Mousse = Absolute Hair Destruction?

[Lorzi]

Hi everyone!

I've been hating my hair as usual lately - I want to start using mousse in my hair to give it more hold and volume and style, but I was unsure how safe it would be. I looked it up and found this article...

http://www.morroccomethod.com/blog/stop-the-mousse-abuse/

...is it true? The way this article is written it seems that mousse is going to animate in the night and kill me...even a comment I read states how the products killed her hair.

I would like to try using mousse to help my limp hair. I am out and about now because of school and my hair is constantly being fluffed around and always looks terrible ny the end of day. It really kills my confidence and I was hoping a little style would boost my mood but reading this I'm terrified! Could any of you lovelies weigh in? I know products are essential to curlies so reading this freaks me out!

[sumidha]

Well, it is being written by a company that is trying to sell their own line of hair products, so take it with a grain of salt. That being said, if you want to look into the safety of certain ingredients or products this database is a great resource: http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/

I do know that when you use hairspray it basically temporarily glues the hair shafts together, which can cause damage over time, there was a great blog post somewhere that showed it in action under a magnifying glass, but I can't find it now. I don't know if mousse does the same thing. Here is a post on the alcohols in hair spray: http://science-yhairblog.blogspot.com/2013/05/alcohol-in-hair-sprays.html

I would suggest looking up 'curly girl' threads on this forum or the internet, there's a ton of people who have curls who don't regularly use mousse/hair spray. :)

[Anje]

Eh, looks like your standard "OMG! Chemicals!" freak-out piece. Any time they start telling you how irriating or toxic something like the ammonium hydroxide being used to balance the pH is, you know you've got a paranoia-driven writer.

In practice, they might be a bit drying, if propellants end up in the foam. It's certainly using a number of petroleum-derived chemicals that will evaporate. Some of the ingredients probably will bond a bit to hair and will need to be shampooed out, similarly to hair gel. I hope the cans are recyclable -- there's a potential for a lot more waste with mousse than with a product like a hair gel. But I don't think mousse is going to destroy your hair if you use it from time to time. Maybe it's not the ideal thing to slather your scalp with, but any commercial product like this has undergone some testing to ensure that it's not overly irritating or harmful to the majority of the population. Obviously if you have a bad reaction, don't use it, but I don't see any reason to be paranoid otherwise.

[Lorzi]

Well, it is being written by a company that is trying to sell their own line of hair products, so take it with a grain of salt. That being said, if you want to look into the safety of certain ingredients or products this database is a great resource: http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/

I do know that when you use hairspray it basically temporarily glues the hair shafts together, which can cause damage over time, there was a great blog post somewhere that showed it in action under a magnifying glass, but I can't find it now. I don't know if mousse does the same thing. Here is a post on the alcohols in hair spray: http://science-yhairblog.blogspot.com/2013/05/alcohol-in-hair-sprays.html

I would suggest looking up 'curly girl' threads on this forum or the internet, there's a ton of people who have curls who don't regularly use mousse/hair spray. :)

I actually don't want to bring out any curls, I'm pretty much a straighty 1b. I wouldn't want to use hairspray either so I wonder if mousse has the same effect. But I agree that the article sounds super biased toward their product. Thanks for your reply :)


Eh, looks like your standard "OMG! Chemicals!" freak-out piece. Any time they start telling you how irriating or toxic something like the ammonium hydroxide being used to balance the pH is, you know you've got a paranoia-driven writer.

In practice, they might be a bit drying, if propellants end up in the foam. It's certainly using a number of petroleum-derived chemicals that will evaporate. Some of the ingredients probably will bond a bit to hair and will need to be shampooed out, similarly to hair gel. I hope the cans are recyclable -- there's a potential for a lot more waste with mousse than with a product like a hair gel. But I don't think mousse is going to destroy your hair if you use it from time to time. Maybe it's not the ideal thing to slather your scalp with, but any commercial product like this has undergone some testing to ensure that it's not overly irritating or harmful to the majority of the population. Obviously if you have a bad reaction, don't use it, but I don't see any reason to be paranoid otherwise.

Yeah it is extremely biased toward their product and definitely a fear-mongering piece. I was looking into lighter mousses with a pump making foam instead of an aerosol can which feels a little less harmful, I guess my main concern is I'd probably be using it after every wash, which is ever 2-3 days. If I like the result I wouldn't want to give it up ;) But thank you for your reply! I know that the people here are always more level headed and give the facts.

[Nique1202]

Consider that water is safe in daily quantities, but toxic if you have too much. Then, apply that to literally everything you can buy to put in your hair or on your skin.

Any chemical in any product on a supermarket shelf has to be approved by a governing body, every additive has to be tested and proven safe, and if a clear link between an additive in its usual concentrations and some kind of disease is proven then any product with that additive has to be taken off the shelf. Barring rare allergies, everything in a commercial product has to be safe to use or it can't be sold.

Also, when you see a chemical linked to cancer, chances are that chemical was fed in absurd concentrations (like, "full body weight in the chemical daily" concentrations) to laboratory mice that have been inbred so much that they're likely to develop cancer from the least irritation. Sure, even a tiny risk might add up with all the other risks we encounter every day, but a single x-ray probably increases your lifetime chance of cancer more than using mousse for twenty years.

[Nadine <3]

Eh, I use hairspray fairly regularly (non aerosol of course) and as long as I don't try brushing it out, I shampoo well to remove it and then use a nice heavy conditioner to replenish my hair I see nothing wrong with it. Life's too short to be unsatisfied with your hair. I like mousse for a bit of hold and volume every once in awhile, I use it if I blow dry.

[meteor]

^ I totally agree with Anje! :agree:

When I saw statements like "used in refrigeration" or "plastic" with strong alarmist undertone, it really reminded me of statements like "sulfates are used in car washes", he-he, OK, and water is used there, too. That's the beauty of chemistry - multiple uses, with necessary tweaks. :)
If you aren't reacting to any of these ingredients used in reasonable amounts and the product follows all regulations, I wouldn't worry. :flower:

(Also, I'm a bit concerned about the veracity of statements made throughout that blog, to be perfectly honest... since I saw links to other articles on that blog, including "Cutting hair by the moon" ... complete with the "lunar hair care" products they sell. I'm afraid "what can be asserted without evidence can be dismissed without evidence" applies to a lot of statements made there.)


Mousses and other products for styling and hold can be a bit coating and drying, so what I'd recommend is wash them out adequately. Some strong hold products even require clarifying shampoos, and I would avoid brushing out or otherwise manipulating a set style, until the hair is wet in the shower, to avoid mechanical damage on detangling. :flower:

[lapushka]

I prefer gel nowadays, but I'll gladly use a mousse in its place if I should run out (I have a few cans of mousse still to go through). I see no reason to hate the product, except that it might have a drying alcohol in it, that a gel might not have if you buy the right kind. But it's no reason to just shove it aside.

I'd say just use it! And if it works for your hair, so much the better! :D

[spidermom]

Don't be too quick to believe what you read on the Internet. No matter what your kink or bias is, you have friends who agree out there!

Yesterday I came across the statement "the use of shampoo is the most common cause of hair shedding." Say what? Noooooo, the most common cause is hair reaching the end of its natural growth cycle.

[Nique1202]

Don't be too quick to believe what you read on the Internet. No matter what your kink or bias is, you have friends who agree out there!

Yesterday I came across the statement "the use of shampoo is the most common cause of hair shedding." Say what? Noooooo, the most common cause is hair reaching the end of its natural growth cycle.

There are members around here whose biggest source of shedding would be and has been using conditioner on their scalps. What are they supposed to do then? :lol: People will make up ANYTHING to cause a scare and sell their products.

[-Fern]

:shrug: I love my mousse. There are different tools for different situations... but I have found that mousse leaves my hair soft rather than stiff, so it is less likely to snag compared to hairspray or hair gel, but it also tames my hair enough to keep it looking professional. I have not tried using mousse to add volume, though.

Today I tried using aloe gel instead of mousse, and it felt funny. Worked pretty well, I have to admit! But very different consistency. If you're worried about the mousse having a drying effect on your hair, you can always try the aloe gel, too.

[spidermom]

There are moisturizing mousse formulas available.

[allierat]

I use mousse every now and then, it's never done anything terrible to my hair.

[syndel]

I use mousse if I'm having a night out because I have one that smells divine and makes my thin hair look thicker. Never had any issues with it. :)

[lapushka]

There are moisturizing mousse formulas available.

Good to know, spidermom, thanks! I have a few "old" cans that aren't as moisturizing (one is for curls specifically, though but is from years back when the CG method wasn't here yet). But should I get a new one in the future, that is something to look out for!

[rkathleen]

I have used mousse occasionally for ages. I went through a phase for a while in which I would put some on my roots when my hair was still slightly damp after each washing (i.e. twice a week), then I'd put my hair in a loose bun on top of my head. It gave me some extra volume and I never noticed any adverse effect on my hair.

[LegoCaltrops]

Shampoo causing shedding. Ha! Not for everyone.

I've just recently come to the conclusion that my scalp needs shampoo in order to remain healthy. I was CO-washing with a cone-free conditioner, washing fortnightly with a natural shampoo bar, & just clarifying occasionally, until recently. Years ago I used to have long, reasonably thick hair. I'm growing it out from a 1 inch pixie at present & it is thin! So after some research, and a doctor's visit, it's pretty clear that the CO-washing was bad for my scalp. I'm also on medication that can cause hair loss, so I'm stopping that too (hope I manage without it).

[HairPlease]

I like mousse. The only way it breaks my hair is if I rake through it when the mousse is in there and all dry, which is pretty much common sense. I just wait to wash it to detangle. :)