10 Hair Products for Summer Hair; No Blow Dryers Allowed!

If there’s one thing I’ve learned from being a girl, it’s that my hair looks & feels better after a random couple of days without heat styling. Having only used heat stylers 3, count it, 3 times in the past 2 months, I am confident in saying that absence makes the heart (and the hair) grow fonder.  Absence of the curling rods, the flat irons, the brushes that cause breakage, the blow dryers of death, sucking the life out of our hair one day at a time.  Try ANY of these 10 products & say bye-bye to your blow dryer for a little while, to get your easy wash-n-go summer hair routine down to a science.

1. For fine, limp hair, Shea Moisture Yucca & Aloe Volumizing Shampoo provides extra body without any parabens, sulfates or animal testing, infusing nourishing biotin to strengthen the hair follicle. Over continued use, the creamy formula strengthens, to increase hair’s ability to withstand your styling tools. Use a gel shampoo (like Tresemmè’s Climate Control Shampoo) once a month to really clean hair, but stick with this in between. [$9.99 at Target]

2. For every hair type, WEN Sweet Almond Mint Cleansing Conditioner substitutes shampoo, conditioner, deep conditioner, detangler & leave-in conditioner all in beautiful pump bottle. If you’ve seen creator Chaz Dean’s hair, you’ll understand how major this stuff is. Ease in to using this formula, and use shampoo (like our recommended prods above) only when needed to get the most enviable, moisturized hairs in town. A perfect product to use when you’re rockin’ the wash-n-go. [$29.95 for 30-day kit notshampoo.com]

After the shower

3. For frizzy strands, Philip Kingsley Smooth Cream tames fuzz & curl for a natural, defined wave. A small amount added at the ends, wet or dry, will amp up smoothness & shine minus the grease, protecting color from the harsh summer rays. [$35 philipkingsley.com]

4. For already damaged hair, Neutrogena Triple Moisture Split End Mender, well, mends split ends for those last, scraggly days before you can get your trim (we recommend every 4-6 weeks when skipping styling tools). Science, ions & all sorts of nutrients go on deep inside porous hair follicles to make this happens, and I’ll tell you from experience that this stuff is legit, especially for the drugstore, under $10 pricetag. [$7.99 neutrogena.com]

5. For those who want real, ringlet curls, Tresemmè Flawless Curls Definining Gel creates them flawlessly. I was taught when letting hair dry naturally to leave it alone and let nature do it’s thing. However, touching & twirling will only increase the awesome-ness of the gel. To apply, rake through wet hair, or mix it with equal parts water, from the back of the head forward. Now, during your commute, you can twirl & scrunch your hair all you want for natural looking ringlets. Read: no crunchy prom curls!  [$4 drugstores nationwide]

6. For flat hair,  Ouidad Playcurl Volumizing Foam infuses a little moisture & a whole lot of va-va-voom. Rake a couple of pumps through hair paying extra attention to the crown & scalp for added volume. The best part about this product? It’s a fab accompaniment to any other hair product, but it’s all inclusive; if you’re bringing 1 thing on vacation, this is it. [$22 ouidad.com]

Weekly treatments

7. Umberto Dry Clean Dry Shampoo on the off days will further any hair-type’s ultimate health. Your ‘next-day’ hair will look better than freshly washed hair, and your volume will be at an all time high. Especially killer for those who find naturally dried hair limp & lifeless; keep this at the office, or in your beach bag for when your freshly washed hair finally dries for added styling gusto & volume.  [$8.99 at Target]

8. For dry, coarse, damaged Miss Jessie’s Super Sweetback Treatment will quench the thirst. I recommend using this as a weekly deep conditioner on your ends, regardless of hair health, especially if you have to go longer than the 4-6 weeks between trims.  Infused with shea butter, hair will grow more moisturized, healthier & longer, and the huge tub will last you ’til next summer! [$48 at Target]

9. If you want a loosened curl,  Keratin Complex Infusion Keratin Replenisher has a high pH replenisher, designed to literally open the hair cuticle to distribute nourishing Keratin proteins and then close the cuticle back up to keep your new nutrients secure. Disclosure:  this product is recommended with use of a blowdryer & flat iron, but we’re going to break the rules… no-tools, people! I’ve found applying it to dry hair keeps waves rockin’ when hair needs a smoothing, weightless pick-me-up, or use it weekly on wet hair (or bi-weekly if you’re washing each day) for any hair type. [$41 keratincomplex.com]

Honorable new favorite multi-purpose product mention:

10. One Love Skin Savior Waterless Multi Balm can heal, fix & condition hair while nourishing the skin, too. This ONE product literally will love the eff out of your entire body, promoting skin & hair elasticity with omega 3, protecting with virgin coconut oil, protecting against sun damage & free-radicals with orange peel wax, and reversing damage with Vitamin E. The price is a little steep, but it’s soooo worth the nourishing results. I keep this citrus scented tub on my desk for lip balm throughout the day, a quick cuticle fix, and an easy way to smooth strands before heading out for drinks. [$68 oneloveorganics.com]