These Volumizing Mousses Take Fine and Thinning Hair to New Heights (2024)

If you have fine hair, then you're likely familiar with the extra effort it takes to add fullness to your style. It does take a village: There's the thickening shampoo, the lightweight conditioner that doesn't weigh down thin strands, the scalp treatment to promote hair density, and, not to be skipped, the volumizing mousse. This styling foam can transform the look of fine or thinning hair with just a couple of pumps. Volumizing mousses coat the hair with ingredients like polymers, proteins, and vitamins. "Once the formula dries, you're left with more volume and fullness," explains celebrity hairstylist Jennifer Korab. There are many mousses to choose from, so to find out which ones work well for your hair type, keep reading.

What to look for when shopping for a mousse for fine hair

"You need lightweight formulas that won't weigh the hair down," says Danielle Priano, celebrity hairstylist and SexyHair brand ambassador. That's why a mousse, which has a light, airy texture, is ideal for fine or thin hair looking for more oomph. Heavy products, like gels, creams, and pomades, can make fine or thin hair appear flat or greasy. "Mousses made for fine hair will contain ingredients that can help add volume and strengthen hair without causing buildup," she adds.

How to use a mousse for fine hair

Start with damp hair. Smooth about a golf-ball size of mousse all over your palms and then apply the product through your roots first, then down the hair shaft, explains Korab: "This will create the most lift at the roots." Then, blow-dry your hair. (You can also let it air-dry, but sometimes a mousse can make the hair feel a bit crunchy if you do.) An additional pro hack for even more volume: "Blow-dry your hair while you hang your head upside down. Or use a round brush to lift the roots as you dry them," says Priano.

Whether you have fine hair or are experiencing thinning due to hormonal or menopausal changes, these volumizing mousses can offer serious help.

The experts:

• Jennifer Korab, a celebrity hairstylist based in New York City and New Jersey
• Danielle Priano, celebrity hairstylist based in New York

Korab recommends this luxury mousse for those experiencing hair thinning. "It's a thickening formula packed with peptides that help strengthen the hair fibers, reduce existing breakage, and prevent future damage," she says. You can use it on all hair types, be it curly or straight. Hyaluronic acid and ceramides help to plump and hydrate strands, so they always look shiny, smooth, and thick. You can use it on its own or in tandem with other styling products. It also has a delicious and elegant scent with notes of bergamot, peony, and musk.

If you have fine, curly hair, you'll appreciate this formula's weightless texture and flexible, light hold. It defines curls and ringlets without weighing down hair or giving it that crunchy feel. The formula also includes a protein derived from silk that forms an invisible barrier around the hair shaft to block out humidity, protect hair, and reduce frizz. Aloe, sweet almond oil, and vitamin B also help to nourish and hydrate the hair.

Priano loves this protein-rich formula because "it gives amazing volume without weighting the hair down." It's also very long-lasting and has humidity-resistant ingredients to offer up to 72 hours of hold. It's a great choice for those who find that their hair tends to lose a style quickly or deflates the second they walk outside. Make sure you shake the can before applying so the product comes out fluffy and airy.

If you consider yourself a product minimalist, then this is the formula for you. The texture is so light and airy that it instantly disappears into your hair as you work it through. It adds noticeable volume and lift without sacrificing softness and causing a crunch or sticky feeling. The formula also contains natural fatty acids to nourish and moisturize the scalp and hair. It's also free of common irritants like sulfates, gluten, parabens, mineral oil, and phthalates.

Get lift and volume quickly—and for a wallet-friendly price—with this pick. The pea protein formula is suitable for all hair types, whether you have straight and fine strands or curly, thin hair. It's infused with castor oil to add shine and moisture and to prevent crunchiness or tackiness. It also contains a strengthening complex that helps repair split ends, smooth damaged cuticles, and protect strands from environmental stressors. You can use it on color-treated and keratin-treated hair.

Consider this a hair mousse and treatment in one because it not only provides instant body and volume but is also clinically proven to increase the appearance of hair density in as little as three months. It contains turmeric, which studies show helps to prevent causes of hair loss by inhibiting the production of DHT, which is a hormone associated with hair loss. It also has red clover and mung bean, which can help reduce hair shedding and loss.

If you're looking for volume and a cool beachy texture, then you'll love this texturizing foam that offers long-lasting hold and can be used from root to tip. A few pumps create that effortless, lived-in look that has tons of body and movement. You can use it on dry or wet hair and hair that's been color- or chemically treated. It also offers a flexible hold that's not oily, crunchy, or tacky.

This luxury mousse contains a red clover complex that encourages the look of fuller, thicker, and stronger hair. It also includes caviar, an ingredient rich in fatty acids to help restore moisture and elasticity. (The more elastic the strand, the more resistant to damage.) Antioxidants help protect the hair from future damage caused by environmental aggressors, and in addition to making hair look more full of body, they also promote a soft look and feel.

This formula contains volumizing polymers and a unique ingredient named soytrimonium chloride, which is a hair-conditioning and anti-static agent that helps control frizz and promote the look and feel of silky soft hair. It leaves your hair voluminous, shiny, and lifted in a way that looks natural and effortless. And there's no crunch or stickiness here, thanks to argan oil, which is rich in essential fatty acids and antioxidants to nourish hair.

Baobab seed oil and keratin proteins work to help boost shine while strengthening and protecting the hair. It also adds long-lasting volume. If you have a drier hair type, you will appreciate the moisturizing benefits of panthenol and amino acids. It also protects against heat and humidity and is safe to use on color-treated hair. Pro tip: Make sure to turn the bottle fully upside down when dispensing the product to ensure you get proper application.

We're big fans of the Grande Cosmetics lash serum so it makes sense that this hair mousse is just as good. You can add volume while taking care of your scalp with this formula packed with beneficial skin- and haircare. Niacinamide, ginseng, grapefruit, and beet microgreens are there to support scalp health; vitamin B, rice protein, seaweed, biotin, peptides, and amino acids help improve hair health. A couple of pumps add body, volume, and bounce.

If you're looking for a budget-friendly pick, consider this top-notch formula at your local drugstore. It has volumizing polymers that give fine or thin hair bounce and body without weighing it down. It also offers a medium hold, so you can use it to keep your style in place all day, no hairspray needed. Not to mention, this formula wards off frizz thanks to its 72-hour humidity shield that protects hair.

Our beauty team is dedicated to finding you the best of the best formulas. We spoke with expert hairstylists to learn about what to look for in a volumizing mousse and got their go-to recommendations. We also researched and tested top-rated and brand-new formulas that hit the market to help you find the best products out there.