5 Best Hair Powders for Thinning Hair to Get Instant Fullness
Collage: Gabrielle Langdon; Source images: Courtesy of brandsSave this storySave this story
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If your hairline has been looking a little sparse lately, the best hair powders for thinning hair can help by boosting volume, matching your hair color, and subtly disguising thinning areas. Hairstylists swear by these clever powders to blur visible scalp, add grip at the roots, and refresh second- (or third-) day hair. “Hair powder instantly gives thin, fine strands a boost in volume, making hair look and feel fuller,” says Amy Abramite, a hairstylist in Chicago. It also has styling perks: “It lifts the hair at the roots, giving it a denser texture,” adds Darrius Peace, a master barber and hairstylist in Birmingham, AL.
Our Top Picks
- Best Overall: Madison Reed The Great Root Touch Up Powder + Brow Filler, $34
- Best Long-Lasting: ColorWow Root Cover-Up, $35
- Best for Blondes: Alfaparf Milano Invisible Root Touch Up Powder, $34
- Best for Brunettes: L’Oréal Paris Magic Root Precision Temporary Gray Concealer, $12
- Best Shade Range: Toppik Hair Building Fibers, $25
Tinted formulas take it a step further by filling in gaps and reducing the contrast between your scalp and hair. They’re especially helpful along part lines and temples, where strands tend to thin first and hair growth can be slower. Many also absorb oil and sweat, acting like a dry shampoo meets a root touch-up in one. “Volumizing powders are also great for absorbing buildup on the strands, which can give the appearance of more volume on the hair,” says Peace. So, which hair powder should you try first? Scroll ahead for editor-tested favorites.
Frequently Asked QuestionsLargeChevron
Best Overall: Madison Reed The Great Root Touch Up Powder + Brow Filler
Madison Reed
The Great Cover Up Root Touch Up + Brow Filler
Amazon
Ulta Beauty
Allure shopping director Shanna Shipin applying the Madison Reed Root Touch Up Powder + Brow Filler
Shanna Shipin
Why it’s worth it: Madison Reed’s Root Touch Up Powder + Brow Filler is what happens when makeup and hair care team up in the best possible way. This 2024 Best of Beauty Award winner covers grays and sparse spots at your roots—and even doubles as a brow filler. The soft, micro-milled powder blends in seamlessly, stays put through sweat and rain, and rinses out easily when you’re ready. "This is really easy to color over other colors or even lift them, plus the finish is natural-looking," bicoastal colorist Rachel Bodt previously told Allure. It’s infused with hair- and skin-care staples like keratin (for strength), argan oil (for softness), and ginseng root extract (to help revitalize), so your strands get nourishment while you wear it. Our favorite part: One compact lasts for up to 60 uses.
Shipin before applying the Madison Reed Root Touch Up Powder + Brow Filler
Shanna Shipin
Shipin after applying the Madison Reed Root Touch Up Powder + Brow Filler
Shanna Shipin
Tester feedback from shopping director Shanna Shipin
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"After both of my pregnancies, I dealt with a horrifying amount of hair loss, and nothing worked better for me than simply applying hair makeup to my scalp to cover up the bald spots. My biggest area of concern was my hairline, which receded so far back, every time I looked in the mirror, my face just appeared off. I used this Madison Reed cover-up for both of my fourth trimesters, and loved how easy it was to powder a hairline back onto my scalp. The product has great staying powder, and easily comes out in the shower (I'd suggest a detox shampoo to really lift it out of your roots). I love that the brush helps seamlessly blend the powder into my scalp, and that it comes with a really great brow brush and spoolie to tackle your brows at the same time!" —Shanna Shipin, shopping director
More to know
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- Shades: 5
Best Long-Lasting: ColorWow Root Cover-Up
Color Wow
Root Cover Up
Amazon
Revolve
Ulta Beauty
Allure social media director Kassidy Silva applying the ColorWow Root Cover-Up
Kassidy Silva
Why it’s worth it: This mineral-based powder instantly conceals grays, fills in sparse spots, and blends out roots with a natural-looking finish that lasts until your next shampoo. “It holds well and is easy to shampoo out,” says Gina Rivera, a Las Vegas-based hair artist. “I love the texture because it isn’t sticky. It works on any hair type, whether thinning, gray, or color-treated.” The formula clings to hair (not your scalp) for believable fullness, and the dual-ended brush makes “application a breeze,” Rivera adds.
Silva before applying the ColorWow Root Cover-Up
Kassidy Silva
Silva after applying the ColorWow Root Cover-Up
Kassidy Silva
Tester feedback from social media director Kassidy Silva
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“Losing my hair postpartum has been more difficult to deal with then I would like to admit. I love my hair, what can I say? To help get a little boost of confidence back, I use the ColorWow Root Cover-Up. I start along my hairline and work my way down my part to the center of my head, covering any spots. Blending is the key! You have to go back in with your long brush side and blend the powder into the scalp to get a more natural appearance.” —Kassidy Silva, director of social
More to know
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- Shades: 8
Best for Blondes: Alfaparf Milano Invisible Root Touch Up Powder
Alfaparf Milano
Invisible Root Touch Up Powder
Amazon
Why it’s worth it: Alfaparf Milano’s Invisible Root Touch Up Powder is a must-have for quick touch-ups and fuller-looking hair, especially if you’re blonde. “The lightest option is perfect for blondes,” says Sean Michael, hairstylist and owner of Salon Beau in Andover, Massachusetts. “It not only conceals thinning areas and blends seamlessly with the scalp, but also works as a root touch-up between color appointments. It can also help camouflage grays and, depending on your shade of blonde, even create a natural-looking highlight or lowlight effect.” The powder stays in place all day without leaving any residue, and the dual-ended applicator makes it versatile for covering larger or more precise areas.
More to know
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- Shades: 3
Best for Brunettes: L’Oréal Paris Magic Root Precision Temporary Gray Concealer
L’Oréal Paris
Magic Root Precision Temporary Gray Hair Color Concealer
Amazon
Ulta Beauty
Walmart
Why it’s worth it: While not a powder, L’Oréal’s Magic Root Precision Temporary Gray Concealer Brush deserves an honorable mention as one of those clever little fixes that make a big difference. Because here’s the thing: Covering grays doesn’t just make your color look fresher; it can make your hair appear fuller by reducing contrast and drawing less attention to sparse areas. The pen-like format, with a built-in brush, makes it incredibly easy to zero in on grays right where they appear, whether it’s along your part, around your hairline, or at your temples. The formula dries fast (so there’s no risk of smudging or staining your skin), blends seamlessly into your hair, and stays put until your next shampoo. It’s quick, easy, and oddly satisfying to use—there’s something about watching grays instantly (if temporarily) disappear that feels like a little magic trick.
More to know
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- Shades: 2
Best Shade Range: Toppik Hair Building Fibers
Toppik
Hair Building Fibers
Amazon
Ulta Beauty
Why it’s worth it: Toppik Hair Building Fibers stand out for their inclusive shade range, including a white option you can mix with black or gray to perfectly match salt-and-pepper hair. The keratin-based fibers cling to existing strands to instantly create the appearance of thicker, fuller hair with a matte finish that blends in seamlessly with your natural hair. Just shake on, pat to set, and watch sparse areas blur away in seconds. The formula holds up through sweat and humidity but washes out easily with shampoo, making it a simple, commitment-free solution for adding volume to fine hair or masking thinning spots.
More to know
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- Shades: 9
Frequently Asked Questions
Is hair powder good for thin hair?
“For those with thin hair, hair powders are a great, weightless product to create texture, life, and volume,” says Jennifer Korab, a hairstylist in New Jersey. “They absorb excess oil in the hair, making it easier to style. The product also allows the hair to look fuller and more voluminous.” According to Ross Kopelman, MD, a board-certified hair restoration surgeon in New York City, “Volumizing powders are a great, non-invasive way to enhance the appearance of thin hair and boost confidence. That said, I always recommend pairing these hair styling products with a broader routine that supports hair growth—think targeted scalp care and treatments that address your individual needs.”
How do you use hair powder on thin hair?
Once the hair is fully dry, apply hair powder to the scalp area and gently massage it into the hair to build volume at the roots. “Next, brush out the powder to blend it into the remaining hairs, and add more as needed to create more volume,” says Michelle Cleveland, a hairstylist and founder of Hair Addict Salon & Extension Bar in Toms River, New Jersey. Then, style as desired.
“I always remind people to start with a small amount of product and build up as needed,” says Dr. Kopelman. “Applying too much at once can make the hair texture feel gritty or stiff. Hair powder works most effectively when used on dry hair, and it’s great for creating styles that look fuller and last throughout the day.”
What are the side effects of hair fiber powder?
“While even the best products—like hair styling powders—can be a game-changer for fine or thinning hair, it’s important to use them sparingly,” Cleveland says. “Overuse can clog hair follicles and weigh strands down, making it harder for new hairs to grow. Some powders also create a tacky or sticky texture that can lead to breakage, especially on fragile hair.” As always, a dermatologist can help identify the underlying cause of hair thinning and recommend treatments that support healthy hair growth, all while fitting into your routine.
Meet the experts
- Amy Abramit, a hairstylist and creative director at Maxine Salon, based in Chicago
- Darrius Peace, a master barber, hairstylist, and founder of Hayah Beauty, based in Birmingham, Alabama
- Jennifer Korab, a hairstylist, colorist, and founder of Renaissance Salon & Spa, based in Hillsborough, New Jersey
- Ross Kopelman, MD, a board-certified hair restoration surgeon, based in New York City
- Rachel Bodt, a bicoastal colorist
- Gina Rivera, a hair artist and founder of Phenix Salon Suites, based in Las Vegas
- Sean Michael, hairstylist and owner of Salon Beau, based in Andover, Massachusetts
How we test and review products
We always enlist a range of testers for our makeup vertical, but hair-care products and tools are another story. While there are certainly products that can be used across different hair textures, lengths, curl patterns, thicknesses, colors (natural and unnatural), and needs, hair products are often created with specific consumers in mind. Many are created in order to address a concern (dandruff, breakage, brittleness) or to work most effectively for a specific hair type (4C curls, wavy hair, gray hair). You wouldn't want to pick up a purple shampoo that's only been reviewed by someone with, say, auburn hair, or a diffuser that's never been tested by anyone with curls—right?
For our review of the best hair powders for thin hair, we enlisted the help of multiple editors, writers, contributors, and hair stylists—who have thin hair and want more volume. Testers considered performance across four primary categories: efficacy, texture and experience, fragrance, and packaging. For more on what's involved in our reporting, check out our complete reviews process and methodology page.
Our staff and testers
A beauty product is a personal purchase. You might be searching for a face cream to address persistent dryness or a new nail product to add to your Sunday self-care routine; you may simply be browsing around for the latest launches to hit the hair market. No matter what you seek or your individual needs and concerns, Allure wants to ensure that you love anything we recommend in our stories. We believe that having a diverse team of writers and editors—in addition to the wide range of outside testers and industry experts we regularly call upon—is essential to reaching that goal.
After all, can we really say a skin-care product is the "best" for people over 50 if the only testers we've solicited opinions from folks who have yet to hit 30? Can we honestly deem a high-end diffuser worthy of your hard-earned cash if it's never been tested on curls? We're proud that our staff spans a wide range of ages, skin tones, hair textures, genders, and backgrounds, which means that we are able to fairly assess any beauty product that comes into the beauty closet.
Mary Phillips Has Turned a TikTok Movement Into a Brand
Courtesy of subjects; courtesy of m.phSave this storySave this story
When “the Mary Phillips underpainting technique” took off on TikTok two years ago, the Mary Phillips didn’t have an account on the platform.
“It was New Year’s Day and I was at my friend Jen [Atkin]’s house,” says the makeup artist as she sits on a pristine white couch inside her sun-drenched condo in West Hollywood. “My friend Nicole texted me a video [of someone trying “the Mary Phillips underpainting technique”], and then five more friends sent me other ones, including some in different languages. It was so cool.”
It’s difficult to pinpoint exactly who or what began the snowball effect, both because of the nature of the TikTok algorithm and because Phillips has been preaching and very-publicly practicing underpainting—on clients like Hailey Bieber and Kendall Jenner—for years: “It’s in every one of my makeups, even if it’s a natural, no-makeup makeup look,” she says. It’s fitting then, that underpainting is the cornerstone of Phillips’ soon-to-launch makeup line, m.ph.
But before we give you all the details on the new brand, let’s back up for a second. What exactly is underpainting? Put simply, it’s the act of highlighting and contouring before applying foundation instead of the other way around. According to Phillips, the strategically-placed stripes of highlight and contour serve as something like scaffolding for the rest of your makeup. “When you apply foundation over underpaint, it's like you're laying the skin over the bones,” she says. And thanks to the magic of light and shadows, cheekbones appear sharper and jawlines more chiseled… while remaining free of the telltale contour lines that dominated Instagram feeds in the mid-2010s.
Phillips is quick to add, however, that she didn’t “invent” underpainting—far from it. “It goes way, way back,” says Phillips. “When I was working with JLo, I was on a movie with the makeup artist Christina Smith, who does Liza Minnelli, and she told me about how they used to paint the underside of her jawline black to create a shadow.” The makeup artist Kevyn Aucoin also included underpainting tutorials in the manuals he published in the 1990s, including The Art of Makeup and Making Faces. Phillips, then a teenager, read Aucoin’s books as gospel.
Born in northern Los Angeles just a few miles from where we’re sitting today, Phillips exhibited a talent for painting—not with makeup, but watercolor and charcoal—from a young age. But watching her mom apply makeup got Phillips curious about a new type of canvas. As a teen, Phillips did her friends’ makeup and hair for school dances and dreamed of landing a gig as a makeup artist at the Glamour Shoots in her local mall. (“They wouldn’t hire me. Big mistake,” she says with a giggle.)
Phillips also went esthetician school to learn about how skin functions.
Photography by Tal Abudi
Instead, Phillips worked at a beauty supply store while she attended cosmetology school. During this time, Phillips found out one of her dad’s clients (he was a chiropractor, not a Hollywood agent, FTR) was film and TV makeup artist Eugenia West. Phillips got to watch West in action on the set of the show Columbo—and just like that, she was hooked.
Phillips went on to work for West for several years, assisting her both on-set and at her salon. One thing led to another, and Phillips began assisting other artists for red carpet events and commercial shoots. But at that time, “all I really wanted to do was be someone’s personal makeup artist,” says Phillips. Cut to her working as the MUA to Jessica Simpson on 2005’s The Dukes of Hazzard and several other films. “She was my first big client and we worked together for years,” says Phillips. Though there were lots of other clients in-between, it was Simpson’s hairstylist Ken Paves and his partner who ultimately introduced Phillips to Jennifer Lopez, whom she’d go on to collaborate with for the better part of the next 15 years.
Along the way, many of Phillips’ peers (including Atkin, Paves, and fellow makeup artist Mario Dedivanovic) launched their own product lines. Phillips didn’t. But she was, in her words, “always taking notes” on what she liked (and didn’t) about various formulas and the best labs to tap if one wanted to make, say, lip pencils. “I'd been doing that forever in hopes that I’d launch something someday,” says Phillips.
Someday is now today—or, well, next month: m.ph is launching on Sephora.com on August 15. Phillips says it was scrolling through TikTok and seeing how eager people were to try underpainting that convinced her the timing was right. Her line’s star product is the Underpainting Palette ($64), a perfected version of the DIY palettes she’s been putting together for clients for years using depotted highlight and contour creams.
Unlike some others she’s tried over the course of her career, Phillips’ formulas are easy to blend and actually buildable: they go on sheer but can be layered without getting muddy or pilling. Each palette contains a color corrector, two highlight colors, and two contour colors, all of which can be mixed and matched based on your skin tone and the degree of sculpting you’re after, says Phillips. (And if this is all sounding a little intimidating, rest assured there are topline instructions on the box and you can now find plenty of in-depth tutorials on Phillips’ TikTok page.) The palette pairs best with The Underpainting Dual-Ended Sculpting Brush ($38), the larger end of which has the cheekbone-hugging, slightly bulbous shape Phillips says she could never quite find on the market.
Then there’s Cheeky Cream Blush ($38), a short and squat stick available in eight shades including coral, baby pink, and berry, and The Cream Blush Brush ($36) to apply it with. Unlike highlight and contour, Phillips always applies blush post-foundation—though she’s noticed some TikTok creators have taken to underpainting with blush, too.
Last but not least, m.ph includes eight shades of Lip Ciggy Hydrating Lipstick ($26), a lightweight tint housed in a super-slim bullet, and The Overliner Lip Pencil ($25). If Phillips’ best-known move is underpainting, slightly overlining the upper lip to add visual fullness is a close second. She created this non-feathering formula with that technique in mind, and made sure it sharpens to an ultra-fine tip to create precise lines.
A look at the full m.ph lineup.
Courtesy of m.ph
The collection—with its deep brown, espresso bean-colored packaging and short and sweet brand name, a nod to Phillips, of course, but also speed and velocity—is meant to be “very sexy,” she says. “It's very inspired by all those years when I was coming up, looking at magazines in the 1990s.”
After my interview with Phillips, she did my makeup (!) using early samples of the new products. And if the double-takes I got in the security line at LAX were any indication, they really delivered. (I had to catch a flight back to New York immediately following our meeting.)
One question remained: Could I create that same sort of makeup magic when left to my own devices? So I put the line to the test at home, as did two other Allure staffers.
I Tried It
Never have I ever owned a contouring palette, mostly because I don’t wear a ton of makeup, and when I do, I’m not big on bells and whistles. I’ve tried to softly sculpt my face with bronzer before, but most shades are way too warm for my very fair skin.
That in mind, I reached for the lightest of the three Underpainting Palettes. (Phillips told me she’s working on three more: one lighter than the current lightest, one deeper than the current deepest, and one that falls somewhere in the middle.) Then, I recreated what I considered to be the most impactful takeaway from my lesson with Phillips: I applied a soft stripe of the first shade of contour cream from the outer corner of my eyes diagonally upward towards my temple. Immediately, my deep set eyes looked more lifted.
Here I am demonstrating how Phillips said I could visually lift the area around my eyes using contour cream.
Courtesy of subject
I didn’t top it off with foundation, so I guess I wasn’t technically underpainting—but the creamy formula was so easy to blend and had such a skin-like finish, I felt I didn’t need to. Instead, I applied a bit of Cheeky Cream Blush in It’s a Sin, a pink-toned mauve. I dabbed The Cream Blush Brush directly on the stick, then blended it into the apples of my cheeks. I did a check-in midday and was pleased to see that the pigment was still just as present as it was when I’d applied it.
I also tried the Lip Ciggy Hydrating Lipstick in Slow Burn, a warm rose, and can confirm it’s more of a tinted balm than a lipstick. I liked it! But ultimately, I see myself using the blush everyday, and the Underpainting Palette on days I need a little extra lift… so maybe also everyday?
More Allure Editor Reviews
Jesa Marie Calaor, senior beauty editor
“OMG, I found my new makeup routine!” squealed our senior editor Jesa Marie Calaor after trying the Underpainting Palette in Medium. She’s no stranger to contouring, but usually uses powder formulas, which she finds to be more user friendly. But these creams “were easy to buff and build without looking like I have streaks on my face,” she says.
Calaor pre-makeup…
Courtesy of subject
…and after underpainting.
Courtesy of subject
Calaor placed the first shade of highlight at the high points of her cheeks and the second shade of contour along the hollows of her cheeks and jawline. “Then, I dotted some foundation on my face and buffed everything out with a Beautyblender,” she says, describing the overall effect as “subtle and natural-looking.”
She also gave high marks to the packaging in general: “I love the feel of the products in my hands—they feel weighty and luxe without being so heavy that I can't hold multiple things at the same time.”
Melanie Curry, associate manager of audience development
Melanie Curry, our associate manager of audience development, approaches contour palettes with a healthy degree of trepidation. “I’m not into super snatched, heavy makeup unless it’s for a special occasion or a night out,” she says.
First things first: She loved The Dual-Ended Underpainting Brush. “The brush easily picked up the product, so I didn’t have to ‘dig’ it into the palette, which was a major plus.”
And once the product was on her face, she realized this wasn’t your ordinary contour palette.
Curry pre-underpainting…
Courtesy of subject
…and Curry after using the Underpainting Palette.
Courtesy of subject
“I often struggle with contouring—I apply too much, which leaves me looking muddy. I don’t know if it was the brush, the palette, or both, but this was the best everyday contour look I’ve done since I started wearing makeup,” says Curry, who used the palette in Deep, specifically the first highlight shade and second contour shade.
She topped off the look with a dab of Cheeky Cream Blush in Cherry On Top, a bright red shade she says left her with “naturally-rosy looking cheeks,” then added eyebrow gel and setting powder. Because the creams melted into her skin so easily, Curry didn’t feel like she needed foundation. “I did, however, lightly brush the middle shade all around my face just so everything blended nicely together,” she says.
The final verdict? “I love this palette.”
Where to Buy
The full m.ph lineup—Underpainting Palette ($64), The Underpainting Dual-Ended Sculpting Brush ($38), Cheeky Cream Blush ($36), The Cream Blush Brush ($36), Lip Ciggy Hydrating Lipstick ($26), and The Overliner Lip Pencil ($25)—will be available at mphbeauty.com and Sephora.com starting August 15. You can shop the line at Sephora stores beginning August 25.