Have you been wondering about using mousse for curly hair? Maybe you’ve been considering it, but you’re worried that mousse might leave your hair sticky or crunchy.
Mousse isn’t often the first product that comes to mind for curly girls, but the sticky, scrunch-dried look that mousse created in the 1980s has long gone. Modern mousses give soft volume and fabulous curl definition, and there’s a mousse to suit any natural hair texture, from fine wavy hair to thick, tight curls.
This guide will help you find the best mousse for your curls and share some tips for styling hair with mousse. You’ll learn the best way to apply mousse and whether it’s better to use mousse on wet or dry hair.
So, let’s dive in with a look at 10 of the best mousses for curly hair.
Best Mousse for Curly Hair
Mousse is a fantastic, versatile styling product for hair and can be suitable for all hair types. If you have fine hair or loose waves, you can use a lightweight mousse to enhance your wavy locks. If you have curly hair that’s prone to dryness, you can layer mousse under gel to define your curl pattern. You can even use mousse between wash days to refresh your curls and fight frizz without weighing down your strands.
But it’s essential to pick the right product to avoid overloading your locks or leaving them sticky and crunchy. And if you use no-poo or Curly Girl methods, be sure to check the ingredients before buying any mousse.
So here are 10 fabulous mousses for wavy and curly hair.
Herbal Essences Totally Twisted Curl Boosting Hair Mousse
This curl-boosting mousse is hard to beat if you want bouncy curls and maximum hold without crunch. The silicone- and paraben-free formulation will boost your curls even in humid weather, leaving them beautifully defined and frizz-free. It’s a strong-hold mousse that’s pH-balanced and safe to use on colored hair and has a gorgeous mixed-berry scent as well!
Herbal Essences Totally Twisted Curl Boosting Hair Mousse will keep your curls looking fresh all day. Simply work the mousse through your locks and dry naturally or diffuse on low heat if you’re short on time.
Not Your Mother’s Curl Talk Curl Activating Mousse
If the first hint of humid weather sends your curls frizzy, this mousse will help keep your locks frizz-free. It’s specially formulated for effective frizz control in hot and humid environments, so it’s ideal to add to your packing list if you’re heading off on a tropical vacation.
The color-safe, silicone-free mousse gives excellent volume, bounce, and definition to curly and coily hair and encourages curl formation in wavy hair.
Apply to wet hair, comb it through with your fingers, and let your locks air-dry for fantastic frizz-free curls. But don’t use too much mousse, as this can leave your strands feeling sticky.
TreLuxe Soothe & Restore Curl Defining Mousse
TreLuxe Soothe & Restore vegan curl-defining mousse is free from sulfates, parabens, and silicones and enriched with moisturizing oat milk, bamboo extract, and vitamin E. This makes it ideal for curly hair, especially if your curls tend to be dry.
The non-sticky foam spreads easily through your locks and defines your curls or waves beautifully, giving you fantastic volume and hold without leaving your curls sticky. You can apply it to wet hair for maximum styling hold or spread the mousse through damp or dry hair to refresh your style between washes.
TreLuxe Curl Defining Mousse
I love this ligthweight mousse for defintion, volume, and hold.
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John Frieda Frizz Ease Curl Reviver Mousse
This mousse is fantastic for bringing your curls to life, adding moisture and definition while keeping frizzy hair under control. It’s enhanced with rosehip oil to enhance your curls, and the alcohol-free formula won’t dry your strands.
John Frieda Frizz Ease Curl Reviver Mousse is an easy addition to your styling routine. Simply apply to damp hair, comb it through with your fingertips, and then air dry or diffuse dry your locks for beautifully bouncy, defined curls.
Moroccanoil Curl Control Mousse
Reach for this lightweight curly hair mousse if you have hair type 3 or 4 that needs extra hydration and definition. The highly moisturizing but lightweight formula contains argan oil to add fantastic shine and softness to your curls, coils, or spirals while keeping humidity locked out to control frizzy hair. Moroccanoil Curl Control Mousse will keep your hair feeling touchably soft and looking fabulous, whatever the weather.
For best results, apply the mousse to freshly washed hair, working it through your locks and scrunching your hair upwards towards the roots before allowing it to air-dry. You can also apply Moroccanoil Curl Control Mousse to dry hair to refresh and revive your curls.
The only downside is that you could need to use extra mousse on thicker hair, meaning the bottle might not last as long as you’d hoped.
OGX Locking + Coconut Curls Decadent Creamy Mousse
OGX Locking + Coconut Curls Decadent Creamy Mousse is a lightweight cream/mousse that will give your hair impressive volume and curl definition while also boosting hydration. The creamy texture feels thinner than other mousses at first but soon expands into a rich and creamy mousse that lives up to its decadent name.
This mousse is enriched with moisturizing coconut oil and shea butter, which makes it fantastic for thick, curly hair that needs additional hydration, and it’s excellent value, too.
However, OGX Locking + Coconut Curls Decadent Creamy Mousse contains silicones, which may cause product buildup. So be sure to give your locks and scalp a regular deep clean with a clarifying shampoo.
Ouidad Vitalcurl+ Curl Defining Mousse
Dry and damaged curls need extra-special care, and Ouidad Curl Defining Mousse is ideal for hydrating and revitalizing curly or thick hair. The formulation contains moisturizing ingredients like olive oil and Japanese camellia oil, with a rich botanical Omega 3-6-9 complex to target dryness.
Scrunching Ouidad Vitalcurl+ Curl Defining Mousse through wet hair will lift and define type 2B to type 3C curls, leaving them bouncy and soft without crunch.
However, avoid using this curly hair mousse on finer hair, as it will feel too greasy and weigh your fine strands down.
Design Essentials Curl Enhancing Mousse, Almond and Avocado Collection
Make your curls pop with this lightweight mousse that gives brilliant shine, frizz control, and curl definition. Design Essentials Curl Enhancing Mousse is enriched with almond, avocado, and olive oil to nourish and strengthen your hair, giving intense moisture and shine.
The quick-drying, flake-free formulation is free from drying ingredients like petrolatum and mineral oil. Apply to wet hair for soft, pliable hold and hydrated, shiny curls that look great all day.
And because Design Essentials Curl Enhancing Mousse is so lightweight, it won’t weigh down fine curls.
Innersense I Create Definition
This curly hair mousse is a lightweight hydrating treat that delivers excellent volume and hold for all curl types and textures. Nourishing ingredients like Pequi Oil and Amaranth Seed Extract help strengthen your strands and fight frizz. At the same time, Aloe Leaf Juice hydrates your curls without weighing them down.
Breathe in the calming scent of lavender essential oil as you rake or scrunch. I Create Definition mousse through your wet hair. Then, allow your locks to air dry if you prefer a natural finish or blow dry your curls with a diffuser for added definition and texture.
Cake Beauty The Curl Whip
The Curl Whip is a light-as-air mousse designed to define curls without the crunch or stiffness that many mousses leave behind. Its whipped texture makes it super easy to distribute through wet hair, and it dries down to a soft, touchable hold. Free of sulfates, parabens, and harsh alcohols, Curl Whip is packed with conditioning ingredients that help fight frizz, boost shine, and encourage bounce, perfect for curls that crave softness over structure. It also smells sweet and dessert-like (as you’d expect from Cake), which some users absolutely love.
This mousse works especially well for those with wavy to loose curly hair (think 2b to 3b) who want definition without the weight or crunch of a gel. It gives a soft hold that’s great for volume and body but might not be strong enough for tighter curls or humid conditions that call for extra control. If you’re someone who refreshes curls with a bit of water and product, this mousse reactivates beautifully. The main downside is that it may not provide enough hold for very coarse or coily hair, or for those who want long-lasting definition without layering another product on top.
Bonus: EVOLVh InstaVolume Volumizing Mousse
This one is more of a foam than a mousse, but it works really well for adding volume. I like to layer one pump under my styling product, focusing on the root area for more lift.
It has a nice soft, clean scent and pumps out like a foam. It doesn’t provide much hold so I do recommend you layer something like a gel over it for a longer lasting style.
What Is Mousse for Curly Hair?
Hair mousse is a really versatile and effective styling product for curly hair. It’s a foamy product that can be applied to wet or dry hair and can be used on its own or with other hair products like gels.
There’s a wide variety of hair mousses on the market, so whether you have wavy hair, curly hair, or thick or fine tresses, you’ll be able to find a product that’s right for your locks.
Different mousses offer different benefits. Some are very lightweight and give soft, beachy waves on loose curls. Others provide a stronger hold, which makes them great for thick hair and tighter curl patterns.
You’ll also find some formulations that are great at fighting frizz, so they’re ideal for hot and humid weather. Thickening mousse will give fine hair extra body, and some mousses are enriched with moisturizing ingredients to pamper dry and brittle curls.
What Does Mousse Do for Curly Hair?
Mousse is a unique curly hair styling product, as it can offer texture, volume, and frizz-taming capabilities. You can also use mousse alongside gels or creams to create a bold, long-lasting style.
A firm-hold mousse can help maintain tight curls and add volume to limp hair. And because it covers the entire strand from root to tip, applying mousse can also help protect your hair from the natural elements and hold in moisture.
Who Should Use Curl Mousse?
Curl mousse is ideal for anyone with curly hair, whether you want a smooth and sleek style or a more textured look. The key is choosing the right hair mousse to achieve your desired look.
It’s also important to remember that not all mousses are suitable for all hair types. If you have dry, brittle hair, you should avoid buying mousse containing harmful ingredients like alcohol that will dry out your locks. You might also want to look for nourishing ingredients like shea butter, which will hydrate and protect your curls.
On the other hand, if you have fine hair, you could try use a thickening mousse. You might also prefer to avoid mousses containing silicones that will build up on your strands and weigh them down.
Luckily, there are many mousses to choose from, so you’re sure to find one that will leave your curly hair looking and feeling fabulous.
How To Use Hair Mousse To Style Curly Hair
Once you’ve chosen the right mouse for your hair type and natural curl pattern, it’s essential to use it properly. Here are some simple tips for using hair mousse effectively:
Mousse is usually applied to wet or towel-dried hair to give the best definition and hold. Remember to use a microfiber towel or cotton t-shirt to blot your hair dry, as rubbing it with a regular cotton towel could damage your locks.
If you have type 3 or type 4 curly hair, it’s best to detangle your hair first and add a spritz of leave-in conditioner to boost hydration.
Next, you need to be sure not to use too much hair mousse, as this will leave your hair crunchy or sticky. A golf-ball-sized amount is generally enough.
Use clips to section your hair, and scrunch the product through your hair, starting from the mid-shaft and working up towards the roots. Then, scrunch the ends of your hair towards your scalp to ensure you cover the entire length of the strands with mousse. Move on to the next section until you have covered your full head of hair.
Finally, use your fingers or a wide-tooth comb to rake the product through and distribute it evenly throughout your tresses. Then, you can either leave your mane to air-dry naturally or blow dry your locks using a hair dryer with a diffuser attachment fitted.
You could also apply mousse to the roots of your dry hair in between wash days to give a quick boost of volume and curl definition.
FAQs
If you need more guidance on using mousse on curly hair, these frequently asked questions will help:
Is Mousse, Foam, or Gel Better for Curly Hair?
Gel and mousse (or foam) achieve different results when you use them on curly hair. Mousse is better at adding volume and shape to your hair, while gel typically gives stronger hold and can leave your hair feeling stiff and crunchy.
You can use the two products together by first applying foam mousse as a styling base before you dry your hair and then using a touch of gel to finish your style and keep frizz at bay.
What Are Some Good Curly Hair Mousses for Men?
All of the mousses in this guide are suitable for men or women to use.
How Often Should I Use Mousse for My Curls?
You can use mousse every time you wash your hair, and on dry hair to refresh your style in between wash days.
Can You Make Your Hair Curly With Mousse?
Mousse is one of the best styling products for curly hair, as it will add volume and boost your curls at the same time. You can apply the product exactly where your hair needs a little extra bounce and even use mousse to refresh your curls once your hair is dry.
Does Mousse Help Hold Natural Curls?
One of the big advantages of using mousse for curly hair is that it will hold your style in place throughout the day, even in bad weather.
Should I Use Mousse or Curl Creams First?
Applying curl cream before your mousse will lock sufficient moisture into your strands and create a base for styling. You can then apply the mousse to define curls and give your hair more volume.
Is Mousse Better Than Hairspray on Curls?
Mousse and hairspray are two different products that achieve different results. Mousse is best for adding volume and curl definition to your hair, and it does give your style great hold but you may still want to give your hair a finishing spritz of hairspray to fix your style.
Can You Apply Mousse To Wet or Dry Curls?
Mousse is a versatile styling product that you can use on either wet or dry curls. Adding mousse to the full length of wet hair will help you create a voluminous look, especially if you combine it with the plopping method. On the other hand, if you just want to add a little extra volume to dry hair, you can apply mousse to the roots. Be sure to only use a little to avoid leaving your curls looking heavy and greasy.
Does Mousse Leave Your Hair Sticky?
Mousse can leave your hair feeling sticky or crunchy if you choose the wrong product or apply too much of it. If you follow the tips in this guide and select a product that suits your hair type, you shouldn’t have any problem with sticky, crunchy hair.
Conclusion
As you can see, mousse is one of the most versatile and best styling products for curly hair. It’s a light product that will boost your natural curl pattern, add volume, and fight frizz, helping your curls look great all day.
Of course, you need to use mousse properly to avoid crunchy or sticky hair. But by choosing the best mousse to suit your hair and following the simple tips in this article, you’ll soon have gorgeous, long-lasting curls that are soft, touchable, and look great!
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