Best Overall

Crown Affair The Finishing Spray

$38 at SephoraView on Crownaffair.com$38 at Goop.com

Size: 3.4 oz | Scent: Fresh | Hold: Flexible | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Anyone with fine hair understands the trouble of finding styling products that don’t weigh their hair down or leave a residue. Our tests revealed that Crown Affair’s The Finishing Spray benefited our fine-haired tester without any adverse consequences, boasting a light to medium hold and an instant smoothing effect. Not to mention, the formula accomplishes these things without any crunchy or sticky feeling or flakes after brushing our hair post-application. We were also fond of the fresh, clean scent upon application (more formally known as Crown Affair’s The Signature Scent, with notes of bergamot, green tea, and sandalwood, to name a few), although it didn’t linger throughout the day (a bonus for those sensitive to fragrance).

Amanda, tester with 1B hair: “I found that it made my hair instantly smoother and frizz-free…It had an almost smoothing effect that tamed any flyaways.”

Best Long-Lasting

Bounce Curl Hair Spray

View on Bouncecurl.com

Size: 6 oz | Scent: Fruity and floral | Hold: Medium to strong | Cruelty-Free: Yes

We were wildly impressed with not only how well this formula (which has the added benefit of moisturizing glycerin and panthenol) held the shape and style of our curls, but also how long that hold lasted. It kept everything in place all day, leaving our hair looking almost exactly the way it did upon first application. (We found it to be especially good at taming the tiny baby hairs at the nape of our neck when sporting an updo, no easy feat.) 

The ease of application was also noteworthy—it comes out in a fine mist that covers a large area, despite being a non-aerosol formula. The one drawback? It does leave a pretty noticeable residue that lingers until the product is washed out. It can also feel pretty stiff initially. That said, we found these to be worthwhile trade-offs given how well the hairspray worked and how long it lasted.

Jessica, tester with 2C hair: “I was impressed because typically my curls fall out by about half, especially if I curl them a few days after washing them. This hairspray did a great job keeping my curls in place in the desired shape.”

Best Flexible Hold

Kenra Professional Shaping Spray 21

$22

$21 at AmazonView on Ulta

Size: 8 oz | Scent: Unscented | Hold: Flexible | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Reach for this Kenra hairspray when you want a workable styler that delivers just a bit of hold. We liked how quickly it dried, allowing us to easily layer it throughout our styling routine. It also earned rave reviews for its featherweight texture and no visible or tactile residue or greasiness. It can initially leave hair feeling a little bit stiff, but it does brush out nicely. Our biggest gripe was that, despite the brand claiming it offers “extra-firm hold,” the hold only lasted for a few hours. We suggest saving it for situations when that’s not going to be an issue (aka on a more casual hair day) or be prepared to bring it along for touch-ups.

Stella, tester with 1A hair: “After using this spray, my hair looks more put together, and it gave me a bit of volume that I desperately need for my ultra-flat, thin, straight hair.”

Best Strong Hold

Yarok Feed Your Hold Hairspray

$32

$31 at AmazonView on Yarokhair.com

Size: 8 oz | Scent: Herbal | Hold: Strong | Cruelty-Free: Yes

This is the spray to reach for if you want to keep your style in place from morning to night. We were impressed with how well this plant-based formula worked (it delivers a level of hold that’s equivalent to aerosol-based formulas without feeling as drying or damaging). It also dried extremely quickly and had a featherweight texture that didn’t weigh down strands.

However, it’s best to use it for looks that you want to set in place and then not touch or play with. We found that the hairspray did leave a bit of residue if we brushed our hair or tried to manipulate our style during the day. Still, both the product and residue did wash out cleanly, so if you’re planning on shampooing after use, this shouldn’t be an issue.

Reese, tester with 1B hair: “I felt good using a plant-based hair spray because it felt so similar to traditional hairsprays and had a great hold without all of the chemicals.”

Best for Curly Hair

Ouidad Advanced Climate Control Flexible Holding Spray

$26

$18 at Amazon

$26

$19 at Ulta$26 at Target

Size: 8.5 oz | Scent: Minimal | Hold: Flexible | Cruelty-Free: Yes

A suitable hairspray for curly hair will maintain the definition of your curls without making them crunchy or stiff—we found that Ouidad’s Advanced Climate Control Flexible Holding Spray formula achieved this seamlessly. Its flexible hold allows curls and waves to move freely while keeping their distinct shape, and limits the appearance of frizz and flyaways. We were pleased not only with how well this formula works after application, when using our fingers to comb through any tangled pieces, but also with how it holds up throughout the rest of the day, preventing the need for reapplication at any point.

Shauna Beni-Haynes, senior editor with 3C/4A hair: “The hold is very flexible—my hair/curls moved in the wind, and anytime I moved my head around. I noticed the curls had a more uniform and neat look after applying the spray.”