These 12 Drugstore Hairsprays Offer Hold and Volume—Without a Hefty Price Tag (2024)

TL;DR

Our Top Picks

Size: 10 oz. | Scent: Clean | Hold Level: Flexible | Cruelty-Free: Yes

A lightweight feel? Check. No flakes or crunchies? Check. Brushable, touchable hold? Check and check. In short, this product fulfilled all of our hairspray hopes and dreams. It applies in a light, even mist, making it easy to add more or less as needed. (We did find that the more we layered on the slightly stiffer it felt, but no matter how much we used, we could still brush through our hair with ease.)

We also love that it can be used for adding body and fullness simply by spraying a bit more onto the roots. The hold definitely is on the lighter side though, so when you need to lock in a style you may want something that has a bit of a stronger grip. Still, we love this winner for everyday, all-purpose use.

Size: 10 oz. | Scent: Fresh and citrusy | Hold Level: Light | Cruelty-Free: Yes

To be fair, all drugstore hairsprays are affordable, but this is a real bargain deal. We were thoroughly impressed with how well it worked and how much you get for the already wallet-friendly price. The mist feels lightweight yet offers long-lasting hold, preserving styles all day long without any residue or stiffness, or that feeling that you absolutely need to wash your hair. The only (minor) drawback—it doesn’t impart any shine or add much volume.

Size: 10 oz. | Scent: Fresh | Hold Level: Medium-Strong | Cruelty-Free: Yes

It’s easy to associate strong hold spritzes with stiff, crunchy hair, but this winner is proof positive that isn’t always the case. It locked our style in place all day long but didn’t leave our hair sticky or wet (we could still easily run our fingers through it). We were also impressed with the volume and shine it added (but the hair never looked greasy).

That said, be prepared for the spritz to come out strong and fast—a more aggressive spray than a fine mist. And while we didn’t necessarily mind the chemical scent, it is fairly intense and does linger, if you’re more sensitive to fragrance.

Size: 7 oz. | Scent: Clean | Hold Level: Medium | Cruelty-Free: Yes

This is a Goldilocks hairspray; the happy medium between delivering hold and shape and ensuring your hair still has plenty of movement and bounce. We also lauded its non-sticky, featherweight feel and that it could be used to impart long-lasting volume. The pleasant, clean scent (which nicely lingered throughout the day) was a lovely bonus.

It bears mentioning that you can build up to your desired hold by adding a few extra layers of product. The only caveat: The more you add, the higher the likelihood that you may notice some leftover residue.

Size: 8.25 oz. | Scent: Fruity | Hold Level: Strong | Cruelty-Free: Yes

There was truly nothing we didn’t like about this pick from staple drugstore brand Garnier Fructis. The staying power was extremely impressive, holding up all day and night. And despite the strong hold, it didn’t weigh down our hair nor leave it feeling crunching. It sprays out in a strong and even mist (sans any nozzle clogging) and the fruity scent was so pleasant that it even earned us several compliments throughout the day. As if that weren’t enough it infused our hair with volume and shine.

Size: 12 oz. | Scent: Floral | Hold Level: Extra strong | Cruelty-Free: No

We get it—the word “glue” in a hairspray name can admittedly be a little scary, but there’s nothing to fear with this winner, which we deemed excellent for locking in updos. The super strong hold is ideal for completely smoothing and setting hair, even those pesky little flyways. Still, it didn’t feel stiff, and any trace of tackiness dissipated as soon as it dried. It also added a nice amount of shine, always a plus for up-dos.

We just weren’t as impressed when it came to the packaging. As the name implies, the nozzle does indeed blast out a lot of product at once in a narrow stream; we would’ve preferred a finer more even mist. The bottle also doesn’t come with a cap, which can be problematic for travel.

Size: 8 oz. | Scent: Fresh lily | Hold Level: Flexible | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Non-aerosols are notorious for a more uneven application, but we had no issues with this pump-top bottle; in fact, we specifically called out how much we liked that it came out in a steady mist. It left our strands feeling soft and smooth, even conditioned—no crunchies or stiffness here. And while our style relaxed slightly after a long day, we were still impressed with the staying power, especially given how flexible the hold is. It does take a bit longer to dry than other options we tested, but we felt the result was worth the wait. We didn’t love the floral, lily scent—it’s a lot upon application and lingers somewhat.

Size: 12 oz. | Scent: Fresh | Hold Level: Strong | Cruelty-Free: No

Okay, so you may not necessarily choose a hairspray based on scent alone, but this one delivers performance-wise and smells great. We thought the hold made it ideal for long-term needs; we clocked its staying power at 10 hours. As the name suggests, it did help address frizz, and even added a little shine, to boot.

But it was the scent that really won us over—a light, citrusy, fresh fragrance that lasted without lingering too long. FYI, the nozzle does deliver a pretty intense spritz with each application, upping the likelihood of inadvertently over-using it in any one spot and ending up with some crunchiness.

Size: 11 oz. | Scent: Unscented | Hold Level: Extra strong | Cruelty-Free: No

This classic pick from L’Oreal takes the cake for tamping down errant hairs and flyaways and keeping your strands super smooth. And even though the trade-off with extra strong formulas is usually a stiff and crunchy feel, that’s not the case here; the lightweight finish took us by surprise in the best way possible. Still, it lasts and lasts—and can always be brushed through as well. It won’t add any volume, but so long as you’re okay with that, this is a winning choice for a long-lasting yet touchable hold.

Size: 10 oz. | Scent: Floral | Hold Level: Medium | Cruelty-Free: No

Bangs are often replete with unwanted flyaways and frizzies, but not if you have this spritz on hand. Just a tiny bit (applied on a brush) helped to hold the shape and structure of our fringe. It did the same for our curls, offering an impressive amount of staying power that held up all day, even after a long run.

The hold is definitely more on the medium side, which some may find a bit too intense for everyday use. It can be brushed out easily but it does tend to feel a bit stiff right when it’s sprayed on (combing through the hair does help lessen that though).

Size: 11 oz. | Scent: Unscented | Hold Level: Medium | Cruelty-Free: Yes

There’s nothing more annoying than a hairspray that leaves your hair looking and feeling damp after application. That’s hardly the case here; we found this very affordable option to be extremely fast-drying as well as a top contender when it came to leaving our strands smooth and shiny (without any visible residue). However, in our experience, it only lived up to its “mega hold” promise when we used lots of it as well as reapplied throughout the day. And the intense nozzle, which delivers an intense blast of product, does take some getting used to, although we did appreciate that it never got clogged.

Size: 5.5 oz. | Scent: Citrus | Hold Level: Flexible | Cruelty-Free: No

This featherlight spray takes will tame frizz and flyaways in a flash, all while feeling (and looking) undetectable. It dries quickly, too, and the fine mist distributes nicely all over the hair. We also loved the fruity, citrus scent, which was apparent without being cloying or overwhelming.

But if you want your hairspray to hold your full style in place, look elsewhere. Despite how well it calmed flyaways, we found the hold level nearly nonexistent, even if we layered on extra product.

FAQ

• What does hairspray do to your hair?

  “Hairspray acts as a styling aid that secures and maintains hairstyles while also delivering fullness, control, and protection against humidity,” says Uribe. It does this by coating your strands in a lightweight polymer-based film that dries out, subsequently causing the hair to stay in place, adds Armand.

• How should I apply hairspray?

  Shake the bottle, then hold it three to six inches away from your hair and spray it on in an up and down motion. “This will ensure the spray is evenly distributed throughout the desired area,” says Armand. Uribe agrees, adding that holding the can too close or spraying too much on can lead to stickiness and stiffness. “Less is more, you can always build it up,” he explains.

• How long does hairspray stay in your hair?

  While its staying power varies (factors like humidity, hair type, and amount used can impact this), the product itself stays in your hair until you shampoo it out. It’s best to not leave your hairspray in your hair overnight (even if you had a late night out), and wash it out as soon as your day ends to prevent clogged hair follicles and damaged, greasy hair.