Beauty

Mousse For Curly Hair That'll Leave Your Hair Bouncing All Day Long

For days when your hair is falling flat and lying limp, hair mousse is to the rescue.

Megan Thee Stallion at the Vanity Fair Oscars Afterparty
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The curly hair routine: perhaps the most complicated and trial-and-error process when it comes to hair care. With so many different products targeting so many curl patterns, it can seem intimidating to comb through a sea of gels, conditioners, and creams. Through the products comes hair mousse, a styling foam great for providing volume and bounce while offering a range of other benefits from frizz and humidity control to textured thickness. So, L'OFFICIEL has rounded up the best mousse for curly hair.

To decide which product works best for you, it's important to understand your hair pattern. For looser curl patterns or wavy hair, a light mousse will provide effortless waves. On the opposite end of the spectrum, thick and tight curl patterns will benefit most from a mousse with a stronger hold. The way that you style your hair also plays a role. Mousse for curly hair creates a great base for hair to air-dry while maintaining volume and hold. But, if you like to diffuse or blow dry, seek out a mousse with heat-protectant.

From summertime beach waves to tight coils, hair mousse provides an extra boost to enhance any natural hair type for a fuller look. Keep scrolling for our picks of the best mousse for curly hair that'll leave your hair bouncing all day long. 

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Pattern Beauty

From the hair care brand by Tracee Ellis Ross, you know you can trust Pattern's mousse for curly hair with its weightless volume and hold. Best for 3B-4C patterns, the mousse preserves natural coils and curls whilst keeping the hair soft and smooth. For curls, apply to damp hair and air dry or diffuse. For setting, work a few pumps evenly through the hair with your fingers.

 Pattern Beauty by Tracee Ellis Ross Curl Mousse, $20, Sephora

Pattern curl mousse
Amika

Amika's volume and body mousse provides a medium hold for a bouncy fullness. The product is great because it works for all hair types, from instantly lifting falling locks to boosting tight coils. In Amika's signature scent of warm vanilla, clover, and fresh citrus, the mousse also has styling polymer for a long-lasting, flexible hold and anti-humidity benefits. To use, shake the can and work a small amount through damp hair, starting with the roots to the end.

Amika Plus Size Perfect Body Hair Mousse, $30, Sephora

Amika volume and body mousse
Curlsmith

This mousse for curly hair is great for a lightweight mousse option, infused with proteins for a soft and natural hold. The mousse can be used on its own for a looser curl type or layered with stronger stylers for tighter curls, making it a versatile product for any hair pattern. The mousse is particularly beneficial, though, for weak and damaged hair or hair with medium-high porosity. The website provides a great visual demonstration of how to apply, committed to supporting all curly heads of hair.

Bouncy Strength Volume Foam, $28, Curlsmith

Curlsmith strength volume foam mousse for curly hair
Oribe

Sealed-in moisture and hydrating frizz resistance make this mousse for curly hair by Oribe a great option for curl types 2-3. With heat protection and anti-humidity functions, the mousse can be used before diffusing or blow drying for an all-day style. Oribe's signature complex defends hair from stress and includes proteins that work to condition hair and leave it feeling fresh.

Curl Shaping Mousse, $39, Oribe

Oribe curl shaping mousse
SheaMoisture

For a more budget-friendly option, go for SheaMoisture's mousse great for frizz control. The lightweight formula locks in moisture while enhancing natural curl patterns. With no sticky or crunchy residue, the mousse is great for a quick wash-and-go, letting hair dry on its own without fear of frizz or dullness. The mousse's blend of silk proteins and neem oil provides great volume, and you can pair it with SheaMoisture's coconut and hibiscus curling gel souffle to really pamper your precious locks.

Coconut and Hibiscus Frizz-Free Curl Mousse, $12, Ulta Beauty

SheaMoisture frizz-free curl mousse
Moroccanoil

Well known as a leading beauty brand when it comes to argan oil-infused products, Moroccanoil knows how to keep hair luxuriously soft, and their mousse for curly hair is no different. The ultra-lightweight foam tames coily and tightly-spiraled hair and repels humidity to provide lasting shape. For best results, apply the product by scrunching through the hair with your hands from the ends and lifting to the roots. Then, allow the hair to dry naturally.

Moroccanoil Curl Control Mousse, $30, Sephora

Moroccanoil curly hair mousse
Ouidad

A bestseller of the brand, this mousse for curly hair has a soft texture that adds a lightweight hold while boosting the hair's natural volume and fullness. You'll also notice a subtle fruity and floral scent of Lemon, Bergamot, Apple, Rose, Neroli, and Gardenia that lingers on your strands, adding a bonus sensorial experience.

VitalCurl+ Soft Defining Mousse, $26, Ouidad

Ouidad vitalcurl soft defining mousse
Not Your Mother's

For a balance of defined curls and a light hold, check out Not Your Mother's mousse for curly hair, complete with humidity protection and clean ingredients. While other mousses for curly hair include beneficial proteins, overuse of the ingredient can cause damage. With that being said, the mousse's protein-free formula for all curl types makes it a great long-lasting staple.

Not Your Mother's Curl Talk Activating Mousse, $9, Ulta Beauty

Not Your Mother's curl talk activating mousse
DevaCurl

DevaCurl knows how to do curly hair. Their mousse keeps curls full and defined with frizz and humidity control for up to 48 hours. Co-developed with dermatologists, DevaCurl's products focus on curl flexibility to allow curls to take on any shape with styling versatility. Focus on the roots while you scrunch the product into your hair for an extra lift, and watch the foam create a strong barrier that'll let your hair stand up to anything.

Frizz-Fighting Volumizing Foam, $34, Ulta Beauty 

DevaCurl frizz-fighting foam
Living Proof

While other mousses listed assist in boosting the look of natural curls, Living Proof's thickening mousse focuses all on fullness, transforming fine hair by delivering a thickness that lasts 5x longer. The brand uses a thickening technology that targets flat or limp hair to make it look, feel, and behave like thick hair would. Apply from roots to end and air dry to get texture and definition but blow dry to fully take advantage of the volume and height created by the product.

Full Thickening Mousse, $30, Sephora

Living proof full thickening mousse for curly hair

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