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The 15 Best Volumizing Mousses that Give Life to Limp Hair

 

Volumizing hair mousse really doesn’t get enough credit for just how valuable it can be. Sure, the formulas of the ‘80s were crunchy and stiff, but nowadays, improved formulas add unmatched body, shine, and hold—without the downfalls of the mousse products we knew decades ago.

“Mousse is actually one of my favorite ways to create volume and hold within a hairstyle,” says John Pulitano of Headcase Hair in Sydney, Australia. “Given it’s a quality formula and the product is distributed evenly, I think it’s one of the most effective and versatile styling products out there.” 

We researched and rounded up several suggestions from stylists and tried a handful of these products ourselves, taking into account each product’s texture and feel, ingredient list, and overall performance, to give you the gravity-defying volume you’ve been dreaming of.

Ahead, find the best volumizing mousses for every hair type.

Best Overall
Kérastase Densifique Leave-In Thickening Mousse

What We Like

• Lightweight, non-sticky
• Suitable for all hair types
• Boosts shine

What We Don't Like

• Heavily fragranced

This universally-appealing mousse is suitable for all hair types, making it an excellent choice if you're a hair mousse newbie. It's formulated with hydrating ingredients, like hyaluronic acid, ceramides, as well as gluco-peptide to help reduce hair breakage. It gives the hair a thicker, more full appearance without creating a sticky or crunchy result. Many reviewers with fine hair who say that they struggle to find mousse products that don't weigh down their hair have noted that the lightweight texture and soft finish of this one works wonders for adding volume without weighing down roots. Though it's a pretty pricey option, the versatility and positive results help to justify the cost.

Key Ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, ceramides, gluco-peptide | Hair Type: All | Size: 5 fluid ounces | Cruelty-Free: No | Byrdie Clean: No

Best Budget
John Frieda Volume Lift Air Whipped Foam

What We Like

• Great price
• Lightweight feel

What We Don't Like

• May not be ideal for thicker hair

Ideal for fine hair, this affordable buy creates volume and fullness via polymer technology. There’s also caffeine to help invigorate the scalp,1 while panthenol (vitamin B5) hydrates and soothes. Note that while it's excellent for fine hair, those with thicker more dense hair might not find that it provides enough hold.

Key Ingredients: Vp/methacrylamide/vinyl imidazole copolymer, panthenol | Hair Type: Balanced to fine | Dosage: Palm-full | Size: 7.5 fluid ounces | Cruelty-Free: No | Byrdie Clean: No

Best Drugstore
Dove Style + Care Curls Defining Mousse

What We Like

• Great price
• Lightweight feel

What We Don't Like

• Contains hydrofluorocarbons

If you want to add lift and definition to your curls without spending a lot of money, this Dove mousse is pretty hard to beat. It contains dimethicone to smooth and shape the hair,2 while the lightweight texture doesn’t feel tacky, heavy, or stiff. It does outline that it’s best for curls; we also think this formula would be great for heavy, thick, or coarse hair types.

Key Ingredients: Dimethicone, DMDM hydantoin | Hair Type: Curly, thick | Size: 7 fluid ounces | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byrdie Clean: No

Best Dual-Purpose 
Vegamour GRO Hair Foam for Thinning Hair

What We Like

• Suitable for all hair types
• Reduces signs of hair shedding
• Increases hair fullness

What We Don't Like

• You get very little product for the cost

Multi-purpose products add such value to your beauty routine, and this hair mousse that doubles as a hair growth treatment is a fantastic example. It provides the benefits of a great hair mousse—volume, lift, and texture—while also containing proprietary ingredients that penetrate the scalp to support fuller-looking hair. It's been clinically proven to show visible results in as soon as three months, making it a fantastic option if you use mousse consistently and you're hoping to increase your hair density, too.

Key Ingredients: Turmeric, N. benthamiana, red clover | Hair Type: All | Size: 1.1 fluid ounces | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byrdie Clean: Yes

Best for Curls
SheaMoisture Coconut & Hibiscus Frizz-Free Curl Mousse

What We Like

• Lightweight feel
• Soft finish
• Natural scent

What We Don't Like

• Contains alcohol

This clean formula, infused with silk protein and keratin, delivers curl-enhancing volume with botanical extracts designed to activate your curl's natural curl memory and wave pattern. We love the high-shine, soft finish that leaves curls bouncy without any sticky residue or crunching. It's also great for helping to tame frizz.

Key Ingredients: Deionized water, silk protein, keratin | Hair Type: Curly, wavy, coils, thick | Size: 7.5 fluid ounces | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byrdie Clean: Yes

Best for Curls, Runner-Up
TGIN Rose Water Curl Defining Mousse

What We Like

• Alcohol-free
• Natural floral scent
• Provides soft, natural hold for curls

What We Don't Like

• Could be more volumizing

This nourishing mousse is packed with moisture-rich rose water, plus botanicals including lavender, ginger, acai, and marula to care for curls while creating soft, subtle volume. There’s also polymer technology to shape and define curls and waves. If you're looking for a mousse that won't create stiffness or totally lock curls into place but rather keep them lightly defined, this is the one for you.

Key Ingredients: Rose water, acai extract, ginger root, lavender, maltodextrin/VA-copolymer | Hair Type: Balanced to curly or coiled | Size: 8 fluid ounces | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byrdie Clean: No

Best for Fine Hair
Living Proof Full Thickening Mousse

What We Like

• Lightweight feel
• Has heat protection
• Thickens

What We Don't Like

• Not overly volumizing

Those with fine hair will know that creating volume is a difficult balance—if you add too much product, you’ll simply end up with hair that is limp, greasy, and completely weighed down. Thankfully, this mousse from Living Proof gets it right. The secret is a patented thickening molecule that builds on existing hair, giving the illusion of serious volume. It’s also quite light, so there’s no tack or stiffness.

Key Ingredients: Vp/methacrylamide/vinyl imidazole copolymer, panthenol, acacia senegal gum | Hair Type: Fine, thin, or balanced | Dosage: Egg-sized amount | Size: 2 fluid ounces, 5 fluid ounces | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byrdie Clean: No

Best for Wavy Hair
Amika Plus Size Perfect Body Mousse

What We Like

• Holds up in humidity
• Boosts shine

What We Don't Like

• Strong scent

This airy, whipped option is amazing when it comes to creating soft, beachy waves. It provides a flexible hold, and it's formulated with shaping polymers and sea buckthorn for nourishment, leaving your hair soft, tousled, and defined. Pair it with a sea salt spray for a more undone finish.

Key Ingredients: AMP-acrylates/allyl methacrylate copolymer, PEG-40 hydrogenated castor oil, sea buckthorn extract | Hair Type: All | Dosage: Golf-ball-sized amount | Size: 8.5 fluid ounces | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byrdie Clean: No

Best for Dry Hair
R+Co Aircraft Pomade Mousse

What We Like

• Great scent
• Hydrating and strengthening formula

What We Don't Like

• Pricey compared to similar options

Pulitano loves this mousse for clients with fine, brittle, or dry hair, thanks to the inclusion of papaya, protein, and neem oil. “Mousse can be drying due to the alcohol content, but Aircraft is surprisingly soft and nourishing. I love smoothing it through the hair before a bouncy blow dry for long-lasting results.” The addition of corn starch prevents grease around the roots, too.3

Key Ingredients: Corn starch, synthetic beeswax, papaya fruit extract, neem oil | Hair Type: Balanced, dry, and colored | Size: 5.6 fluid ounces | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byrdie Clean: No

Best Splurge
Leonor Greyl Au Lotus Volumizing Mousse

What We Like

• Alcohol-free
• Adds volume and softness
• Boosts shine

What We Don't Like

• Nothing

Formulated without alcohol, this lush French buy is all of our luxury beauty dreams realized. It’s airy and light, so it works on thin, frizzy, or mature hair (there’s no stiffness whatsoever). The addition of castor seed and jojoba oils recondition the hair, too. While it’s got a hefty price tag, we promise you it’s a great formula and an excellent choice if you're looking for an alcohol-free product.

Key Ingredients: Polyquaternium 4/Hydroxypropyl Starch Copolymer, PEG-40 hydrogenated castor oil, buxus chinensis seed oil | Hair Type: Thin, mature, dry or colored | Size: 5.1 fluid ounces | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byrdie Clean: No

Best for Colored Hair
Oribe Grandiose Hair Plumping Mousse

What We Like

• Great scent
• Works well for all hair types
• Has heat protection

What We Don't Like

• Can leave a bit of a film in the hair

“This mousse is hard to beat,” says Pulitano. “It coats each hair fiber, leaving it shiny, full, and manageable—not to mention beautifully bouncy.” This soft, velvety, and color-safe formula is amazing for building structure within the hair, ensuring excellent hold and a long-lasting finish. Also, it’s got that signature expensive Oribe scent (need we say more).

Key Ingredients: VP/VA Copolymer, panthenol, amber resin extract | Hair Type: All | Size: 5.7 fluid ounces | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byrdie Clean: No

Best for Frizz
IGK Big Time Volumizing Mousse

What We Like

• Smooths frizz
• Protects against heat damage
• Adds volume

What We Don't Like

• Leaves hair with a bit of a gritty texture

If you're looking for a mousse to use before you blow dry your hair in order to provide volume and smooth frizz, we recommend this one. After applying it on towel-dried hair and giving yourself a blowout, it works to add volume, control frizz, and flyaways, and act as a heat protectant. It also helps to preserve the longevity of your hairstyle, and we love that it's suitable for a wide range of hair types.

Key Ingredients: Glycerin, sunflower seed extract | Hair Type: Frizzy | Size: 6.2 fluid ounces | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byrdie Clean: No

Best for Shine
Virtue Volumizing Mousse

What We Like

• Strengthening formula
• Boosts shine
• Adds volume

What We Don't Like

• Nothing

Virtue always exceeds our expectations, and this volumizing mousse is no different. It’s packed with keratin, proteins, panthenol, and polymers and will help nourish, strengthen, and build body, all while creating a healthy-looking, ultra-shiny finish. The keratin component is actually designed to replenish keratin bonds within the hair, repairing damage and preventing breakage.4

Key Ingredients: VP/VA copolymer, acrylates copolymer, keratin, hydrolyzed soy protein, wheat amino acids, panthenol | Hair Type: All | Size: 5.1 fluid ounces | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byrdie Clean: No

Best for Definition 
The Doux Mousse Def Texture Foam

What We Like

• Excellent hold and lift
• Defines curls
• Lightweight foam
• Adds shine

What We Don't Like

• Some reviewers note it can dry out your ends

This lightweight foam mousse contains natural moisturizers and silk proteins to tamp frizz, lock in moisture and strengthen hair, leaving hair soft and shiny. Reviewers note the formula sculpts and creates definition nicely without leaving any flakes behind. Reviewers also note that the product can be drying, especially on the ends, so you might need to condition a bit deeper or finish off with a lightweight hair oil.

Key Ingredients: Panthenol, silk amino acids, | Hair Type: All | Size: 7 fluid ounces | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byrdie Clean: No

Best for Bounce
Mielle Organics Pomegranate and Honey Curl Defining Mousse

What We Like

• Reduces frizz
• Adds shine

What We Don't Like

• Some reviewers note a sticky feel

This lightweight lifting mousse adds spring to curls. Reviewers note how well it works to make coils pop and that it has amazing holding power. A botanical blend of fruit extracts helps provide humectant hydration while keeping frizz at bay, although some reviewers note it gave their hair a slightly sticky feeling.

Key Ingredients: PVP, silk amino acids, panthenol | Hair Type: All | Size: 7.5 fluid ounces | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byrdie Clean: Yes

Final Verdict

Our best overall pick is the Kérastase Densifique Leave-In Thickening Mousse. It's lightweight and non-sticky, it's suitable for all hair types, and it adds serious shine in addition to volume. But if you're looking for a more budget-friendly option, we recommend the Dove Beauty Style + Care Curls Defining Mousse.

MEET THE EXPERT

John Pulitano is a professional hairstylist and the co-owner and creative director of Headcase Hair, a salon in Sydney, Australia.

Shelly Aguirre is a hairstylist at Maxine Salon in Chicago. She specializes in cutting, blowouts, extensions, and keratin treatments.

 

What to Look For When Buying a Hair Mousse

Bodifying Ingredients

When it comes to hair that lacks body, look for products that contain ingredients to thicken and plump up the hair shaft. “Polymers, collagen, hyaluronic acid, and even bamboo will lift and fatten fine hair,” says Pulitano. Additionally, look for silk amino acids and panthenol help to strengthen hair, add body, and protect from some of the drying effects of some mousse formulas.5

Texture

The texture of your volumizing mousse is also important, explains Pulitano: “I favor products with an airy, silky texture as they’re easier to work with and don’t leave a tacky residue.”

Pulitano adds that while it does differ between brands and formulations, a thicker mousse often dictates a stronger hold, whereas a thinner formula will likely provide a light hold. If you're looking for something with a super light texture, try the Living Proof Full Thickening Mousse.

FAQ

Does volumizing mousse work?

According to hairstylist Shelly Aguirre of Maxine Salon, yes, volumizing mousses are an effective way to add volume to fine, limp hair textures. Just be sure not to over apply the product as this could lead to weighed down hair.

How do you apply mousse for volume?

When applying a volumizing mousse, Aguirre recommends beginning with a golf ball size of the product, emulsifying it in your hands before applying it to damp (not too wet) hair. “Use your fingers to spread the product all over the hair strands,” she says. “You can always add more, but too much is not good, so always err on the side of caution.” From there, you can either let your hair air dry or brush the hair upwards while blow-drying to add extra lift at the roots.

Why Trust Byrdie

For the purpose of this roundup, we’ve tested and tried some of the leading volumizing mousse formulas on the market. We also spoke with trusted hairstylists for expert tips and recommendations. Finally, Byrdie contributor Emily Algar (the writer) is the owner of very fine, soft hair, so she knows a quality volume-boosting product when she sees it.