Multiple reasons can contribute to the lack of volume, often resulting in flat curls. Certain ingredients in products and build-up are the biggest causes of wavy hair weighing down. This is why mousse is essential in a hair care routine. It replenishes the curls by adding volume and moisture from its lightweight formula.
Image Source: @thatcurlblog
Curly hair enthusiast, Rachel from “ThatCurlBlog”, shared with NaturallyCurly that she prefers mousses over gels because they provide a long-lasting hold for her curls.
“As much as I love gels, I find that some of them can be either too light or too hard, resulting in giving me soft curls,” she said. “Whereas with mousse, I can tell after one routine that I’ve used too much, and I can go in with the next routine using a lesser amount.”
As summer quickly approaches, humidity will be another challenge for maintaining volume with wavy hair. Rachel shared that she fights off humidity by searching for products that contain Polyquaternium, PVA/VP Copolymer, Acrylates Copolymer, and Polyacrylate-2 Crosspolymer.
With Rachel’s product recommendations, your waves will flourish this summer and all year round.
1. Authentic Beauty Concept Amplify Mousse
This salon-quality mousse doesn’t leave my hair feeling weighed down, even if I use two full pumps of product. I get the slightest cast, which can easily be broken by gently scrunching with my hands, with oil or without.
2. Not Your Mother’s Curl Talk Mousse
When I first discovered the brand was available in Walmart Canada, I immediately went to grab their mousse and curl cream and immediately loved it. I start in small amounts with this mousse. It gives me definition and hold.
3. INNERSENSE I Create Definition Styling Foam
For those looking for a cast, this foam delivers. It’s also a product I recommend starting with small amounts because the cast can be quite strong. A tip I’ve learned from someone from my audience is to dilute the product with water, which has helped me get the right amount of hold with a cast that is easy to break.
4. Pattern Beauty Palo Santo Mousse
This is the Palo Santo-scented version of their original Curl Mousse. It comes out in a foam consistency, which I find to be more moisturizing than most mousses that come in an aerosol can. It provides a light to medium hold, which is perfect for layering underneath a gel or used on its own for a softer look.
5. Curlsmith Bouncy Strength Volume Foam
For all of my protein lovers, this is a great foam to add to your collection if you want to add some grit closer to your roots. When I have that grit feeling at my roots, it usually results in more volume. Applying this closer to my roots after I’m done applying curl cream and gel or curl cream and mousse is a great final touch. It provides a very light hold. I suggest pairing this foam with an additional styler.
6. Rizos Curls Curl Defining Mousse
This is another moisturizing mousse that smells like marshmallows. Not only does it provide a fluffy scent, but fluffy volume as well. This mousse provides light to medium hold and can pair well with gel.
7. John Frieda Curl Reviver Mousse
This is an OG mousse in my routine. Paired with a curl cream, it always gives me a bouncy wash day without the extra weight. I find I get great hold from mousses in an aerosol can. A little goes a long way to ensure your hair doesn’t get weighed down.
8. DESIGNME PUFF.ME Volumizing Mousse
I love how lightweight their products, including their mousse, are. After using their products, my hair smells like a curly hair salon. This mousse provides a good amount of hold without a crunchy feel to the curls after diffusing.
Rachel’s Styling Tricks To Prevent Weighed-Down Hair
Image Source: @thatcurlblog
The key is to start small and then emulsify in your palms with water before applying to your hair. There is a very fine line between too much and too little product. The second tip is to rake up and away at your roots to give you a lifted look at the roots, which helps prevent your hair from sticking to your scalp. Then, only microplop (gently removing excess water and product from your hair) when you feel it is necessary. If your hair becomes frizzy after removing excess water, you can always wet it again to help redefine it. If it isn’t soaking wet, I wouldn’t worry about it. Finally, you don’t have to layer on 5 different products to get to your result.
When I started my curly hair journey, my hair was extremely damaged, and I needed to layer on as many products as possible. As I became more comfortable with my hair routine and experimented with different techniques, I aimed for 2-3 stylers. These could be a curl cream, mousse, and gel or a curl cream and mousse/gel. The combinations are endless. If one routine isn’t working out for you, switch it up.
Still struggling with flat hair? Check out these other suggestions to help with volume.
- The Doux Mousse Def Texture Foam
- Mielle Pom/Honey Mousse
- Dippity-Do Girls with Curls Curl Boosting Mousse
