How To Use Mousse for Wavy Hair: What You Need To Know
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While rocking gorgeous wavy hair may seem effortless to others, we all know taking care of it to make sure it remains healthy and beautiful should always be a top concern.
One hairstyling product that any wavy-haired person always seems to have on hand is mousse.
If you have had wavy hair all your life, you probably know why already. But if you’re still a newbie in your wavy journey — or you’re just plain curious — we’ll tell you why wavy hair and mousse are besties for life!
In this article, we’ll tackle the age-old question of how to use mousse for wavy hair.
Before that, however, we’ll first dive into what mousse is, why wavy hair with mousse looks terrific, and of course, how to use styling mousse for wavy hair.
So let’s get to it!
Table of Contents
What Is Mousse?
Mousse comes from the French word “mousse,” meaning foam, froth, or lather. True to its name, mousse comes in a lightweight foam form comprising polymers, water, and conditioning agents.
Thanks to these ingredients, mousse can give your hair definition, protection, and nourishment. When used on your hair, mousse coats the strands and helps them hold a certain shape without weighing the hair down.
Additionally, mousse is known for its ability to tame frizz, making it a natural bestie for people with curly and wavy hair.
Thus, if you’re wondering how to get wavy hair with mousse especially if you have straight hair, then you can do so by using a curling iron, foam rollers, and/or perm rods to achieve your desired look.
Getting To Know Your Wavy Hair
If your hair is both not too straight and not too curly simultaneously, then chances are that you might have wavy hair.
Below are the details you should know about this hair type:
Different Types of Wavy Hair
Understanding your specific type of wavy hair can help you choose the best styling products and techniques.
Wavy hair is typically categorized into three subtypes:
- 2A: This type of wavy hair has a loose, S-shaped pattern and is typically fine and easy to manage.
- 2B: This wavy hair type has a more defined S-shaped pattern and is prone to frizz. It’s a bit denser than 2A waves, and may require more effort to style.
- 2C: This type of wavy hair has the most defined S-shaped pattern, resulting in thicker and more voluminous waves. It often experiences more frizz and needs extra care to maintain its shape.
Porosity of Wavy Hair
Most people with wavy hair will find that they have medium porosity hair, meaning it can both retain and absorb moisture.
This makes their hair more receptive to moisturizing and conditioning products, which can help make wavy hair look even more healthy and attractive.
Frizziness of Wavy Hair
However, having medium porosity hair can be a bit of a double-edged sword.
Wavy hair is a bit susceptible to frizz, all thanks to its great ability to absorb moisture, causing the hair shaft to expand.
The result? Wavy hair has a tendency to look a bit messy in areas with high humidity, so it may need a bit of help from hairstyling products to remedy it!
Choosing the Right Mousse
Now that you know just how beneficial mousse is for wavy hair, it’s time for you to choose the right mousse for you.
There are several types of hair mousses available in the market:
- Light hold: These mousses provide a gentle hold, perfect for enhancing your natural waves without making them stiff or weighed down.
- Strong hold: If your wavy hair needs extra control and definition, a strong hold mousse might be the best choice for you. It helps to tame frizz and create more defined waves.
- Volumizing: Volumizing mousses help to add body and bounce to your hair, making it appear fuller and more voluminous.
- Hydrating: If your wavy hair is on the dry side, a hydrating mousse can help lock in moisture and keep your hair soft and shiny. These mousses often include nourishing ingredients like oils.
How To Use Mousse on Wavy Frizzy Hair
Mousse can do wonders for your wavy hair, whether wet or dry! Here’s how to use mousse for wavy hair in all scenarios:
Wet Hair (After Shampoo and Conditioner)
- After a shower, use a cotton shirt or microfiber towel to remove any excess water from your hair gently. Using either material to get rid of excess moisture can help prevent frizz from forming in your hair.
- Dispense an appropriate amount of mousse to your palm depending on the length and thickness of your wavy hair. Use more if you have longer, thicker hair strands and less if your hair is a bit on the thinner side.
This will ensure you won’t have too much product on your hair that might weigh it down.
- With the mousse in your hands, run them through your hair from mid-shaft to the tips. You can also apply mousse closer to your roots to add volume to your hair.
Make sure you’re covering sections of your hair evenly with mousse for the best results.
- Next, to help form and enhance your waves, scrunch sections of your hair into your hands.
- Lastly, you can use a hair dryer or simply let your wavy hair air-dry.
You can watch this video for a tutorial on how to put mousse on your hair.
Damp Hair (Refresh Days)
- Using a spray bottle, spray water on your dry hair until it’s damp.
- Pump some mousse to your hands and then apply them to your hair, from the roots to the tips.
- Scrunch your hair with your hands to rejuvenate and enliven your waves.
- Air-dry your hair.
Maintaining Wavy Hair Using Mousse
Preserving Your Waves Throughout The Day
Having beautiful wavy hair is a gift, but it can require some care to stay manageable and frizz-free.
Here are a few friendly tips to help you keep your waves looking great all day:
- Moisture: Keep your hair well-moisturized, as wavy hair tends to be drier. Apply a leave-in conditioner or curling cream to help lock in moisture.
- Protection: Use a heat protectant spray before styling with a curling iron or other heated tools, to prevent damage.
- Style: Choose styling products like mousse specifically designed for wavy hair. This will help your hair stay smooth and defined.
How To Refresh Wavy Hair Without Washing
It’s not always necessary to wash your waves every day. In fact, you can refresh them without using water!
Here’s how:
- Dispense some mousse onto your hands and spread it evenly.
- Glaze the mousse over the exterior and underside of your hair.
- Scrunch your hair to encourage your natural waves.
- Diffuse or air-dry your hair until almost dry.
- Break the cast by squeezing your hair once it’s 100% dry.
And that’s it! You’ve successfully refreshed your wavy hair without washing, helping to retain its natural moisture.
Why Should You Use Mousse for Wavy Hair?
Before we show you how to use mousse for wavy hair, let’s go through the reasons why mousse is good for wavy hair.
Adds Volume to Your Hair
Using mousse is a great way to add volume to your wavy hair.
It does so by making the hair appear naturally thicker or more voluminous from the roots, which looks fantastic especially if it falls on the thinner or flatter side.
Helps Tame Your Hair’s Frizz
Unsure of how to handle frizz typical of wavy hair? Mousse can help with that.
By coating your hair strands, mousse helps seal hair cuticles, which may aid in lessening the effects of humidity and giving your wavy hair a smoother, more polished look without weighing it down.
Enhances Your Hair Texture
Applying mousse can help make your wavy hair look more defined!
Since it helps your hair hold its shape, mousse can be a great way to highlight your hair’s naturally soft, wavy pattern, especially if you like your hair hanging loose and free down your back.
Moreover, you can use mousse with other hair tools to help make the waves in your hair look more prominent if you want to.
Thanks to its lightweight form, mousse does all of this without making your hair look greasy or oily, making your hairstyle look flawlessly natural all day!
Your Trusted Partner on “Refresh Days”
Refresh days are essential to wavy-haired folks. It means those days between wash days when you spray your hair with water to rejuvenate it.
A great product to use alongside plain water in those days is mousse!
Using mousse will give your hair the definition, protection, and conditioning that it deserves, even without you needing to step into the shower to shampoo your hair.
Best of all, with its lightweight form, it won’t make your hair look oily or too heavy — perfect for refresh days!
Frequently Asked Questions
Is It OK To Use Mousse Every Day?
While using mousse gives your hair a lot of great benefits, many contain alcohol as an ingredient.
Using them should be safe if you’re only applying them to your hair once or twice a week, but they may end up drying your hair if you use them every day.
To regularly get all the good things out of mousse without it potentially drying your hair, you may want to opt for alcohol-free mousse such as TRESemmé Flawless Curls Mousse or Maui Moisture Flexible Hold + Coconut Milk Curl Foam Mousse.
Mousse vs. Gel for Wavy Hair — Which Is Better?
Whether mousse is better than gel or vice versa depends on your hair type, the style you’re trying to achieve, and your personal preferences.
Mousse is typically lighter in texture, which means it won’t make your hair feel as stiff or crunchy.
It’s excellent for adding volume and body to hair. It can help lift fine or limp hair, making it appear fuller.
Moreover, mousse allows for more flexibility and movement in your hair, making it a good choice for styles that require natural-looking waves or curls.
On the other hand, you can go for gel if you want a strong, firm hold. This makes it ideal for styles that need structure and definition, such as slicked-back hair or spiky hairstyles.
Gel lasts longer and can maintain its hold throughout the day, even in humid conditions. It can also control frizz and flyaways.
Should I Use Mousse or Curl Cream on Wavy Hair?
The choice between using mousse or cream for wavy hair largely depends on your desired outcome and hair type.
If you’re looking to create more defined waves with volume and bounce, start by applying mousse to clean, damp hair.
Spread it evenly throughout your hair and scrunch the waves gently. This will enhance your natural texture while providing hold and definition.
Alternatively, if your primary concern is taming frizz and adding moisture to your wavy hair, begin with a cream product.
Creams typically contain nourishing ingredients that can smooth hair and help prevent frizz. Apply a small amount of cream evenly before layering mousse on top for added hold and definition.
Ultimately, experiment with both methods to determine which works best for your specific hair needs and preferences.
Can You Use Mousse and Gel Together?
Yes, you can. You can use the mousse first to retain those bouncy waves and keep the volume intact. Apply the gel right after for staying power!
How do you apply gel after mousse? Just rub the gel in between your palms and scrunch your waxy hair.
Is Mousse Good for Wavy Hair? The Answer Is Yes!
Wavy hair looks like perfection as it can give you an effortlessly sexy and alluring look every day. To achieve that, one of these things you can use in your hair is mousse!
Now that you know We hope we have helped you see the many benefits of this styling product to your hair and shown you how to use mousse for wavy hair.
With mousse at your fingertips, you can rock gorgeous wavy hair all day long!
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