This Shampoo for Fine Hair Makes My Locks Seriously Bouncy

While I've always put a lot of thought into my coffee, moisturizer, and activewear, my choice of grease-busting shampoo has never been all that strategic. In high school, I lathered my fine locks with the Aveda Blue Malva Shampoo (Buy It, $57, amazon.com) my mom left in the shower out of pure convenience. When I moved 400miles away for college, I began de-gunking my sweaty post-workout scalp with Dove's Cool Moisture shampoo (Buy It, $14, amazon.com), which left my locks smelling like cucumbers, my roots squeaky clean, and my wallet happy.

But earlier this year, the effects of recklessly scrubbing my hair with shampoos that weren't designed for my hair type finally started to show. My roots looked extra greasy, and my typically wavy strands would fall flat against my face, even hours after washing. "The shampoo type or formula is very important for fine hair users," says Kerry E. Yates, a trichologist (hair and scalp specialist) and the founder of Colour Collective. "Using the wrong kind can cause the hair to look limp or weighed down and can make the hair actually look oily."

Applying shampoos specifically formulated for fine hair is essential to addressing these problems, says Yates. And luckily, not long after I noticed my locks' issues, I found Phillip Kingsley's Body Building Shampoo (Buy It, $30, amazon.com). Designed specifically for fine hair, the shampoo is chock-full of ingredients that help build up volume, control fly-aways, and strengthen strands, says Yates. The key additives: A VP/VAcopolymer (a blend of vinyl pyrrolidone and vinyl acetate that's commonly used in haircare products) that lifts the hair up from the roots to give it more body and helps prevent frizz, as well as Silicone Quaternium-18, which temporarily covers the hair's damaged areas to create a smooth finish without thwarting the hair's natural volume, she explains. Plus, the shampoo for fine hair contains hydrolyzed keratin, helping to strengthen locks and improve elasticity, she adds. (

Buy It: Phillip Kingsley Body Building Shampoo, $30, dermstore.com

Within a single use, I could tell its volumizing formula was legit. Just a quarter-sized droplet created enough luxurious, lightly floral-scentedsuds to cleanse my entire head. And after sleeping through the night on my freshly washed, wet hair, I woke up with soft tresses. My scalp felt lightweight and oil-free, and it stayed that way the entire day. Now that I've used the volumizing shampoo for fine hair for more than six months, I can say this game-changer of a product would definitely take first place in a bodybuilding competition.

I'm not the only one who's seen a serious transformation in their hair, either. "A few years ago the price might've left me gasping, but after using this product religiously, I see the proof is in the pudding," wrote one Amazon shopper. "My hair looks really good! The shampoo is lightly scented, leaves my hair feeling EXCEPTIONALLY clean, and provides a lovely bit of volume."

Considering the fact that another reviewer has been using this Philip Kingsley shampoo for fine hair for 25 years now, it looks like I'll be sticking with this hair-care goodie for the long haul. And as long as it continues to make my locks appear bouncy and feel completely gunk-free after each use, I'm totally ok with spending the extra cash.