I Tried the Viral TikTok Hairspray Hack for Volume

By now, we all have seen more beauty hacks on TikTok than we can even count. Now, that’s not to say that every TikTok beauty trend has legs—there are plenty that have gone by the wayside—but there seems to be a new one popping up nearly weekly. Just off the top of my head, we have the everything shower, latte makeup, sunset blush, Vaseline for eyelashes, slugging, and so many more. Though many of them have become part of our everyday beauty vocabulary thanks to TikTok, many of the trends are “rebrands” of beauty tricks some experts, beauty lovers, and insiders have sworn by for decades and even generations.

The TikTok beauty hack flavor of the week right now is a super quick, super easy hairspray hack to add volume to your hair by spritzing your roots while holding your hair away from your head. But does this trend have what it takes to go the distance? Well, to determine that, we put it to the test and tried it for ourselves. Plus, to get some expert insight on this, we chatted with two hairstylists to learn all about the hack, if it works, and how to try it for yourself at home. Read on for everything you need to know about the viral TikTok hairspray hack for volume.

The Hack

The TikTok hairspray volume hack is pretty much just what it sounds like. The first viral video came from influencer and makeup artist Bretman Rock, which shows him adding instant volume to hair post-blowout. He’s the one responsible for making the technique go mainstream lately, but “the ‘viral’ hack is actually a classic editorial trick I’ve been using on set for nearly twenty years,” says Marcos Diaz, a celebrity hairstylist based in New York City.

In the video, Bretman doesn’t say if his hair is freshly blown out, day two hair, or just air-dried, the shine, smoothness, and softness has me guessing he’s trying this hack directly after blowing out his hair. He runs a wide-tooth comb through the front of his hair that frames his face, holds the hair out with the comb about six inches from his head, and sprays the roots with texturizing spray (specifically, the Color Wow Style on Steroids Color-Safe Texturizing Spray). Then, he takes the comb out of his strands and you see instant volume.

This trend’s beauty is in its simplicity—that’s often what helps make a TikTok beauty trend stick. It’s accessible, easy to follow, and doesn’t require a ton of extra products to purchase. “It’s fast, dramatic, and looks like salon-level volume without needing a ton of skill or tools—which is TikTok gold,” says Diaz. “Plus, people love anything that promises instant gratification with everyday products they already own.”

Does It Work?

When I saw this trend, I automatically knew it would be for me. It’s one of those easy, sub-30-second hacks that transforms your hair without a ton of effort—aka, a dream come true for me. But I had to try it for myself to make sure it really works. Good news: It does. All in all, it worked well, and though I didn’t get quite the same amount of volume as Bretman did, I could see and feel a distinct difference in my hair before and after.

In the spirit of the trend’s ease of use, I used what I had at home: a bottle of Amika Rising Star Volumizing Finishing Spray and a comb. After blowing out and smoothing my hair with my Airwrap, I channeled my inner Bretman Rock and got to it. Combing through my strands around my face, I pulled the comb about four to six inches from my face, sprayed, and held my hair taut for a few seconds, before letting it fall. The biggest note I have is that the way I held my hair did make a difference. When I didn’t keep the hair taut for three to five seconds after spraying my hair, I got much less dramatic results. So letting the texture spray settle really is essential for maximum volume.

The volumizing spray I used has a little bit of grit to it, which helped give my hair something to grab on to, but it didn’t leave my strands feeling crunchy, weighed down, or stiff (love!). The grit is helpful since it “fluffs up the hair, giving it more volume or lift,” says Ashley Ruiz, celebrity hairstylist at Flore Los Angeles.

One thing to note: When I first pulled the comb through my hair after spritzing it, my strands looked much messier than Bretman’s did. But I just ran my fingers through my hair to tousle and smooth, and everything looked in order. Even as someone who doesn’t do her hair much, this trick was incredibly easy for me to pick up on the first try.

How long did the volume last? I didn’t touch up my hair throughout the day so I could see how long it would last, and my hair did lose some (but not all) of its volume by nighttime. But the good news is that when I did reapply at the end of the day, the full volume came right back. So, if you’re a hair whiz, you might have better success and not need to do any touch-ups, but if you do need to re-up the volume, it’ll be a quick and easy fix.

How To Try It

To try the beginner-friendly hack for yourself, all you need is a comb and a bottle of texture spray.

Though many of the creators on the app use the Color Wow spray, Ruiz says any texture spray will work, but she recommends using a formula on the drier side. Most users online also use a wide-tooth comb, and while technically any comb or brush will do, Ruiz does say opting for the wide-tooth comb will be the easiest, so it’s worth the purchase if you don’t have one already. “It’s more user-friendly to move in and out of the hair and less likely for any bristles or teeth of the comb to get stuck or snag the hair,” she explains.

Once you have your comb and spray (don’t forget to shake the bottle for best use, Ruiz advises), Diaz says to start with clean, dry hair. “Lift small sections at the crown and lightly spray hairspray at the roots, keeping the can about eight to 10 inches away,” he says. “Work in light layers, not heavy sprays.” You don’t want to spray your hair too close to the root: By keeping it a few inches away from your face, you get “a more even and diffused spray,” adds Ruiz.

The key is holding the hair out for a few seconds: “Let the texture spray settle for a few seconds before removing the comb to allow for better volume,” says Ruiz. Doing so locks that volume in place and gives the extra bouncy result.

Another pro tip: To lock in extra lift, you can follow with a blow dryer and round brush as well, Diaz says. “The spray sets the foundation, while the heat and tension build lift at the scalp, resulting in effortless, long-lasting volume,” he explains.

Once you’re done, you can finish off your style with hairspray: Though it won’t help with creating the volume, “you can add a finishing hairspray to seal in the look for longer-lasting style,” says Ruiz. Just make sure to use a flexible hold hairspray instead of a firm one so the hair doesn’t go stiff, adds Diaz.