I Tried 4 Different Air Dry Styling Products and My Hair Has Never Looked Better With So Little Work

They don't require skills, tools or even a blow dryer to work.

By NewBeauty Editors · Jul 31, 2018

For years, every time a hairstyling product landed on my desk, I would, without fail, turn around and immediately put it in the to-shelve pile. Styling products generally don’t work for me—the simple reason being that beyond pulling my strands into a ponytail, I don’t know how to do anything else with my hair. But these latest set of products have me intrigued. They don’t require skills, tools or even a blowdryer to work. I’m talking, of course, about air dry styling products, with their promises to give me a done ‘do without requiring any effort beyond spraying in and letting nature do the rest of the work. I put four new launches to the test.

1 / 4

IGK No More Blow High Speed Air Dry Spray ($29)

Hair texture after use: frizz free, naturally polished

IGK’s air dry spray isn’t like anything else I’ve tried. The continuous aerosol delivers a fine mist that coats hair faster and more evenly than creams and sea-salt sprays. A blend of lightweight starches wick away moisture so effectively that the brand claims it dries hair in just half the time. On my head that means I can walk out of my apartment with fully wet strands and have a perfectly professional, naturally textured, frizz-free style by the time I get to my office desk 40 minutes later.

2 / 4

Ouai Air Dry Foam ($28)

Hair texture after use: Soft and a little poufy

There are rave reviews of this air-dry foam all over the internet, but most of them talk about how soft, manageable and fresh it makes naturally curly hair look with no effort. My hair isn’t curly, but it is a little bit wavy. Air-dried just as is with the foam, my final ‘do looked soft (thanks to the nourishing kale extract and panthenol), but also a little shapeless. When I apply the foam and then style my hair in a low bun, it shakes out to be a much more effortlessly, wavy style.

3 / 4

Alterna Haircare Caviar Resort Breeze Air-Dry Styling Balm ($28)

Hair texture after use: All natural

Made for all types of hair textures, this light cream boosts shine, controls frizz and adds a light touch of grooming without changing the natural look of my hair. The final look didn’t stray too much from what my hair looked like without any product in it, but a tad more polished. There are, however, benefits that I can’t see: caviar extract in the product, rich in omega-3 fatty acids and vitamins A, C and D help to improve my hair’s long-term health.

4 / 4

Rahua Enchanted Island Salt Spray ($32)

Hair texture after use: Beachy

As someone who has sprayed countless bottles of “beach spray” into my hair only to be left with a sticky mess or no change at all, I was incredibly impressed with this clean, all-natural salt spray. Pink sea salt is formulated into a super fine mist and creates texture and volume that adds just the right amount of grip without leaving hair sticky, heavy or greasy.

Find a Doctor

Find a NewBeauty "Top Beauty Doctor" Near you

It's Personal

Find a Doctor

Give the Gift of Luxury