Mousse vs Gel?

[BEgirliegirl]

Hey girls, I got a question for you! What is the difference between a gel and a mousse? I have curly hair, however when I blow dry it it is relatively straight/wavy. I normally just straighten it after I blow dry it just to get it more straight and flat/thinner-my hair is very thick. Well, sometimes I like to wear my hair curly and in the past I would just use a gel and scrunch it then blow dry with a diffuser. So is a mousse better to use than a gel? What are the benefits of using one vs the other? Thanks

 

[emily_3383]

I use mouse for the girls and i use gel when i come it up because my hair is really frizzy in the front.

 

[luxotika]

I'm not 100% on this so here is my best guess without consulting a search engine.

Mousse is a foam which is light that is applied to hair without weighing it down. I think most mousse is used for volumizing and slight control.

Gel is thicker and is used more for styling, such as spiking hair, etc. Some are firm holding, and some are light.

If you have thick hair and want to make it flatter, I would use some sort of smoothing serum or something to weigh down the shaft so it isn't so bountiful. Be glad you have thick hair, I have the complete opposite problem. Good luck!

 

[Kemper]

Mousse and gel are COMPLETELY different products, darling, with a completely different level of hold, and completely different finishes to achieve completely different results. So, bear with me, and I'll give you the lowdown, since I have used both, BWAHAHAHA!

Okay, to start off with, mousse is a light foam, which can give your hair bounce, volume and such. Its good for any hair that needs lift, and has a bit of hold, but should be scrunched throughout the hair, and used quite sparingly, as too much can leave your hair slicked together in sticky, crunchy, stringy strands. Make sure you use heat with this one, as using it dry can achieve the same, stringy effect.

Gel, which is a thick goop with a high water content [which allows it to be reactivated by water], has a HUGE amount of hold. Its a sticky goop, good for spikes, defining ends, contouring your hair shape, taming flyaways, and is better for thick hair, as thin hair can be weighed down and gooped up by the gel. Its definitely best for shorter styles, and is fairly tricky to use on curly hair [and will require practice], as it can be devastating to a style if used in excess.

There are certain blow drying products specifically for curls that may be even more suitable. Look for curl-defining products that add shine, body and bounce. Good luck!

 

[Aprill]

I would suggest using mousse, gel is heavy and is used more for firming. A good serum would be better than both

 

[dcole710]

I definitely prefer mousse over gel. I used gel all through high school and it always made my curls feel crunchy by the end of the day. I switched to mousse, the John Freida frizz ease kind to be exact, and i still get nice curls and hold that lasts all day without the "crunch" effect. I've never used either when I blow dry my hair straight. I find serums to be much more effective for straight styles.

 

[ivette]

i usually mix my gel with a little bit of leave in conditioner

 

[Loreal]

I have hair a lot like yours!! I use both.... I recently got my hair cut short (to my shoulders) and so I just use a big handful of mousse and it makes it REALLY curly. The next morning I scrunch a little water and gel through it. When my hair was longer, I used a handful of mousse and scrunched it through and let it air dry for like 15 minutes and then used a little gel on top. For me, gel gives more definition and control, and mousse makes my hair just look like dry curls. (not dry like as in lack of moisture/damaged, just dry like as in not wet. lol sorry that made no sense

) It depends on the look you want. If you want wetter looking curls, go for gel. If you just want some body and curls (which it seemed like you didn't want body) go for mousse. If I had to pick one to use all the time it would prolly be gel.

Product Reccomendation: I use Tressemme Flawless Curls mousse and Tressemme curl boost gel. I also really like the Beyond the Zone Noodle Head curl Creme and spray.