Mousse Vs. Gel
Selecting the best hair styling product for your hair between mousse and hair gel depends upon many factors. Let us discuss in detail what is better - mousse or gel.
HairGlamourista Staff
Today, there are hundreds of hair styling products; hair serum, creams, leave-in conditioners, gel, wax, pomade, mousse, hair spray, sea salt spray, etc. Among these various styling products, there are various subtypes categorized according to the hair type, effect delivered, strength, etc. So, choosing a hair styling product can get quite difficult. However, the truth is, you will come across the right hair product only by trying many styling products. This is because, every hair type is unique and styling it requires a special product or combination of products. One of the most popular hair styling products is the hair gel. This product is used by men mostly, but women also use it to achieve that wet hair look. Other products like hair mousse or hair wax are also used to get a similar effect. However, the effect that hair mousse gives is quite different compared to hair gel.
Best Suited For
Hair gel can be used for both long and short hair. However, it is preferred for short hair. It helps create a great style on short hair, which makes it one of the favorite hair styling products among men. Mousse can be used on both short and long hair. But, it gives a great effect on longer hair, where the hair gel fails. Hair gel might weigh the hair down, while mousse adds volume to the hair. This makes mousse more suited for thin and fine hair.
Hair Styling Effect
Hair gel is used for many styling techniques like scrunching, freezing, molding and sculpting. Hair gel is used best for the wet look. It is great for formal parties, where you want your hair looking great for hours. Gel helps to settle hair neatly in place, and helps to sustain the style even during windy weather. It is ideal for thick and hard-to-manage hair.
Mousse can be used to create any look you want. It can help to scrunch hair. It can also be used for styling techniques like freezing and molding. It gives the hair a sleek and shiny look. By using mousse you can create a natural look. It can also be used on thin or fine hair to add a lot of volume. Mousse can be used on short or long hair. But, it is preferred on hair which is curly and long. It helps to produce beautiful well-defined curls for a natural look.
Right Usage
To use gel, squeeze out a blob of hair gel and apply it from the roots to the tips of your hair. Gel is mostly used on wet hair to create any desired style. But, it can also be used on dry hair too. Gel is great for taming difficult strands of hair. It is also the best styling product if you want to create spikes. In case, you have long hair or want a different effect on different sections of your hair, then apply a bit of gel on one section and style it. Similarly, work on other hair sections. If you want the hair to look shiny, then let the hair dry naturally. However, if you are aiming for maximum hold, then use a strong hold gel and blow dry to retain the hairstyle for hours. Make sure you use an adequate amount of hair gel to get good results.
To use hair mousse, first shake the bottle well. Then take a golf ball size of mousse foam in your hand. Spread it between your palms. Now, apply it over wet hair. Apply it all over the hair right from the roots to the tips, then style the hair in any style you prefer. You can scrunch your hair to get wavy hair or you can comb your hair to get a desired effect. You can also use mousse on dry hair, but the effect on wet hair is much better. To get softer styles let the hair to dry. In case you want well-defined strands of hair, apply hair mousse on wet hair, then take a hair strand and twirl it around your index finger and blow dry it. This way, work on the remaining hair sections. In case, you are just looking for volume, take a bit of mousse and massage it neatly on the hair roots.
Shopping Tips
It is very important to go for the non-alcoholic variety of hair gel or mousse. This is because, regular use of any hair styling product which has alcohol as one of its ingredients, can make your hair go dry. So, avoid alcohol-based hair styling products. Also, choose the right type of hair mousse or gel according to the hold you are aiming at. Apart from these two products, you can try hair wax for a bolder hairstyle. For a softer style, use a hair serum.
There is no perfect hair styling product. It all depends upon which one suits the individual's need. Also, sometimes for a wet hair look, you might want to use a strong hold gel, but for softer and more voluminous hair, you would want to use a hair mousse, rather than gel. So, buy some really good quality hair styling products and use them according to the look you want. Experimenting with various brands of hair styling products will give you a good idea on which suits your hair the most, and helps to produce the best hairstyle.
