Cue the bikinis, backyard barbecues, and brunches, because summer officially starts this Friday. In the mane world, this means low-effort hairstyles that most importantly don’t require hot tools. Because who doesn’t love the wash-and-go lifestyle? To get your locks ready for the months of warm weather and summer parties, we’re sharing quick, minimal-energy hairstyles to swear by.
“When I don’t have glam, I literally just wash and go.” – Kourt
“I brush my hair in the shower, which helps to eliminate tangles and evenly distribute conditioner, and I don’t brush it again (this is key). Then when I’m out of the shower, I only use a hair turban, because it cuts down on drying time and works wonders to calm any frizzies. I use a dollop of Olaplex Bond Smoother on my ends and scrunch my hair with my hands to work it in. For the front pieces, I twirl them around my finger (going away from my face) and let them “set” as they dry. The result is air-dried hair with just the right amount of texture, sans the frizz. For hair that’s curly, I suggest adding a hair oil once your hair is three-quarters dry.” – Sarah Howard, founder of Beauty Banter
“The key to one of my favorite wash-and-go styles is texture spray. Take NatureLab Tokyo Perfect Volume Texture Mist on damp hair and spray from roots to mid-shaft. Using your fingers, scrunch your hair from root to tip to add volume and enhance your hair’s natural texture. Seal the look with some hair oil to tame flyaways and frizz for that chic, lived-in look.” – Andrew Fitzsimons, whose clients include Kourtney Kardashian
“For a quick, sleek bun or pony, apply Ouai Hair Oil at the roots and part hair down the middle, then slick hair back using a barber’s brush. It’s the perfect go-to hairstyle even on the days your hair is oily.
For girls with long hair, you can wear a braid while you sleep for a pretty wave. Prep damp hair with Ouai Wave Spray at night, part hair down the middle, and braid to the bottom, tying a rubber band about an inch and a half away from the ends.” – Jen Atkin, whose clients include Kendall Jenner
“My go-to is a very tight slick-back. Sometimes I play around with pulling it straight back, or I’ll keep a little bit of a center part. I use a lot of Eco-Styler gel and Design Essentials edge control to keep my baby hairs down, and I’m good to go in five minutes.” – Chrissy Rutherford, Special Projects Director at Harpers Bazaar US
“A good wash-and-go style starts with a good haircut. Cut it according to how the hair lies. For a daily style, brush hair after washing it, towel dry it, and then use a hand lotion—something not too greasy but that has a lot of moisture. Put it all over the hair, scrunch it into the hair, and let it air dry.” – Anh Co Tran, whose clients include Emily Ratajkowski
“I use the Gisou Propolis Infused Texturizing Wave Spray to create natural waves whenever I want to give my hair a break from heated styling tools. Propolis is highly strengthening, so as a key ingredient, it doesn’t just add texture and volume but also helps prevent breakage and split ends. I spray evenly from arm’s length onto damp hair and then allow to dry naturally for instant beach waves. I follow up with a few drops of Honey Infused Hair Oil to smooth my ends.” – Negin Mirsalehi, founder of Gisou
“I wrap a towel around my head for a few minutes, then I take it off before my hair gets too dry. Then I put Wave Maker cream from DevaCurl and comb through my hair. Before I leave the house, I use Bed Head Superstar at the root. I then scrunch using my hands until I get to work. When I get to work and my hair is more dry, I spray Virtue dry shampoo to give more of a piece-y look. And that is my wash-and-go Cali girl waves.” – Kari Hill, whose clients include Shailene Woodley
“When I’m in a time crunch (which is basically every day), I go for a messy/beachy wave. I start by spraying Ouai Wave Spray into my wet hair from roots to tip and do an upward scrunching motion with my hands to work the product in. Last quick step is adding in some Caudalie Body and Hair Oil to the ends for a nice shine. That’s it, and it takes about five minutes.” – Devin Brugman, Co-founder of Bikini a Day and Monday Swimwear
“I love encouraging women to embrace their natural curl in the summer. Depending on your curl pattern, use a product that helps rejuvenate your curl. You can scrunch and go or take small sections and twist the hair with tension in a circular motion to reduce frizz.” – Chris Appleton, whose clients include Kim Kardashian
“You can’t go wrong with a sleek bun. When I’m in a hurry but still want my hair to look polished, I part my hair in the middle, use a pump of dpHue’s Color Fresh Oil starting at the ends and working it throughout, and then pull my hair back in a tight bun. With my palm, I’ll smooth the roots for a super-clean finish.” – Deven Hopp, Brand Director at Versed