Fine hair, roots that fall out an hour after blow-drying: many people feel like they’ve tried everything. Backstage at the fashion shows, however, a bottle from the 1990s is discreetly making a comeback and changing the feeling of thickness.
It’s quite simply the hair mousse, essential for XXL curls and voluminous blow-drys of the 90s. Often considered old-fashioned or too “cardboard”, it nevertheless remains one of the hairdressers’ secrets for giving the impression of thicker hair while keeping the material supple.
Fine hair and hard water: why the volume is crushed
Many fine hairs have two problems: a naturally narrow fiber, and an invisible film that settles in wash after wash. Even just after shampooing, the roots appear heavy, the lengths dull and the hair feels sticky, as if treatment remained on the hair.
In many cities, hard water further enhances this effect. The minerals in the water are deposited on the hair, forming poorly soluble residues and coating it with a waxy veil. The light catches less, the locks get tangled, and the slightest volumizing product applied on top seems ineffective.
Hair mousse: the comeback of 90s volume
In the 90s, no beauty bag was without hair mousse. Presented in spray form, this very light emulsion is loaded with air: once fixed on the hair, it coats each strand, giving it body and creating the effect of density that those with fine hair are especially looking for.
Even today, hairstylists use it to build voluminous blow-drys or curls that hold without hardening. On the catwalks, they combine it with light textures like a dry shampoo or a volume spray for the roots, in order to add substance, movement and airy shine to the hair.
Instructions for use: prepare, dose and apply for light volume
For hair mousse to achieve its full potential, hairdressers recommend applying it to damp hair. On short hair, a dab is enough; on medium-long hair, one dose; on long hair, two. We distribute over the lengths, then we raise the strands towards the roots by pressing them in the hand to activate the volume.
Before that, one detail changes everything about hair weighed down by hard water: acid rinsing. After shampooing, pour a mixture of 500 ml of cold water and a tablespoon of cider vinegar onto the hair, then rinse with clean water. This action dissolves lime deposits, removes the sticky effect and allows the foam to coat the fiber without weighing it down.
Is hair mousse suitable for very fine hair?
Yes, if the formula is light and you only need a small amount.
Should I apply a treatment before hair mousse?
On fine hair, it is better to avoid very rich masks just before, or rinse them for a long time.
How often should you use an apple cider vinegar rinse?
In very hard water, you can do this with each shampoo, then space out as soon as everything seems lighter.
