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Reviewed by Dr. Diana Rangaves, PharmD
Thin, lifeless hair is a major concern for many men. Whether you’ve always had hair that lacks volume or you’ve recently experienced an increase in thinning, there are steps you can take to revive your strands – and it all starts in the shower. In order to help you transform your locks and achieve the dense hair of your dreams, we’ve created the definitive list of the best hair-thickening shampoos for men.
How to Pick a Thickening Shampoo
When picking out a thickening shampoo, the most important factor to consider is the quality and effectiveness of the ingredients. The best thickening ingredients include biotin, niacinamide, amino acids, keratin, peptides and collagen. Many high-performance ingredients nourish the follicles to support the growth of strong, healthy hair. Ingredients to look for include jojoba oil, saw palmetto, castor oil, argan oil, caffeine and avocado oil.
Many essential oils are excellent at stimulating growth, including rosemary and peppermint oils. If this feels overwhelming, don’t worry – all of our recommendations below are made with quality ingredients that will help you achieve fuller hair.
You should also consider the ingredients you’ll want to avoid. We recommend sticking with clean, nature-powered formulas that effectively nourish and cleanse without aggravating the scalp or drying out the hair. We also suggest using sulfate-free shampoos, as sulfates can strip away the hair’s natural moisture and nutrients and aggravate the scalp. This can be particularly problematic for fine and thinning hair.
As you peruse this list, it’s important to keep your budget in mind. Thickening shampoos only work if you use them consistently. That means you don’t want to pick a product that feels too precious to use every time you wash your hair. Keep your budget in mind as you shop around, and avoid reaching for anything that feels too pricey.
Additional Tips: How to Thicken Hair
In addition to using a thickening shampoo, there are steps you can take to support overall hair health and promote the growth of strong, thick hair. Here are a few tips and tricks to achieve and maintain denser hair:
- Take a Look at Your Diet: Hair health starts from within, so you’ll want to make sure you’re eating the best foods for supporting growth and strength. Foods rich in vitamins, minerals, proteins and fatty acids that are particularly great for hair health include spinach, avocados, sweet potatoes, nuts, seeds, beans, eggs and fatty fish (like salmon and herring).
- Avoid Over-Washing: Plenty of men wash their hair every time they jump in the shower. Unfortunately, even if you’re using a high-quality shampoo, doing so can do more harm than good. Overwashing can dry out the strands and irritate the scalp, which can lead to weaker, thinner hair over time. Limit your hair-washing routine to approximately two to three times a week. This will keep your hair feeling fresh without harming your strands.
- Don’t Skip Conditioner: Many men don’t bother with conditioner, but skipping this step can do harm to your hair. Conditioners rehydrate and nurture the hair after the shampooing process. If you don’t use a conditioner, your hair can become weak and dehydrated, and prone to breakage and thinning.
- Try Scalp Massages: Want to promote the growth of strong, thick hair without spending any money? We recommend adding regular scalp massages to your grooming routine. Scalp massages stimulate blood flow, which helps bring oxygen and nutrients to the follicles. This can help with hair growth and overall scalp and hair health.
- Add a Topical Oil or Serum to Your Routine: In order to get the best results, we recommend adding an oil or serum targeted toward strengthening and growth to your hair-care routine. These products are made with ingredients that stimulate growth and nourish the follicles to achieve denser, thicker hair over time.
- Discuss Nutritional Deficiencies With Your Doctor: Nutritional deficiencies can majorly affect hair thinning and weakness. Make an appointment with a medical professional to see if you have any deficiencies that may be affecting hair health, and to discuss adding supplements to your routine or adjusting your diet.
The Best Hair Thickening Shampoos for Men
Ready to find your perfect match? Here’s our ultimate guide to the best hair thickening shampoos for men.
1. Blu Atlas Shampoo
Blu Atlas takes the No. 1 slot on our list. We feel this is the best hair-thickening shampoo for men available today. The premium grooming company’s formula is packed with clean ingredients that fortify the strands and follicles to promote the growth of thick, healthy hair. It’s vegan and cruelty-free, and made without sulfates, parabens, phthalates or synthetic fragrances. Best of all, 99% of the ingredients in this formula are from natural origins.
This top-quality shampoo, which comes in two different scent options, is made with vegan biotin. This multitasking ingredient strengthens hair fibers while replenishing the strand’s hydration levels, promoting fullness. It also protects the hair to prevent damage. The biotin is joined by anti-inflammatory saw palmetto extract. This extract is one of the most effective natural ingredients for blocking the negative effects of DHT, a hormone responsible for hair thinning in men.
In addition to these ingredients, the shampoo is infused with jojoba protein, which repairs damaged strands. Aloe barbadensis leaf juice lightly moisturizes as it calms the scalp to minimize irritation, and contains antioxidants that protect the hair and scalp against free radical damage.
As mentioned, this shampoo is made without sulfates, which can stress out the hair. Instead, the cleansing power comes from coconut-derived surfactants. They work into a rich lather and whisk away excess oil, dirt and product buildup without irritating the scalp or drying out the strands.
2. Briogeo Destined for Density Peptide Shampoo for Thicker, Fuller Hair
This Briogeo shampoo is packed with some of the most powerful ingredients for boosting fullness and strength. It’s crafted to promote circulation to the follicles to encourage growth, while fortifying existing strands so they are denser and less prone to breakage. The formula is vegan and cruelty-free, and is made without sulfates, parabens or phthalates. Ninety-three percent of the ingredients used are from natural origins.
The Destined for Density Peptide Shampoo is made with an antioxidant-rich complex of CoQ10, green coffee oil and caffeine. These ingredients nourish and stimulate the follicles to reverse thinning and promote healthy, dense hair growth. At the same time, copper peptides help prevent thinning by boosting overall health and improving the hair life cycle. Biotin also fortifies the strands and follicles while improving hair elasticity so that it is less prone to breakage.
This shampoo contains vitamin E, which offers antioxidant benefits to protect the hair and scalp against free radicals. Antimicrobial zinc chloride cleanses the hair while improving overall scalp health, while gentle surfactants wash away impurities to leave the hair feeling clean and refreshed.
3. Kérastase Genesis Homme Thickening Shampoo for Men
This shampoo is specifically made for men battling thinning hair and lackluster volume. It strengthens and visibly thickens the hair for a more voluminous look while gently cleansing and removing buildup from the strands and scalp. In clinical trials, 85% of participants achieved stronger hair after adding the product to their hair-care routine.
The Genesis Homme Thickening Shampoo for Men is formulated with creatine to help strengthen weak, thin hair. Expanding polymers work alongside the creatine, expanding the hair strands to promote a fuller appearance. Antioxidant-rich ginger root extract helps defend the hair and scalp against free radical damage to maintain strength and fullness. It also improves circulation to the follicles to encourage hair growth.
We love the scent of this shampoo. It has an invigorating fragrance profile, with notes of cedrat, lime, basil, bergamot, vetiver and musk.
4. Verb Volume Shampoo
This shampoo from Verb provides serious volume. It weightlessly lifts the strands to give a fuller look, while supporting scalp health and strengthening the hair to promote thickness over time. The formula thoroughly yet gently cleanses the hair, leaving it feeling fresh and clean. It’s vegan and cruelty-free, and is made without sulfates or parabens. We love the clean, unobtrusive scent, which has notes of oatmeal and grapefruit.
The Volume Shampoo is partly powered by pro-vitamin B5, also known as panthenol. This ingredient hydrates the hair to soften and minimize tangles, while naturally thickening the strands to add body to the hair. Hydrolyzed soy protein and glycerin work alongside the panthenol, adding moisture to the hair.
The shampoo is infused with green tea extract, a natural antioxidant ingredient. It helps defend the hair against damaging free radicals to maintain health and strength. Rosemary leaf extract stimulates the follicles to encourage healthy growth, while sunflower and acai extracts further nourish the hair.
5. Dr. Barbara Sturm Anti-Hair Fall Shampoo
If you’re willing to spend a bit more money on a luxury shampoo, check out the Anti-Hair Fall Shampoo from Dr. Barbara Sturm. The expertly formulated shampoo counteracts thinning and promotes growth while strengthening and thickening the strands for a healthier, fuller look. This formula is vegan and cruelty-free, and made without sulfates, parabens, phthalates or fragrances.
The Dr. Barbara Sturm shampoo is formulated with larch and camellia extracts, which work together to strengthen the follicles and hair strands to reduce the risk of breakage. They also improve hair density so that the hair looks and feels fuller. At the same time, sunflower sprouts and tara extract to repair and fortify damaged strands.
This formula contains pro-vitamin B5, which boosts moisture levels and naturally thickens the strands. Hyaluronic acid locks moisture into the strands, while purslane extract improves scalp health to encourage the growth of thick and strong strands. The sulfate-free formula is made with gentle surfactants that effectively purify the strands without causing any damage or stripping away the hair’s natural moisture.
6. BondiBoost Hair Thickening Therapy Shampoo
This shampoo from Australian brand BondiBoost works to expand every strand so that the hair appears thicker and more voluminous. It also nourishes and strengthens the hair and follicles to promote overall hair health. The shampoo is vegan and cruelty-free, and has a clean formula that is free of sulfates, parabens and phthalates. It has a fresh and energizing scent, with subtle notes of refreshing mint and raspberry.
The Hair Thickening Therapy Shampoo is crafted with amaranth extract, a natural ingredient that works to strengthen the hair. It contains hyaluronic acid, which pulls moisture into the strands to increase thickness, and vegan collagen to nourish and volumize the hair.
Like many of our other favorite thickening shampoos, this BondiBoost shampoo contains biotin, which promotes fuller strands and boosts hydration levels while supporting hair growth. Ceramide strengthens damaged, weak hair to prevent loss and breakage, while ginseng and sea kelp further nourish and promote growth. Aloe leaf juice also helps calm scalp irritation while lightly hydrating the hair.
7. Paul Mitchell Tea Tree Scalp Care Anti-Thinning Shampoo
Paul Mitchell’s tea tree-powered hair-care line has long been a customer favorite. For men looking to thicken their hair with a premium formula, we recommend the company’s Tea Tree Scalp Care Anti-Thinning Shampoo. The shampoo targets follicle health to reduce loss and promote growth. At the same time, it strengthens current strands so they look their best.
This shampoo is made with the company’s exclusive botanical blend, which is crafted to minimize thinning and add volume to the hair. The blend includes pea peptides, which work at the follicles to boost growth and counteract thinning. The blend also features clover flower extract, which reduces hair loss. Kakadu plum, turmeric and ginseng add a powerful antioxidant boost to the blend, protecting the hair against free radicals. These natural ingredients also stimulate circulation for optimal follicle health.
Tea tree leaf oil offers anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and antimicrobial benefits, and enhances scalp health to create an ideal environment for growth. The formula also features rosemary leaf extract, which supports healthy hair growth.
This shampoo is made without parabens or sulfates. Instead, it uses gentle surfactants to refresh the hair. The shampoo has an invigorating scent, with refreshing notes of basil, fir, lemon, patchouli, vanilla and amber.
8. R+Co Dallas Biotin Thickening Shampoo
If you’ve ever tried an R+Co hair-care product, you already know the company produces top-quality formulas. This shampoo is made with some of the best ingredients for adding density to the strands and strengthening the hair and scalp. It is vegan and cruelty-free, and doesn’t contain parabens.
The biotin in this shampoo thickens and strengthens the strands while improving hydration levels. It’s joined by pro-vitamin B5, which penetrates deep into the strands to hydrate and add fullness to the hair.
Another key ingredient in this formula is saw palmetto berry extract, which blocks the effects of DHT (which can cause hair loss) while stimulating the follicles to encourage growth. Loquat fruit extract nourishes the hair and scalp with key vitamins and minerals, while coconut oil softens and conditions while supporting overall scalp health.
We’re huge fans of the bright yet warm fragrance profile. The scent features notes of tangerine, pineapple, cardamom, bamboo, lavender and woods.
9. Hims Thick Fix Thickening Shampoo
This dermatologist-formulated shampoo is specifically made for men looking to boost volume and counteract thinning. It is expertly crafted from ingredients that thicken and strengthen the strands while stimulating the follicles to encourage hair growth. It’s vegan and cruelty-free, and has a clean formula that is free of sulfates, parabens or phthalates. Additionally, the shampoo has a eucalyptus fragrance that uplevels the showering routine to a relaxing, spa-like experience.
The Thick Fix Thickening Shampoo is made with saw palmetto, the plant extract that is able to block the harmful effects of DHT. It also stimulates growth to help you achieve fuller hair in the long run. Glycerin draws moisture into the strands to plump and soften, while vitamin E provides antioxidant benefits.
This shampoo is able to thoroughly wash away buildup and debris. Gentle surfactants cleanse the hair and scalp, but do so without aggravating the skin or drying out the strands.
10. Virtue Flourish Shampoo for Thinning Hair
Virtue has some of the best hair-care products on the market, and this shampoo lives up to the company’s stellar reputation. The Flourish Shampoo for Thinning Hair purifies and removes buildup from the hair and scalp to create the ideal environment for growth. At the same time, it stimulates and nourishes the follicles while fortifying the strands for denser, healthier hair. The formula is vegan and cruelty-free, and doesn’t contain parabens, phthalates or sulfates.
This shampoo is infused with alpha and gamma keratin proteins that improve elasticity and flexibility while enhancing hair strength to counteract thinning and damage. Additionally, the formula features biomimetic signal peptides that soothe the scalp and improve overall hair health while creating the optimal environment for hair growth.
Red algae extract and sodium hyaluronate both work to create a moisture barrier around the hair to thicken for a fuller look and feel. Rice-based humectants hydrate and soften while smoothing the hair shaft, while mild surfactants thoroughly cleanse while maintaining hair and scalp health and comfort.
If you’re drawn to hair-care formulas that create a spa-like environment in your shower, you’ll appreciate the scent of this Virtue shampoo. It blends notes of aromatic herbs with citrus, woods, basil and patchouli for the perfect relaxing fragrance.
11. Rahua Voluminous Shampoo
Rahua is a brand that regularly produces top-tier, highly effective products. We highly recommend the company’s Voluminous Shampoo to any man with thinning hair or lacking volume. It’s designed to boost the body and fortify the strands as it reduces greasiness and balances oil production for a refreshed and healthy feel. The formula is vegan and cruelty-free, and is made without sulfates or parabens.
Like many other products the company makes, this shampoo is powered by ungurahua (“rahua”) oil. This ingredient is loaded with omega-9 fatty acids, and works to nourish the strands and follicles to improve overall hair health and minimize breakage. Another key ingredient is anti-inflammatory and antioxidant-packed organic rosemary extract. It stimulates the hair follicles, helping to encourage growth. Lavender and eucalyptus extracts work alongside the rosemary to purify the scalp while enhancing overall scalp health. This trio of extracts also creates a refreshing, natural scent.
Additionally, this shampoo is infused with organic lemongrass extract, which clears away excess oil while adding volume to the hair. Organic green tea extract adds antioxidant power to the formula, working to protect the hair and scalp against free radical damage.
12. Oribe Shampoo for Magnificent Volume
The name doesn’t lie – this Oribe shampoo can help you achieve serious volume. The Shampoo for Magnificent Volume plumps the strands and adds body and fullness to the hair. It also adds weightless moisture so that your strands get the support they need without being weighed down. The formula is vegan and cruelty-free, and doesn’t contain sulfates or parabens.
This formula features saw palmetto extract to inhibit DHT, which is a factor in hair growth. It works alongside lupine protein to nourish the follicles and encourage the growth of dense, healthy hair. This Oribe shampoo also contains an advanced polymer blend, which adds density to every hair shaft so that the hair looks fuller.
Additionally, this shampoo is powered by Oribe’s signature complex, which features lychee, edelweiss flower and watermelon. These ingredients defend the hair against environmental factors that can weaken and damage the hair and harm the scalp. Antioxidant-rich moringa seed extract conditions and protects, while hydrolyzed vegetable protein fortifies the strands. Mild surfactants derived from coconut and sugar clear away buildup and debris so that the hair feels extra clean, but not stripped of its moisture.
13. Kevin Murphy Plumping Wash
The final recommendation on our list is the Plumping Wash from Kevin Murphy, a top-tier hair-care brand you can find in salons. This shampoo is designed to add density to thinning and fine hair by nourishing every strand and fortifying the follicles. It’s cruelty-free, and doesn’t contain sulfates or parabens.
One of the star ingredients in this shampoo is bamboo extract, which is loaded with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that support and maintain hair health and strength. It works alongside silk amino acids that enhance hydration levels to promote hair that is softer and easier to manage.
Additionally, this shampoo is made with rice bran and rice amino acids, which are packed with essential nutrients. Together, these ingredients thicken the diameter of the hair shaft for a fuller look while helping to strengthen the strands. Ginger root and nettle extracts add density to the strands while revitalizing the scalp and promoting circulation for healthy hair growth. Aloe vera leaf extract nourishes with vitamins and minerals while lightly hydrating, while acai berry extract adds an extra antioxidant boost to defend the hair and scalp against aggressors.
Frequently Asked Questions
In order to help you maximize your results, let’s answer some of the most frequently asked questions about using thickening shampoos.
Do thickening shampoos actually work?
Short answer: yes, but don’t expect results overnight. As long as you pick a high-quality formula (like one of the recommendations above) and use it consistently, you can expect to see results from a thickening shampoo. You’ll just need to have patience, as it will take time for the formula to fortify the follicles and strands and offer visible results. For the best results, we suggest Adding other thickening and strengthening grooming products to your routine and changing any lifestyle factors, such as diet, may contribute to hair volume.
Should you use a thickening conditioner as well?
Adding a thickening conditioner to your routine is a good idea. This will allow you to get the quickest, most noticeable results. Many of the shampoos recommended above have corresponding conditioners that are also made to thicken the hair. Once you pick out your shampoo, add the related conditioner to your routine.
