Can a Hydrating Mousse Replace Your Strongest Hair Gel?

Mousse may have one of the most antiquated reputations in the beauty sphere. Who can forget the ironclad crunch of the unmovable styles and outsize blowouts of the Eighties? (Melanie Griffith and Joan Cusack’s towering Working Girl perms come to mind; so do Julia Robert’s never-ending curls in Mystic Pizza.) For Mara Roszak, celebrity hairstylist and founder of haircare line RŌZ, mousse was all that and more. “My first memories of mousse are a crunchy feel, and hair that didn’t move for three days. It looked like hold in a bottle and felt like a helmet once in the hair,” Roszak tells W. “I spent years reaching for the softest version of a mousse I could find, but still trying to substitute with other types of products. However, sometimes a mousse is really what you want for curl definition and a blowout with hold.”

To get that grip without the usual sticky, overly synthetic qualities, Roszak made her own—RŌZ’s new Milk Styling Mousse, a hydrating foam combining antioxidant-rich pea peptide, hyaluronic acid, red algae, and a soft memory complex to hold shape. The product seeks to dispel retro stereotypes, and is designed to let the hair breathe and move. Roszak tested it out on Emma Stone throughout awards season, on Cara Delevigne’s textured waves and fringe for the Cannes red carpet, and on Grace Van Patten. Our question is: does it work in the real world? Four W Editors tried it, and shared their honest thoughts.

I have 2B/C hair—waves/curls that aren’t super defined unless I put in some effort to bring them to life. I rarely do, though, because I would describe myself as pretty lazy when it comes to my hair.

I blow my hair out half the time. But when I wear it naturally, I brush it through after a shower, apply some product, and give it a scrunch. Right now, I’m in a rotation of a few different products, but I’m always on the lookout for something new.

What was your experience using the RŌZ Milk Mousse?

I’ve tried the mousse twice thus far. As someone who wears their hair naturally, I like the idea of using it for both a blow-dry and an air-dry. But at first, I was actually hesitant to use it for a blowout, since the product instructions on the packaging don’t mention whether or not the Milk Mousse has heat-protectant qualities. Luckily, my friend is a merchant at Sephora and involved in the product’s launch. She confirmed that it does, in fact, protect hair up to 450 degrees. When I finally used it, I was very impressed with the outcome. My hair post-blowout was silky-smooth with no frizz.

I was also happy with the results on natural hair. I definitely think I need to try it a few more times before I give a final verdict, but all of this is a good sign. There are some products I try once and know it’s not for me. This mousse has potential—it’s lightweight, doesn’t seem to leave any residue, and smells great. I just need to figure out how to best utilize it with my curls.

Yes. As an added bonus, I’m running out of room in my bathroom cabinet. So a 2-in-1 product like this is perfect.

I possess a couple different curl types: 3A-3C curls; or, depending who you ask, 3B-4A curls. My hair routine includes cleansing with a no-poo “shampoo” 2-3 times a week, conditioner throughout the hair to detangle, then a leave-in conditioner. I do all of this, including styling, in the shower to retain as much moisture as possible. Then I air-dry my hair. During the colder months, I use a blowdryer with a diffuser attachment on a cold or warm setting. I’ve learned over the years that, with my hair, less is more.

I’ve tried a couple mousse products in the past, and generally found they didn’t work for my hair. I don’t like the texture it leaves, and I’d truly rather my hair be all over the place than have crunchy, defined curls—something I’ve worked hard to come to terms with.

My experience was definitely trial and error-based. Because I don’t use other RŌZ products, I had to find where this fit into my existing routine. My first go-round, I realized applying this mousse when my hair was very wet made my curls a little limp. The next time, I tried gently towel-drying my hair post-shower, then applying two or three pumps of the mousse, which worked better. My curls toward the front of my head, which have a harder time becoming defined, enjoyed the mousse because they require extra help to stay put. But used in tandem with my usual product lineup, the rest of my head felt a bit crunchy.

The third time I reached for the RŌZ mousse, I used much less product and only applied it to curls that needed some assistance with definition. I did notice less frizz around those areas, even during the most humid summer days.

Would you recommend the mousse to a friend?

I would recommend it to people who already use this type of product every day, because it smells lovely and clearly can do the job. I can also see how it would be a hero for fierce blowouts. While I like the idea of a mousse, however, it’s just not for me in my current curl journey.

I have 3B-ish curls that require lots of moisture throughout the day. I usually keep my routine simple: a curling cream, mousse, and light gel for hold. Once the curls are set and dry, I add an oil to the midsection and ends for extra hydration and shine. To refresh my curls between wash days, I give it a light spritz of water before repeating the routine if needed.

Describe your experience using the Roz Mousse.

The texture of the mousse was airy, not sticky. I first used it to prep my hair before I blow dried it with my dryer brush. I added the mousse in sections before running the brush through it. I was impressed with how voluminous my hair was when I finished. The true test was going outside, since I’m prone to frizz. Usually, I have to touch-up my hair with a straightener daily, but this time, I noticed a difference. I experienced very little to no frizz, even after a humid week in NYC. I also tested the mousse in my curly hair routine. It gave my curls definition and hold but no crunch!

I liked it! I was surprised that I loved the mousse so much as a pre-heat styler. I would use it again, and I’d recommend it to anyone else dealing with the awful frizz that comes with summertime.

I have extremely fine, almost fragile straight-to-wavy hair. I haven’t color treated it in years, and I rarely cut it; I only make it into the salon once or twice a year. I usually air-dry my hair, but if I have a special event or it’s unusually cold, I’ll use my Dyson to blow it out. I also use a silk pillowcase to minimize breakage at night.

No, I’ve never tried a mousse. I assumed it would weigh everything down.

What was the RŌZ Milk Mousse like for you?

I started by integrating the mousse into my normal routine. I shampooed and conditioned, then added two pumps to my towel-dried locks. The mousse is incredibly lightweight, it almost disappeared in my hair as I worked it in. At Mara’s advice, I tried a blowout. My hair seemed both immediately straighter than normal and more voluminous as I dried it. Texture-wise, it felt “held together” without being sticky or crunchy when I was done. Everything was in its place, but I could still run my fingers through it. The second time I tried the mousse, I used the Milk Styling Serum alongside the Milk Styling Mousse and added more mousse for good measure. I wasn’t so scared of overdoing it anymore—and I have to say, I liked the results. It felt like a salon-style blowout and stayed in place longer than my typical post-shower dry.

In short, yes. This is such a low-key product to add into your usual regimen. Once styled in, it felt more like a light setting spray than what I imagined a mousse would be. I could see myself using this before an event, when I want to look put together without having to think about maintenance.