The 7 best hair mousses you can buy in 2022
TRESSES looking limp and lifeless? What you need is some much-needed volume and oomph that’s cheap, simple and long-lasting. That’s where the best hair mousse comes in.
Great hair mousse will volumise and thicken your crowning glory without leaving it sticky, thanks to hydrating and moisturising new formulas.
But how do you choose the mousse that’s best for you? If you’ve got natural curls, boost those waves with a defining foam designed to enhance what God gave you.
Need a lift? Invest in a product that will big up your barnet while leaving it with movement, shine and smoothness.
Whether you’re looking for mousse for fine, thin or curly hair or to simply zhoosh up your everyday hair, we’ve got you sorted.
We’ve tested out some of the most popular brands around to see if they’re worth your money.
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Umberto Giannini Colour Flowerology Foaming Orange + Rosemary
- Umberto Giannini Colour Flowerology Foaming Orange + Rosemary, £7.75 from Amazon –
Do you have coloured hair that needs some attention? Mousse can help with that, too.
Since we have dyed, long and thick curly tresses, we were worried that mousse would dry out our blonde curls, making them appear limp or damaged. But Umberto Giannini’s Flowerology range is here to set the record straight.
Its 97% natural formula (which is Curly Girl Method approved!) seeks to repair, plump and enhance the shine and condition of your freshly dyed tresses and add some fun volume.
I thought it smelled gorgeous, chock full of herbaceous rosemary and zingy orange, but I found we needed a lot of it for our long tresses.
Umberto Giannini recommend using this on roots of clean, damp hair, then styling the rest as normal — but I used about a palm full on our long, past-shoulder length hair and found it held nicely for an everyday look.
My hair felt super soft, and the hold lasted for up to two days, without frizz or flyaways. Since I needed a lot of it, with my frizz-prone hair, it’s not for everyday use if you have long hair, but it’s a lovely, curl-repairer for coloured hair which is needed every now and then.
JOICO JOIWHIP Foam
- JOICO JOIWHIP Foam, £11.85 from Feel Unique –
If, like us, you have thick, wavy hair that is in need of some TLC and long-lasting hold then look no further than JOICO.
Its JOIWHIP Firm-Hold foam comes in a “hold level seven” which is ideal for adding volume to long locks that’ll last all night.
The formula is alcohol-free, thick and makes your locks look pretty luscious. At first, I was taken aback at how thick the mousse was, and were worried it’d make my hair look greasy and sticky – but it was lightweight and really ramped up the volume.
For best, everyday results, I used this on wet hair and left to airdry, concentrating on my scalp for the most oomph – but, for even bigger results, JOICO recommend applying root-to-tip, then blow drying or diffusing.
It’s a little pricier at over a tenner, but it’s a good investment if you’re looking to spice up your hair game.
Umberto Giannini Curl Whip Curl Activating Mousse
- Curl Whip Curl Activating Mousse, £7.25 from Umberto Giannini –
If your curly tresses need non-drying, paraben- and silicone-free products (check out the Curly Girl Method, if you’re not sure) then this gorgeous hot-pink product from Umberto Giannini is your gal.
Its curl activating mousse felt lightweight on our thick locks, and banished frizz and flyaways — even when I left our hair to air dry.
The mousse is in a fun squirty cream-style applicator and feels non-sticky in both your hands and hair.
I applied it to damp, towel-dried hair from tip to root, and found my hair looked bouncy, without the grim crunch you get from other cheap mousses.
Umberto Giannini recommends finger twirling the lightweight formula to curls that needed a little extra attention, then diffusing with a hairdryer for that extra pizzazz.
It’s also vegan and cruelty-free, too, which makes it even better.
Virtue Volumizing Mousse
- Virtue Volumizing Mousse, £34 from Niche Beauty –
Known for finding the ingredient of Alpha Keratin 60ku, Virtue’s founders have worked in the beauty industry for a long time.
The Volumizing Mousse lives up to the brand’s great reputation too, packed with protein to care for your hair and emollient baobab seed oil for hydration.
After washing my hair, I scrunched this through my waves and was really impressed with the results.
The texture is super foamy but good quality without leaving your hands all sticky like some others. It also smells amazing.
Once it’s on your hair, it does make it slightly stiffer but not crunchy, locking in your curls for a long-lasting impact.
Is it worth £34? I’d say so. I used it on the day of washing my hair and it still feels fresh/not greasy three days later.
Lee Stafford Coco Loco with Agave Volumising Mousse
- Lee Stafford Coco Loco with Agave Volumising Mousse, £5.99 from Boots –
One of the more affordable on this list: Lee Stafford’s Coco Loco with Agave Volumising Mousse is less than £6.
Infused with Agave Essence to moisturise your tresses, it has a tropical dream scent made for summer.
As a vegan, cruelty-free find, I was excited to try this and like all Lee Stafford products, it didn’t disappoint.
The foams a bit wetter and thinner than more expensive options, but it still does the job really nicely.
My curls felt defined, held shape all day (even during a British heatwave) and most of all, they smelt great.
For a failsafe option on a budget, you can’t go wrong with this.
Wella Professionals EIMI Nutricurls Boost Bounce
- Wella Professionals EIMI Nutricurls Boost Bounce, £15.75 –
Boasting to add shine, definition and all that good stuff, the Wella Professionals EIMI Nutricurls Boost Bounce offers 72hour-long effects.
Just short of £16, it’s affordable, combining Wheat Bran extract, Jojoba oil, vitamin E and proteins to nourish and hydrate your hair.
This is another steal that smells fantastic, almost like a perfume for your hair.
The mousse is the perfect consistency too – it’s thick without being sticky or weighing your hair down and does exactly what it’s made to.
In terms of shaping and durability, this is a winner for sure.
You really don’t need much at all so the 300ml bottle will last for ages as well. If you make the mistake of adding too much, it does leave a bit of a greasy effect though.
TRESemmé Curl Conditioning Mousse
- TRESemmé Curl Conditioning Mousse, £3.99 from Superdrug –
One of the cheapest quality mousse’s around, TRESemmé’s Curl Conditioning gem is less than £4.
Working to give you defined, smooth curls, the formula of coconut oil and zero alcohol or dyes is enough to apparently tame your mane.
Having tried the higher-priced mousses prior to this one, I had quite low expectations but it definitely does the job well.
It’s a little stickier than some of the more expensive ones, but it definitely defines your ringlets perfectly with long-lasting results.
My favourite thing about this one is definitely the smell though. I felt like I’d stepped straight out of the salon.
If you’re on a budget, look no further.
Is mousse good for hair?
This depends on which mousse you use and how often you use it.
If you use mousse after each shampoo and heat style it every day it could eventually dry out your hair.
That said some formulas can have a positive effect on your locks.
Many products on the market are nourishing and aim to provide fullness and shine to your hair.
Instead of greasing your hair, mousses can also lift your curls and make them soft to touch.
Those with damage hair should avoid heat styling when possible.
Instead they can apply a hair mousse to damp hair and let their locks dry naturally for added definition and volume.
Why do people put mousse in their hair?
Mousses can do everything from adding volume and definition to your curls and hold to your hairstyle.
You can use mousses to create that perfectly undone beach wave or voluminous curls.
Do you put hair mousse in wet or dry hair?
To achieve the best results it is advised to use mousse on damp hair that has been towel dried, ideally after having cleaned it.
Using hair mousse on dry hair will often dull its appearance, although you can still do it if you want to redefine the curl pattern.
You could use a small amount of mousse the day after washing and styling to add some definition to tousled curls that are getting frizzy – but it’s temporary, meaning it’s great for that easy, quick style.
How to use hair mousse
It’s super simple, and you get thick, fast results.
First, it’s best to use on clean, damp hair – and less is more when it comes to hair mousse as it can be sticky, giving you that much-hated crispy feel.
Squirt out a ping pong ball-sized amount into your hands (depending on the length of your hair), then, working by section, scrunch into the lengths of your hair with your fingers.
Add more if needed, being sure to get the back and underneath (you might want to tilt your head upside down for this) then add a little more to the scalp and roots – with extra definition to your fringe, if needed.
Then, leave to air dry or blowdry for best results.
How to use hair mousse for curls
Curly hair needs a little extra love and attention, which products that are natural and free from toxins (no parabens, silicones, chemicals, etc).
Using the wrong kind of hair mousse for curls can damage and dry out your hair, which isn’t what you want for your best feature.
We recommend checking out our guide to the best Curly Girl Method products, first, but otherwise: wash your hair, then lightly towel dry with a microfibre towel; comb with a wide comb then tip head upside down, and scrunch in a palmful of hair mousse from the tip, to your root.
We leave ours to air dry, but you can use a hairdryer with a diffuser attachment for better results.
For extra volume, add more to your roots, but this may make it appear greasier, faster.