Best Mousse of Braids 2021
A lot of care goes into installing and maintaining braids.
One way to keep them looking neat and snatched is by using a styling foam or mouse.
But what’s the best mousse for braids?
I used to braid my hair a lot when I was transitioning to natural hair several years ago.
My braids would get VERY frizzy just a week after getting them installed and I’d get very frustrated.
My hairstylist came to the rescue by recommending some brands of mousse that I should try out and how exactly I’d use them at home.
Table of Contents
What Is Mousse, And How Does It Benefit Braided Hair?
First things first. What exactly is mousse?
So, a mousse is a lightweight styling product that applies like an airy foam.
It’s a fantastic alternative to curling creams and oils if you want something that isn’t going to weigh your hair down and give you less volume.
Product buildup is a giant no-no for braids, so light and frothy mousse that pretty much melts into the hair is the perfect tool for refreshing their appearance.
The roots and edges of your hair can look frizzy a few days or weeks after installing braids.
Applying mousse can tame these flyaways, strays, and baby hairs that are going crazy.
It smoothens those down to help you look more put together.
Unlike gels and intense creams, mousses won’t leave a distracting cast on the hair or leave it crunchy.
It still gives you a strong hold like those products, but with a fresh, sleek, and shiny look.
Mousse is also fantastic for soothing the scalp if there’s some tension from freshly installed braids or itching when you’ve had braids for a few weeks.
The foam provides a satisfying cooling effect that your scalp will thank you for.
Best Mousse For Braids
Let’s look at some of the best brands of mousse that can be easily used on braids.
AllDay Locks & Braid Foam Control
One of the toughest things you face when wearing braids is itchiness and irritation on the scalp.
This is especially so when the braids are tight and very close to the roots.
AllDay Locks’ foam is a godsend for itchy scalps because it’s formulated with invigorating tea tree oil
It gives the scalp a cooling sensation when the foam is applied, effectively soothing it while you go on to style and refresh your braids.
This formula is super convenient to use because it dries quickly while providing long-lasting hold.
It even reduces the chances of fraying in the days following application.
This is an awesome option if you hate frizz and don’t have time to sit around waiting for your hair to set.
Pros
- Sets braids and reduces fraying
- Contains tea tree oil to soothe scalp itchiness
- Doesn’t flake even if you’re generous with it
- Dries fast, so you don’t have to wait so long before it sets
- Provides a long-lasting hold on the braids
- Replenishes moisture into braids
Cons
- The product runs out quickly, like after 2-3 weeks of regular use
When you’ve had your braids for a while, they may end up looking dull and limp.
What they need is a good refreshing with rich and nourishing oils that bring your locks back to life!
Almond and avocado oil are the stars of this formulation.
They work together to moisturize and deeply nourish the hair to give it that luminous shine only healthy hair glows with.
Avocado also helps to strengthen the hair shaft and prevent any breakage or snapping.
Consider these oils as food for happy, shiny, refreshed braids.
The hold, although soft and pliable, is more than enough for braids.
This mousse makes roots with stray hairs more manageable, so you can keep rocking those gorgeous braids without mischievous flyaways.
Pros
- Contains many rich oils, like almond, avocado, and olive oils
- Gives the hair a luminous shine without a greasy feeling
- Enhances the definition of hair with a pliable hold
- Dries quickly and without flaking
- Reduces frizz and makes hair more manageable
Cons
- Can dry out the hair when too much is applied
Nairobi Wrapp-It Shine Foaming Lotion
This foaming lotion was designed for salon stylists, and now you can have salon-beautiful braids that are frizz-free and have a silky sheen right at your own vanity!
This foaming lotion tames frizz and is highly effective even during the most humid seasons, like summertime.
It never leaves flaking or an off-putting white residue on the hair, and never hardens it like other styling products.
In fact, it can give your braids a silky sheen to it almost instantly.
This makes the braids look glossy and healthy, like you just got them installed.
It also protects and repairs hair for heat styling and blow-drying, so it’s perfect for when you take your braids out and think of other creative ways to do your hair.
Pros:
- Salon-level superiority
- Protects the hair from heat damage
- Tames frizzy hair during humid seasons
- Instantly provides a silky sheen to hair
- Doesn’t harden the hair after styling
- No flaking or white residue
Cons
- Can give sensitive scalps an itchy or tingling sensation
The Doux Mousse Def Texture Foam
Mousse doesn’t have to be just for styling. It can be nourishing for the hair too!
This texture foam by The Doux gives you touchable hold and anti-frizz sleekness and feeds the hair some protein and moisture it needs to be thick and lustrous.
This foam doesn’t leave that annoying crunch gels and hairsprays do.
It also doesn’t flake up on the hair.
It’s infused with natural humectants that hydrate the braids to bring back some luster and shine, while fighting frizz-causing humidity.
It also contains protein-rich silk amino acids that strengthen the hair and make it more resilient.
Neat and refreshed braids are one thing, but healthy hair makes it ten times better.
Get your fix of hydration and strengthening with this foam.
Pros
- Touchable and flexible hold
- Controls the sleekness of your hairstyle
- Natural humectants hydrate the hair for extra shine
- Silk amino acids strengthen the hair
- Resists frizz caused by humidity
- Doesn’t leave crunch or flaking
Cons
- Can leave a white residue on hair
Mizani Foam Wrap Mousse
This Mizani styling mousse is just as good when used on braids as it is when used for roller sets and wraps.
It can be used on freshly installed braids to ensure they last longer, or can also be used on older, frizzy braids to make them look new.
The mousse’s lightweight formulation makes it perfect for use on braids because it doesn’t cause flaking.
This formulation also enables greater absorption and shine.
The product contains Monoi oil that nourishes the hair by preventing protein and water loss.
When this product is used for wraps, molds, and roller sets, it has a long-lasting hold that keeps hair styles in place.
Pros
- It’s non-flaking
- Eliminates frizz
- Monoi oil helps to prevent protein loss
- Provides the hair with hydration
- Leaves the braids looking shiny
- Lightweight formula
DevaCurl Frizz-Free Volumizing Texture Foam
While this foam by DevaCurl is more popular as a curl-volumizing product, it works wonders for controlling frizz in braids.
It also has lemongrass and sunflower fatty acids to nourish them and add more shine and glow to give the hair more life.
If you’re not convinced by what it can do, then its refreshing and energetic lemon and lime scent will definitely make you excited to set your braids with this foam.
This foam is also known to give a bit of oomph to curls by creating more volume.
It’s a handy foam you can keep around to use after you take your braids out too!
Pros
- Airy and lightweight, so there’s no heavy feeling on the head
- Helps control frizz and stray hair
- Adds more shine to keep the hair looking healthy
- Contains lemongrass and sunflower fatty acids to nourish the hair
- Has an energetic lemon and lime scent
- Known to add volume to curls
- Doesn’t contain parabens and sulfates
Cons
- Leaves a light, sticky feeling on hair and hands
Jane Carter Solution Wrap & Roll Smooth Styling Mousse
A few naturally derived botanicals in this Jane Carter mousse is all it takes to keep your braids silky smooth and deeply moisturizes for a healthy, shiny look.
This soft and lightweight mousse is amazing at smoothening out the hair to make it more manageable. The secret?
Tons of glycerides and some essential oils from rosemary and nettle.
These work together to penetrate the cuticle and moisturize the hair, leaving it soft, silky, and frizz-free.
It makes the braids look and feel healthier, thanks to its moisturizing properties and the brilliant shine it provides post-styling.
It also dries clean and fresh, without any greasiness that can leave the braids sticky or extreme dryness that can cause itchy flakes.
The hair becomes very touchable, with defined, kink-free locks.
Pros
- Contains glycerides, rosemary, and nettle to moisturize hair
- Soft and lightweight for setting braids
- Smoothens out hair to make it manageable
- Dries clean, without flaking or greasiness
- Improves overall shine and nourishment of hair
Cons
- Can be sticky when too much of it is used because it just sits on the hair
Vigorol Relaxed Hair Mousse
If it’s a creamier, more nourishing texture you’re looking for, then Vigorol has just the mousse for you.
Despite being designed for relaxed hair, this mousse is incredibly replenishing and repairing natural hair and braids.
It contains avocado and jojoba oils that are luxuriously rich and moisturize the hair adequately without stickiness.
This mousse also has wheat proteins to strengthen the hair, to prevent any split ends and hair breakage.
It does a terrific job of taming flyaways and baby hairs, so that your braids can get a sleek finish even after you’ve been refreshing them for a few weeks.
The best part is that it leaves every single braid silky smooth and touchable. It only goes to show that when you care for hair correctly, it glows from the inside out.
Pros
- Contains avocado and jojoba oils to moisturize braids
- Has wheat proteins to strengthen the hair
- Prevents split ends and hair breakage
- Tames flyaway hair so you can have a sleek finish
- Leaves hair silky-smooth for days
Cons
- Might not have the best performance for protein-sensitive hair
Creme of Nature Argan Oil Style and Shine Foaming Mousse
Argan oil is a miracle ingredient for moisturizing textured hair, but what if I told you it’s possible to use it as a mousse too?
Crème of Nature’s innovative oil-to-mousse format allows your favorite Moroccan oil to foam up beautifully and refresh your braids.
The argan oil nourishes and moisturizes dry, damaged, and brittle hair.
Its slick and slippery texture helps hold down any frizz and flyaway baby hairs too.
It also adds a healthy sheen to the braids to make it look fresh and tidy, even if it’s been weeks or months since installation.
This mousse provides a hold on braids that is firm, but still leaves the locks touchable – and that’s exactly what you want for braids that could turn worn out and lusterless after a while.
Pros
- Unique oil to foam format
- Provides flexible and firm hold on braids
- Contains argan oil that nourishes and adds a healthy sheen
- Moisturizes dry and damaged hair
- Prevents frizz and flyaways
- Has a fresh and pleasant smell that isn’t overpowering
Cons
- Can end up feeling greasy and sticky on hair
How To Use Mousse To Maintain Braids
A few days or weeks after first getting braids installed, you might start to notice some frizz, especially near the top of your head.
Your braids may also start looking a bit dull and lackluster.
Fortunately, all it takes is one product to tame kinky, frizzy stray hairs and bring back some shine into your beautiful locks – a light and foamy mousse.
Using a mousse is very easy and pretty much self-explanatory.
Mousses typically come in an aerosol can that dispenses product in a thick, foamy texture, similar to whipped cream.
You can either take some into your hand and distribute the product from the roots first, or be more generous and spray the foam directly into your scalp.
I suggest you do the latter if you’re experiencing itching on your scalp from having the braids on for a while.
It’s especially important to do this when you have cornrows that hug your head.
While gliding and patting it across your head and roots, gently rake the mousse down the braids’ length to spread it throughout the hair.
Be mindful of how you hold your braids – you don’t want to be so rough only to end up with tiny curls peeking out of the locks.
Once the product has melted into the hair and you no longer see any white, foamy residue, carefully put your braids into a bun or low ponytail.
Wear a silk scarf over your head to avoid any kinks popping out of the braids, especially by the scalp.
This isn’t required, but it’s excellent for extra measure.
Let your hair sit for 1-2 hours, or until the mousse completely dries down.
Once you take your hair out of that bun and gently remove the scarf, your braids will have a fresh, wet look.
Say hello to sleek and shiny braids that look like they were just installed!
Conclusion
Styling is a huge part of maintaining neat and snatched braids, and mousse is arguably the best product to use without weighing your hair down and causing product buildup.
If you’ve been wondering what’s the best mousse for braids, I hope this review can help you to pick a brand that can work well for you.
Smooth down those flyaways and bring shine and luster back to your hair, and your braids can last (and look good!) for weeks at a time.