Are you suffering from a bad hair day? Is your hair dry, frizzy or at times unruly? Are you looking to add more volume to your limp locks? Are your curls getting out of control?
Well, we are here to help!
We know that it can be difficult to find the perfect hair product to suit your needs. If you are one of the many who regularly reaches for the mousse to solve your bad hair days, then you will know that there are thousands of different ones out there, and they all promise to transform your tresses.
Searching for the perfect hair mousse is made even more grueling when you are looking for compassionate options.
Finding a product that is perfect for you, cruelty-free and contains no animal derived ingredients can be very hard work.
Well, today you’re in luck, as we have done the hard work for you! We’ve searched high and low and have compiled a list of the top five vegan-friendly hair mousses on the market.
Let’s turn your bad hair day into a fabulous hair day!
Giovanni Natural Mousse - Hair Styling Foam
Great for holding your gravity defying hairstyles
Giovanni claims to have been one of the first “natural” salon hair care products, and today is the #1 selling Natural Hair Care brand in the USA.
Giovanni’s Natural Mousse is enriched with certified organic botanicals like thyme and rosemary. This gives a pleasant smell that isn’t too strong, and which was described by one reviewer as not overly feminine.
It boasts that it can ‘build hair to amazing heights with amazing stay-power.’ It is an all-natural product and uses some organic ingredients.
We really like the packaging for this cruelty-free mousse, as it comes in a modern, futuristic-looking 7 fl oz bottle that is easy to pump. Although the product seems to be a clear liquid on the inside, it comes out foamy.
What We Love
Reviewers found that this hair mousse lived up to its promises, as it comes up top for ease of styling, with many finding that it helped them to create different styles, including gravity-defying spikes!
This mousse is also a great all-rounder, helping to define curls, add volume and reduce frizz. Many reviewers commented on the fresh, clean feel of their hair after using the Giovanni mousse, with no sticky build up or brittleness. We love the fact that this product is predominantly organic and more natural than many other products available.
Top user tip: For best results make sure you apply it to damp hair and not soaking wet hair.
The Downside
Although it does help to hold different hairstyles some found that it still wasn’t enough hold for them. Reviewers with naturally very curly, thick hair said that this product wasn’t quite enough to keep their hair up to style.
Agadir Argan Oil Volumizing Styling Mousse
Best for adding shine to dry, damaged hair
The Agadir volumizing styling mousse is infused with vitamin-enriched argan oil. This rare oil is made by harvesting, crushing and pressing the fruit of the Argan tree. Argan trees are native to Morocco and known to live up to 200 years.
According to the Agadir website Moroccans have been using Argan oil on their skin, in their hair, and within their diets for centuries!
This oil is believed to help protect, repair and restore your hair and is described by Agadir as a ‘wonder oil’ for the 21st century.
This vegan hair mousse comes in a delightful Moroccan inspired 8.5 oz bottle.
What We Love
Many who tried the Agadir Argan oil volumizing styling mousse found that it added more shine to their dull locks. After using this mousse, many found that they received compliments for the new found healthy looking hair.
This animal-friendly mousse seems to nourish hair and helps to improve its overall condition. It also completely takes away any frizz. Those with curly hair will also find that their curls are more defined. This mousse has a long-lasting effect, with many reviewers saying that their hair still had bounce and life after two days! It isn’t sticky and leaves hair soft. This mousse also has a pleasant, slightly musky argan oil smell.
The Downside
Some found that it did not provide them with enough volume. This also may not be the product for you if you have thick, straight hair as a few people with this hair type found that it weighed their hair down and made it look slightly greasy.
OGX Renewing Argan Oil of Morocco - Voluminous Mousse, Flexible Hold
Great for taming unruly curls and reducing frizz
Another argan oil blend, this volume-building mousse from OGX boasts that it boosts shine and polishes the hair while creating soft, brushable, seductive control for any style you desire.
It comes in a sleek gold and blue can and is available to buy in an 8oz size.
The directions say to distribute evenly into damp or dry hair and then to style as desired.
What We Love
Many reviewers found that this product left their hair shiny, bright and most importantly manageable. This product seems to work best for those with curly hair, helping to define their curls and get unruly locks back under control.
Reviewers found that their curls lasted all day and into the night, even when they brushed their hair, and that this product didn’t leave their hair sticky or greasy at all.
This vegan mousse is also versatile: when added to wet hair it adds volume and definition to natural waves, while on dry hair it helps to give a sleek, straight look.
The Downside
Many found that the product was runny on leaving the bottle and that there was a danger of using too much. This product does expand! Some found that if they used too much, it weighed their hair down and made it look too greasy. If you are after a more natural look, this product may leave hair too stiff and give too much hold for your liking.
Kenra Extra Volume Mousse #17
Great for adding volume to thin, fine, flat hair
This mousse was developed by Kenra Professionals, who say that they have a passion for developing award-winning, performance-driven products.
The Kenra Extra Volume Mousse #17 is a firm hold, lightweight mousse that provides style and control to hair without stiffness.
According to Kenra, this mousse can provide defense up to 428˚F and gives a hold that can last for 60 hours!
The mousse is alcohol-free and comes in a sleek and sophisticated 8oz can. It has a light odor that doesn’t overpower you.
What We Love
This hair mousse is the one for you if you are looking to add more volume to your hair. Users found that it works well on hair that is limp and lifeless, and said that it gave superb volume and added bounce to their locks, with one reviewer commenting that she seemed to have twice as much hair as before.
Many were surprised that it worked well even on very thin and fine hair, when many other hair products they had tried had failed. It has a very thick and creamy texture, and users found a little bit of this mousse would go a long way.
This mousse leaves hair feeling softer and shinier. This mousse helps to reduce frizz, even during days with extremely high humidity.
User tip: Some found that it works best on wet hair left to air dry.
The Downside
Reviewers commented that using too much mousse left their hair feeling slightly sticky or looking a bit greasy. Some felt that this mousse made no difference to their hair.
Kiss My Face Hold Up Styling Mousse
For those who love natural products
The Kiss My Face styling mousse is gluten free, contains no paraben, phthalates, or SLS and, despite having a fruity, lime smell, does not contain any artificial fragrances.
The packaging is bright, colorful and youthful and is available in an 8.5-ounce bottle.
What We Love
Plenty of reviewers commented on the wonderful citrus smell of this product. Nearly all of the reviewers loved the fact that this mousse only contains ‘good for you,’ natural ingredients.
Some users found that this mousse was long lasting and left hair feeling softer after use. It was also good for giving hair body and manages to trade off giving some control with a light feel.
User top tip: This product doesn’t contain propellants, so as you pump it, it will disperse more slowly than other products that you might have used previously.
The Downside
Some reviewers wanted this mousse to be a bit more moisturizing. Others found that it might work better on coarser hair than on very fine hair.
Although some reviewers liked the lime smell while others suggested that it was a little overpowering. Some users complained that they smelt too strongly of limes and one reviewer even suggested that this product attracted bees in the summer!
Why Choose Mousse?
With a dizzying array of hair products out there – from gels to serums, and sprays to wax – why would you choose a hair mousse?
Many think of hair mousse as something from the past, a product from the 80s used only to define those big curls and massive perms.
However, think again – hair mousse is making a comeback!
With advances in technology, hair mousse has changed – gone are the hair drying formulas of old. Our reviews show that hair mousses have become more nourishing for your hair and can add moisture, with many products leaving your hair looking shinier and healthier.
Hair mousse is also a very versatile product. It can be used to define natural waves and curls; it can add volume and lift, make hair more manageable, reduce frizz and hold different styles in place.
Depending on how much and when you apply it mousse can be used to add texture or make hair appear thicker. It really is a jack of all trades!
What Ingredients Might Be in Non-Vegan Hair Mousse?
Even if you have finally found a company that is cruelty-free when it comes to testing, you still need to watch out for ingredients that have originally come from animals. It really is a minefield out there!
There are some ingredients that might have come from animals or animal by-products, and not all of them are as obvious as honey or milk.
Here are just a few that could be lurking in your favorite hair mousse.
Panthenol – This can be used in a mousse as a moisturizer and lubricant, to give your hair that smooth, sleek, healthy look. Panthenol comes from Vitamin B5 and can be made synthetically or from plants. However, sometimes it can be made from animals, so it’s always worth checking.
Proteins – Such as casein and keratin. These can improve the health of your hair and are often found in hair products. These again can come from animals or from their milk, although some can be manufactured synthetically or found in plants.
Hydrolyzed Silk – This is another protein that can help to protect your hair. If it is not made synthetically, the silk fiber is made by silkworms to form their cocoons; but to get that silk, the worms are boiled in their cocoons! Yuck!
Stylish Guilt-free Hair
So if your hair-care regime needs a good mousse, there are plenty of options out there that do the job while being animal-friendly, cruelty-free and compatible with your compassionate lifestyle.
Here’s wishing you many happy hair days to come!