The Difference Between A Mousse and Foam Cleanser

Image: Mousse Cleanser On Peach Background

Properly Clean! Is it foam? Is it mousse? Is it a delightful art installation? No! Yes! Maybe!

Mousse and foam cleansers have long been confused, compared and caught up in a case of mistaken identity. And, our mousse cleanser, Properly Clean has been in the crossfire. We’re here to cleanse the air. What really and truly is the difference between a mousse and foam cleanser? 

Let’s dive right into it.  

Foam Cleansers
Foam cleansers can be characterised by their lightweight nature, cream or gel-like consistency, and tendency to not participate in group assignments. They’re most known for creating a sudsy foam when mixed with water and massaged into your face. 

They’ve often been touted as The Cleanser for oily and acne-prone skin due to their ability to cleanse the skin of excess sebum and oil. The tricky thing is, they’re a lil’ too good at this. 

They’ve got a reputation, and not the fun Taylor Swift sixth studio album kind. Foam cleansers strip and dry the skin, often leaving it irritated, thirsty, and tight. This is due to the ingredient Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) or  Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES) (which is a slightly less skin-irritating version of the two). This is what makes foam cleansers really foam. They give your skin that “squeaky clean” feeling, but that’s not necessarily a good thing. Cleansers should leave your skin feeling clean, of course, but they should also leave your skin hydrated.

Mousse Cleansers
On the other hand, you have mousse cleansers. They’re often mistaken for their foamy third-cousins due to the soft, bouncy, and cloud-like texture they hold. Here’s where the Big Difference comes in. The texture of a mousse cleanser, like Properly Clean, is created through the pump mechanism, not through the ingredients. The pump mechanism works by the liquid formula mixing with air in the pump chamber. It’s then dispensed through a nylon mesh, creating the mousse. Fancy!

This means that mousse cleansers, y’know, clean, without stripping or drying the skin. A big win! They work for all skin types as they’re soft, gentle, nourishing and balanced and they leave your skin smooth, hydrated and happy. 

Pop all of your questions about foam and mousse cleansers, Taylor Swift's album Reputation, or anything else that comes to that pretty mind of yours, pop them in the comments below! 

Leave a comment