Grip is for hair that won't hold volume with a lighter product: coarse, thick or heavy hair, and blow-dried styles with lift that needs to last through the day. Schwarzkopf positions it as strong enough to keep even coarse hair in place.

As the strongest mousse in the OSiS+ Volume & Body line, it's usually too much for fine hair, which tends to do better with the lighter Air Whip mousse or Upload cream from the same range. It's a professional-brand product, but it needs no mixing or technical training. Anyone comfortable with a blow-dryer and brush can use it at home.

Grip puts two jobs into one step. Its polymer blend (VP/VA copolymer plus two polyquaterniums) sets the volume you build with a brush or rollers, and Schwarzkopf rates the same formula to protect against blow-dry heat up to 230°C / 450°F. If your hair is coarse or heavy enough to flatten out under lighter mousses, that pairing of extra strong hold and heat protection is the reason to choose it.

• Shake the can well before use.
• Hold the can upright (vertical) and dispense the mousse into your hand.
• Work it through damp hair.
• Blow-dry with a brush for volume, or set damp hair on rollers and dry with a hairdryer.

What works well:

• Extra strong hold keeps coarse or heavy hair lifted
• Heat protection up to 230°C / 450°F is built in, so one product covers volume and blow-dry protection
• Dries to a natural-looking shine and helps with static and frizz

What to keep in mind:

• Too much hold for fine hair, which can end up stiff or weighed down
• Aerosol: it has to be shaken and held upright to dispense properly
• Contains added fragrance