How to Mousse Hair Properly
Wet your hair (or don't!)., Dispense some mousse into your palm., Work the mousse into your hair., Dry your hair.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Wet your hair (or don't!).
Even if you're not interested in a methodical styling session, you can still use mousse to quickly and easily give your hair a more vibrant look.
Wetting your hair is a good start, but it's not essential.
As a general rule, the wetter your hair is when you use mousse, the shinier and "wetter" it will appear when you've finished styling.
If you choose to wet your hair, wet your hair under the sink to ensure it's evenly wet, with no dry spots.
If you really soak your hair, dry it lightly with a towel or allow it to air dry, ideally to a moderate level of wetness.
Your hair should feel like you've just dried off from a shower.
Mousse is a great choice for anyone who doesn't want to carry hair product with them throughout the day
- all it takes is a spritz of water to reactivate mousse, allowing you to re-style your hair throughout the day.
Mousse can also invigorate thinning hair. -
Step 2: Dispense some mousse into your palm.
As with any normal aerosol can, hold the can upright for the best results.
Begin with a small amount; if you don't use enough, you can always reapply more later.
Depending on the length and thickness of your hair, the amount will vary slightly.
For medium length hair, try starting with an egg-sized amount./images/thumb/1/13/Mousse-Hair-Properly-Step-2-Version-4.jpg/v4-550px-Mousse-Hair-Properly-Step-2-Version-4.jpg /images/thumb/1/13/Mousse-Hair-Properly-Step-2-Version-4.jpg/v4-300px-Mousse-Hair-Properly-Step-2-Version-4.jpg Using a lot of mouse can give your hair a shiny, slightly flat appearance.
This is great if you're going for a "slicked back" look, but if you're trying to give your hair some lift, use mousse more sparingly. , Spread your mousse onto both hands.
Then, brush your hands up through your hair from the front to the back.
Pay special attention to your roots (the part of your hair near the base).
Ensure the mousse is spread evenly through your hair, using your fingers or a wide-toothed comb to work the mousse so that your hair feels uniformly "wet" with mousse.
You can also try "teasing" your hair at its roots with the tips of your fingers to get it to stand up. /images/thumb/d/d0/Mousse-Hair-Properly-Step-3-Version-4.jpg/v4-550px-Mousse-Hair-Properly-Step-3-Version-4.jpg /images/thumb/d/d0/Mousse-Hair-Properly-Step-3-Version-4.jpg/v4-300px-Mousse-Hair-Properly-Step-3-Version-4.jpg If you've got especially long hair, you may get better results taking a more methodical approach when applying mousse to your hair.
Refer to the method above for tips. , Use a blow dryer set to "low" if you're going for an Ace Ventura-style lifted hairdo.
Part your hair with a comb so that the blow dryer can reach your roots.
On the other hand, if you want a more subdued hairdo, it's perfectly acceptable to allow your hair to air-dry and then style it with your hands. /images/thumb/f/f1/Mousse-Hair-Properly-Step-4-Version-4.jpg/v4-550px-Mousse-Hair-Properly-Step-4-Version-4.jpg /images/thumb/f/f1/Mousse-Hair-Properly-Step-4-Version-4.jpg/v4-300px-Mousse-Hair-Properly-Step-4-Version-4.jpg If you blow dry, your hairstyle will "set" more strongly than if you air dry.
Air-dried hair can easily be re-styled throughout the day with your hands.
Throw a quick style into your hair while it's drying.
Most short hairdos only take a few easy hand motions to shape.
Mousse is best for styles that don't require extreme hold — if you're looking for a foot-long mohawk, try again with gel or pomade.
Here are a few easy styles you can make on your way out the door:
Run your fingers back through your hair to give it a taller, fuller appearance.
This volume-enhancing look can be especially useful for men who want to make the most of their thinning hair coverage.
If you have thicker hair, form your hair into a rough peak at the middle of your head for an easy faux-hawk.
If you have long bangs, try styling your hair to one side for a bold "Flock of Seagulls" look. -
Step 3: Work the mousse into your hair.
-
Step 4: Dry your hair.
Detailed Guide
Even if you're not interested in a methodical styling session, you can still use mousse to quickly and easily give your hair a more vibrant look.
Wetting your hair is a good start, but it's not essential.
As a general rule, the wetter your hair is when you use mousse, the shinier and "wetter" it will appear when you've finished styling.
If you choose to wet your hair, wet your hair under the sink to ensure it's evenly wet, with no dry spots.
If you really soak your hair, dry it lightly with a towel or allow it to air dry, ideally to a moderate level of wetness.
Your hair should feel like you've just dried off from a shower.
Mousse is a great choice for anyone who doesn't want to carry hair product with them throughout the day
- all it takes is a spritz of water to reactivate mousse, allowing you to re-style your hair throughout the day.
Mousse can also invigorate thinning hair.
As with any normal aerosol can, hold the can upright for the best results.
Begin with a small amount; if you don't use enough, you can always reapply more later.
Depending on the length and thickness of your hair, the amount will vary slightly.
For medium length hair, try starting with an egg-sized amount./images/thumb/1/13/Mousse-Hair-Properly-Step-2-Version-4.jpg/v4-550px-Mousse-Hair-Properly-Step-2-Version-4.jpg /images/thumb/1/13/Mousse-Hair-Properly-Step-2-Version-4.jpg/v4-300px-Mousse-Hair-Properly-Step-2-Version-4.jpg Using a lot of mouse can give your hair a shiny, slightly flat appearance.
This is great if you're going for a "slicked back" look, but if you're trying to give your hair some lift, use mousse more sparingly. , Spread your mousse onto both hands.
Then, brush your hands up through your hair from the front to the back.
Pay special attention to your roots (the part of your hair near the base).
Ensure the mousse is spread evenly through your hair, using your fingers or a wide-toothed comb to work the mousse so that your hair feels uniformly "wet" with mousse.
You can also try "teasing" your hair at its roots with the tips of your fingers to get it to stand up. /images/thumb/d/d0/Mousse-Hair-Properly-Step-3-Version-4.jpg/v4-550px-Mousse-Hair-Properly-Step-3-Version-4.jpg /images/thumb/d/d0/Mousse-Hair-Properly-Step-3-Version-4.jpg/v4-300px-Mousse-Hair-Properly-Step-3-Version-4.jpg If you've got especially long hair, you may get better results taking a more methodical approach when applying mousse to your hair.
Refer to the method above for tips. , Use a blow dryer set to "low" if you're going for an Ace Ventura-style lifted hairdo.
Part your hair with a comb so that the blow dryer can reach your roots.
On the other hand, if you want a more subdued hairdo, it's perfectly acceptable to allow your hair to air-dry and then style it with your hands. /images/thumb/f/f1/Mousse-Hair-Properly-Step-4-Version-4.jpg/v4-550px-Mousse-Hair-Properly-Step-4-Version-4.jpg /images/thumb/f/f1/Mousse-Hair-Properly-Step-4-Version-4.jpg/v4-300px-Mousse-Hair-Properly-Step-4-Version-4.jpg If you blow dry, your hairstyle will "set" more strongly than if you air dry.
Air-dried hair can easily be re-styled throughout the day with your hands.
Throw a quick style into your hair while it's drying.
Most short hairdos only take a few easy hand motions to shape.
Mousse is best for styles that don't require extreme hold — if you're looking for a foot-long mohawk, try again with gel or pomade.
Here are a few easy styles you can make on your way out the door:
Run your fingers back through your hair to give it a taller, fuller appearance.
This volume-enhancing look can be especially useful for men who want to make the most of their thinning hair coverage.
If you have thicker hair, form your hair into a rough peak at the middle of your head for an easy faux-hawk.
If you have long bangs, try styling your hair to one side for a bold "Flock of Seagulls" look.
About the Author
Sandra Gutierrez
Committed to making DIY projects accessible and understandable for everyone.
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