My Favorite Summer Hair Products.

Right about now is when I start embracing my natural hair texture. My hair is naturally wavy and very, very thick. If I blow it out myself, it takes me at least a solid hour. If I get it done, it takes the hairdresser at least a solid 45 minutes. Once it’s “done,” I’m good to go for five-or-so days, but getting it there is a process. And once summer rolls around, with the humidity, the summer lovely summer stench of New York’s streets, and my propensity for jumping in any body of water (pool, lake, ocean – I don’t discriminate) possible, the idea of a once or twice a week blowout becomes completely ridiculous. I can no longer get away with waiting four, five days between washes.

I’ve done a few tutorials on the blog (classic beach waves, glam beach waves), and love the results of both but the truth is I don’t always have time for all that maintenance… especially when I am standing in my bathroom with a blowdryer, dripping in sweat. I like my summer hair routine as simple as possible. Like everything else in life, I have a formula. A good mask once or twice a week, creams and oils to tame the frizz, and a great hairspray to provide some hold without any crunchiness. Really, though, it’s all about the Beachwaver. I’ve written about my Beachwaver a few times before but it’s one of those products that has actually changed my life. I’m not kidding or exaggerating –it has changed my life and I’ve gotten all of my close girlfriends to buy it too. Now I just shower at night, apply the right products, air dry, and then go over it with the Beachwaver to take my frizzy mess to polished curls that will last a few days. You can see pics here, here, here + here of how my hair looks when I style it this way… natural, but just a little bit better.

PS – At the risk of getting too “salesy” on you, the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale has a great deal on the Beachwaver right now if you are in the market for a new curling iron. I can’t say enough good things about it, it’s the best curling iron I’ve ever used. What makes it so special is that you can press a button to have the curls twirl left or right… it’s literally fool proof.

It all starts with using a good shampoo and conditioner. I have tried them all (literally, so many!!!) but right now my all time favorites are from Klorane’s blonde highlights collection. The formulas are ultra-gentle and they get your hair clean and soft but not at all weighed down. As I don’t like to wash my hair very often, it’s important to me that my shampoo + conditioner not leave behind any build-up… otherwise it just won’t last as long. Both are great for blonde hair as they’re infused with chamomile which helps to bring out your natural highlights.

For a drugstore alternative I’m suuuuper into Suave’s Sea Minerals Collection right now. The entire line smells so good (like salt and the sea) but it’s also very effective, especially for such an inexpensive price point. The shampoo gets your hair super clean and the conditioner adds just a bit of grit (think second day hair) which makes it easier for your hair to hold a wave.

Here are my other favorite hair products:

Shu Uemura’s Essence Absolue is my all-time favorite hair oil. I curse my colorist (Lucille Javier at Sally Hershberger) as she got me addicted to it and it’s rather expensive. (That being said, an entire bottle lasts me a good nine months). I apply 3-4 pumps every time I wash my hair… this is my first step, and it’s really helped my hair to look + feel a lot healthier.

For a hair mask (I do at least one a week), I love Rahua’s Omega 9 Hair Mask. It’s 100% natural and smells so good. It also leaves hair so so soft. VERB’s hydrating mask is one of the more intense masks I’ve tried – I swear that it it seals off my split ends (short-term) but there is no scientific evidence to back that up. It’s such a good one though – as you can see above, I’m halfway through my tube!

I am not super into surf sprays (they tend to dry out my hair and leave it feeling crunchy) but I really like Bumble & Buble’s Surf Infusion Spray. It is a blend of salt spray + oil so there is no crunchiness or dryness at all.

On days where I am just hanging out at home I will wash my hair and then apply a healthy amount of SOTAH’s Oil/Creme Therapy and then put my hair into two braids. By the time I’m ready to go out, my hair will be smooth and soft and in pretty waves. This is kind of like a leave in mask but you don’t have to wash it out. I will say that it leaves my hair a little bit greasy, but it has made my hair a lot healthier. I look at this as a counterbalance to all the blowouts… it really helps repair the damage from all the heat styling I do.

Last but not least, my most favorite hairspray in the world is Shu Uemura’s Sheer Lacquer. I love it because it provides great hold, without any crunch… but also, it smells amazing. The smell is the best part. I’ve tried to describe it before but the best I can do is to say that it smells like soap but so much better. I actually hoard my bottle and save it only for special occasions. Most days I’ll just use a drugstore hairspray but if I have a date or something fancy I will use this. It is truly the best formula, but also the best smelling product I own.

I think that’s it… but if you have any questions about the products I mentioned, feel free to comment below! 😉

product images by me, all other images credited.