil). If you have fine hair, you’ll want to prioritize volumizing formulas (though something that won't weigh hair down, like Oribe Dry Texturizing Spray). All in all, read through the benefits of each product on this list and contemplate how they align with your hair type. All of these factors will help you find the best texturizing spray specifically for you.

Ingredients

When you’re looking for the right texturizing spray, consider the ingredients as well as your hair type. Fitzsimons prioritizes different ingredients based on hair needs. For thick or coarse hair, he recommends products that include sunflower seed extract, “which is rich in hydrating vitamin E that won’t weigh the hair down.”

For finer hair, Fitzsimons looks for products that absorb oil and add volume (his favorites are rice protein and caffeine). The Amika Un.done Volume & Texture Spray contains rice starch, which absorbs oil and adds volume to the hair.

Fragrance

��“Texturizing sprays are typically a finishing step in creating a style, so many of them have fragrances that are meant to make them stand out,” Fitzsimons explains. Since hair texturizing spray is a product that you’ll use close to your face, you’ll want to make sure that the scent is one you like and that it doesn’t compete with any other fragrance you’re wearing. Fitzsimons recommends reading reviews before purchasing, to ensure the fragrance aligns with your preferences.

People using texturizing sprays on their hair — People / Tamara Staples

Behind the Scenes

Product Selection: We researched the most popular texturizing sprays the market has to offer, including sprays that aren’t necessarily marketed under the name. In doing so, we found 23 hairstyling products to put to the test.
Testing Process: To see how each texturizing spray measured up, we had each tester spray a product onto the right side of their natural hair texture, as well as after creating curls. The testers were to hold the can 6 to 8 inches from their hair to avoid concentrating the product too much and causing a sticky effect. They were to also spray the product onto their roots to measure how well it lifts the hair.
Styling Process: The testers were then asked to curl their hair with a curling iron before spritzing the texturizing spray again to measure how well it held the curls.
Results: We then rated each texturizing spray from one to five for ease of use, texture, volume, and the overall end look post-spritz. The sprays that earned the highest average ratings made this list.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does a texturizing spray do?

Texturizing spray does exactly what the name implies: it adds texture and grit to soft, clean hair, celebrity hairstylist Eddie Cook says. He notes that it also works to give additional hold to curly or wavy styles. Though, as we found in our testing, many products, especially those marketed as also being a dry shampoo or "refresher" can be used on dirty hair to give new life to oily, flat strands.
How do you use texturizing spray?

You should always start with dry hair to get the best texture and volume, Fitzsimons says. Shake the can, spray 8-12 inches away from your hair, and focus on the mid-lengths and ends. “As you apply, use your fingers to scrunch or tousle your hair to get that sexy, voluminous style,” Fitzsimons says. “For even more volume, I recommend lifting sections of your hair and spraying underneath. Be careful about overdoing it with the spray: often, a little goes a long way with texture spray, but it's also meant to be buildable so make sure you're using a steady hand with it.”
Is texturizing spray the same as hairspray?

While texturizing spray can provide light-to-medium hold to hairstyles, you shouldn't nix hairspray entirely if your hair requires a firm hold. “Hairspray tends to be tacky or sticky so it holds, and often leaves a shiny cast, too,” Cook says. Meanwhile, texturizing sprays tend to have a matte finish and work to generate volume more so than preserve your hairstyle.
What does texturizing spray do for fine hair?

Celebrity hairstylists strongly suggest using texturizing spray if you have fine hair. “It gives the hair a less slippery, soft feel,” explains celebrity hairstylist Marwa Bashir. The pro also notes that it's great for fine hair that wants a tousled look. For best results, Bashir says to spritz texturizing spray into strands after air-drying or blow-drying hair.
In addition to creating a more tousled look, Cook says that texturizing spray is the key to achieving touchable hold on fine hair types, meaning if your hair has a hard time holding a curl, texturizing spray will certainly help.

Why Trust PEOPLE?

Rebecca Norris has a decade's worth of experience working in beauty editorial. To curate this list of the best texturizing sprays, she tapped two celebrity hairstylists and used notes from our PEOPLE testers, who looked at how the products worked with natural hair texture as well as curled hair. The experts she consulted included celebrity hairstylists Eddie Cook and Marwa Bashir.

Meet Our Experts

Eddie Cook is a celebrity hairstylist based in Los Angeles.
Marwa Bashir is a Nashville-based celebrity hairstylist. Her celebrity clients include Sheryl Crow, Lily Aldridge, Maren Morris, and Kelsea Ballerini.
Andrew Fitzsimons is a celebrity hairstylist and owner of Andrew Fitzsimons Hair. He has worked with stars like the Kardashians, Mariah Carey, and Madonna.

What Is PEOPLE Tested?

We created the PEOPLE Tested seal of approval to help you find the very best products for your life. We use our unique methodology to test products in three labs across the country and with our network of home testers to determine their effectiveness, durability, ease of use, and so much more. Based on the results, we rate and recommend products so you can find the right one for your needs.

But we don’t stop there: We also regularly re-review the categories in which we’ve awarded the PEOPLE Tested seal of approval — because the best product of today might not be the best of tomorrow. And by the way, companies can never buy our recommendation: Their products must earn it, fair and square.

In short, PEOPLE Tested provides recommendations you can trust — every day, every purchase.