The Anti-Frizz Product (That Really Works) I Apply to My Hair All Summer Long

I don’t know about you, but from May to October, hair dryers are banished from my house. Since I have thick, wavy hair, which tends to retain a lot of water, it takes a particularly long time to dry—meaning the hair dryer becomes a tool of deadly boredom.

Of course, in winter I can’t do without it. In the cold, going to bed with wet hair invites the strongest viruses and the most tenacious bacteria. But in summer, it’s a different story. I’m a big fan of air-drying hair for two reasons: The first is that I don’t have to spend what feels like forever propping up the blow dryer. The second is that natural, air-dried hair looks great. It takes on waves and volume that the blow dryer and straightener undo, plus, our hair is better off in the long run since it isn’t damaged by heating tools. The only problem? Air-drying my hair begets frizz, which threatens to turn curly and wavy hair into a shapeless, foamy cloud.

Anti-frizz products are the ideal solution to keeping my hair wavy while averting the frizz. In my long journey testing anti-frizz products, the solutions I’ve found haven’t always been effective. Some promise the perfect straightening effect, but add moisture content that exceeds 70 percent and—poof—my hair swells in a second. Others seemed enticing, but didn’t perform their promised function, even immediately after application.

But if you love to air-dry your hair during the summer, using an anti-frizz cream will be indispensable if you want to have tidy hair. In my search for the best anti-frizz products, I have come to the conclusion that this is my favorite. And the fact that it is priced at just under $8 makes me love it even more.

John Frieda Frizz Ease Dream Curls Daily Styling Spray is a cream spray that helps define and emphasize the movement of curly and wavy hair, giving it elasticity and softness, while warding off frizz. It succeeds in this feat thanks to rosehip oil, which moisturizes hair without weighing it down.

As for how to use it? To preserve my hair’s waves, seal their movement, and prevent frizz, I comb my hair with my fingers (or a wide-toothed comb) in the shower when I apply conditioner or a hair mask, and never comb it afterward. Once my hair is towel-dried, I distribute the product strand by strand, placing the ends in the palm of my hand, and scrunching them toward my scalp to help the waves form. You can decide whether to let them dry loose, or gather them into a braid or buns.