When I leave my apartment in New York City, there are a couple of things that I can guarantee. I'll never leave the house without sunscreen on, and if I go anywhere besides a workout class, I've probably blow-dried my hair. In America, it's pretty much a universal fact that blow-dryers are the key to good hair days.
When I went to Paris last fall, I couldn't believe my eyes. Absolutely no one blow-dries their hair. I don't even know how many French girls own hair dryers. French-girl hair is all about sophisticated ease—think taking your natural texture and zhuzhing it just enough to make it look effortless but chic. The end result is relaxed, but it never looks undone or lazy.
The secret sauce to effortless—but still polished!—French-girl hair? Air-dry cream. Air-dry creams are made to streamline the styling process sans heat, and they are major multitaskers. These creams define your natural texture, add a bit of hold to make your style stay, smooth hair, and aid in frizz and humidity control.
To use air-dry cream, take a dollop in your palm and rub your hands together. Evenly distribute the product all over your hair, scrunching to define curls or brushing through for a sleeker look.
If an air-dry cream sounds like the absolute ideal product, that's because it basically is. As someone who hates doing my hair but wants it to look good, air-dry cream has practically become my holy-grail hair product. Keep reading for the best air-dry creams that will have people complimenting your hair with nearly zero effort required. If you're looking for something that's low lift but high reward, you've come to the right place.
The absolute best air-dry creams for flawless, undone-yet-polished hair:
Best for: all textures
JVN Hair's Complete Air Dry Cream is designed to suit all textures, amplifying each. Squalane and hemisqualane help strenghten hair, while chia-seed extract adds natural, flexible hold. Moringa-seed oil adds glossy shine and makes hair super soft.
Best for: all textures
This air-dry cream infuses hair with tons of hydrating and nourishing ingredients like apricot extract, watermelon extract, soybean oil, and mango butter, so your hair will dry perfectly. It also works to prevent frizz and too much volume while still maintaining your natural texture.
Best for: all textures
Don't let this lightweight air-dry cream fool you—it packs a major punch. With hydrating ingredients such as murmumuru butter and hyaluronic acid, it gives hair tons of softness and shine.
Best for: all textures
This air-dry cream was basically created for French-girl vibes. It tames frizz, gives hair barely-there definition, and offers just enough shine.
Best for: all textures
Cakile extract, or sea rocket, works overtime in this air-dry cream to seal in moisture. It also defines and tames frizz while you let your hair do its thing.
Best for: all textures
Kale extract, panthenol, and carrot protein are blended together in this weightless air-dry mousse to amp up your natural texture and boost softness and definition.
Best for: all textures
If you're after tons of shine, this is the air-dry cream for you. It tames flyaways and smooths hair for a polished finish.
Best for: straight, fine hair
If you have finer hair, this lightweight cream amps up your texture without making hair crunchy or weighing it down. It also offers UV protection, so it's perfect for warmer months.
Best for: blonde hair
Talk about a multitasking product—this air-dry cream hydrates, nourishes, and boosts your blonde. It also offers protection from pollution and other environmental aggressors.
Best for: straight and wavy hair
Streamline your routine as much as possible by mixing in this in-shower styling cream. Apply it in the shower as the last step of your wash routine and lightly rinse it to reveal hair with tons of body, shine, and softness.
Best for: curly and coily hair
Think of this as a topcoat for your hair. It gives a huge boost of moisture, banishing frizz and repairing damage.
Best for: second-day hair
This whipped cream feels as light as air. Unlike the other creams on this list, this is best used on dry second-day hair to create air-dried vibes by defining, smoothing frizz, and creating a light hold.
Best for: curly and coily hair
If you want an air-dry cream specifically formulated with curly hair in mind, this is the one for you. This cream locks in moisture while sealing out humidity and giving tons of definition to curls.
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