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No hair dryer? Here are 13 products to air-dry your locks

These picks will come in handy when you have zero interest in styling your hair.
Vivian Le / TODAY

When I'm living my best life at a beach on spring break, I have zero interest in styling my hair. A week dedicated to relaxing, enjoying a body of water (hopefully) and just having fun with friends or family shouldn’t be interrupted with a lengthy hairstyling process. Air-drying your locks is an easy remedy — but how do you do it properly?

When on the hunt for a great styling product for air-drying your hair, you want to start by looking for keywords like “air-dry” or “control without heat," according to Paul Cucinello, a New York City-based celebrity stylist and co-founder of Cucinello Beauty.

The type of towel you use is also important when taking care of your locks. “When applying product to the hair, don’t rub or use any kind of towel that will disrupt the smoothness you see when the hair is wet,” explained Cucinello. “Try using a friction-free, chamois towel or a disposable paper towel (like Kleenex Hand Towels) to remove some moisture by just scrunching the hair.”

Once you’ve scrunched it to the desired texture, leave it alone. “When damp hair is basically looking the way you want it to, don’t touch it until it’s completely dry,” said Cucinello. “Make sure you use enough product to achieve the desired end result, and remember that you don’t have heat styling tools driving the product into the hair, so experiment with using a bit more product than you usually would.”

We’ve rounded up 17 incredible products you need, recommended by both Cucinello and shoppers alike, to effortlessly air-dry your hair in no time.

Best products to air-dry your hair | How we chose | Meet the expert

Shop TODAY Snapshot

Best products to air-dry your hair

Best products to air-dry your hair

Garnier Hair Care Fructis Style Anti-Frizz Cream

What we like
  • Leaves hair soft and silky
Something to note
  • May be greasy

Size: 5.1 oz. | Formula: Cream

No need for added heat when you have this 4.4-starred pick from Garnier — it’s lightweight, paraben-free and helps to control frizz while holding your hair’s natural shape as you air-dry.

Mane Club Wavy Baby Wave Texture Spray

What we like
  • Provides lift and body
  • Not greasy
  • Makes hair shiny
Something to note
  • Smell may be strong

Size: 5.3 oz. | Formula: Spray

Possibly the best texture spray I’ve ever come across, this pick from Mane Club adds the perfect amount of air-dried waves to my hair, without the dreaded crunchy feeling you might get with other air-dry or wave spray formulas. Reviewers on the brand’s website also note how it’s great for “low-maintenance” hair routines.

Odele Airy Dry Styler

What we like
  • Makes hair soft and shiny
  • Tames frizz
Something to note
  • May be sticky

Size: 6.0 oz. | Formula: Cream

Lightly condition, smooth frizz and create softness with this pick from Odele. With a solid 4.3-star average from Target shoppers, this clean formula is safe for color-treated hair and works wonders for all hair types, from straight to wavy to curly.

L’Oréal Paris AIR DRY IT Undone Style Cream

What we like
  • Reduces frizz
  • Smells good
Something to note
  • May be sticky

Size: 5.1 oz. | Formula: Cream

Skip the crunch, flakes, and residue with this styling cream from L’Oréal Paris. With a 4.3-star average on Amazon, it will help add softness, shine and a light hold for beautifully air-dried hair.

Daily Dose Miracle Moisture Leave-In Conditioner

What we like
  • Nice healthy-looking shine
  • Provides smoothness
Something to note
  • Smell may be strong

Size: 8.5 oz. | Formula: Spray

If you’re prone to major frizz, consider trying out this spray from Daily Dose. Not only will it help detangle and moisturize, but it will also allow you to wash, spray and go without much hassle. It also has nearly 4,000 five-star reviews on Amazon.

FEKKAI Baby Blonde Leave-In Conditioner

What we like
  • Adds shine
  • Enhances blonde
  • Makes hair feel soft
Something to note
  • Scent may be strong

Size: 5.0 oz. | Formula: Cream

Built for lighter hair colors, this FEKKAI crème uses chamomile extract to help naturally brighten your tone and will gently highlight hair over time. One Amazon reviewer even said it gave her “white hair a light golden sheen without any effort.”

Authentic Beauty Concept Shaping Cream

What we like
  • Adds volume
Something to note
  • May be sticky

Size: 5.0 oz. | Formula: Cream

Not only is this vegan styling cream free from micro plastics, mineral oil, parabens and silicones, but this pick from Authentic Beauty Concept also is free from artificial waxes and has an Ecocert certification for its socially conscious practices. This pick helps accentuate your natural hair structure without overburdening or weighing your strands down.

Kiehl’s Crème with Silk Groom

What we like
  • Gently holds
  • No greasy feeling
Something to note
  • Often out of stock

Size: 6.8 oz. | Formula: Cream

“This product set the original standard for moisturizing hair creams,” Cucinello said about this Kiehl’s product. “It’s non-greasy, super concentrated and affordable, so it does the trick without breaking the bank.”

ALTERNA Haircare Caviar Anti-Aging Air-Dry Balm

What we like
  • Adds shine to hair
  • Reduces air-drying time
Something to note
  • May be sticky

Size: 3.4 oz. | Formula: Cream

Use this air-dry balm from ALTERNA by working a generous amount throughout towel-dried hair, scrunching or wrapping your hair around your finger to create soft curls and allowing to dry naturally. Some Sephora shoppers even noted that this product leaves your hair feeling fuller “like a thickening spray does.”

Bumble and Bumble Don’t Blow It Fine (H)air Styler

What we like
  • Lightweight
  • Holds curls great
Something to note
  • May be greasy

Size: 5.0 oz. | Formula: Cream

With a 4.3-star average on Ulta, this formula from Bumble and Bumble uses lightweight polymers to enhance hair’s natural texture, adding bounce and airiness, sans crunch. Plus, it has UV filters to help protect against the drying effects of the sun — ideal for the summer months.

R+Co Cool Wind pH Perfect Air Dry Crème

What we like
  • Tames frizz
  • Add smoothness
  • Smell is pleasant
Something to note
  • Bottle is really small

Size: 5.0 oz. | Formula: Cream

“This product keeps hair soft and hydrated while maintaining gentle hold without frizz,” Cucinello said about this air-dry crème from R+Co.

Oribe Featherbalm Ultralight Cream

What we like
  • Makes hair shiny and silky
  • Not greasy
  • Lightweight
Something to note
  • Smell may be strong

Size: 3.4 oz. | Formula: Cream

A popular and top-rated pick from Oribe, this cream formula feels weightless and airy and helps strengthen strands to prevent future breakage, making it ideal for finer hair types. Just apply and let your hair air-dry for a smooth style and added shine, or use it throughout the day to tame flyaways and frizz.

Leonor Greyl Paris Éclat Naturel

What we like
  • Helps to prevent frizz
  • Leaves hair soft and smooth
Something to note
  • May not last long

Size: 1.7 oz. | Formula: Cream

Air-dry like a classy French lady with this pick from Paris-based beauty brand, Leonor Greyl. Featuring nourishing ingredients like shea butter and jojoba oil, this styling cream will help moisturize and tame unruly locks.

How we chose

The Shop TODAY team rounded up the best products to air-dry your hair using a few approaches: enlisting the recommendations of a NYC celebrity stylist, conducting market research and filtering our searches for top-rated products.

Meet the expert

  • Paul Cucinello is a New York City-based celebrity stylist and co-founder of CuCucinello cinello Beauty.