Thick Vs. Thin Hair: The Best Conditioners For Each

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If you consider yourself hair-obsessed, join the club. It's pretty clear you love all things beauty, and taking care of your mane is high on your priority list. You love the idea of a nourishing, effective DIY at-home mask, whether mixed with hydrating honey and clarifying apple cider vinegar, or something really clean with egg whites and lemon (via Good Housekeeping). You love unexpected hacks, too, and are high-key obsessed with TikTok tips. As per Mane Addicts, these include using baby powder and cocoa powder as a makeshift dry shampoo blend, or using a balloon to calm pesky static. While you may be a fan of all kinds of tricks, you also believe in the power of a good store-bought product — and that includes conditioner, of course.

Finding your perfect, end-all conditioner is like trying to find treasure under the sea: The quest is difficult, illusive, and sometimes, seems like an impossible task. Even if you find a moisturizing conditioner, it might not be perfect for your hair type. If you have thick, "can't be tamed" hair (Miley Cyrus circa 2010 reference intended), then you've probably found yourself disappointed at conditioners that promise superb hydration, but just don't deliver. Similarly, fine hair needs a serious injection of volume and bounce, but some conditioners may end up leaving your locks oily or weighed-down. You should select your next conditioner based on your specific hair type for best results — that way you'll find the perfect happy medium between body and moisture that works for you.

While we can all appreciate a good deal, sometimes you want to go all-out with your beauty. High-end ingredients akin to fine jewels can take your mane to the next level, infusing your hair with deep hydration from within. Sure, these conditioners are pricey, but they work incredibly-well to smooth out thick hair.

Oribe's Intense Conditioner for Moisture & Control ($49) is a surefire winner in our eyes, combining an unbeatable thick hair formula with gorgeous packaging you'll love showing off on your shower's shelf. If you've found yourself complaining about dryness caused by heat damage or too much time at the beach, this conditioner is proven to heal strands with shea butter, olive oil, illipe butter, vegetable proteins and the keratin reinforcing Oribe Signature Complex. This will combat frizz in no time, and is free of parabens and sulfates for zero damage to chemically-processed hair. GQ recommends it wholeheartedly for "taming" hair, especially in a humid climate. It's also scented with bergamot, jasmine, and sandalwood to transport you to an über-relaxing spa retreat. Score!

Another option is Davines LOVE Smoothing Conditioner ($34), which works to balance and hydrate thick hair. Stylecraze says this product is great for frizz, and for preventing breakage. The key ingredients? Nourishing vitamin E and olive extract imported from Fiacre, Italy, which will inject hair with serious softness. The citrus scent is downright-exhilarating, while reviewers say this conditioner is "hands down" the best on the market and great for shine.

If you have thick or coarse hair, you might have treated your mane to some chemical processing in the past. Whether you took your hair from brown to a balayage-blonde recently or are an all-time lover of keratin treatments, chances are your locks are paying the price. While we'll never let go of our hairstyling appointments, it's important to complement them with a hydrating, strengthening conditioner that won't mess with expensive salon chair visits.

If you love keratin treatments more than puppies and rainbows, you're not alone. They're on the rise with hairstylist Jerome Lordet explaining to Byrdie that the process is "for smoothing and frizz control," while still retaining volume. Still, as per Harper's Bazaar, keratin processing can damage hair as well. That's why you need a moisturizing conditioner, and this is where It's a 10 Haircare Miracle Deep Conditioner Plus Keratin ($18.45) comes in. This conditioner blends sweet almond oil and sunflower seed extract with keratin amino acids. As recommended by Headcurve, this will make your hair look smooth and shiny, and like you just walked out of a fresh keratin appointment.

Beauty gurus love cool girl brand Ouai, and their Thick Conditioner ($28) is no exception. As per Stylecraze, this is perfect for processed hair strengthening and smoothing with shea butter, marshmallow root, avocado oil, and a dose of keratin. This is so hydrating and frizz-fighting that 1,000-plus reviews say it is the "best conditioner ever." The jasmine scent is incredible, too!

Now, it's time for our fine-haired mavens. If you have thin strands, you're probably in need of volume, body, and texture. While you'll never make hair thicker on a strand-by-strand basis, you can simulate big hair by using the right products. As hairstylist Brianna Colette told Self, "the most important step in getting volume for fine hair starts in the shower." You'll need a "lightweight" conditioner that will moisturize while never making your hair oily or stringy. If you want an ah-mazing drugstore find, we've rounded up our two must-haves.

First up, a major classic: L'Oréal Paris Elvive Volume Filler Thickening Conditioner ($6.99). This product has racked up thousands of five-star reviews on Amazon, raving about how it even accelerates hair growth and is the perfect formula for "nice, full hair." Stylecraze suggests this for anyone dealing with fine, lifeless strands, referring to the conditioner as a "good hair day" miracle-worker. This creates volume for up to 24 hours, using filloxane elixirs to "plump" your hair at the root.

We love OGX as a truly cost-effective brand, and their Thick & Full + Biotin & Collagen Extra Strength Volumizing Conditioner ($5.74) really works. Byrdie named this the best drugstore conditioner for fine hair, describing it as a "powerhouse" for a "fuller, better-looking" mane. This formula is made from vitamin B7 biotin, collagen, and hydrolyzed wheat protein to promote extra volume, strength, and hair growth with impressive results.

Let's say your main concern is adding volume. Maybe you don't want to look exactly like Dolly Parton performing at the Grand Ole Opry, but you wouldn't mind some serious lift at the roots. Fine hair tends to wilt, falling flat even after countless products like mousse or dry shampoo. This problem can be attributed to using the wrong conditioner, so these options will make sure your hair has tons of body.

Is a refreshing scent just as important to you as volume? Then look no further than Briogeo Blossom & Bloom Ginseng Conditioner ($26), which blends an invigorating ginger fragrance with scientifically-proven results. Recommended by Who What Wear, this conditioner won't weigh down your mane, and is infused with biotin to stimulate hair growth at the scalp. As per the brand, ginseng and ginger "promote fullness," while maltodextrin wraps around each strand and makes hair look visibly thicker. An all-natural product, try this conditioner if your hair gets oily easily. It contains lemon and witch hazel as natural grease-fighting astringents. Plus, it's free of sulfates, silicones, and phthalates.

John Frieda Volume Lift Lightweight Conditioner ($6.79) is a superb wallet-friendly option that really works. Stylecraze says this conditioner's "air silk technology" is the best for moisturizing thin hair while keeping things lightweight. Perfect for tons of movement and body, it also strengthens strands. More than 13,000 reviewers agree that this conditioner "works great" on thinning hair and is "perfect" for a "lifeless" mane.

Lastly, if you're dealing with fine strands and hair loss, you might think every conditioner under the sun will make your mane look greasy or limp. That's not necessarily the case, as long as you have the right products in your arsenal that will simulate volume while promoting hair growth. 

Tea Tree Scalp Care Anti-Thinning Conditioner ($22.50) is a must-have for anyone dealing with thinning hair, especially if you have fine strands to begin with. Recommended by Bustle, the outlet says this product is "clinically proven" to make hair look more voluminous, using a "Regeniplex blend" to create fuller locks and make hair grow faster. As per the brand, the blend includes clover flower, preventing follicles from shrinking, as well as akadu plum, pea peptides, turmeric and ginseng to stimulate more growth and moisturize on a strand-by-strand basis. Thousands of reviews that say it's a "miracle worker" show it's truly effective, while a study showed that 85% of participants noticed stronger hair after just two months. 

You can also try The Mane Choice Peach Black Tea Vitamin Fusion Conditioner ($18.30), enriched with biotin and vitamin E to lightly hydrate hair while promoting growth. Well + Good says this conditioner also contains caffeine from black tea, further stimulating the scalp. Reviews say this product leads to "unbelievable results," explaining it leads to hair that is "actually thicker" with ends "like silk" and tons of body. It also creates shine and smells "amazing."