After 23 hours of research evaluating 78 products, we picked Thermafuse Fixxe Volume Mousse as our top choice.
For years, the style industry has been telling you that hair mousse is back.
Of course, they don’t mean the heavy, crunchy mousses of the 80s that work (and look) more like gel.
Modern hair mousse offers the same benefits, but they do it without the negatives.
Who really needs hair mousse?
The answer is simple – pretty much everyone that has more hair than a simple pixie cut (or crew cut for men).
But, anyone with fine or curly hair should pay special attention.
- The best mousse for fine hair will absolutely make your hair appear thicker (and give you enough texture to style it).
- And, curly-haired folks need to know that the best mousse for curly hair will define and control curls while maintaining the bounce you want them to have.
That doesn’t mean that those with straight or thick hair should turn away.
When you know how to use hair mousse properly, it’ll soon become clear that you, too, will benefit from the moveable hold that makes your hair look and behave the same as the hair of your fave celebs on the red carpet.
Now, on to our list of the best hair mousse.
Thermafuse Fixxe Volume Mousse
- Does a fantastic job with fine hair
- Adds plenty of volume
- Delicious and addictive smell
Pros
Cons
100% vegan product, offers sun protection, and adds shine and softness as well as volume and hold.
While most users love the scent, not everyone does, likening it to bubble gum.
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TRESemmé PERFECTLY (UN)DONE Wave Creation Sea Foam
- Wow does this smell fantastic
- Leaves hair feeling soft
- Perfect for adding beach waves to straight hair
Pros
Cons
Makes it easy to create soft but defined waves by adding the needed texture to do so. Great for straight hair, but it’s also amazing with curly hair and doesn’t include parabens or sulfates.
It doesn’t work for everyone (especially longer, thicker hair) and some users experience tangles.
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Not Your Mother’s Whip It Up Cream Styling Mousse
- Love, love, love the smell
- You’re going to love the soft smoothness of your hair
- Imparts a lot of volume
Pros
Cons
Foam is non-sticky and non-crunchy, does a good job with curls and waves, and vegan, cruelty-free product.
It doesn’t work for everyone and some users don’t like the texture.
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Paul Mitchell Flexible Style Sculpting Foam
- Adds smoothness and shininess to hair
- Creates flexible style for any hair type
- Available in multiple sizes
Pros
Cons
Helps thicken and add volume to hair, creates defined curls – crunch-free, and controls frizz by balancing moisture.
Start out easy if you don’t want too strong of a hold – a little goes a long way (which isn’t necessarily a bad thing)!
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Features
Bumble and Bumble Thickening Full Form Mousse
- Perfect mousse for fine hair
- You’ll get lots of volume from a small amount
- Fresh smell that users love
Pros
Cons
It’s great for building hold and sculpting, truly inflates hair, and ong-lasting hold – even with humidity.
It can be a little heavy for some hair types and the price is on the high end.
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Big Sexy Hair Root Pump Plus Volumizing Spray Mousse
- It’s all about volume, volume, volume here
- Great price for this product
- A little goes a long way
Pros
Cons
It’s humidity resistant, works across hair types (thick, thin, long, short), and lifts flat hair at the roots.
The nozzle can clog (to fix, run it under hot water and wipe clean).
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Pantene Body Boosting Mousse, Pro-V Maximum Fullness
- Amazing, strong hold
- Your hair will still feel soft and touchable
- Not sticky at all
Pros
Cons
It’s a cost-effective 3-pack product and available on Subscribe & Save. Adds volume and bounce and comes in a non-aerosol can – the environment will thank you!
Ingredients are far from natural or animal-friendly and the scent can be very strong.
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TRESemme Tres Mousse
- Offers a good hold
- Pleasant smell
- Adds more than enough volume
Pros
Cons
The price is right, old is long lasting and non-crunchy, and lcohol and paraben free (which seems to keep dandruff in check).
Not animal-friendly.
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Best Hair Mousse Buying Guide
Many of us have encountered hair mousse at least once in our lives. However, this styling product doesn’t seem to enjoy the same popularity that hairspray and hair gel do. Call it an unsung hero if you will, but not a lot of people realize all the wonderful things that a good hair mousse can do to their hair.
Whether you’re new to the world of hair mousse or are simply looking for fresh advice on which brands and formulas are the best for your hair type, you’ve come to the right place! In this guide, we’ll show you how to use the best hair mousse products to achieve insta-worthy, gorgeous locks. Excited yet? We are!
What exactly does hair mousse do?
Hair mousse is also called “styling foam” for a reason. Whatever your natural hair type and desired hair style may be, using the right hair mousse can make a noticeable difference in terms of how your hair looks and behaves.
In general, hair mousse is used to add volume and help manage waves and frizzes. It also gives you a flexible hold, which extends the lifespan of your hairstyle without making your hair overly stiff. Specific formulas, however, will also offer additional benefits. Some hair mousse brands are known to add shine to your tresses, while others can improve the texture of fine hair.
Will hair mousse make your hair crunchy?
We get it. Hair mousse has a bad rap for being sticky and making your hair harder than Zac Efron’s abs. Trust us, though: this might be true for hair mousse products from more than a decade ago, but most modern hair mousse formulas don’t have this problem anymore.
Many styling companies have found a way to formulate hair mousse products that give a light hold while maintaining the softness of your hair. That’s right, you no longer have to choose between hold and manageability. With the right hair mousse for your hair, you’ll get both!
Mousse vs. Gel: Which one is better for your hair?
The shorts answer here is, it depends. Both mousse and gel have their own strengths and weaknesses. And although the gel is a bit more popular in the mainstream market than the mousse, it doesn’t mean that it’s automatically better.
Both products offer hold and added texture. So, how do you know which hair styling product to invest in? Check out this comparison to find out!
Hair mousse pros
- It feels natural. You know that feeling you get when you’re wearing hair gel and it seems like you can actually feel it sitting on your hair? You don’t typically get that with a hair mousse. In fact, a hair mousse pretty much feels like nothing on the hair.
- It won’t drag your hair down. This makes it an ideal product if you have super fine or limp hair.
- Using it is a no-brainer. Just squirt some product out of the can and apply from the roots to the tips. Scrunch sections of your hair. And you’re done!
Hair mousse cons
- It offers less definition than a gel. If you’re into that super-defined look, gel might be the way to go. However, it’s important to note that some people do prefer that natural, lived-in look and hate the appearance of too-perfect curls.
- It’s less durable than a gel. If you live in a high-humidity climate, your hair might start acting up later in the day if you’re using a hair mousse.
- It can be drying. Unless you’re using a hair mousse that’s specifically formulated to be hydrating, you might find that hair mousse isn’t conditioning enough—especially if you have super frizzy hair.
Hair gel pros
- It’s an unbeatable weapon against frizz. We all know that hair gel means business when it comes to holding your hair in place. This makes it a great frizz-fighting ally, as it can power through even the worst humidity.
- It’s versatile. Whether you want curls that are super defined or naturally loose, you can use a hair gel to achieve the effect you desire.
- It’s easy to layer with other products. No matter what you apply to your hair beforehand, finishing a styling session off with a layer of gel will get you great results. It’s not sensitive to other hair styling products, so you don’t have to worry about which product you can layer with which.
Hair gel cons
- It’s heavy. It’s easy to overdo a hair gel application. And when this happens, you’re left with flat, crunchy hair that usually settles in chunks.
- It can be sticky. Few things can beat the classic hair gel when it comes to having a “sticky” reputation. We’ve all experienced having gross, crunchy hair back when we first started using hair gels in high school. And although newer formulas are significantly better in this regard, hair gel remains to be the stickiest hair styling product.
- It can damage your hair. Gel products have a tendency to contain strong chemicals like alcohols and petroleum-based ingredients. These components can strip the hair and damage the hair shaft, so regular use of hair gels isn’t really recommended.
If there’s one thing we’ve learned over the years, it’s that both the hair mousse and the hair gel have a place in our vanities. Having both will let you exploit their strengths. After all, both are pretty affordable styling products. So why settle with just one?
How to use a hair mousse
To get the best results from your hair mousse, follow the steps below.
- Wash your hair. Hair mousse works best with fresh and clean hair. We know that not all us can shower every single day, but leftover residue from yesterday’s styling products can interfere with today’s results. You’ll still benefit from hair mousse’s light hold even without washing your hair, but if you’re styling your locks for a big event (or a big date!), washing your hair with shampoo and conditioner will help you look your best.
- Gently dry your hair with a towel. Hair mousse is best applied to damp hair. Again, damp—not dripping wet. After washing your tresses, gently squeeze out excess water using a towel. Keep on squeezing (not rubbing) your hair until it’s about halfway dry.
- Apply your chosen hair mousse. And go easy on the amount! One of the best things about hair mousse is that a little goes a long way. Using too much can weigh your hair down and make your locks look limp. Not cute! So, apply the mousse to your roots and then distribute the product all the way to the tips using your fingers. Working in sections is recommended to ensure an even coat.
- Apply additional hair mousse to any missed spots. If you find that you applied way too little hair mousse to start with, simply apply more product to the ends that the mousse did not reach. Combing your hair with a wide-tooth comb can also help distribute the product more effectively.
- Blow dry your hair. Set your hair dryer to low or medium and begin drying your hair, paying special attention to the roots. The amount of support you need for your hairstyle will dictate how long you need to blow dry your hair. As moussed-up hair dries, it will slightly stiffen—which translates to more lift and hold. For extra lift, use a comb or brush to lift the roots using short, repetitive strokes as you directly blow them dry.
- Alternatively, you may opt to air dry your hair. Granted, air drying won’t give you the same va-va-voom volume you’ll get from a legit blow dry. But if you’d rather not fuss with electronics, it definitely is an option that will still give your tresses that nice hold.
- Style your hair. Now that your hair is prepped and volumized to the heavens, go ahead and style it however you want!
Hair mousse tips for curly hair
A good hair mousse should be able to handle even the curliest of hair strands. However, because of its relatively light hold, super thick, coarse, and curly hair may be a bit more challenging to style. That said, you should definitely consider applying a bit of relaxing balm to help soften your hair prior to styling.
Using a hair mousse will help define your curls and give your tresses an enviable bounce. Additionally, it will help manage frizz throughout the day.
Hair mousse tips for thin, fine, or oily hair
If you struggle with fine hair texture or thin hair, pay special attention to your roots when applying a hair mousse. Giving your roots a nice, even coat will give you lots of added lift and volume.
If your hair isn’t normally thin but you struggle with maintaining volume because your scalp oils up fast, you may apply some dry shampoo all over your roots. A good dry shampoo will absorb oil and sweat throughout the day, helping you maintain fresh, voluminous locks all day long.
Hair mousse tips for dry hair
If you have dry or damaged hair, conditioning formulas are your best friend. Luckily for us, a lot of brands offer moisturizing hair mousse products these days, so soft and smooth-looking hair is totally achievable with a hair mousse.
Hair mousse tips for straight hair
Just because hair mousse is a constant favorite for wavy and curly hair styles doesn’t mean those who prefer a stick-straight ‘do won’t find any use for it. If you prefer straight hair, a hair mousse will give your hair body and movement.
Many girls with straight locks frequently struggle with limpness and lack of shape. The good news is applying a dollop of mousse on damp hair will make your hair come to life.