Let Your Natural Hair Fly Free

Summer is the best time to embrace your natural everything—from dewy skin to wispy flyaways, who wants to waste time painting their face or blowing out their hair when the sun is shining and the beach is calling? That said, fighting frizz without applying heat to your hair is no small challenge.  Hairstylist Jenny Cho, who counts Jennifer Lawrence, Amanda Seyfried, and Jessica Chastain as clients, gave us her guide to air-drying your hair.

Curly hair:

If you have curly hair, your texture probably doesn’t like to be fussed with. The more you touch and brush it, the frizzier it grows. Curly hair actually has the best advantage in the summer because it loves the heat.

For starters, you should be using a curl-enhancing shampoo, something moisturizing. After you apply conditioner, finger brush your hair. When you get out of the shower, tap and scrunch your hair with a towel—don’t destroy it!—and apply a creamy product, like a leave in conditioner or styling product, from the mid-shaft down to the ends. Be generous. Maybe add a drop of argan (plant-based) or macadamia oil to the very ends and just let it dry. I’m really into not having a part so just push it back, put it behind your hears, do your makeup and get dressed. By the time you’re ready to walk out the door, it’ll be drying beautifully.

Straight hair:

Straight hair needs attention as well. Again, make sure you’re using a great shampoo and conditioner. Straight hair can get frizzy too, especially when you don’t put heat on it, so I like to apply mousse with a drop of oil or cream in it. Brush the product through and pull it back as if you’re going to put it into a high knot or ballerina bun. It stretches out the hair, so it dries a little more frizz free. When your’e about to walk out the door, undo the bun and brush it one more time. Be gentle with the ends (if they need another drop of oil, add it now) and just let it go!

Photo: Trunk