Best styling mousse for curly hair: Give tired curls a boost

Think of hair mousse and you might think of 80s big hair, backcombed fringes and scrunchy curls with a crunchy finish. Mousses are making a bit of a comeback for 2025, however, in new modern formulas with conditioning ingredients for a softer hold with less crunch.  

A good, modern mousse can be the perfect styling product to add definition and bounce to naturally curly hair if you’re wearing it in its natural pattern. If you’re wearing your hair in braids, mousse is an excellent product for refreshing braids and keeping cornrows in place without adding too much weight or stickiness. It’s also great for bringing out the shape of a permanent wave, for lifting tired curls, and for smoothing down flyaways.

Mousse is a versatile styling product – you can use it on towel-dried hair before blowdrying or airdrying to lift the roots or pep up curls at the ends of your lengths; and you can use it on dry or slightly damp hair between washes. It adds gentle hold on its own or can also be layered with gel for extra support, or with conditioning cream or oil for more softness.

Below, we offer guidance on how to choose the best mousse for your hair type, texture and style. Over the jump you’ll find our pick of the best styling mousses currently available for every budget.

Best styling mousse for curly hair: At a glance

How to choose the best styling mousse for your curly hair

What is styling mousse?

First introduced in the 1980s and somewhat synonymous with that decade’s looks, styling mousse is an aerated foam containing ingredients that define and add hold to hair. A mousse is lighter in weight than either gel or styling cream, and is particularly good for defining and adding bounce and movement to curls without weighing down the ends. Since it’s lighter than other styling products, mousse is a superb option for refreshing curls and adding definition in between washes – useful if your curly hair doesn’t like to be washed every day.

Earlier versions of mousse tended to be heavier and stickier compared to today’s formulations, often resulting in a stiff or crunchy finish. Modern mousses contain moisturising ingredients such as coconut, avocado or argan oils or shea butter to condition the hair and achieve a softer finish without stiffness. Look for moisturising mousses with defrizzing benefits for gentle hold and volume that won’t leave your hair crackling.

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How should I use my styling mousse?

Mousse is a super-versatile product. If you’re looking to smooth frizz and define curls, start with freshly washed, towel-dried hair. Take a pump of mousse (the size of a golf ball is a good guide) and apply through the hair from roots to ends. Unlike a serum or curl cream, which is usually applied from midway to the ends of the hair, you can spread mousse evenly from the roots downwards so you can lift and add volume throughout the hair. If you have very long or thick hair, you may want to tip your head forwards to get your mousse into the roots at the back of the scalp.

Comb through the mousse with a wide-toothed comb or your fingers, gently separating your curls as you go; then lightly scrunch the lengths and ends for a bouncy finish. You can let your moussed curls air-dry, or use a diffuser attachment on your hairdryer with a low heat setting.

If you’re wearing your hair in cornrows or box braids, smoothing over a little mousse can help hold the braids in place, reduce frizz, and prevent flyaways and loose ends from escaping. Apply a handful of mousse after braiding, and refresh as you need to while wearing your braids.

For a firmer hold, mousse can be layered with gel. Once you’ve finished scrunching the hair with mousse, rub a small amount of gel between the palms of your hands and smooth over the hair, focusing on any areas that need more definition such as baby hairs or flyaways. To soften the finished look and remove any gel cast, rub a pump of conditioning styling oil or curl cream between the hands and lightly rub over the ends of the hair once dried, giving a final scrunch for added bounce.

Can I use styling mousse with the Curly Girl method?

If you’re using the Curly Girl method to care for your natural curls, you can use a sulphate-free mousse to style curls after washing. In fact, if you’ve reduced the frequency of hair washes to avoid stripping natural hydration from your hair, mousse can be an excellent way to refresh and revive curls in between wash days, since it helps to separate curls and reduce frizz, as well as pepping up the bounce in natural curls.

To use mousse as a refresher between wash days, simply dampen the hair slightly with a mister or a handful of water, then rake through with the fingers and scrunch as above. All the mousses we’ve listed below are sulphate-free and suitable for the CG method of haircare.

How we test hair mousse

At Expert Reviews, we know that the best way to test a product is to use it ourselves. We test all the hair mousses we review by using the product as directed – our tester’s hair is mid-length with a natural Type 3 curl. We note the effects of the product on curl separation and bounce, and on ease of styling after use. Where possible, we also test on a second hair type.

As well as evaluating the effects of the hair mousse on styling, we also consider how the product feels in use on the hands and in the hair, and whether it creates any stickiness after application or crunch after drying. We examine the quantity of product required for a single application, how easy the product is to use; and the scent and overall pleasantness of the product. We then wear the hair style for a typical day and note how long the hold and frizz-reducing effects of the product last.

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Best styling mousse for curly hair in 2025

1. Moroccanoil Curl Control Mousse: Best styling mousse for dry curly hair

Price when reviewed: £21 | Check price at Look Fantastic

Curly hair can tend toward dryness; the spiral shape of each hair opens the cuticle, which can lead to dehydration and frizz. A conditioning curling mousse can be a great solution: the mousse will help to hydrate the hair and seal the cuticle for a shiny finish. Moroccanoil’s Curl Control Mousse uses its signature argan oil formula to deeply moisturise the hair; it’s a lightweight styling mousse that added body and bounce to my hair during testing without extra weight or crunch.

The pleasant-smelling mousse held my hair in place well without stickiness. It was particularly good when air-drying, which is my preferred way to dry my hair and is good if you’re healing damaged or dehydrated hair. The sulphate-free formula smoothed and defined my curls while adding a good amount of volume when scrunched in from the roots. Optionally pair with Moroccanoil’s curl cream or styling oil for a super-soft finish.

Key details – Pack size: 150ml; Sulphate-free?: Yes

2. Curlsmith Invincible Volume Mousse: Best styling mousse for adding volume

Price when reviewed: £24 | Check price at Look Fantastic

Launched in 2024 as part of the Volume range, Invincible Volume Foam is one of the newer products from curly hair specialists Curlsmith. The mousse is sulfate- and alcohol-free so it doesn’t dry out delicate curls, and it contains olive and linden seed extracts to nourish and plump up the hair.

Squirt a golf-ball sized amount of the mousse into the centre of your hand to use. It starts out as a gel but quickly puffs up into an airy mousse after leaving the bottle. Rub evenly through damp hair and scrunch; I found a little went a very long way and the mousse gave my hair quite a firm hold on its own. You might want to break up styled curls with a little oil or curl cream for a softer finish. I found Invincible Volume mousse works especially well with a diffuser dryer on a gentle heat setting, but it also lifted and defined my curls when air-dried – and effects lasted well into the next day.

 Key details – Pack size: 200ml; Sulphate-free?: Yes

3. Kérastase Styling Mousse Bouffant: Best styling mousse for fine curly hair

Price: £35 | Check price at Look Fantastic

If you’re after a really voluminous look, Kérastase’s Mousse Bouffant offers the boost you’re after with its firm hold to lift roots and maximise curls. The light foam is also formulated with thermal protecting polymers and plumping hydrators to thicken each strand of hair for a bouffant look.

The fibre-building formula means Mousse Bouffant is a little stickier than some of the other mousses on our list when air-drying; the mousse seems to work best when hair is rough-dried gently, with the mouse scrunched in with a diffuser. Applied this way, Mousse Bouffant gives a flexible firm hold and lots of fluffy volume. A good option for finer hair, or if you want to create a modern take on classic 80s big hair.

Key details – Pack size: 150ml; Sulphate-free?: Yes

4. Pureology Weightless Volume Mousse: Best styling mousse for long curly hair

Price: £24 | Check price at Look Fantastic

Long curly hair needs a lightweight mousse that won’t pull the curl pattern out of shape. This hydrating and volumising mousse from Pureology is an excellent choice for lengthier curly hair – the vegan formula includes conditioning sunflower seed oil and vitamin E to nourish and strengthen the dryer ends of long hair, along with heat-protective Xylose.

The mousse really does feel weightless in my hair, and smells gorgeous – it has a light, floral scent. UV- and heat protecting ingredients mean this is a great product to use with a diffuser dryer (ideal if you don’t have time to air-dry longer hair in the mornings), and it left my locks feeling silky soft and full of bounce.

Key details – Pack size: 290ml; Sulphate-free?: Yes

5. Umberto Giannini Curl Foam: Best hair mousse for reducing frizz

Price when reviewed: £9 | Check price at Look Fantastic

If your curly hair tends to frizz – a particular bugbear for dryer curly hair, especially in humid weather – try this lightweight mousse from hairdresser Umberto Giannini. It contains vitamin B and wheat proteins to smooth frizz and flyaways while adding definition to curly styles.

Like all Umberto Giannini products, Curl Foam is vegan and cruelty-free, and can be used with a diffuser or for plopping and air-drying. The moisturising formula left my hair feeling beautifully soft, with a medium hold that defines but allows for plenty of movement. For extra hold and definition, you can scrunch in a light dollop of the curl jelly from the same range.

Key details – Pack size: 200ml; Sulphate-free?: Yes

6. Only Curls Volumising Curly Mousse: Best mousse for thick curly hair

Price when reviewed: £18 | Check price at Only Curls

Thick hair needs a little extra definition, and this nourishing and non-sticky mousse from Only Curls soothes frizz and adds flexible hold to even thicker, coarser and heavier curly hair. While the product name suggests volume, the Only Curls mousse works really well on thicker hair to smooth, define and reduce frizz without adding stickiness or crunch. With curl-strengthening Pro-Vitamin B5 and rice protein it’s great at holding thick curls in place.

Use a decent blob of mousse on wash day to air-dry or plop, or on damp hair to refresh curls the day after; I loved the delicious peppy-uppy citrus fragrance. A very good choice for those whose thicker curls refuse to be tamed by lighter formulas.

Key details – Pack size: 200ml; Sulphate-free?: Yes

7. Cantu Shea Butter Wave Whip Curling Mousse: Best styling mousse for afro-textured hair

Price: £7.50 | Check price at Boots

We love Cantu’s products for natural coily and afro-textured hair, and this richly moisturising styling mousse with castor oil and shea butter smells delicious and adds shine and hold to textured hair all day long. Cantu’s mousse is free from sulphates, parabens and silicone, so ideal if you’re following the Curly Girl haircare method. It’s ideal for Type 4 hair, but also a great option if – like mine – your Type 3 curls are on the dry side and need a little extra moisture.

The smoothing formula reduces frizz and, during my testing, it gently defined my curls with a beautifully soft finish and no crispiness. For added shine, add a spritz of the Coconut Oil Shine & Hold Mist from the same range after scrunching.

Key details – Pack size: 248ml; Sulphate-free?: Yes

8. Oribe Curl Shaping Mousse: Best luxury styling mousse for curly hair

Price: £41 | Check price at Cult Beauty

This rich, curl-defining mousse from the iconic Oribe brand is a great way to treat yourself to a really luxurious scrunch. Sunflower seed and sweet almond oils nourish the hair and add shine, while amaranth and wheat proteins strengthen and thicken each strand. The hydrating mousse adds plenty of bounce and reduces frizz by sealing in moisture.

Oribe’s styling mousse isn’t cheap, but a little goes a very long way; rake a little through towel-dried hair, scrunch and leave to air-dry. The weightless mousse does the rest, creating shiny, natural-looking curls that last all day.

Key details – Pack size: 175ml; Sulphate-free?: Yes

9. John Frieda Frizz Ease Dream Curls Curl Reviving Mousse: Best value mousse for curly hair

Price: £8.45 | Check price at Boots

Part of the Frizz Ease range that’s been a godsend to curly hair since its launch in 1990, John Frieda’s Dream Curls mousse is one of the best all-round styling mousses for curly hair – and at under £10 for 200ml, it’s also an absolute bargain. The frizz-fighting formula contains smoothing silicone and rosehip oil; it tamed and defined my curls, with a flexible finish and plenty of bounce.

The vegan-friendly mousse also protects hair when heat-styling, so it’s ideal for use with a diffuser. Scrunch in a handful and curls will stay in place from dawn to dusk.

Dream Curls Curl Reviving Mousse is also lightweight and non-sticky, perfect for use in between wash days for pepping up drooping curls.

Key details – Pack size: 200ml; Sulphate-free?: Yes

Written By

Lise Smith

Lise is a freelance writer specialising in beauty and lifestyle – spanning skincare, haircare, makeup, and home tech. With bylines across online and print titles since 2007, Lise has also covered parenting and the performing arts, and was Youth Zone Editor at londondance.com from 2014-15. A former dancer who knows more than most about the ins and outs of fake tan and firm-hold hairspray, Lise began her career in digital publishing with contributions to MacFormat, Den of Geek, PC Pro and Associated Northcliffe Digital’s localpeople.co.uk. Since 2018, she has been working with Expert Reviews, combining her love of hair and  beauty with a hard-earned understanding of what works – and what doesn’t.

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