It’s the easiest product to use and the most versatile. The styling benefits of hair mousse are unrivalled when it comes to lift and volume. Editor Trudi Brewer says it’s back and better than ever.
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It's true: mousse has come a long way since its launch in the 80's. The first styling foam was introduced by L'Orèal in 1984, named Free Hold Styling Mousse; it was developed after five years of research and was an instant hit. Created from a blend of polymers found in rinses, shampoos, setting lotions and hairspray, while initially, it had some drawbacks, like sticky roots and hard, crispy ends, it was a game-changer for anyone with fine, limp hair.
Today’s mousse has come a long way, especially for plumping and defining curls, adding lift to limp locks, and keeping flyaways out of sight. Below are some new-age offerings that double the fullness of the hair while boosting shine, leaving it feeling soft and bouncy. So, instead of backcombing and dry shampooing, here are the best styling foams to try now.
If you’re fighting static and need to boost volume in limp hair, Schwarzkopf's latest offering was made for fine, fragile hair. It will instantly boost texture while giving impressive volume and unrivalled root lift while nourishing your hair with castor oil and vitamin B.
Curly hair adores mousse, and this newbie was made to define every strand of your wave. The 93 per cent natural formula smooths frizz with clever heat-activated polymer technology, while vitamin-rich seaweed, coffee seed and fruit extracts, wheat protein, and vitamin B strengthen and nourish the hair. The subtle floral scent will linger in your full, bouncy, shiny hair for days.
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Angel Orange Flower Conditioning Mousse, $39.
This mousse smells divine. That’s thanks to orange flower oil, which also acts as a UV protector on the hair, great for protecting your precious colour. Rose geranium extract forms a protective layer on every strand, while natural hyaluronic acid strengthens hair from within while boosting volume and shine.
Smooth Fullness
Weightless, nourishing volume is what you can expect from this luxe-y styling and ultra-conditioning mousse. Ideal for boosting fullness in thinning hair thanks to Indian gooseberry extract, which adds moisture, while the red clover gives hair thickness and brilliant shine.
Tousled Texture
This is the perfect mousse for anyone who wants thicker hair. It leaves it full, with natural movement but without the crunch of an 80s mousse finish. It’s also stacked with papaya, chamomile, and rosemary extracts that help nourish the hair and boost growth.
How to use mousse
Use only a golf ball-sized amount of product.
Dispense it into your hand and massage it into your palms.
Always apply mousse to damp hair before blow-drying.
Concentrate the foam at the root for extra lift, and brush through to the ends.
The ideal tool for applying mousse is the Tangle Teezer Ultimate Detangler. Made for detangling wet hair (great to keep in the shower) thanks to the two-tiered teeth technology that slips through the hair without causing any breakage. It’s also the best brush for distributing styling mousse through the hair from the roots to the ends before blow-drying. Pictured here are Hyper Yellow & Rosebud and Rosebud & Apricot.
Styling foam is hot right now. Find out how it can work for your hair.