Hair Mousse—not related to Rocky and Bullwinkle.
Hair Mousse: Hair mousse first hit the scene in the mid-1980s, with the creation of Free Hold by L’Oreal. Although many mousses were designed to create volume, they provided curlies with a lighter, softer hold. Water and alcohol are typically the primary ingredients of mousses, although additional ingredients may include polymers, oils or smoothing agents such as dimethicone.
Aerosol mousses hold the liquid contained inside under pressure. When released, the liquid reacts with the air and is no longer under pressure, creating a foaming action. Non-aerosol forms typically utilize a specialized dispenser that encourages the foaming action when released into the hand.
Products specifically for curly hair: Curly Queen Ouidad is credited with first creating products for curly hair, with the creation of her Deep Treatment. The evolution of curly hair products got a boost in the 1987, when Bob Salem, then brand manager for L’Oreal’s new Pumping Curls Line, walked into a Duane Read Drug store. Salem overheard a conversation among two women discussing their hair, with the curly-haired customer lamenting the fact that there were no styling products designed for her curls.
“This reality and marketing insight led to the creation of the Pumping Curls brand product and benefits never before experienced,” Salem says.
From Pumping Curls, Salem discovered that there were many curl styling needs for girls—and guys—with curls, and soon he developed the Studio Line Gelling Curls, Springing Curls and Curly Mousse.
Salem, creator of the Hercut line, now is working on a new generation of curl styling products designed to style curly haircuts.
Check out other HerCut products here.
