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Hair powder is definitely one of the more under-utilized hair styling products, but if you talk to hair stylists, they'll tell you over and over again that it's their secret weapon. Why? It adds volume and grit to any style to help you achieve that perfectly messy, second-day-hair look. Plus, it's travel-friendly which makes it easy to throw in you weekend or gym bag to ensure your style stays on point.
The best hair powders are multi-functional: they're part dry shampoo, part styling product. Some hair powders even help give the appearance of thicker, fuller hair thanks to the addition of color and/or hair-building fibers. Most hair powders are made from natural ingredients like rice power, clay, or corn starch, which add instant volume and texture while at the same time soaking up excess oils. Although these plant-based, all-natural ingredients are good for you, you want to make sure you're using a good clarifying shampoo at least once a week whenever you wash your hair to get rid of any build-up on the scalp.
Hair powders add volume to thin hair without weighing it down or making it look too stiff. Plus, they can also help hold a style in place, which is why it's such a popular product for hairstylists and groomers who use it on their celebrity clients for red carpets and events. And if you happen to have long hair, it's the perfect 2-in-1 styling product you need keep your long locks looking healthy and grease-free without having to wash your hair every day.
To help you find the best hair powder for your hair type and style, we've rounded up the top hair powders that deserve a permanent place on your bathroom counter. Read on for our favorite powder picks that add life to limp, thin hair.
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If you suffer from thin hair, you probably want products that add volume and give you the appearance of thickness. This hair powder from Toppik features hair-building fibers made from colored keratin protein that blend into the hair, creating a fuller-looking head of hair. It comes in a variety of shades, from blonde to black and everything in between, so there's surely a color that matches your existing hair color.
Read more: Best Hair Products for Men
At three ounces, this is the only bottle of hair powder you'll ever need to buy. All you need is a small amount to breathe new life into thin, fine hair. The combination of rice powder, sea clay, and kaolin clay works wonders on medium to long hair that tends to get frizzy but quickly becomes limp or greasy with hair creams.
This tiny bottle of texturizing powder packs a powerful punch. It instantly adds lift and texture throughout the hair length for hair that looks and feels clean without a chalky finish.
Didn't have time for a shower? Don't sweat it. This texturizing powder from Davines absorbs dirt, oil, and odor to help you fake it until the next wash day. Simply sprinkle it into your hair at the root, massage it into the scalp, and no one will even be able to tell that you woke up late.
This powder is a dry shampoo and volumizer all in one. It absorbs oil and leaves hair smelling and feeling refreshed while also lifting the hair at the root. Plus, it has corn, maranta, and arrowroot to keep your scalp healthy and balanced.
For that perfectly imperfect texture and lightweight hold, our pick is the Dust IT Mattifying Powder from OSiS+. The innovative formula features silica, which is responsible for the strong matte feeling and makes this a must-have for men with straight to wavy hair who can't stand shiny hair.
If you're intimidated by shaker bottles that look like they belong in your kitchen, not your bathroom, this hair powder is for you. The high precision pump delivers a hit of volume and texture exactly where you need it. Plus, the 0.14-ounce bottle makes this product great for using on-the-go.
This weightless powder adds a dose of grit and gravity-defying texture to transform limp, lifeless locks into a camera-ready look. Simply shake the puck to loosen up the powder and apply at the the root for maximum lift and separation.
This super-fine powder allows you to control how much grit you want to add to your style, so don't worry about overdoing it. It works well as a base styling product to add volume at the root without weighing your hair down. Follow with a medium hold pomade to set your style in place for the rest of the day.
If you're not ready to go gray, this cover-up powder can help cover up those pesky silver strands starting to poke their way through at the root. The mineral powder adheres to hair without leaving it feeling sticky, oily, or stiff. Coloring over your hair at the root gives the appearance of thicker and fuller hair without using traditional hair powder products. For guys who are just beginning to see silver, this product lets you have your color back without any permanent dyes or costly treatments.
Read More: Gray Blending for Dark Hair Guide
Hair powders contain ingredients like silica silylate or rice powder, which create matte texture by increasing the amount of friction between hair strands. This creates volume and adds a gritty feeling to the hair, while ingredients like kaolin clay work to absorb moisture and oil, which increases volume and fullness, especially in thin hair.
For the past two years, we consulted with Men's Health's Grooming editors and writers on the top grooming products for men. Experts, including our Grooming Editor Garrett Munce, put a number of hair powders to the test and evaluated their effectiveness, scent, and value. We also considered top-reviewed hair powders that had high customer ratings on e-commerce websites we trust.