Best Mousse For Curly Hair [Review] in 2022

When it comes to styling curly hair, the products we use are super important; they can make or break your curls. Using the wrong products can be very damaging to your curls, especially if they’re filled with harsh chemicals.

First things first, you want to work out your natural hair type and hair porosity. This will massively help when choosing all your styling and hair care products– you can narrow your search to products that work for that curl type and that hair porosity.

But let’s talk mousses for curly hair; they are an ideal option over the gel, especially if you have fine curly hair. While a gel is perfect for thick hair, it can be quite heavy for finer hair, so this is where mousses come in.

You’ll want to narrow down what you’d like to get out of the mousse, such as if you want volume, I will go for a volumizing mousse, or if you need frizz control, then go for a frizz-free mousse. The same goes for if you want one that protects hair from UV and heat damage.

But don’t worry, I’m here to break down everything you need to know when styling your curls using a mousse in this in-depth guide and how to find the right mousses for curly hair.

Hair Mousses are brilliant for keeping frizz at bay, defining curls, and adding volume to your hair– win, win, win!

Since curly hair is most prone to frizz because of the naturally curved structure of the strands, it makes it much harder for moisture to travel from the root to the tip of your hair. Dry hair is the top culprit for frizz; it is like a frizz magnet, so mousses help retain moisture as you blow-dry your hair.

Mousse can act as a frizz barrier, but I would recommend going for one that is deeply moisturizing along with maintaining a hydrating cleansing routine to retain and maintain moisture and deeply hydrate curls.

You can apply frizz-prone curls a little bit of leave-in conditioner before applying your mousse; this will give your curls a more natural feel, leave strands feeling soft and hydrated while still offering the hold of the mousse.

If your hair is on the finer side and you find that using a gel to style your curls is too heavy and weighs down the natural curl shape, then using mousse is one of the best alternatives; it is the star curl styler.

It enhances the bounce and shape of fine or thin curls and has some serious volumizing benefits. It is a body-boosting formula that can add a bit of shape to curly or wavy hair.

Right so now, you know what mousse does for curly hair; now on to how you use it in your styling routine to achieve the best results for your hair. Getting a volumizing mousse will change your curly hair game.

Step One: Wash Hair:

For the best results when using a mousse for curly hair, you’ll want to first start on a blank slate with a fresh and clean foundation, so you should wash and condition your hair before styling.

The first thing you need to do is fast forward to wash day and wash your curls like usual. Remember to use a sulfate-free shampoo or co-wash to care for your curls. 

If it’s a shampoo wash day, grab your sulfate-free shampoo, drench your hair under the shower, rub the shampoo in your hands for like 10 seconds and then massage it into your scalp– this helps evenly distribute the product. 

Since most curly hair girls only wash their hair with shampoo once a week, it’s important to massage your scalp for a good minute or two to break down all the excess oils. Also, remember always to do two shampoos. 

For co-washing, massage your roots for a minute or two under the running water and then apply your cleansing conditioner; if your curls are quite fine and you’re prone to grease, then only apply the co-wash to the ends of your hair. 

Please don’t be shy with how much you apply, be very generous as co-washes are designed to cleanse your hair and a condition; they won’t leave a greasy residue. Once you’ve rinsed off your conditioner, apply your leave-in conditioner straight away and detangle.

It is important to have a bit of slip when detangling your hair; this will prevent your hair from snagging or pulling when detangling. Use a wide-tooth comb or detangling brush for this step; this will help ease tangles without causing breakage.

Hair is most fragile while wet, so be patient and gentle.

Step Two: Apply To Wet Hair:

This step is super important; you should only apply your styling products to soaking wet hair to get defined curls that are frizz-free. You can either apply in the shower or work in sections using a water spray for even coverage.

I use this method when using the gel as I have quite thick, porous hair, but this will work for fine hair using mousse– it will even help add volume to your hair.

So for this method, you’ll want to hop out of the shower, wrap yourself up in your robe, and sit in front of your chosen mirror with a towel underneath you. Section your hair and soak each section with water spray and then a small amount of hair mousse.

For each section, I then brush and style using my Denman Brush; I will create tension as I brush down the section and gently twirl the brush as it goes down. This evenly distributes the product and defines each curl.

After each section, I will scrunch that curl until I am happy with the shape and then move on to the next section. I will repeat every section of curls, tip my head upside down, and do a final scrunch with my microfiber towel to remove excess water.

If you prefer, you can use a cotton t-shirt if you prefer to, don’t use a regular cotton towel as this can be quite damaging to your hair, especially curls.

Step Three: Plop, Air Dry, Or Diffuse:

You can dry your curls using three different methods after applying your mousse, but I tend to prefer to diffuse after applying mousse– it will help lock in volume to your natural hair. Don’t forget to use a heat protectant along with your volumizing mousse, especially when using a blow dryer.

Gently diffuse your curls on a low speed and low heat, lifting the curls at the root. Start by cradling the curl using the bowl shape diffuser and leaving the ends out when drying the root.

You only want to dry your curls 70-80% using the diffuser and leave the ends still slightly damp; this will help retain moisture and keep the ends hydrated– this will also help when taming frizz.

Step Four: Scrunch The Crunch:

Fast forward to your hair being COMPLETELY dry, you’ll notice a cast has formed around your curls, and don’t worry; this isn’t the finished result; all you need to do is break that cast and scrunch out the crunch. 

Mousses and gels tend to leave a hard cast on the outside, and don’t panic when you see this– it’s completely normal! Just scrunch your hair using a cotton t-shirt to break down the hard cast and release the curls.

If you need a little extra volume, tip your head upside down and give your roots a little shake, this should help give your roots that little extra lift.

 Check out my full guide of how to use mousse for curly hair here. 

How do you get curly hair with mousse?

So using a mousse on straight hair can give it a little curl, or even when using it with your curling iron will help hold curls for much longer. Just applying to damp hair with your heat protectant before you blow-dry.

Hairstyling mousse will help keep frizz at bay while giving the appearance of more defined curls, so if you have loose wavy hair or even straight hair, it will give your hair a little wave.

How do you refresh curls?

Curls need a little refresher, and wondering how to refresh curls? Well, you can use a mousse on second, third, or even fourth-day hair to give curls a little refresher; you just need to wet down your hair.

You can either mist dry curls using a water spray bottle until they are saturated but not soaking wet or hop in the shower and give your hair a little rinse– you can even give it a few minute massages under the running water to remove excess oils.

Apply conditioner to the ends if you run your hair under the shower to help with detangling.

Work in sections and spray each section using the water spray and then apply a generous amount of mousse when working in sections– combing them through as you go through, smoothing through smaller curls to make larger curl clumps.

Scrunch your curl clumps and either leave them to air dry, plop them or diffuse them on low heat. Check out my full guide of tips and tricks to refreshing curly hair here.

Gel or mousse for curly hair?

This really depends on your hair porosity and curl type; if you have quite fine hair, then volumizing mousses for curly hair is probably best for you, but for thicker hair, you may need a gel to keep frizz at bay.

Some gels can be quite heavy on curls, especially finer curls, so that a mousse will be better for fine hair, but there are some lightweight gels on the market if you prefer the hold of a gel. It is all down to personal preference, really.

Can you make your own DIY hair mousse?

Absolutely, it’s super easy too, all you need is a couple of ingredients and a whisk. Most of the ingredients you probably have lying around the house anyway. Check out my full guide here. 

So there you have it, the best hair mousses for curly hair. The best way to style your hair is by understanding what your hair needs and learning how to care for your curls beforehand. Knowing your curls is key to achieving the best curl shape.

Choose any of the hair mousses I have selected for you today; I have completed in-depth research and found my top picks for curly hair without the harsh ingredients and all at an affordable price.

A volumizing mousse can really upgrade your curly hair game.