Mousse or Gel for Thin Hair? [When to Use Mousse & When to Use Gel]
With all the improvements in the beauty products, you would think you would not need to worry about those pesky flyaways and frizz.
We mean between your thin and fine hair clumping down and staying limp all through the day, a few (or not few) hair strands that won’t tame seems totally fine, right?
But what if you don’t have to choose?
What if we told you that there are hair products that would help you define your curls and keep them straight but it doesn’t have to come at the cost of your hair looking fraught and that you can even pump some volume while you are at it?
Doesn’t that sound magical?
Here we are with our favorite hair care products to keep your hair in place and tamed, specifically designed for thin and fine hair. What are you waiting for, read on!
Mousse or Gel for Thin Hair – Which is Better?
When you think of hair care products that are specifically made to keep your hair in place and well defined, two products play a big role – mousse and gel.
Gel products usually come in a tube or tub and the mousses come as a foam from an aerosol spray can.
As a piece of general advice, the gel does well for thick hair due to the thick consistency and heavy oils in them and mousse works better on thinner hair as they are usually volumizing and breezy.
Gels tend to weigh the thin and fine hair down as they are heavy due to the oil present in them. We don’t want to do that, do we?
This is the main reason that thin-haired curlies prefer mousses to gel is that they are comparatively lightweight and airy, and do not have many heavy oils in them.
On the other hand, seldom do our hair and products follow these rules right?
In all practicality, we are here with our favorite mousses and gels that work for thin hair. Now you don’t have to choose between these products, because when chosen well, both gel and mousse products work well for thin and fine hair.
When to use Mousse for Thin Hair?
Mousse products have come a long way from the 80’s big hair pizzazz. With the ability to make our hair look voluminous and filled with air, without making it look all crunchy, mousse has definitely come back with a bang, especially for thinner hair.
Using a mousse can be perfect if you are looking to perk up your hair when it looks limp and flat, but you don’t have time to wash it immediately. They add a bit of life and volume to it.
Anyone with fine hair would know the struggle of styling the hair everyday morning, only for them to fall flat and limp by mid-day. But that is where a mousse comes in.
A mousse for thin and fine hair will help to hold your hair in place with an extra bounce and shine. They keep your hair looking fresh even after a few days of washing.
Top 3 Mousses for Thin Hair
No reason to stay away from mousses, especially if you have thin hair. Here are our top 3 contenders for the best mousse for thin and fine hair.
1. Moroccanoil Curl Control Mousse
Enriched with argan oil, this Curl Control Mousse from our favorite brand Moroccanoil, is perfectly tight, yet has thin curls.
The argan oil locks in the moisture in the hair shaft, keeping the hair hydrated and nourished.
Even if you have to brave hot temperatures and high humidity, this lightweight mousse does its work without fail.
This Curl Control Mousse is well known for its volumizing effect that stays put throughout the day.
The product is light, airy, and doesn’t feel greasy, even when you apply. The fragrance reminds us of summer beach and is not heavy at all. The best part is – no more crunchy, caked-up curls.
For best results use a generous amount of gel on towel-dried hair. You can flip your hair upside down, and apply from just above the roots. Let it air dry or use heat, for shapely, defined, and sculpted curls.
2. Got2B Fat-tastic Thickening Plumping Hair Mousse
Does your hair lack bounce and volume? Hate the way gel and wax feel on your hair? Miss the natural softness and life in your hair?
Got2B Fat-tastic Thickening Plumping Hair Mousse from the salon’s favorite brand Schwarzkopf is the answer to all your questions.
This product is infused with collagen that can make your hair thicker, denser almost instantaneously.
It also provides the life and bounce that are lacking, a common problem with thin and fine hair.
This setting product works for both straight and curly hair, to define the natural or not so natural curls and waves all through the day. The most talked-about feature is the volume it adds to the root.
Well recommended by salons and hairstylists alike, this product beats expensive ones hands down and even tames that random static clings. If you are a fan of blow-dry, this product would be your best friend on the first try.
3. L’Oreal Paris Hair Care Advanced Hairstyle Boost It Volume Inject Mousse
Boost It Volume Inject Mousse from the L’Oreal Paris Hair Care Advanced Hairstyle line is perfect for naturally wavy to curly-haired beauties to add a little more definition and bounce to their tresses.
The product prevents frizz and flyaways without making it look too hard and sticky, which we thin-haired ladies are too very familiar with.
For best results, use on wet hair and then style with heat and a diffuser. Scrunch your damp hair from the roots for extra volume and more curls, if that is the look you are going for.
If you are looking for a natural wave or just your natural hair, spray about 12 inches from your hair to add some boost and texture. Spray directly on your hair roots, to get an instant root lift, and use a comb to tease the hair a bit.
Boost It Volume Inject Mousse is a definite value for money and it can be used even on dry hair.
When to use Gel for Thin Hair?
Gels have had strong loyalists, especially in the curly hair world. They do what they say and they don’t lie. With the different levels of holding strengths, everyone has their favorite hair gel.
Even thin-haired ladies can use a gel, provided they know to handle them. Gels work best when applied to wet or damp hair. They usually come in a tub, which is so convenient to pick the product from.
Thin-haired ladies prefer using gel when they need a stronger hold and want their hairstyle to last more than a few days. The gel is saturated with heavy oils and glycerine which provide strength and durability.
Some gel leaves a cast after they dry, which just ensures your curl holds the definition for a longer time. Do not be scared of the cast, it is just gel doing its work.
If you are looking to define your curls and edges, go back to your old favorite gel right away.
Top 3 Gels for Thin Hair
If mousses are not your favorite, you can always have your choice of the ol’ gels to tame your frizz and define your curls. Here are our top 3 contenders of best gels for thin hair.
1. Kérastase Matérialiste All-Over Thickening Spray Gel
Materialiste Thickening Spray Gel from the popular brand Kerastase is a great choice for all hair types, like curly, straight, wavy, or coily, and especially good if you have thin hair.
It even works on ultra-thin and baby-fine hairs to provide texture without any stiffness or making your tresses crunchy. It also leaves your hair soft and feeling luxuriously smooth to touch.
This gel leaves your hair energetic and bouncy for 2-3 days even, without a greasy feeling until your next wash. The main selling point of this hair gel is that it adds thickness to each strand, which adds double your natural volume with ease.
The Materialiste Thickening Spray Gel also protects your hair from heat damage, when you blow-dry or straighten your hair.
2. GIOVANNI 2chic Ultra Volume Amplifying Hair Styling Gel
Want gravity-defying volume that would stay the same throughout the day? This personal favorite brand Giovanni Cosmetics does it without much ado.
The gel comes with energizing Grapefruit, Ginseng, and mouthwatering Vanilla that gets even your baby fine hair to lift and bounce.
The unique blend of juicy Tangerine and nourishing, buttery Papaya in our Dual Volumizing Complex adds in extra volume and weightless control. Perfect if you are looking to add some volume to your flat and limp hair.
This vegan and cruelty-free brand is so safe to use that it is on the must-buy list of many curly girls. The product is also 100% color-safe and paraben-free, and that means this gel will not strip out any of your natural oil balance.
3. Nioxin 3D Styling Hair Thickening Gel
A well-known brand in the hair grooming department, this thickening gel proves that a little goes a long way.
As its directions mention, applying just 1.5 inches of product works perfectly on wet hair.
The hair stays even up to 3 days, especially in the case of shorter hair.
The product doesn’t weigh thinner hair but gives it a fuller and thicker look that is easily manageable. The hold is strong, which helps to define the waves and curls without the sticky feeling.
This alcohol-free gel has peppermint and wild mint leaf oils infused to seal in the moisture, to keep the mane healthy and nourished. The gel is also heat and humidity safe and gives your blow dry a perfect salon finish, every time.
It is a constant struggle for many of us, thin-haired women, to manage between being frizz-free and having limp, flat hair.
But you don’t have to choose between them anymore with these wonderful products that help us gain some volume and texture while keeping the curls sculpted and frizz at bay.
