STYLE

Summer is the *best* season for style... except for the heat and humidity, which, depending on your hair type, can make life a little trickier (read: make your hair frizz up and fly all over the place) in the warmer months.

But it's not the best time to reach for your straightener or curling iron, since heat damage can wreak extra havoc on your strands—especially if you're bleaching or dyeing your hair for sunny szn.

With this in mind, we've rounded up our top tips for taming and styling your hair heat-free. Keep reading for your most manageable *and* healthiest summer hair yet!

Sleep with braided hair (for heatless curls)

It feels a bit Little House on the Prairie, but it's an easy and *free* way to add some beachy waves to your hair—no curling iron required!

Before you go to sleep, braid your hair so it'll be kinky and curly when you wake up (hint: more braids = more waves). To up the curl factor even more, braid your hair after you wash it, or spritz dry hair with water from a spray bottle to lock in the new shape overnight.

Chic messy bun

@twistmepretty

If the heat and/or humidity is making your hair frizz up, don't reach for the straightener.

Instead, take advantage of the frizz, wayward baby hairs and general messiness by putting your hair up into a carefree bun to make the lived-in look seem completely intentional.

There are plenty of instructions online for making a super-simple one-scrunchie (or one-claw clip) bun, and after you do it the first few times, it'll become second nature. Soon you might be trying to mess up your hair on purpose for the most perfectly tousled summery updo.

High pony

@niasioux

If you're extra active this summer (or you're trying to channel peak Ariana vibes), a classic high ponytail is an easy way to tame your hair and keep it off your face (because sometimes sweat + sunscreen + hair = extra summer acne).

If your hair tends to go haywire in the summer, comb it back in the morning into a neat pony (no hot tools required!). As the day goes on, if the rest of the pony below the scrunchie gets frizzy, think of it as mermaid-like beach waves... that hang down your back while staying out of your face!

Pro tip: If you have bangs and/or a bunch of baby hairs, clip them back with a few barrettes or bobby bins to keep *all* of your hair off your face on the hottest days.

Bring out the hair-smoothing products

@mel.amartinez

Sometimes, simply styling your hair isn't quite enough. If taming your strands is feeling impossible, try a smoothing leave-in conditioner after washing your hair (we like the Garnier Fructis Sleek & Shine Leave-In Conditioner) to help your hair stay sleek and non-frizzy while it air-dries.

For quick touch-ups throughout the day, try spritzing on a light spray like OGX's Frizz-Free + Keratin Smoothing Oil Miracle Gloss Spray to tame unruly waves. Make sure to look for one that says it can be used on both wet and dry hair, and don't overdo it—in warmer weather, less is more when it comes to hair products to cut down on oil and grease.

Tag us in your no-heat hair pics @girlslifemag!

Keep reading for more summer style content:
🐚 Your ultimate guide to smooth skin this spring + summer
👒 This is how to get your shiniest, healthiest hair ever
☀️ Add these warm-weather beauty essentials to your beauty bag rn

Slider and top image: @nataliezacek

by Ava Slocum | 5/28/2024