If you’ve gone to all that effort curling your hair or perfecting an updo, the last thing you want is for it to fall flat an hour later, that’s where a good hairspray really earns its keep. For a long time, hairspray has been associated with crunchy textures that leave your tresses feeling stiff. However, a new generation of hairsprays have emerged from luxury and budget brands alike, with light mists and fine fragrance formulas.
That said, there are a few factors to consider before committing to a new bottle. Anita Rice, co-founder and director of sustainable salon chains Buller & Rice, explains what you should be looking for. “Lightweight and medium hairspray usually has a brushable texture to it, so the ideal time to use this is during styling, i.e after using heat tool to create waves, before brushing out or spraying back-combing prior to executing your final shape,” she says.
Meanwhile, Rice describes strong hold hairspray as a “finishing spray to lock shapes in place – it would be the last thing you use once you have your style looking perfect and ready to secure in place”.
Technique is important too, she adds: “If you are using heat tools to create waves, some stylists like to spray each curl as they finish. Others might opt for spraying all over the head then brushing out.” Spraying too close to your hair is also a common mistake. “Spraying sections with hairspray before using heat tools isn’t ideal for hair health. Instead, I opt for spraying after heat is applied,” Rice explains. Last but not least, her top tip for washing out strong hold hairspray is to brush your hair thoroughly before shampooing to make it easier to wash out.
To track down the best hairsprays on the market, I tested a wide range of formulas to see which ones delivered lasting hold without leaving my hair feeling stiff or sticky. The top contenders kept styles intact through humidity, added a boost of volume, and left hair looking shiny and healthy rather than weighed down.
How I tested
I spent weeks putting hair sprays through their paces on curly hairstyles on naturally poker-straight hair and carefully done up-does across a range of testing conditions, including downpours, windy weather, humid rooms and public transport. I assessed each spray on:
- Scent: I noted how strong or subtle the fragrance of each spray was and whether it lingered throughout the day.
- Texture: I tested the texture of each spray to see if it gave a lightweight, non-sticky finish that didn’t leave hair feeling crunchy or weighed down.
- Hold: Throughout the day I checked to see how well each hairspray kept my style in place, from sleek updos to loose waves, and how it handled humidity or movement.
- Value for money: I considered the overall performance against the price point, as well as how long each can lasted with regular use.
Why you can trust IndyBest reviews
Louise Whitbread is one of our go-to beauty experts. She has covered everything from skincare to hair care and make-up for IndyBest since March 2020. Her product reviews are expansive and detailed, from the best hair bonding treatments and cleansing balms and sheet masks. If you can buy it, she has tried it. So it’s no suprise that Louise is an expert when it comes to ingredients that not only work but are also kind to your hair. She’s used her expertise to find a wide range of products to suit all hair types that will keep your tresses in place, without sacrificing health.
The best hair sprays for 2025 are:
- Best overall – Sam McKnight modern hairspray multi-tasking styling mist: £26, Spacenk.com
- Best budget buy – L’Oreal hairspray by elnett for normal hold & shine: £5.46, Amazon.co.uk
- Best for shine – Moroccanoil luminous hairspray medium: £18.05, Amazon.co.uk
- Best for strong hold – Color Wow cult favorite firm + flexible hairspray: £25.99, Amazon.co.uk
- Best for humidity – ghd perfect ending - final fix hairspray: £14.90, Amazon.co.uk
Sam McKnight modern hairspray multi-tasking styling mist
Best: Hairspray overall
Size : 250ml
Key ingredients : Sam’s signature scent (water lily, juniper wood and frankincense)
Hold: Strong
Why we love it
- Smells like a fine fragrance
- Soft finish with strong hold
- No stickiness
Take note
- Pricey
This chic olive green bottle is home to one of the best scented hair sprays I’ve ever tried. It heat protects up to 230 degrees and provides a strong hold to keep curls, straight strands and flyways in place. It’s infused with frankincense, juniper wood and water lily, and made in collaboration with Perfumer H – a luxury fragrance brand created by British perfumer Lyn Harris. Aside from the gorgeous scent, I loved how it didn’t leave my hair feeling sticky or crunchy, and at the end of the day I was able to easily brush it out without being laden down with product. It keeps hair feeling soft but provided an impressive hold on my tonged waves, despite my naturally poker-straight hair that struggles to hold a curl.
Buy now £26.00, Spacenk.com
L’Oreal hairspray by elnett for normal hold & shine
Best: Budget hairspray
Size : 200ml
Key ingredients : Vinyl neodecanoate copolymer
Hold : Medium
Why we love it
- Affordable
- Reliable
- Easily accessible
Take note
- Chemical scent
You can’t go wrong with this cult classic. Not only is it a bargain price, but it’s a failsafe option for a long-lasting hold on curled or straightened hair, worn down or in an up-do. It doesn’t leave hair sticky, there’s no residue left behind and it keeps hair soft to touch. For the price of a little over a fiver, it’s hard to fault, although I would say, if you’re sensitive to smell, it has quite a strong scent. My hair still felt natural, without a tacky veil sitting over the top. If you have fine hair, this is a great option that won’t lead to product buildup, no matter how regularly you use it.
Buy now £5.15, Amazon.co.uk
Moroccanoil luminous hairspray medium
Best: Hairspray for shine
Size: 330ml
Key ingredients : Argan oil
Hold : Medium
Why we love it
- Adds shine
- Provides long-lasting medium hold
Take note
- Pricey
This is a great everyday hairspray if, like me, you regularly curl your hair. It’s medium hold, which I think is the perfect balance between keeping your styled strands in place but not leaving them stiff. All in all, with a few quick spritzes, you’re left with less frizzy hair that’s still soft and brushable. Best of all, it coats hair in a protective but lightweight veil of luminosity, making it perfect for dull hair in need of a boost. It smells fantastic too, thanks to a formula that’s rich in argan oil – a key ingredient for hair hydration, strength and shine.
Buy now £18.05, Amazon.co.uk
Arkive the veil hairspray
Best: For value
Size: 250ml
Key ingredients : Baobab oil, fixing copolymer
Hold: Light-medium
Why we love it
- No crispy texture
- Fine mist that evenly spreads
Take note
- Strongly scented
Arkive is a haircare brand founded by hair stylist Adam Reed, who has over 25 years of experience in the beauty industry, working across runway shows, with celebrities and in his own salons. In March 2023, he debuted Arkive, with a focus on high-performing products and fine fragrance formulas, with a mid-range price tag. Our beauty tester has long loved its body hybrid mousse (£8.67, Boots.com), which adds sky high volume to even the flattest, finest hair types, and this hairspray is another excellent styling product. It kept our curls in place, without the crunchy texture, with a light-medium hold and a soft sheen. For a hairspray that’s less than a tenner, it certainly feels and smells a lot more expensive.
Buy now £14.00, Amazon.co.uk
ghd perfect ending - final fix hairspray
Best: Hairspray for humidity
Size: 400ml
Key ingredients : AMP-Acrylates Copolymer
Hold : Strong
Why we love it
- Reasonably priced
- Huge bottle
- No crunchiness
Take note
- A little goes a long way
This is a reliable go-to if you want a lightweight spray that doesn’t weigh hair down, and will last you a long time. I tried the 400ml bottle over a couple of months and it barely made a dent, I wouldn’t be surprised if this lasted a year. It has a soft-touch feel, in fact I couldn’t feel any difference when touching my hair, but I was left impressed by how well it held up my two-day old blowdry on a day that involved hours on a stuffy, crowded train, mild rain and humidity. It doesn’t leave any flakes or crunchy texture and can be used for perfecting a slicked back bun or loose waves.
Buy now £14.90, Amazon.co.uk
Davines this is a medium hair spray
Best: Hairspray for medium hold
Size : 400ml
Key ingredients : Panthenol
Hold : Medium
Why we love it
- Sustainably made
Take note
- Expensive
Davines is an Italian brand that approaches product development with a deep-rooted sustainable ethos, which includes regenerative farming to source its ingredients, recyclable packaging and a transparent supply chain. If you want a long-lasting hairstyle that you’ve spent ages perfecting, but are prone to unwanted frizz, this is the hairspray for you. As the name suggests, it offers a medium hold, and is a foolproof formula that you can’t go wrong with. If you spritz your hair with a light layer then change your mind or want to re-do, simply brush it out and start again. It’s moisture-resistant too, making it ideal for the unpredictable British weather, too. It gets bonus points for its very chic packaging.
Buy now £26.00, Amazon.co.uk
Kerasilk multi-purpose hairspray
Best: For fighting frizz
Size : 300ml
Key ingredients : Biomimetic silk, blue lotus extract
Hold : Medium
Why we love it
- Minimises frizz
- Provides heat protection
Take note
- Not cheap
- Keep your eye out for a good deal
If you’re prone to static, flyaways or frizziness after dying your hair, this spray is the perfect antidote. The vegan formula is made with biomimetic silk, raspberry seed oil and blue lotus extract, and provides heat protection for up to 230 degrees. Anything that streamlines our beauty routine and requires fewer products for the same result is a plus. It adds a subtle shine, especially on darker hair, and can be applied on dry hair before the use of heated styling tools, or as the final touch.
Buy now £23.00, Lookfantastic.com
Color Wow cult favorite firm + flexible hairspray
Best: Hairspray for a strong hold
Size : 295ml
Key ingredients : Keratin, silk and UV filters
Hold: Strong
Why we love it
- Long lasting hold
- Generous mist distribution
Take note
- Expensive
For hair that needs not to budge even an inch, this strong hold option is fantastic. I found it worked especially well on my fine hair that’s naturally very straight and struggles to hold a curl. It didn’t leave my hair with the typical crunchy texture or stickiness and brushed out with ease once our night was over. If you have coloured hair that needs a bit of TLC, this formula is made with keratin to strengthen, silk to smooth and UV filters that provide colour protection. There’s nothing not to like, except for a pretty steep price tag.
Buy now £25.99, Amazon.co.uk
Your questions about hairspray answered
What is the best hairspray?
Taking the top spot is Sam McKnight’s modern hairspray for its fine fragrance formula, strong hold for keeping curls and flyaways in place, and gorgeous packaging. However if you’re shopping on a budget, Arkive’s the veil hairspray left me impressed with its light-medium hold without the stickiness, while adding a subtle healthy sheen, all for under a tenner.
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