By Tara Young

Let’s be real: air-drying your hair can be a bit of a gamble, especially if you have the trust to leave your house with damp hair in the hope it will hold its own until you can give it a zuzh in the bathroom later.

Done right, it can give you effortless 'off-duty-model' waves, defined curls, or that cool, piece-y texture everyone covets. But without the correct method or products, it can leave you frizzy, flat, or crunchy - and catching a glimpse of your hair a bit skew-wiff halfway through the day can really throw you off.

The good news? You don’t need to be a professional to nail a flawless air-dry look. Here’s how to get your best natural texture, no heat necessary. We'll have you out the door with full confidence in your hair in no time at all.

Set your hair up for success; a fool-proof air-dry method starts in the shower with a regimen best suited for your hair type and texture - wash and condition as normal. After washing and conditioning your hair, finish with a cold water rinse to lock in shine and reduce frizz and flyaways. Cold water helps the cuticle of your hair lie flat, leaving you with shinier hair.

Once you’re out of the shower, resist the urge to rough up your hair and strangle it into submission with your towel. Instead, gently blot your hair using a microfiber Iles Formula Hair Turban or even an old cotton t-shirt. This reduces frizz and breakage, this step can make or break a look.

To keep your hair from getting puffy or losing definition, use a wide-tooth comb or your fingers to gently detangle it while it’s still damp, or you might like to do this in the shower while you're conditioning. Now is the time to apply a lightweight detangler or leave-in product that will lock in moisture and fight that unwanted frizz that can appear as the hair dries.

Now for the fun part: styling! Choose your products based on the texture you want to enhance.

SLEEK AND SMOOTH

If you’re aiming for smooth, polished hair, try Christophe Robin Hydrating Leave-In Cream for a smooth finish and moisturized hair or Kevin Murphy Smooth Again, a styling product/treatment in one, helping to eliminate frizz and leave hair silky smooth.

If your hair is on the frizzy side and you're aiming for slinky smooth hair try Davines Love Smooth Hair Smoother, a lightweight styling cream that tames unruly hair and minimises frizz or Oribe's Supershine Light Moisturizing Cream is a silky leave-in treatment that keeps hair soft and frizz-free with a high-shine finish - I like to combine it with Hydration Booster Power Drops for supercharged hydration.

WAVES AND CURLS

Want to embrace your natural wave or curl? Go for Evo Liquid Rollers Curl Balm or Kevin Murphy Killer Twirls to enhance natural texture and define hair without the crunch. If you need extra hold, try Davines Curl Gel Oil for bouncy, touchable curls with definition.

Meanwhile, just a few pumps of Oribe's Hair Alchemy Heatless Styling Balm leaves air-dried strands stronger & frizz-free, yet touchably soft, with a healthy, glossy shine. Great for weak hair to prevent and reduce breakage.

VOLUME AND TEXTURE

If you want that lived-in, tousled look, Davines Sea Salt Spray will give a full-bodied look with a matte finish. It adds grit and volume for that cool, beachy vibe. If you're going for big hair and roughed-up texture, try O&M Desert Dry Volume and Texture Spray, it's a dry shampoo and texturized in one.

For that coveted messy texture, puff things up with Kevin Murphy Powder Puff! Not only is it cute AF but it builds body and texture in all the right places. Plus it's small and cute enough to fit in your handbag or suitcase, because you never know when you might need some oomph.

Now here’s the tricky part: patience. Resist the urge to touch or tousle your hair as it dries. Constant fiddling will only disrupt your natural texture and increase frizz. If you must, try using a diffuser attachment on a cool setting to speed up drying, but always keep it gentle.

Once your hair is completely dry, finish with a touch of shine or hold. A lightweight oil or serum adds polish without heaviness.

Use O&M Frizzy Logic Shine Serum to fight off humidity and tame curls while making hair super glossy and smelling sweet, or Kevin Murphy Young Again Oil to add a glossy smooth finish and protect your strands from environmental stressors.