If you have fine hair, you know the struggle is real when it comes to getting volume. Even on the best of hair days, your hair still looks limp, flat, and lifeless. So, choosing what products to put in it is tough – you don’t want to over-style and cause damage. Read on to see our 8 best mousses for fine hair.
But did you know that there are some fantastic hair mousses for fine hair? These great volumizing mousses don’t make your hair feel crunchy, sticky, or weighed down. Let’s face it; the last thing fine hair needs is more weight to make it flatter. Instead, a mousse gives your hair volume and an appearance of thicker hair without that sticky film residue.
How is a mousse for fine hair different?
A mousse is another term for a styling foam-like product used to hold your hairstyle in place. It works to protect and stiffen the hair, so your hairstyle lasts throughout the day. A mousse comes in different ‘strength’ levels, which offer a certain amount of stiffness and rigidity. But a great mousse also gives hair volume and a bouncy feel. Basically, a styling foam makes the crown of your head appear fuller.
So, what makes a mousse targeted towards women with fine hair different?
Well, this type of mousse is similar to classic styling foams, except it adds more volume. Since hair is fine, it lacks fullness and thickness, so the mousse creates the appearance of voluminous locks. Usually, a mousse is applied to wet hair and then blow-dried to add fullness.
A mousse for fine hair should be lightweight and low or medium hold if you want to avoid crunchy tangled hair. Women with fine hair can use some of the great strong-hold mousses on our list, as long as they apply less product. Remember that if you have fine hair, a little bit of product goes a long way.
Table of Contents
8 Best Mousses For Fine Hair Review
Best Overall: Nexxus Mousse Plus Volumizing Foam, for volume
The Nexxus mousse formula is an excellent styling and volumizing foam if your hair needs extra volume. It’s easy to pump up flat hair with this product because it gives hair body instantly, even if your strands are extra fine. The product is alcohol-free and has an aerated mousse texture that doesn’t weigh your locks down.
You can add definition to waves and curls with this mousse, even if the hair is thin. That’s why we picked it as our best product overall – it is versatile, gives great hold, and leaves hair shiny and voluminous.
The formula is enriched with keratin protein and ceramides to strengthen hair and give it more volume. As well, it infuses strands with a shine and makes it look healthy. So, when you apply this lightweight formula, you can get a salon-like hairstyle full of bounce and shine, but at a fraction of the cost. Best of all, even though it has a light hold, your hairstyle still lasts for a long time.
Pros
- Sculpts hair and adds lots of volume
- Protects against humidity and urban pollutants
- Lifts flat hair without weighing it down
- Alcohol-free
- Blends into the hair instantly without leaving a sticky texture
- It has a moisture-rich formula
- Budget-friendly
Cons
- This is a light-hold mousse, so it doesn’t last as long
Best for Colored Hair: GIOVANNI 2chic Ultra Volume Foam Styling Mousse
If you dye your hair often, it may become thinner in time. That’s why it’s important to use a mousse that’s formulated to help colored hair look voluminous and healthy. This formula is color-safe, and it works to nourish your locks without stripping them of color. It contains hydrating aloe vera and thyme to help hair looks its best.
This formula offers volume, but it’s also great because it defines the hair’s texture, especially curls. It blends in very quickly and offers an instant volume boost, so your hair becomes bouncier, shinier, and more defined. Plus, it has a medium-hold for long-lasting results.
Another benefit of this product is that it’s cruelty-free and free of harmful chemicals. It’s made mostly with natural ingredients like papaya and tangerine butter that clarify and moisturize. Therefore, there’s no need to worry about harsh chemicals because you won’t find the likes of parabens and sulfates in this mousse.
Pros
- It is a lightweight formula and doesn’t weigh hair down
- Creates volume and fullness
- Made with natural ingredients and it’s chemical-free
- Cruelty-free
- Gives hair life and restores resiliency, which makes hair more resistant to heat styling.
- Has antioxidant properties
Cons
- Can leave hair a bit stiff
Best Strong Hold: Herbal Essences Body Envy Volumizing Mousse
This mousse is the best choice for those of you looking for a strong hold formula. It’s affordable and does the job very well. This is a weightless but very high volume mousse that’s going to lift even the finest hair. So, if you struggle with hold power throughout the day, this mousse is a good option.
The mousse offers frizz control, so you can feel confident that even on hot or humid days, your hair looks nice and frizz-free. The product has a great nozzle that pumps up just the right amount of product, so there’s less waste. It has a great fruity scent and is infused with passionflower and pearl, which gives a gorgeous shine.
Even though this is a level 4 strong hold mousse, it still leaves hair feeling soft and silky. It doesn’t make hair feel crunchy and sticky like other drugstore mousses.
Pros
- Affordable
- Very strong hold that lasts all-day
- Lightweight
- Offers frizz control
- Smells nice
- Gives hair 50% more volume
- Easy to use and mold for all kind of hairstyles
Cons
- Can make hair feel dry
Best Premium: John Frieda Volume Lift Air Whipped Foam for Lightweight Fullness
One of the biggest challenges of using mousses products is that many of them make hair look crunchy and unnatural. While you want hair to stay in place, you don’t want the strands to be rigid and straw-like. This premium mousse gives natural-looking defined textured to even the flattest of hair.
The formula infuses each strand with polymer technology, which gives a big boost of volume. It makes hair soft to the touch and gives an overall fuller-looking appearance. As well, this formula contains caffeine vitality, which infuses dull looking hair with bounce. Plus, there is no crunchy texture and heavy residue, even though this is a maximum hold product.
This is an alcohol-free product, so you don’t need to worry about damage and dryness. It even offers heat protection so you can use your favorite styling tools on fine, limp hair. It’s no wonder this salon-grade product is such a classic.
Pros
- This air-whipped lightweight mousse is made with air-silk technology for weightless volume
- It has a strong hold and lasts all-day
- Safe to use on color-treated hair
- Very volumizing
- Hair looks thicker at the root
- No sticky residue and crunchy texture
- Polymer technology strengthens hair
Cons
- Can feel a bit slick and oily
Best Spray to Mousse Formula: Big Sexy Hair Root Pump Volumizing Spray Mousse 10
A spray to mousse formula is an easy way to add volume to the roots. This is an ideal type of formula if you don’t like to lather the mousse on with your fingers. With the spray, you can put the product right where you need it then work it into the hair for instant volume.
This formula adds volume without making your fine hair feel heavy and crunchy. It also gives hold and elasticity for styling that lasts all day long. We recommend this mousse if you want extra hold and don’t mind a bit of stiffness. It doesn’t leave hair as elastic as a light hold product.
But if you’re looking to maintain your hairstyle through humidity and rainy weather, this is a great product. The formula contains humidity-resistant ingredients that make hair smoother. It keeps every small curl or wave looking its best, without causing your hair to go flat again.
Pros
- Creates big volume because it pumps up hair straight from the roots
- Has a strong hold level
- Humidity-resistant
- The spray formula is easy to spray directly on the roots
- No need to struggle to lather in any mousse with your hands
- Offers frizz and static control
Cons
- Can cause scalp sensitivity and burn some people
Best Thermal Protection Mousse: Tresemme Thermal Creations Volumising Mousse
The Tresemme Thermal mousse is a great heat-protecting foam that creates sky-high volume. It takes full, limp, flat hair and turns it into a thick, voluminous hair-do in seconds. This type of mousse builds body and protects hair against damage, no matter what heat styling tool you use.
You must spray on a good dose of thermal protecting mousse, especially if you have fine hair, or else you risk damaging your fine strands. Since this is a 2-in-1 mousse, you don’t have to add many heavy products to your hair. This one product volumizes and protects against heat with one pump.
The mousse has a medium-hold. Thus it makes the hair a bit stiff, but at least it will be voluminous all day long. It doesn’t leave any sticky residue, and the mousse itself is lightweight and airy.
Pros
- Doesn’t let the hair go straight halfway through the day; the hair stays wavy
- Very long-lasting
- Medium-hold
- Lightweight formula doesn’t weigh down flat hair
- Offers heat protection
- Affordable
- Gives lots of volume, especially at the roots
Cons
- The hair can feel crispy and crunchy when you use too much
Best Budget-Friendly Mousse: Aussie Mousse, with Bamboo & Kakadu Plum, Headstrong Volume, For Fine Hair
This mousse is a great budget-friendly option that delivers amazing results. The volumizing foam is made with the best Aussie ingredients, including Kakadu plum and bamboo extract. These ingredients offer your hair volume and shine for beautiful, healthy-looking locks.
This is a classic mousse that is easy to use; simply work through damp hair from root to tip. When you blow dry it, the formula is activated, and hair is volumized. It has a delightfully fruity scent and doesn’t smell like chemicals.
This formula also protects your hair from heat and sun damage, so you can wear it even if you head out to the beach. It gives you those classic beach waves that don’t feel crunchy and stiff. Therefore, hair feels smooth and silky for many hours. So, if you want a cheap yet effective styling mousse, the Aussie formula is one of Amazon’s best options.
Pros
- Liquid mousse formula is easy to apply and lather through the hair
- Has a pleasant smell
- Gives lots of volume
- Long-lasting maximum hold
- Budget-friendly
- Protects hair against heat damage
- Contains Kakadu plum and bamboo extract that strengthens and makes hair shine
Cons
- Hair clumps together if you apply too much product
- Contains some harsh chemicals
Best Non-Drying Formula: Got2b Volumaniac Bodifying Hair Mousse
If you’re concerned about using a volumizing mousse because you fear it makes your hair dry and sticky, then this is the product for you. The Got2b mousse is specifically formulated to infuse hair with body without drying it out. Best of all, it also doesn’t make your strands feel crunchy and sticky.
The formula is paraben and sulfate-free and suitable for color-treated hair. So, women with all kinds of hair types can use this product worry-free. The hold level is a medium-strength, so it lasts all day long.
Customers rave about this product because it delivers dramatic volume even on very thin hair. Apply the mousse all over your wet hair and blow-dry for instant volume and bounce. If you have waves or curls, this mousse defines them, so they appear more textured and vibrant.
Pros
- Doesn’t dry out your hair
- There is no sticky residue
- Affordable
- Suitable for colored hair
- Extreme volume
- Medium-hold
- Great at keeping flyaways in place
Cons
- Makes hair hard to comb through the next day
How to Choose the Best Mousse for Fine Hair
What To Look For
There are several factors to think about when you choose a mousse product. First, what do you want your hair to look like? Does it need volume? Do you want shine? Or perhaps both are desirable.
Usually, most women want their fine hair to look voluminous and fuller.
Here is what else you should look into:
Volumizing-effect: For the best results, look for a volumizing mousse that makes hair appear fuller. When you have fine hair, this effect should be the first priority when choosing the product.
Ingredients: Try to pick a mousse with clean or natural ingredients that aren’t going to weigh your flat hair down even more. Also, a clean formula is less likely to damage fine hair or cause hair loss. Look out for vegan, gluten-free, and sulfate-free mousses. Also, check to see how many harsh chemicals are in the product and skip it if there are many.
Bounce and Shine Factor: Volumizing mousses tend to give hair a beautiful bounce that makes it look thicker and more voluminous. Also, most mousses make hair shiny, which in turn makes it look healthier.Look for a product that offers bounce, body, volume, and shine.
Heat Protection: A good mousse formula should contain protective ingredients. These are meant to offer UV protection and prevent sun damage. As well, they should give heat protection while you style your hair. If you’re using a curling wand, straightener, or other heated stylers, this is a must! Otherwise, fine hair is going to get even thinner and dryer as a result of heat damage.
Why is mousse better?
A mousse is generally easier to use than a foam or spray product. You can apply it all over the hair from root to tip. Since the formula is very lightweight, it blends into the hair’s texture easily.
As opposed to a hair spray, it’s better to use a mousse to style and add texture to your hair if you have fine and thin hair. When your hair already tends to look flat and limp, you need lightweight formulas that don’t add any extra weight.
Most mousse formulas actually contain many of the same ingredients as hairsprays, so that’s why the volume lasts. Some of the ingredients include polymers, oils, and soothing agents. In a hairspray, the coating agents and polymers create a film-like layer on the hair shaft and glue them together. A mousse, on the other hand, doesn’t glue strands together, instead, it makes each shaft a little bit stiff. As the film coating dries down, the hairs push out against each other. Hence the appearance of voluminous hair.
Conclusion
Just because you have fine hair, it doesn’t mean you have to let it sit flat. It’s easy to make hair look more voluminous and bouncy if you use a lightweight mousse. With all the great volumizing mousses out there, a bouncy and voluminous hair day is only a few pumps away.