Should You Be Using Mousse on Your Wavy Hair?
Hair mousse: a styling product that’s come so far over the years in terms of texture and usability, but still raises so many questions among the wavy-haired community. Will it leave my beach waves stiff and crunchy? Will it weigh down my natural texture? Will my strands lack healthy-looking movement and body? The truth is, it depends entirely on your hair porosity and wave type – establish those two things and you can answer the age-old question: to mousse, or not to mousse?
Is mousse good for wavy hair?
Many mousses are considered lightweight due to the air bubbles that give them their foamy consistency. But formulas can vary, ranging from airy and light (like Nexxus’s Volume Mousse + Volumizing Foam designed for fine hair) to dense and coating. The latter isn’t necessarily a bad thing if, a, that’s the look you’re going for, or b) you have very thick, porous hair that requires ramped-up definition and frizz control. But if you’re still nervous about putting a foam-based product anywhere near your waves, you might want to try the new breed of weightless stylers…
TOP TIP: After applying a mousse, wait for your waves to fully dry and set before scrunching out the hard texture left behind.
How to style dry and fine wavy hair
While mousse is great for setting your style for the day, fine, damaged hair may benefit from a lighter formula boosted with hair-nourishing ingredients. Ultralight Smooth Frizz-Defy Cream Serum coats each strand with an invisible barrier that repels humidity-causing frizz while keeping natural body and movement intact. It does this using almond protein, which is packed with hydrophobic (water-repelling) amino acids. Apply a small amount to wet or dry hair, focusing on the mid-lengths, then scrunch or air dry as usual. If your priority is maintaining the soft, natural movement of your waves, try the Weightless Style Shape & Define Multi-Styler, which combines flexible polymers with our exclusive PROTEINLOCK system, offering mousse-like styling benefits, but without the worry of a stiff, crunchy finish.
TOP TIP: If you have dry, coarse hair, use your cream-serum as a “moisture foundation” before applying your mousse.
How to maximize your beach waves
We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: style starts in the shower. First, with the right hair care: Ultralight Smooth Weightless Frizz Protection Shampoo and Conditioner are a great choice for fine, frizz-prone waves. Second, try applying your styling product before you step out of the shower. Why? Because the raised cuticle in coarse, porous hair allows moisture to evaporate quickly, so the longer you wait to apply your moisture-locking styler, the more dried out (and difficult to style) your strands will be. You may need more product than usual (excess water can dilute a styling product’s efficacy), but the results might just be worth the extra pump or two.
TOP TIP: Discover your hair’s porosity by dropping a strand in a glass of water. If it floats, it’s low porosity (as in, it doesn’t take on water). If it sinks straight to the bottom, your hair is highly absorbent and sits in the porous category.
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