Summer Hair Rescue: 27 Products That Actually Work

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3 days ago

Ouidad's Advanced Climate Control Featherlight Styling Cream because reviewers swear by this for getting sleek, defined, frizz-free curls and waves. Many say that this product *actually* works, unlike so many others that claim the same.
A deep conditioning coconut oil hair mask that's safe to use on all hair types (including colored hair), thanks to its formula of simple-but-nourishing ingredients like shea butter, rosehip seed oil, argan oil, vitamin E, vitamin B5, and coconut oil. Soft and frizz-free hair for everyone during the summer!
Promising review: "I was looking for a product for my hair after all of the summer swimming/chlorine dries it out. I went with this product because the ingredient list was limited to things I can actually understand. I was pleasantly surprised by the result. After one use, my hair is softer and shinier, and I didn't even have to style it. Definitely would recommend." —Ray Ray"This is my replacement for the Macadamia Intense Repair Masque. The Macadamia mask is SUPER expensive and is not worth the money. This however, basically does the same thing to my hair and is much cheaper. I really recommend this to people who have dyed hair, dry hair, dead hair, frizzy hair, chlorinated hair. Just really damaged or damaged hair. It's really good." —Wanisha SiripakdiGet it from Amazon for $13.49.
A Denman Hair Brush because it's not your typical brush. Thanks to the evenly spaced bristles, it can detangle and shape curls simultaneously, and according to reviewers, this helps keep their curls defined and frizz-free all day long (even in the humidity).
A hair-finishing stick to smooth down any and all stubborn fly aways. The secret? It's just a mascara wand coated in natural hair oils. Simple, but effective.
Or, an Emi Jay hair smoothing stick for quick touch-ups and on-the-go slicking throughout the day. This is small enough to slip in your belt bag *plus* it's made from a vegan formula that nourishes, softens, and conditions your hair and scalp while ~keeping things in place~.
Promising review: "Surprisingly good at taming my hair even in humid weather, keeps my style looking neat and in place, really happy I found it." —samrich1106Get it from Sephora for $38.
Or for yet another option, an edge control gel that boasts a lightweight feel and long-lasting hold power — we're talking up to 24 hours in hot, humid weather, people! Basically, if you want to lay your baby hairs and edges without any flaking, get this.
L'Oreal Paris Elvive 8 Second Wonder Water since it'll help reverse hair damage and leave you with silky smooth locks in just eight seconds. Talk about a fast fix, especially when you need to get ready for a summer special occasion!
A beard straightener, which is basically a heated comb that'll transform your beard's aesthetic from unruly "Appalachian Trail Through-Hiker" to "Smooth, Sleek City-Slicker."
The Olaplex Hair Perfector No. 3 treatment for anyone who's ready to ~throw in the towel~ and give up on fixing their chlorine-damaged hair. Reviewers absolutely rave about this pre-shampooing treatment with many saying it "saved" their seemingly beyond-hope hair.
Or, K18's Leave-In Molecular Repair Hair Mask that achieves similar salon-esque results only with a slightly different technology. K19 relies on a patented peptide formula to repair heat-, color-, and chlorine-damaged hair deep at the molecular level (specifically by repairing broken keratin chains). Science lesson aside, if you want to restore your tresses from the inside out, this is for you!
A multi-award-winning anti-frizz spray to help deliver princess-perfect, glass-like hair, no matter what the weather is outside. This locks out moisture and humidity and can even last for up to four shampoos!
A spray bottle of SoCozy Curl Spray Leave-In Conditioner since it works double duty to detangle unruly curls *and* keep 'em frizz-free. Parents of curly-haired kids love this stuff!
A eucalyptus mint hair serum formulated with all-natural ingredients because it's basically the Wonder Woman of hair products. Massage a few drops into the scalp to hydrate and help minimize dry skin or use a few drops on split ends and roots to tame frizz, prevent breakage and heat damage, lock in moisture, and boost shine. Some folks use it as a leave-in conditioner, too! Jeesh, this stuff really can do it all! 🦸
I received a sample of this hair serum with some of their protein powder, and wow, I am so impressed. I first used it as on my scalp — I've always struggled with a dry scalp, and this made an immediate difference. I left it on overnight, and by the next morning, my scalp felt so much healthier, and it wasn't nearly as itchy as it usually is. A few days later, I applied it to my very dry split ends. It noticeably improved the look and feel. I can confirm it definitely makes hair shinier and works as a quick-fix for frizzy hair (which I seem to be plagued with six days of the week, at least). Since my hair is fine, most styling products tend to be too heavy, but this oil feels very light in the hair, and it smells heavenly. 😍 I don't have a very expansive collection of hair styling products, but this one has made the cut! It's a new must-have for me. Promising reviews: "LOVE this JI product. As a Floridian with long curly hair, humidity is not my friend, but I have truly found this product to tame my frizz." —Jennifer L."I just started using this product after I tried a few other things that worked great. So far, I love how my hair feels. I live in Louisiana, and not much helps with frizzing with the humidity. This truly made a difference after two uses. Thank you!" —mccall b.Get it from Just Ingredients for $35.99.
A TikTok-famous rinse-out hair treatment featuring ceramides, collagen, and other nourishing ingredients that'll leave your hair extra smooth and shiny in just five minutes — and without breaking the bank to boot! Reviewers of all hair types are super impressed by how well it keeps the frizz at bay.
Kenra's Platinum Blow-Dry Spray (which is also a heat-protectant and anti-frizz spray) so all your precious time and energy spent styling your hair doesn't go to waste the second you step outside. Better still, this makes blow drying your hair go twice as fast!
A nonaerosol I Dew Care "Tap Secret" mattifying powder shampoo if muggy, sticky days make your hair oilier than a greased baking sheet. Simply sprinkle some of this onto your roots and gently massage it in — suddenly you'll have clean, fresh locks with a touch of volume for added confidence!
Philip Kingsley Swimcap, a water-resistant hair mask specifically designed to protect hair from the drying effects of chlorine, salt water, and UV rays. Ideally, you should comb it through damp hair the day before you plan to go sunbathing or swimming — this lets the protective layer really sink in, which will also ensure colored hair doesn't turn green!
It was first developed at the request of the US Olympic Synchronized Swimming Team!Promising reviews: "This is a must-have for your holidays. It protects your hair, in my case, colour-treated hair, from the sun and chlorine pool water. Smells good too. You can use it when you're swimming at home, too!" —Deborah H."Protects hair on my daily swim and prevents frizz and dryness that you would otherwise get from exposure to chlorine." —Jacqui C.Get it from Philip Kingsley for $36+ (available in two sizes).
Or, a pre-swim hair cream if your sole goal is to keep your mane from becoming a dry, brittle, tangly (and possibly green-ish) mess after splashing in the water for hours. It's protective *and* nourishing!
An air-dry leave-in cream because using heat-styling tools is an absolute no in the oppressive summer heat, but so is letting your hair air dry naturally, as that's just a recipe for Hermione Granger-level frizz. Enter this styling cream — apply it to wet, damp hair, and your hair will then dry to reveal perfectly soft, bouncy curls. No frizzle-frazzle or hassle here!
Mane Club's One Hit Wonder 10-in-1 Spray here to replace an entire shelf's worth of hair products with a single bottle. This stuff conditions, detangles, prevents breakage, hydrates, smooths, softens, strengthens, boosts shine, controls frizz, AND works as a heat protectant. Truly the kind of multi-tasking baddie we need to survive summer!
A Moroccanoil treatment packed with antioxidants and essential fatty acids that'll revive dry, straw-like hair to the point where you'll have no choice but to give a movie-star hair flip at the beach and show off your shiny, shimmery locks.
An anti-humidity spray offering heat protection up to 450 degrees and anti-frizz protection for up to 24 hours. But because it couldn't just stop at wow-worthy results, it's *also* hydrating and restorative, thanks to hydrolyzed keratin and omega-rich sea buckthorn berry.
A super hydrating air-dry styling cream made for fine hair — unlike heavier products, it relies on lightweight polymers to enhance hair's natural texture (and provide some UV protection), meaning it won't totally squash the little volume you *do* have. However, it totally WILL squash those pesky fly-aways!
A Cécred moisture sealing lotion that, in the words of one reviewer, "slays humidity", which should come as no surprise since it was created by none other than the queen of slaying herself, Beyoncé. It's infused with the brand's Phyto-Seal Complex, which works to seal hair cuticles and fill in micro-cavities, leaving all hair types smooth, soft, and shiny.
A micro-exfoliating scalp revival shampoo if the chlorinated pool water dries out your noggin worse than the winter weather. Lather up with this creamy, soothing shampoo and then step out of the shower with an itch-free head.
These photos were taken after just one wash! Plus, this shampoo is from a Black woman-owned brand.Promising review: "This my favorite scalp exfoliater. I swim in chlorinated pool 3x week. My scalp gets dry and itchy. Not dandruff. This makes my scalp feel energized." —PlaceholderGet it from Amazon for $15+ (available in two sizes).
Verb's Ghost Oil to give you the luxurious moisture of an overnight leave-in mask, only with a non-greasy, barely-there feel. Reviewers further praise how shiny, smooth, and perfectly polished this ~spooky good~ product leaves their hair. One squirt is all it takes to ~scare~ away frizz (so take that summer humidity!).
A Chi thermal care kit that's basically a complete and comprehensive hair salon treatment you can do at home whenever your hair's looking a bit worse for wear. Start with the therapy shampoo, then moisturize with the thermal protective conditioning treatment, and finish everything off with the mighty Chi Silk Infusion. The end result? A total hair transformation. You'll be looking and feeling like a million bucks, my friends — and if you don't believe me, just take a look at those results below!