Volumizing hair mousse is often underappreciated. Sure, the formulae of the 1980s were crunchy and stiff, but nowadays, you can buy a mousse with unrivaled body, gloss, and hold.
“One of my favorite techniques to create volume and hold within a hairdo is with mousse,” says John Pulitano of Headcase Hair in Sydney, Australia. “Given the quality recipe and uniform distribution of the product, I believe it’s one of the most effective and adaptable style solutions available.”
We gathered a few stylist recommendations and tested a few of these products ourselves, with our testers assessing each product’s texture and feel, ingredient list, and general effectiveness to give you the gravity-defying volume you’ve been looking for. Find the finest volumizing mousses for your hair type below.
GET TO KNOW THE EXPERT
- John Pulitano is a professional hairdresser and the co-owner and creative director of Sydney, Australia’s Headcase Hair salon.
- Shelly Aguirre works as a hairdresser at Chicago’s Maxine Salon. She is an expert in hair cutting, blowouts, extensions, and keratin treatments.
List of The Best Volumizing Hair Mousses In 2023
1. Overall winner: Joico Firm Hold Design Foam
This widely attractive mousse provides body, grip, and luster while also nourishing dry, damaged hair. The alcohol-free solution contains kukui nut oil to nourish and smooth the hair, while polymers cover each strand to increase volume. Reviewers also seem to appreciate the fact that it is never sticky or stiff.
What We Like
- Withstands humidity
- Most hair kinds are accommodated.
- Boosts radiance
What We Don’t Like
- Not excessively thickening
2. Budget-friendly: John Frieda Volume Lift Air Whipped Foam
This budget-friendly purchase adds volume and fullness to fine hair by using polymer technology. Caffeine is also present to help energize the scalp3, while panthenol (vitamin B5) moisturizes and calms.
What We Like
- Excellent value
- Feeling light
What We Don’t Like
- It may not be suitable for thicker hair.
3. TGIN Rose Water Curl Defining Mousse comes in second place for curls.
This nourishing mousse contains moisture-rich rose water as well as botanicals like as lavender, ginger, acai, and marula to nurture curls while adding gentle, subtle volume. Polymer technology may be be used to shape and define curls and waves.
What We Like
- Alcohol-free
- Floral aroma that is natural
What We Don’t Like
- Possibly more volumizing
4. TIGI Catwalk Strong Hold Mousse is ideal for thick hair.
This TIGI mousse is ideal for thick, coarse hair because to its strong grip and thicker consistency. It includes dimethicone, which coats the hair and provides smoothness, definition, and hold4—making it a good choice for individuals with natural curls as well. It also has a longer hold because to its thicker texture.
What We Like
- Strong grip
- hair is smoothed
- Wonderful aroma
What We Don’t Like
- Not suitable for softer styles.
5. Amika Plus Size Perfect Body Mousse is ideal for wavy hair.
This airy, whipped option is fantastic for creating soft, beachy waves. It has a flexible hold, shaping polymers, and sea buckthorn to nourish your hair, leaving it soft, tousled, and defined. Combine it with a sea salt spray for a more undone look.
What We Like
- Withstands humidity
- Boosts radiance
What We Don’t Like
- Strong odor
6. R+Co Aircraft Pomade Mousse is ideal for dry hair.
Because to the combination of papaya, protein, and neem oil, Pulitano recommends this mousse to clients with fine, brittle, or dry hair. “Due of the alcohol level, mousse can be drying, but Aircraft is pleasantly gentle and nourishing.” For long-lasting effects, I like to massage it through my hair before a bouncy blow dry.” The use of corn starch also prevents oil from forming around the roots.
What We Like
- Wonderful aroma
- Formula for hydration and strength
What We Don’t Like
- Pricey
7. Leonor Greyl Au Lotus Volumizing Mousse is the best splurge.
This luxurious French purchase, made without alcohol, fulfills all of our luxury beauty fantasies. It’s airy and light, so it’s suitable for thin, frizzy, or adult hair (there’s no stiffness). The combination of castor seed and jojoba oils also helps to recondition the hair. While it comes at a high cost, we assure you that it is an excellent recipe.
What We Like
- Alcohol-free
- Increases volume and suppleness
- Boosts radiance
What We Don’t Like
- Pricey
8. Oribe Grandiose Hair Plumping Mousse is ideal for colored hair.
“This mousse is difficult to beat,” Pulitano says. “It covers each hair fiber, making it lustrous, voluminous, and manageable—not to mention incredibly bouncy,” says the product.
This smooth, silky, and color-safe solution is fantastic for adding structure to the hair while also providing exceptional grip and a long-lasting finish. It also has the distinctive costly Oribe smell (need we say more).
What We Like
- Wonderful aroma
- It is suitable for all hair types.
- Has heat resistance
What We Don’t Like
- Pricey
9. Original & Mineral Rootalicious Root Lift Mousse is best for normal hair.
This mousse, which contains natural Australian quandong and lilly pilly extracts, is not only volumizing but also nutritious. It functions by forming a barrier around the roots and raising the hair up and out.
“This is one of my favorite mousses for all hair types, but particularly fine and flat hair,” says Pulitano. “It covers the hair, lifting from the roots and generating natural-looking yet long-lasting movement.”
What We Like
- Formulated with vitamins
- Alcohol-free
- Long-lasting
What We Don’t Like
- Possibly more volumizing
10. Redken Full Frame 07 All-Over Volumizing Mousse is the best for frizz.
Tired of rain and humidity destroying your blow-drys? The solution is Redken’s Full Frame 07 All-Over Mousse. It has polymer technology and castor oil to smooth flyaways, and an anti-frizz barrier to keep water from bloating up the hair cuticle. It also adds incredible volume without seeming greasy or heavy, and it brushes out quickly (no need to shampoo).
What We Like
- Frizz is reduced.
- The formula is non-drying.
- Excellent grip
What We Don’t Like
- Hair that is thin or fine may get weighed down.
11. The Doux Mousse Def Texture Foam is the best for definition.
This product has most likely been in your feed. Natural moisturizers and silk proteins are used in this lightweight foam mousse to tame frizz, lock in moisture, and strengthen hair, leaving it smooth and lustrous.
The formula sculpts and builds definition beautifully, according to reviewers, without leaving any flakes behind. Reviewers also mention that the product can be drying, particularly on the ends, so you may need to condition more deeply.
What We Like
- Excellent grip and lift.
- Curls are defined by
- Foam that is lightweight
- adds radiance
What We Don’t Like
- Some reviews state that it might cause your hair to dry out.
FAQ
What Should You Look for in a Volumizing Mousse?
Ingredients for Muscle Growth
Look for products that have chemicals that thicken and plump up the hair shaft if your hair lacks body. According to Pulitano, “polymers, collagen, hyaluronic acid, and even bamboo will lift and fatten delicate hair.”
Look for silk amino acids and panthenol, which assist to thicken hair, add body, and guard against the drying effects of some mousse recipes.
Texture
According to Pulitano, the texture of your volumizing mousse is also important: “I like products with an airy, silky feel since they’re simpler to work with and don’t leave a sticky residue.”
While it varies by brand and composition, a thicker mousse typically means a firmer hold, whilst a thinner recipe will usually give a mild hold.
Is volumizing mousse effective?
Yes, volumizing mousses, according to Maxine Salon hairdresser Shelly Aguirre, are an efficient technique to add volume to fine, limp hair types.
How do you use mousse to add volume?
Aguirre suggests starting with a golf ball amount of the lotion and emulsifying it in your hands before applying it to damp (but not very wet) hair. “Spread the product all over the hair strands with your fingertips,” she explains.
“You can always add more, but too much is bad, so err on the side of caution.” After that, you can either let your hair air dry or blow-dry it vertically to create more lift at the roots.
