Turning on a blow dryer, aiming it at your head, and basting yourself with hot air practically sounds like a form of self-harm during this hot weather.
Sure, you want your hair to look fresh, clean, and voluminous—but do you want to endure the smoldering, damaging wrath of heat tools only for the humidity to ruin your hard work in a matter of hours? We’re going to say no.
Not only are heat tools like blow dryers, straighteners, and curling irons damaging to your hair year round, but now with the excess damage from UV rays and chlorine, avoiding hot tools all together sounds like the right move for happy, healthy hair.
So how on earth do you get a sleek hairstyle without the aid of heat tools?
If you’re anything like us, without heat tools your hair is just blah. It isn’t perfectly straight or curly. It’s flat on top and frizzy on the bottom and just looks messy without the tools we’ve grown accustomed to. That isn’t messy in the sexy French way, either. It’s more like messy in the I’ve-been-sitting-on-my-couch-eating-doritos-and-watching-The-Bachelor sort of way.
Suffice it to say, we have found some amazing and affordable products that give our hair the style we want while avoiding the heat—which, right now, is a non-negotiable.
The Best Products for No-Heat Styling
- Kristin Ess Ultra Hydrating Leave-in Curl Cream (click here)
The Kristin Ess Ultra Hydrating Leave-in Curl Cream is marketed towards those with coarse and curly hair types, but it can give some nice body to straight types too.
First off, this product smells beyond amazing (as do the rest of the products in this line-up: scent is an important factor for us). Beyond that, it somehow hydrates your hair and defines your natural curls but never adds weight.
The cream is a lightweight spray consistency that, when sprayed into damp or towel-dried hair, prevents frizz and makes your curls look smooth, soft, and lustrous. Try spraying it into damp hair and french braiding your locks before bed. In the morning, you’ll be greeted by the most natural-looking curls that will hold up for days, even in the summer heat.
- Bumble & Bumble Don’t Blow It Fine Hair Air Dry Styler (click here)
For the ladies and gents that can’t seem to achieve the least bit of texture without heat styling, this product is a lifesaver. Bumble & Bumble’s lightweight cream hydrates your hair and protects from UV damage while adding bounce and body to your hair.
The best part is it makes your hair feel light as a feather. So many volumizing sprays on the market add a sticky crunch to your hair, which negates the idea of a natural-looking, no-heat style.
Pro tip: A little goes a long way with this product. When you work this through your hair it should give you that coveted beachy vibe.
- Aveda Volumizing Tonic (click here)
This product is a best seller for good reason. The Aveda Volumizing Tonic somehow seems to change the texture of your hair. If you have thin and fine hair, just a few sprays of magic tonic on your roots and—bam—you have thick, textured hair.
On top of that, this spray won’t dry out your hair. It adds shine and softness to your hair while amping up the volume all the way. If you already have pretty thick hair, you will probably want to skip this one.
- Flexible Curling Rods (click here)
These might seem silly, but flexible curling rods can do wonders for all hair types. They will add curl to straight hair, define waves, and give structure to out-of-control curls.
These are affordable, bendable, and come in various sizes, so you can adjust your curl type. Try the thickest ones for looser waves, or use the thinnest to define the curls around your face.
You can take your styling a step further and add a light mist of hair spray while you have the rods in to keep the curl shape even longer.
- SGX NYC Dry Touch Volumizing Dry Shampoo (click here)
This is our favorite dry shampoo, and we have tried it a lot. Dry shampoo is a savior for hot summer days when your hair is freshly washed but gets oily all too quickly from sweat and humidity.
This specific dry shampoo smells incredible, is invisible (no horrible white flakes), feels lightweight, and actually adds body.
This vegan formula refreshes clean or dirty hair with fragrance, volume, and freshness. It feels like nothing in your hair, and yet gives much-needed oomph to your natural hair texture. As a bonus, it can be used to renew the style you achieve from the previous no-heat hair styling products.