The $12 Mousse That Gives Me Perfect Slick-Back Buns
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I pretty much only have three hairstyles I can do by myself:a twist- or braid-out, a wash-and-go, and a slick back. They’re fairly simple but require a level of skill to look presentable. They also share a key product for achieving a nice-looking style: mousse. The styler, long-loved for scrunching and shaping curls, has become increasingly popular in the past few years as a lightweight alternative forgelsand creams. I was already using mousse as a base layer before going in with a gel for added definition, and while I liked the definition and elongation, it lacked floof. My hair would be comically flat until about five days in, when it would finally start to gain some height. I wanted that volume sooner. After seeing a few well-timed TikToks (the phones are always listening) about using mousse alone and liking the results, I decided to give it a go during my next wash day, carefully raking it through and saturating every curl. Once it dried, I was impressed. I had day-three hair just a day in, mycurlsdefined without sacrificing that fullness I liked. From there, I became a mousse purist, using that and nothing else.
I started out usingDoux Mousse Def, a hydrating mousse that offers both hydration and shine. It’s sort of a wonder product in that mousses are typically drying, but this one was not. I’ve gone through so many bottles of the stuff at this point and even have a tiny one that I keep in mymakeup bagat all times. It wasn’t long before I started using mousse for my twist-outs and eventually my slick-back buns. With the latter style, I liked how the product performed — my hair was flat and sleek, but I did notice that sometimes it would puff up a little faster than I liked or didn’t have that shiny look that gel provided.
During my next hair appointment, I brought it up to my longtime stylist, Reece, who was, at that point, blow-drying and twisting down my hair. She always uses mousse to set my twist-outs, and I always commented on how shiny, uniform, yet voluminous my curls looked. Sometimes she would use the same Doux mousse I used at home, but other times she would use Nairobi, an old-school wrapping mousse popular among people with relaxed hair for setting styles. I asked her why she chose that one for my hair specifically, and she explained that with my hair being fine it offered just the right amount of hold.
Next time I was in the beauty-supply store, I decided to buy a bottle. I tried it the next time I slicked down my hair and was shocked by how flat and shiny my slick-back bun looked. Where the Doux is a bit firmer and slightly tacky, Nairobi is thin and wet. My hair was quickly saturated with just a few pumps and laid down like I’d put my hair under a faucet. I was immediately enamored, and soon I refused to use anything else. After the success of my bun, I tried it on a twist-out and noticed that while it offered less hold and my style didn’t stay as defined for long, I achieved that volume much quicker, and my hair felt incredibly soft and touchable, which I loved. This worked for me because I wash my hair every few days and don’t need a super long-lasting style. I also like that it’s light enough that I can keep layering it in and restyling over a couple days without it feeling heavy or tacky, but I do wash it out with a clarifying shampoo to make sure it isn’t building up on my hair.
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All that said, I wouldn’t recommend this product to everyone, but it’s particularly good if you have fine hair like mine and are looking to create sleek styles with soft yet strong hold. If you have thicker hair or need it to last longer, the Doux is a safe and effective bet.
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