10 Best Mousses for Crunch- and Frizz-Free Curls
These styling stars give curly hair fullness and definition.
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Hair mousse may be most well-known for its volumizing benefits, but it's also a star curl styler. Mousses for curly hair increase fullness by creating space between strands with their aerated foam formulas, enhance the shape of spirals with plumping ingredients like polymers, and can provide conditioning benefits via boosters like silicones and botanical oils. And experts agree that mousse is one of the best products for naturally curly hair, to enhance the bounce and shape of fine or thin curls, or to help hold curls in straight hair.
If you have fine or thin curls, live in an environment where your curls tend to go limp, or like the combination of a volume boost, shaping, and softening properties, curl mousses may be for you. Meanwhile, curl gels typically offer stronger definition and hold with less volume and conditioning and curl creams usually provide more hydration with less hold and fullness.
The Good Housekeeping Institute Beauty Lab tests hair mousses both on consumer testers and in the Lab using technical protocols. Testers evaluate the mousses at home for their ease of use and performance, and in the Lab, scientists test them on human hair samples, with half a head styled with no product and the other half with the hair mousse to gauge its effects.
Lush, bouncy curls are right this way with the best mousses for curly hair of 2020 according to Good Housekeeping Institute Beauty Lab experts and shoppers, including curly girl-approved drugstore picks, non-crunchy formulas, curling mousses for fine hair, and more:
Pros
- Helps keep curls well-shaped
- Not crunchy or stiff
- Soft cream texture
- Helps block humidity to keep hair smooth
A winner of the GH Beauty Lab's hair mousse test, Biolage’s whipped mousse was a tester favorite for curls, thanks to its creamy texture and humidity-blocking effects. “My curls lasted longer after styling with this mousse,” a fan reported. Even better, “there was no real crunchiness or stiffness,” another said.
Pros
- Bargain-priced
- Lightweight formula
- Lifts and defines curls
You'd be hard-pressed to get a better deal on a curl mousse than this formula from Herbal Essences, priced at less than $3. And it's not just affordable; consumers report that it really works for uplifting and defining curls. "Best mousse ever," a Walmart reviewer noted. "I have natural curly hair and this mousse is perfect — it gently lifts and separates my curls, but doesn't leave my hair feeling oily or heavy."
Pros
- Cream/foam formula hydrates hair
- Non-crunchy hold
- 4,400+ reviews
Cons
- Might not offer enough hold or control for thick or super curly styles
At an affordable price point, reviewers are obsessed with this hydrating mousse that's part cream, part foam for hydrated spirals that are totally crunch-free. Over 4,400 reviewers love the shea butter and coconut oil formula, saying "this is holding my curls softly but with control," and "the mousse is very creamy and the residue on my hands was not sticky."
Pros
- Softening and conditoning formula
- Helps shape curls
- Works for blowouts
Created by hairstylist Kim Kimble, known for styling some of the most famous celebrity curls, this whipped mousse is more than just a curl shaper. The formula is enhanced with nourishing ingredients like aloe, hydrolyzed silk, and argan oil to deliver conditioning and softening effects at the same time.
Not Your Mother's Blue Sea Kale & Pure Coconut Water Sea Minerals Weightless Mousse
Not Your Mother's Blue Sea Kale & Pure Coconut Water Sea Minerals Weightless Mousse
Pros
- Works on all hair textures
- Lightweight formula
- Soft hold
Cons
- May not provide enough hold for thick or tight curls
A GH Beauty Award winner, this airy, feather-light Not Your Mother’s texturizing mousse made with coconut water helps enhance hair’s natural shape and bend. “I’m not a regular mousse user, but this converted me,” a tester revealed. “My hair felt bouncy and fuller, and there was zero sticky or stiff residue.”
Pros
- Volumizes fine or limp hair
- Defines and holds curl shape
In the GH Beauty Lab’s hair mousses test, this Joico foam scored high for boosting volume, key for fine or limp curls. “It helped accentuate my curls and added volume to my hair, and holds the curls well,” a tester reported.
Pros
- Defines curls and coils
- Can be used on wet or dry hair
This specialized quick-drying curl mousse from Kinky-Curly was created to be used as a prep step before twisting or rolling curls. "One of the few products that gives coily hair definition and also useful for just twirling the hair around the index finger to get curls," an Amazon reviewer noted.
Pros
- Maximum hold to set curls
- Non-drying
For serious curl staying power, look no further than this strong-hold Pantene foam. "I use this as part of my curly styling routine, and it’s been my favorite mousse I’ve tried!” an Amazon reviewer said. “It is not drying to my hair, but it provides good hold and is also good for touch-ups after my hair has dried."
Pros
- Refreshes curls
- Can be used on dry hair
- Non-sticky
This unique mousse for curly hair from Mixed Chicks was formulated to be used on dry hair to revive second (or third or fourth) day curls. "Literal life saver — this product is so amazing!" an Ulta reviewer raved. "It quickly recurled all my flat 2-4 day old curls and didn't leave them sticky or crunchy."
Pros
- Luxury ingredients and fragrance
- Adds fullness
- Shapes and holds curls
Cons
- Pricey
Treat your curls to this decadent Oribe mousse, infused with vitamins, protein, and botanicals like sweet almond oil and sunflower extract. "I don't mind paying the price because it keeps my ringlets perfect in all weather," an Amazon reviewer reported. Another agreed: "This is the best hair product for curly hair that I've ever used — it's light but gives my hair body and holds curls for several days."
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