15 Best Hairsprays in 2023 [Tested and Reviewed]

Garnier Fructis Sleek & Shine Hairspray claims to offer super-strong hold and flexible movement, and it absolutely delivers on this promise. When we tested it on our human-hair mannequin, even the fine, short hairs were well-tamed, achieving a clean and sleek look. It kept hair around the ears in check, resulting in a neat silhouette. After spraying, there was hardly any stickiness, leaving the hair feeling silky smooth, a feature that received high praise from our testers. Its smooth texture provides ample flexibility, allowing for easy combing, making restyling a breeze.

The mildly sweet, fruity scent is pleasing, and isn’t overbearing even several hours after applying, which scored highly with our testers. The absence of a discernible alcohol smell was also a plus. If there was one minor point of criticism, it would be that the spray nozzle requires a bit of force to press. However, it sprays evenly across the hair, so you don't need to worry about applying too much or too little. With its ability to neatly manage frizz while retaining flexibility, this hairspray is our top choice for those seeking a natural-looking hairstyle.

When applied to a mannequin, Tresemme Extra Hold Hair Spray effectively kept frizzy flyaways on top and short hairs around the face under control, resulting in a well-maintained look. The spray's strong hold should allow even those with curly hair to achieve an orderly look. No hairs fell out of place and it maintained a neat appearance. While the spray was a tad sticky immediately after applying, it became silky within seconds and was easy to comb through. 

The shampoo-like scent was universally appealing, with a refreshing quality and a hint of sweetness, earning high praise from our testers. The product can be dispensed with a light push, making quantity control a breeze. This hairspray can help you tame unruly hair while retaining flexibility. It's recommended for those who don't want their hair to be overly stiff.

Kenra Professional's Volume Spray 25 claims it can provide 120 hours of hold and 24-hour humidity resistance. When applied to a mannequin, it efficiently tamed frizz and flyaway strands, resulting in a satisfactory level of hair control. In addition to controlling frizz, the product's ability to preserve flexibility was equally impressive. The spray quickly dried after application, leaving the hair with a silky, non-sticky texture. Since the hair is smooth to comb through, it will be easy to use even for those who wish to make minor adjustments to their styling after applying the spray.

Initially, there is a hint of an alcohol smell, but it gradually gives way to a faintly sweet aroma. Impressions of the scent varied among testers, resulting in divergent opinions. The relatively large can was a bit of a struggle to handle for some, causing the product to score poorly for ease of use. The amount of spray per pump was quite generous, making it convenient for people with lots of hair. This spray provides neat control and easy, soft styling, ideal for those who want to keep their hair in place while maintaining a natural finish.

When applying Sebastian Re-Shaper by Wella Operations to our mannequin’s hair, it effectively tamed flyaways, demonstrating its firm holding power. While a few strands from the back of the neck didn’t hold, the overall finish was tight. The spray dries within seconds of application, and the lack of stickiness was impressive. The smooth comb-through with no clumping makes it ideal for use on hair that's been curled with a curling iron.

With a light push, it sprays evenly, thanks to its fine mist, earning high praise in the ease-of-use evaluation. On the flip side, the smell, a mix of fruitiness and alcohol, didn't score as well among the testers, suggesting that it might not suit everyone's preferences.

Aussie Instant Freeze Hairspray, infused with shine-boosting jojoba oil and seaweed, has a silky post-spray texture and soft feel as if no spray was used that makes it stand out. The product's flexibility allows for combing, making it more suitable for those who want styling as natural as possible rather than achieving a super tight finish. When applied to a mannequin, it didn't quite manage to tame the flyaways, which was a concern, but it did neatly manage the hairs around the face.

While the sweet, fruity scent is pleasant, it’s mixed with an alcohol smell, which divided testers' opinions. Some testers found it challenging to use, noting that it required a strong push to spray. And since the amount released with each spray is small, you’ll need to spray several times on the same spot, making it time-consuming to cover all the hair. Achieving an even spray was challenging, and the product did not score well in the ease of use evaluation.

When applied to a mannequin, Sexy Hair Big Spray & Play mostly managed to contain the hairs that tend to spring up on top, with just a few escaping. It neatly held the hairs around the face and back of the neck, earning high marks for its hold. On the flip side, the hairs tended to look whitish after spraying, which did not look good. Though there was no stickiness, hair tended to clump together, and while a comb could get through, the texture was not what you'd call flexible. It is not well suited for casual hairstyles, but is recommended for glamorous hairstyles for parties and weddings where you want your hairstyle kept intact.

The scent was unpopular among testers because it has a strong smell of alcohol, which makes it somewhat difficult to use when spraying all over the hair. In the ease-of-use evaluation, some testers commented that the can is too wide and large to hold comfortably. While it's nice that a single spray covers a large area, you can sometimes apply it too heavily, which was noted as a drawback.

When we tested Bed Head by Tigi Hard Head Extreme Hold on the mannequin, a few fine hairs on top and short hairs on the bangs and around the face were left untamed, but overall, frizz was well-managed, earning high scores in the hold test. After spraying, hair had a smooth texture with no stickiness, which was a plus. But, while a comb could get through, the hair tended to clump together and became noticeably stiff and crunchy. This hairspray is better suited for parties and wedding hairstyles that you want to keep intact for a long time.

The sweet, cherry-like scent was pleasant, but it was mixed with an alcohol smell, which lowered its rating. The scent is mild, so it may not be enough for those who want to use hairspray to mask their hair's smell. Testers liked the ease of pushing the spray nozzle, but the spray width was small and required extra effort due to needing several sprays.

Even after applying KMS Hairplay, hair remained soft and easy to run a comb through. It's recommended for those who want a natural hold or want to use it for curly hair. There is a slight stickiness after spraying, but it was not too bothersome. On the other hand, the strong minty smell may divide opinions. When used on our mannequin, flyaways were controlled nicely. The flexibility made it easy to style while combing, which is a plus. 

On the other hand, the short hairs around the face and ears needed to be sprayed and set several times, which was time-consuming. After a few minutes, some hairs would fall, which is not great if you’re looking for a very firm hold. In the ease of use test, the nozzle was hard to press, and it was difficult to control the amount of spray.

John Frieda Frizz Ease by Kao sprays easily with moderate force, which testers appreciated, but it dispenses quite a bit of product, so it may be more suited to people with lots of hair. After spraying, the hair was barely sticky at all, which was a plus. However, the hair felt hard to comb through because it became stiff and hard. It tends to clump and is not suitable for those who prefer a natural finish.

When used on a mannequin, the bangs and hair around the face were tamed, but the fine hairs on top were hard to control even after spraying several times. Some testers gave high scores to the faint shampoo-like fragrance, but those who prefer a stronger scent gave negative comments.

A few seconds after applying OGX Bodyfying + Bamboo Fiberfull, it quickly becomes smooth and neither the hair nor hands are sticky, which is a plus. The comb slides through smoothly, and the hair is soft to the touch with little stiffness. The sweet scent of coconut was well-received by testers, and is suitable for those who want a strong scent.

On the downside, perhaps due to the flexible finish, when actually used on a mannequin the hold was weak and shorter hairs did not stay down. Those who want to preserve their morning hairstyle throughout the day may be disappointed. While the light touch of the nozzle and the ease of use are advantages, the width of each spritz is small, so you need to spray several times to cover a larger area, which can be irritating.

The Paul Mitchell Flexible Style Spray Wax by John Paul Mitchell Systems has a sweet and refreshing scent, reminiscent of tropical fruits, which received high praise from testers for being pleasant even after an extended time. The slim bottle feels firm in the hand and the pump is easy to press, which left a good impression. It sprays just the right amount with one push, so there is little need to worry about applying too much.

However, when actually used on a mannequin, the hold was weak, and it was not able to control flyaways. Even some time after application, the hair felt sticky, and the tacky texture made it difficult to manage. The stickiness causes the comb to get stuck in the hair, so it won’t slide through smoothly. If sprayed all over, it tends to become sticky and results in an unnatural finish, making it best suited for those who only want to use it on specific areas like bangs and hair around the ear.

Unilever's Suave Non-Aerosol Hairspray had a weak hold when used on our mannequin, and short hairs wouldn’t stay in place, resulting in a less unified finish. It might be unsatisfactory for those who want to keep loose hairs in check or those who want a neat finish. On the other hand, it does not feel too sticky after spraying, which leaves a good impression. 

Many testers were bothered by the alcohol smell, which hampered the product's scent score. It's a mist type with a nozzle that’s easy to press, but you need to spray several times to cover the entire head. And, if you apply too much in the same spot, the hair tends to get crunchy, which can make it a bit inconvenient to use.

The Schwarzkopf Got2b Glued Blasting Freeze Hairspray adhered to the hair well and effectively tamed flyaways and shorter hairs on our test mannequin. It dries quickly after spraying, transforming into a smooth, non-sticky texture. Although you can comb through the hair, it clumps a bit, which may look overstyled for those who prefer a more natural finish. This product is suitable for hairstyles that you want to keep intact during intense activities or at parties or weddings.

It's nice that it dispenses just the right amount of spray in one push, but you will need to press down fairly hard on the nozzle. In the scent test, the strong smell of alcohol might cause some hesitation if you plan to use it over a large area, which negatively affected the ratings.

Pantene Pro-V Lightweight Hairspray has a sweet, candy-like scent was well received by the testers. The mild fragrance should be pleasant even to those who are sensitive to smells. While the large nozzle is nice, some testers found it needed a strong push, which divided opinions on its ease of use.

When tested on the mannequin, while the hair around the hairline, face, and back of the neck was tamed, the flyaway hairs on top wouldn’t stay down no matter how many times they were sprayed, and the finish was not quite satisfactory. Because of its flexibility, you can easily comb through to set the hair. However, the hair tends to turn white after spraying, which was not a good look.

When tested on a mannequin, short hairs on the forehead and fine hairs on the top stuck out, but overall, CHI Spray Wax produced a neat and tidy finish. On the other hand, after spraying, the hair tended to turn white, and even when dry it had a sticky texture that made it hard to run a comb through. It left the hair feeling stiff.

The strong, artificial perfume-like scent lowered its ratings. In the ease of use test, the pump was stiff, requiring quite a bit of strength to press. Also, controlling the amount of spray was difficult, causing sections of hair to become hard and crunchy. The resulting finish looked unnatural, which was a concern.