If you want a fast, easy, flawless refresh routine that works in various types of weather, moisturizing mousse should be on your list of must-haves. It can hydrate and restore your curls, and leave them shiny, bouncy, and well-defined. It can also stave off frizz and flyaways without leaving your hair flat, greasy, or weighed-down. Refreshing with mousse is a great trick in the cooler months when you don’t want to leave the house with wet hair.
Steps for a successful refresh
1. Snip those split ends
They can make refreshing much more challenging than it should be, and they can really drag down your curls and waves.
2. Use leave-in and mousse
On wash days, you can use a small amount of leave-in with several pumps of mousse over it. Do not use any stylers or oils on top of the mousse, as that will leave you with a lot of crunchy, straggly pieces where the mousse is lying on top of other products when you try to refresh. On all subsequent days that you plan to refresh with mousse, do not use other stylers or oils
3. Spot treat curls
The night before your refresh, touch up areas of your hair that have lost curl definition. If you have large tangles in those areas, spritz a small amount of water onto them with a fine mist sprayer, and then rake in 1-2 pumps of mousse. Detangle using your fingers, and then scrunch.
4. Dry and protect the curls
Image Source: @itsdaelle
Allow your hair to dry completely, and then protect your curls for sleep by using a satin bonnet, or putting your hair in a pineapple.
The next day
5. Check for knots
In the morning, after you have taken your hair down, inspect it for any large knots or tangles, as these tend to be frizzier than the rest of your hair, and then detangle them with a bit of water and mousse.
6. Scrunch in the mousse
Image Source: @thatcurllblog
Scrunch in approximately 4-6 pumps of mousse (you can use more if needed) to the areas of your hair that have lost definition. Your hair should be slightly damp in the areas you have applied the mousse. Shingle any curls that have lost their definition, and then scrunch.
7. Flip and scrunch
Flip your head over and scrunch in some mousse to the bottom layer of your hair. Scrunch the roots near the nape of your neck. This will give your hair a boost of extra volume.
If you desire, fluff out your roots when the mousse dries.
The best mousse products for refreshing:
While there are lots of foams on the market, the best ones for refreshing do not contain drying alcohols or silicones. The following mousse products are perfect for styling and refreshing, as they contain moisturizing properties.
1. Creme of Nature Argan Oil Style & Shine Foaming Mousse
Hydrogenated castor and Argan oils provide moisture to your curls and leave them with a brilliant sheen.
2. CURLS Sea Moss Nourish and Shine Foam
This mousse strengthens, restores, and moisturizes hair in one step.
3. Rizos Curls Defining Mousse
Besides coconut water as its first ingredient, this defining mousse has cactus flowers and chia seeds to leave your hair soft and hydrated.
4. SheaMoisture Coconut & Hibiscus Frizz-Free Curl Mousse
This mousse smells amazing and has a blend of olive, coconut, and moringa oils along with shea butter to keep your curls soft and frizz-free.
5. Design Essentials Almond & Avocado Curl Enhancing Mousse
This Holy Grail mousse is ideal for cutting down frizz and giving volume to wavy/curly and tighter textures. Note if you are protein sensitive, this formula contains protein for strengthening.
