The Return of Mousse: All About Using Mousse

Photo from Bean's Beauty Blog

A recent article about mousse in June 2012 Allure magazine caught my eye, Whip it Good.  It made me wonder: How much do we really think about mousse?  And do we use it as much as we should?  According to hairstylist Adir Abergel, whom they interviewed for the piece, no.  He claims many women shy away from mousse because of its crunchy reputation, but he reassures us "mousse has evolved.  It's no longer as sticky and drying as it was in the era of hair-metal bands."  Another hair stylist called it a "miracle product."

SexyHair has two mousse products Patrick likes: Root Pump Volumizing Spray Mousse and  Root Pump Plus Humidity Resistant Volumizing Spray Mousse.  Both have a medium hold and can be used on dry or damp hair.  Allure gave 7 tips for mastering mousse, here are some of my favorite pieces of advice for using mousse:

• Shake the Can - A lot.  "You want it as fluffy as possible, so it's easier to distribute and won't weigh down your hair," says hairstylist Chris McMillian.  Fluffy is key, if you don't shake the can the mousse will come out a thick mess.
• Think Big - If you have fine hair like me, mousse should be your new BFF.  You could use it almost everyday.  Working some into your roots and letting it dry naturally before brushing out can give you the illusion of volume.  Medium length hair? A gold ball sized amount can add bounce and boost to your average pony tail.
• Blow it Out - Adding some mousse into your hair before blow drying can give you extra lift.  Many stylists have their clients flip their heads upside down after applying mousse and then dry their hair with a diffuser.  This is the technique Patrick used on my last visit when we tried the new Soy Renewal Beach Spray.

How much mousse should you use?  Most women don't apply enough - a palmful of mousse can look excessive, but don't forget mousse is mostly air.  It's not like a gel, so you'll need more than you think.  A golf ball sized amount is usually a good guide for short hair while if you have long hair, opt for two lemon sized mounds.

Challenge yourself to add mousse into your hair routine (It's a great base to layer other products on top of), I think you'll be pleased with the results.

Mousse - it's not just for 1980 anymore.

~Kirsten