12 Essential Hairstyling Products for Summer
Summer can be a particularly challenging season for hair—creating, if you’ll pardon the pun, a perfect storm for unpredictability. We share your frustrations when relentless humidity teams up with the scorching sun, leaving your strands limp, fried, and generally in need of repair. Fortunately, we’ve put together a collection of fantastic products designed to combat these summer hair woes, each with a unique purpose. From weightless, frizz-fighting serums to moisture-infusing masks that heal even the most sensitive or damaged hair, these saviors will keep your locks luscious and manageable. Even when the world feels unpredictable, you can count on these products to keep your hair looking its best, no matter what summer throws your way.
After a Long Ocean Swim
You can experience the softest hair of your life, even after frolicking in salt water all day. Let your dry summer locks soak in this luxurious mask for just five minutes to experience a transformation: silky, smooth perfection. This exceptionally nourishing hair mask contains roucou oil extract, which is derived from an Amazonian plant and is mega-rich in beta-carotene (100 times more than carrots)—protecting hair against free radicals and promoting healthy, hydrated growth.
For the Chicest Slicked-Back Bun
Clean-girl bun, lazy-girl bun, the slicked-back bun, the Sofia Richie bun—whatever you call it, the sleek look you’ll be wearing to aperitivo will be nothing short of perfection with this product. Ouai’s pomade features an easy-to-mold formula, allowing for precise strand separation and a flawless matte finish. Plus, it’s ideal for styling both short and long hair.
To Cleanse and Nourish Overheated Hair
If you’re spending lots of time under the sun, this shampoo is perfect for restoring your scalp pH balance and controlling excess sebum from sweat. Organic oats and mustard seed infusion thoroughly cleanse your scalp and strands gently. This product never overstrips, and therefore creates the best possible environment for hair growth.
Unbeatable Sun Protection
Yes, your scalp and your hair require protection from the sun. This hair mist not only provides a shield, it’s also super light, organic, and feels refreshing. An added bonus: the SPF mist also helps protect your color against fading caused by the sun.
For Air-Dried Beach Waves
Beautiful and frizz-free beach waves at your fingertips, courtesy of Living Proof. After shampooing and conditioning as usual, simply apply this new styling cream for reduced frizz and shiny hair without any annoying crunch. The clay and wax blend in this spray not only reduces air-dry time, it also enhances your hair’s natural texture, giving you effortless styles that last all day.
For Outdoor Special Events
Are you hair-stressing about that upcoming wedding in the Hamptons? Or perhaps the after party on the pier? This anti frizz spray has never let us down, even amid insane humidity levels. Simply mist the spray over damp hair in sections before styling, blow-dry, and get ready to be amazed. For an even smoother look, finish with a flat iron. This product is Leaping Bunny certified, 100 percent vegan, cruelty-free, and free from sulfates (SLS or SLES), silicones, gluten, parabens, and phthalates.
To Renew Luster
From root to tip in under ten minutes, this is one of our favorite leave-in, pre-shampoo treatments. The transformative and healing powers of kukui nut and jojoba oil (alongside the perennial favorite, macadamia seed oil), are a potent anti frizz solution. The fact that it’s sourced directly from Mother Nature makes it all the more worthwhile. Beyond its remarkable effects on hair, this versatile oil can also be used on the body, leaving your skin luxuriously soft and deeply hydrated.
To Thicken Your Hair and Provide Volume
This daily leave-in solution will become your best friend if you have thinning hair. The light, powdery solution adds weightless volume to each strand, boosting thickness while strengthening your hair for a fuller, healthier appearance. Virtue’s styling treatment also provides great heat protection when using hair tools.
The Best Split-End Serum
Hair can often have a mind of its own (as you’re likely all too familiar). But this split-end serum offers the perfect solution to tame and control your locks beautifully. You’ll get outstanding results without using a lot of the product, which justifies the price. The formula includes vegan squalene and saffron crocus extract, which both nourish your hair and enhance its natural beauty. Additionally, this product features recyclable packaging, and is Leaping Bunny certified, cruelty-free, and paraben-free.
A Straightener With Minimal Damage
There is no other hair tool that delivers this kind of precision, period. The T3 Single-Pass flat iron boasts nine different heat settings, so you can achieve gorgeous, smooth hair without excess damage from having to run the straightener back over your strands. Even during the most humid summer months, we found this device exceptional in performance and surprisingly affordable for the quality it delivers.
The Best Leave-In Curl Cream
The curl results are sublime with this product, which I think is one of the best leave-in curl creams. The formulation does an excellent job at sealing the hair cuticles while leaving strands soft. Fortified with avocado oil, Briogeo’s cream also tames frizz beautifully while boosting your hair’s hydration levels.
A Standout Hair Mask for Controlling Frizz
Your hair will drink this up and thank you for it. 14th Night’s new superlight hair mask absorbs quickly into your strands—but you’re going to want to leave it in for 5-10 minutes to achieve optimal results. There’s a trifecta of health happening here: smoothing, detangling, and nourishing, so that your locks are not only shiny but they also have less of a chance of frizzing because they’re brittle. Rich in argan and pomegranate oils, your hair will be left with an unbelievable sheen and richness that is never heavy.
