Best Hair Mousse for Fine Hair

The best hair mousse for fine hair lifts the roots without weighing the lengths down, and it brushes through without leaving hair stiff or sticky. Fine strands are small, so they flatten under heavy product faster than thick hair does. That makes the choice of mousse matter more here than with most styling products.

Fine hair or thin hair?

Fine describes the width of each strand. Thin describes how many strands you have. Plenty of people have both, and the best mousse for fine thin hair is the same type you'd pick for either: light, foamy and easy to spread. So if you came here looking for the best hair mousse for thin hair, the advice below applies to you too. Choosing the best mousse for thin hair comes down to the same three things: weight, hold and finish.

What to look for

• Weight. The best lightweight mousse for fine hair feels like air in your palm and dries soft. If it feels creamy or wet in your hand, it will likely sit heavy on fine strands.
• Hold. Light hold gives soft movement. Medium or firm hold suits waves and curls. The best mousse for fine hair to hold curl usually sits at the firmer end, because fine curls drop quickly without support.
• Label. Some people with dry ends look for the best alcohol free mousse for fine hair because they find it kinder on their lengths. Others want the best natural mousse for fine hair and check for a shorter ingredient list. Read the back of the can, not just the front.
• Finish. Fine hair shows residue fast. A mousse that leaves hair crunchy or dull is the wrong one, however well it holds.

Volume without the crunch

Most people searching for the best volumising mousse for fine hair want lift that still moves. The trick is where you put it. Work it into the roots, then blow-dry with your head flipped or with a round brush lifting each section. The best mousse for volume for fine hair won't do much if it's spread evenly from root to tip and left to air-dry. The same goes for the best volumising mousse for thin hair or the best volume mousse for thin hair: start with a small amount and add more only if the roots still fall flat.

If your main problem is a flat crown by lunchtime, the best mousse for flat hair is usually a firmer hold used at the roots only, with a light finishing spray over the top if you need the shape to last.

Short fine hair

Short cuts need less product and more control. The best mousse for short fine hair is a light one you can work through damp hair and finish with your fingers for texture. If you style a short cut into shape each morning, the best styling mousse for short fine hair gives a bit more hold, so the shape stays put without wax or gel weighing it down.

Get the rest of the routine right

Mousse works best on clean hair that isn't already coated. Heavy conditioners and oils can leave fine hair limp before you start styling, so pair your mousse with the best conditioner for fine hair and keep conditioner to the mid-lengths and ends.

AMR stocks professional brands across our hair mousse range, so you can compare hold levels and can sizes in one place. If your fine hair is also curly, look at hair mousse for curly hair as well. For shampoos, treatments and styling products picked with fine strands in mind, see everything for fine hair.