8 best hairsprays for keeping curls and up-dos in place all day (and night)

This chic olive green bottle is home to one of the best scented hair sprays we’ve ever tried. It heat protects up to 230 degrees and provides a strong hold to keep curls, straight strands and flyways in place. It’s infused with frankincense, juniper wood and water lily, and made in collaboration with Perfumer H – a luxury fragrance brand created by British perfumer Lyn Harris. Aside from the gorgeous scent, we loved how it didn’t leave our hair feeling sticky or crunchy, and at the end of the day we were able to easily brush it out without being laden down with product. It keeps hair feeling soft but provided an impressive hold on our tester’s tonged waves, despite her naturally poker-straight hair that struggles to hold a curl. 

You can’t go wrong with this cult classic. Not only is it a bargain price, but it’s a failsafe option for a long-lasting hold on curled or straightened hair, worn down or in an up-do. It doesn’t leave hair sticky, there’s no residue left behind and it keeps hair soft to touch. For the price of a little over a fiver, it’s hard to fault, although we would say, if you’re sensitive to smell, it has quite a strong scent. Our hair still felt natural, without a tacky veil sitting over the top. If you have fine hair, this is a great option that won’t lead to product buildup, no matter how regularly you use it.

This is a great everyday hairspray if, like our tester, you regularly curl your hair. It’s medium hold, which we think is the perfect balance between keeping your styled strands in place but not leaving them stiff. All in all, with a few quick spritzes, you’re left with less frizzy hair that’s still soft and brushable. Best of all, it coats hair in a protective but lightweight veil of luminosity, making it perfect for dull hair in need of a boost. It smells fantastic too, thanks to a formula that’s rich in argan oil – a key ingredient for hair hydration, strength and shine.

Arkive is a haircare brand founded by hair stylist Adam Reed, who has over 25 years of experience in the beauty industry, working across runway shows, with celebrities  and in his own salons. In March 2023, he debuted Arkive, with a focus on high-performing products and fine fragrance formulas, with a mid-range price tag. Our beauty tester has long loved its body hybrid mousse (£8.67, Boots.com), which adds sky high volume to even the flattest, finest hair types, and this hairspray is another excellent styling product. It kept our curls in place, without the crunchy texture, with a light-medium hold and a soft sheen. For a hairspray that’s less than a tenner, it certainly feels and smells a lot more expensive. 

This is a reliable go-to if you want a lightweight spray that doesn’t weigh hair down, and will last you a long time. We tried the 400ml bottle over a couple of months and it barely made a dent, we wouldn’t be surprised if this lasted a year. It has a soft-touch feel, in fact we couldn’t feel any difference when touching our hair, but were left impressed by how well it held up our two-day old blowdry on a day that involved hours on a stuffy, crowded train, mild rain and humidity. It doesn’t leave any flakes or crunchy texture and can be used for perfecting a slicked back bun or loose waves.

Davines is an Italian brand that approaches product development with a deep-rooted sustainable ethos, which includes regenerative farming to source its ingredients, recyclable packaging and a transparent supply chain. If you want a long-lasting hairstyle that you’ve spent ages perfecting, but are prone to unwanted frizz, this is the hairspray for you. As the name suggests, it offers a medium hold, and is a foolproof formula that you can’t go wrong with. If you spritz your hair with a light layer then change your mind or want to re-do, simply brush it out and start again. It’s moisture-resistant too, making it ideal for the unpredictable British weather, too. It gets bonus points for its very chic packaging.

If you’re prone to static, flyaways or frizziness after dying your hair, this spray is the perfect antidote. The vegan formula is made with biomimetic silk, raspberry seed oil and blue lotus extract, and provides heat protection for up to 230 degrees. Anything that streamlines our beauty routine and requires fewer products for the same result is a plus. It adds a subtle shine, especially on darker hair, and can be applied on dry hair before the use of heated styling tools, or as the final touch.

For hair that needs  not to budge even an inch, this strong hold option is fantastic. We found it worked especially well on our tester’s fine hair that’s naturally very straight and struggles to hold a curl. It didn’t leave our hair with the typical crunchy texture or stickiness and brushed out with ease once our night was over. If you have coloured hair that needs a bit of TLC, this formula is made with keratin to strengthen, silk to smooth and UV filters that provide colour protection. There’s nothing not to like, except for a pretty steep price tag.