11 Products for Perfect Air-Dried Hair

“This is great for color-treated hair and hair that has been through a lot of heat styling. It also has UV filters so it'll protect your hair from the sun. Apply a few pumps when hair is wet and comb through. Shake out when dry.” ­–Bobby Eliot, Los Angeles-based hairstylist who has worked with Hailee Steinfeld and Karen Gilian

“It's incredibly light and residue-free, and leaves hair moisturized. When applied on damp hair, it will help reduce frizz and add a soft touchable feel to your hair!” —Dueñas

“Spray this at the roots after washing and wrap in towel while you do make-up and get dressed. Let out your hair, gently scrunching the ends. The final product will be soft waves for even in the finest of hair.” —Rheanne White, New York-based hairstylist who has worked with Lena Dunham and Amy Adams

“For girls with dry, curly, or coarse hair, I would leave in a generous amount of the amazing, leave-in intense curl conditioner by Moroccanoil, which is uber-hydrating. Just apply a generous amount to damp hair. Twist and define damp curls as desired, then allow to air dry, whether you have all your curls going in the same direction or opposite directions to create or more natural and less uniform finish.” —Sheridan Ward, a Los Angeles celebrity hairstylist who has worked for Michelle Williams and Kate Bosworth

“It’s a spray in a sleek 5-ounce bottle so it’s perfect to throw in a beach bag and use on vacation. It’s lightweight so you can spray evenly from roots to ends on damp hair. If you have natural wave, allow the product to absorb and gently scrunch the hair, starting at the ends until you reach the mid shaft. Once the hair is dry and set, massage the root area to break it up for a more natural finish.” —Brian Zinno, hairstylist at Antonio Prieto Salon in New York City; has worked with Callie Thorne and Ali Wentworth

“For normal to fine hair, I would recommend It's A 10 Miracle Leave In Conditioner. It smooths and controls frizz, adds shine, and even seals and protects color-treated hair from fading.” —Lacy Redway, a New York City-based hairstylist who has worked with Kim Kardashian and Lady Gaga

“If you have wavy or natural hair, I would use a good salt spray like this, which conditions while giving a great beachy texture. Once you've decided where your part will be, spritz onto damp or dry hair and manipulate individual pieces of hair to create a natural wave/movement (doing this randomly works best). Then with the hair that frames your face, spritz and tuck these pieces behind your ears and allow to dry; this will create a cool natural bend in the hair, the perfect cool-girl beach hair.” —Ward 

“This is my favorite product for air-dried hair. The key is to gently towel-blot your hair when it's wet and not be aggressive or rough. Apply a nickel-size amount of cream to your hair, avoiding the roots. Comb through with a wide-tooth comb and let air dry. When your hair is dry, you can shake the hair out with your fingers. This cream leaves your hair hydrated and helps control frizz.” —Eliot

“Curly or textured hair types need more moisture than other hair types, so this is a great choice. Along with it being very moisturizing for this hair texture, it also helps with frizzy hair, detangles, and restores damaged hair.” ­—Redway

“For fine, damaged, or flyaway hair, I'd recommend using this stuff, which is genius! Applied to damp hair, this will condition and add shine, tame flyaways, and smooth and hydrate damaged and over-processed hair, leaving it feeling cashmere soft. Tie hair up into a topknot or loosely braid hair while air-drying. Once dry, take her out and you'll have healthy, shiny hair, smooth as silk and with a bit of natural undone movement.” —Ward 

“If you plan on air drying, I recommend using Rodin by Recine hair oil to the ends of your hair. Add just a drop to the palms of your hands before rubbing it on the end of your hair. I like this oil because it is light and does not create any residue, plus this oil can be used on any hair type.” –Redway