Hair styling mousse: what is it and how to use it?

Hair styling mousse is an effective and easy-to-use tool for creating hairstyles and, along with other fixing compositions, is often used in hairdressing. With it, you can give your hair a variety of shapes and make everyday and holiday styling.

Hair styling mousse is a universal composition designed to give the hair the desired volume and the formation of the effect of wet hair. The tool is able to give the strands a special splendor and well-groomed appearance, in addition, the curls formed using mousse keep their shape in all weather conditions. The form of mousse release is an aerosol can equipped with a vacuum spray that saturates the outgoing foam with small air bubbles. Cylinders are very convenient to use and allow a rather economical use of the product.

The main functions of the mousse are to give the curls the desired volume and fix the styling. However, the fixing role of the product is rather secondary, since at the end of the formation of the hairstyle the curls are additionally sprayed with varnish. Another important task of the tool is to protect the strands from overheating, which occurs during the use of the hair dryer.

Moreover, many modern products contribute to enhancing hair growth, remove excessive fluffiness and make curls supple and obedient.

The effectiveness of the use of fixing agents depends entirely on their chemical composition. So, hair styling mousses consist of biopolymers that give curls a natural look and make them voluminous. Another important component of the mousse is protective additives that prevent the negative effects of external factors on the structure of the hair. Additives are presented in the form of glycerin, moisturizing the structure of the rods, and panthenol, which protects the curls from the drying effect of electrical appliances used for hot styling.

As an auxiliary substance, the conditioner is included in the composition of the mousse, which facilitates combing and significantly reduces brittle hair. Quality mousses of well-known manufacturers do not contain alcohol additives that do not allow strands to breathe and make curls brittle and lifeless. In addition, some fragrances and fragrances are included in some products, giving the compositions a subtle pleasant aroma, as well as ceramides and vitamins of groups A, E and B, which make curls shiny and obedient.

Mousses for hair styling are quite popular means, however, before proceeding with their selection, you should familiarize yourself with their advantages and disadvantages. Below are a number of indisputable advantages of mousses that distinguish them from other fixing agents.

1. Mousses are universal preparations and can be used for any type of hair.
2. Thanks to a special formula, the product does not stick together strands and allows them to look quite natural. However, improper use of mousse can cause the opposite effect, which obliges you to carefully read the instructions before applying the drug.
3. Many compounds additionally nourish the curls along the entire length and protect them from the effects of aggressive environmental factors.
4. Due to the presence of special fragrances, the unpleasant odor characteristic of most fixing agents is absent.
5. The long-term effect of increasing the volume and styling allows you not to worry about the hairstyle throughout the day.

However, despite a large number of obvious advantages, mousses still have disadvantages. These include low efficiency in relation to too thick and stiff hair, as well as the presence of alcohol in the most budgetary preparations. In addition, when using mousses, many women face a number of problems. Firstly, there are some difficulties in determining the optimal amount of funds needed for a single use.

Secondly, with the wrong choice of composition, the strands quickly become greasy. This occurs when the hair type does not match the product purchased. Very often, when applying strong fixation mousse to too thin hair, they become too “heavy” and acquire a greasy shine.

Another problem is the loss of lively shine by the hair, because of which they fade and become lifeless. One of the reasons for this result is using the mousse too often or applying a fairly large amount of the substance in one go. So, for short curls, a foam ball the size of a walnut is enough, for medium ones - the size of a small tangerine, and for long ones - an apple. In some cases, sticking of strands is also noted, but this unpleasant moment is associated with applying the substance to too wet hair, which did not have time to dry sufficiently.

And another significant disadvantage of using mousse is the itching of the skin. It is also associated with improper use of the product and most often happens when rubbing the substance into the scalp.This absolutely does not need to be done, otherwise you can quickly get contact dermatitis. The drug should be applied directly to the hair, without affecting the scalp.

Modern industry produces a large number of different mousses, which are classified according to several criteria.

• The determining criterion for the difference is the effect produced. On this basis, in turn, there are three categories of funds. The first includes mousses designed to create volume. They are able to create the illusion of thicker hair. The second group is represented by means that effectively nourish and strengthen hair, as well as protect them from the negative effects of ultraviolet radiation and high temperatures. The third category includes compounds that can perform elastic styling without causing the effect of weighting the hair.

• The next sign of classification is the strength of the fixation of compounds. Here, funds are allocated weak (elastic), medium, strong and super strong fixation. The first two types of mousses are used for daily everyday styling, while the last two are used to create complex evening or formal hairstyles.

• The third sign of difference is the type of hair for which this or that mousse is intended. There are compositions that specialize in straight and curly curls, as well as products for long and short hair. However, length classification is a very tricky marketing move, and there is no point in buying a drug based on length. It will be quite enough to choose a means of the necessary fixation and apply the foam in the amount that is required for a particular hair length. But the mousse for curly hair is really quite effective thing. Thanks to the composition, consisting of conditioning components and panthenol, the product makes curls shiny and obedient, eliminating their excessive fluffiness.

• And the fourth sign by which mousses are classified is the presence of additional functions. According to this criterion, conditioner mousses can be distinguished, giving the hair shine and expressiveness and simplifying their combing. Thanks to air conditioners, curls are easy to stack and do not tangled when laying with a hairdryer. Wax mousses, which contain natural resins, are also very popular. Thanks to their enveloping effect, the curls do not lose moisture and are not afraid of the thermal effects of the laying power tool.

Before you start buying hair styling mousse, It is advisable to get acquainted with the recommendations of specialists.

• Before purchasing, you must carefully study the chemical composition and make sure that it does not have alcohol. An excellent choice will be a preparation containing vitamins, an ultraviolet filter and keratin.
• If the mousse is purchased for thin or damaged curls, then it is better to opt for weak or medium fixation. For thick and thick, on the contrary, they acquire professional mousses of strong and super strong fixation.
• When buying a product, you should pay attention to how it smells. If the foam has a specific pungent smell of chemistry, its purchase should be discarded. The best option would be a composition that is completely odorless or moderately flavored.
• For naughty hair, you should choose a mousse marked “extra strong fixation”. The same composition should be used before going outside in windy weather.
• Owners of brittle and dry hair, in principle, are not recommended to use mousses. However, if such a need still arises, it is better to use only mousse-conditioner.

Hair styling with mousse is a fairly simple procedure and does not cause difficulties even for beginners. In order to properly apply the product on the hair and get the expected effect, it is recommended to use the advice of professionals, which will help to style your hair and create a beautiful hairstyle.

• Before styling, wash your hair well and rinse it thoroughly. There should not be traces of shampoo, mask or conditioner on the curls, otherwise, when mixed with mousse, the hair will look dirty and will become untidy. In addition, the effect of the mousse will be short-lived: in a few hours, the hair will lose its shape and volume.
• The amount of the product, as well as the technology of its application, depends on what task it faces. So, if you plan to general hair straightening, then the composition is applied along the entire length, to give volume - only to the root zone, and for winding curls - exclusively to the ends.
• Styling should be done immediately after application, otherwise the composition will quickly seize and lock the strands in any form.
• After using the mousse, it must be thoroughly washed off the hair. For this, any shampoo is applied to the curls and left for 2-3 minutes. This time is quite enough for the composition to dissolve. Then the hair is rinsed well and dried naturally.

After familiarizing yourself with the basic rules for using the drug, you can begin to create a hairstyle. To do this, you must follow a certain sequence of actions and not violate the technology of applying the product. So, the algorithm of actions includes several stages.

• Washed and dried curls are gently combed with a comb with rare teeth.
• Shake the cylinder with mousse, and then squeeze the required amount of funds onto the palm of your hand.
• The head is slightly thrown back and foam is applied to the base of the hair.
• Using a comb, the product is evenly distributed over the entire length and immediately begin to create a styling. You can act cold and hot methods. In the first case, curls are twisted on curlers, and in the second - resort to the help of electric tongs or a hair dryer.
• To give volume to short hair, a small amount of foam is distributed on both palms and applied to the hair from the roots to the ends. Then the curls are slightly dried with a hairdryer, lifting them from the roots and giving them the desired volume. This method is well suited for both female and male styling, which can be performed not only with a comb, but also with your hands.
• The effect of wet hair looks good on curly hair and can also be performed using mousse. To do this, the composition is applied and distributed along the entire length, after which the curls are slightly wrinkled. With straight hair, the procedure is somewhat complicated and is performed using a hairdryer with a diffuser. In this case, the head is slightly tilted forward and a diffuser is installed under the fallen strands. The curls should lie freely on the nozzle and take the form of waves.
• Mousse can be applied not only to wet strands. There are situations when it is better to do this on dry curls. Such express styling does not require the use of a hairdryer and consists in applying mousse while lifting the strands near the roots. The procedure is performed by hand, due to which the effect of slight negligence is created. Then the curls are slightly shaken and fixed with varnish.

Mousse for fixing hair is often compared with gel and foam.

1. Unlike gel, which is used mainly for short hair, the use of mousse is permissible for any length of hair. The means differ in consistency: if the mousse is foam, then the gel is a liquid viscous substance.As a result, the release form also varies: for mousse, these are aerosol cans, and for gel, they are plastic bottles.
2. If you compare mousse and foam, then the second tool increases the volume better, due to a more dense structure. In addition, the mousse has a mild drying effect, while the foam has no effect on the moisture of the hair. Mousse is more suitable for short and medium hair, while the foam easily fixes long and thick strands. Mousse often does not have flavorings in its composition and is an excellent option for allergy sufferers. Perfume fragrances are always present in the foam.

How to use hair mousse is shown in the video below.