I haven't worn my hair completely natural for years, but this air-dry styling cream has made me love my waves again (2025)

I am well aware that I take my naturally wavy hair for granted. Friends and family tell me as much all the time, but I've never quite known what to do with it. It dries differently almost every time I wash it, I have a very inconsistent wave pattern, and I never feel that it actually looks *good*. However, the new Living Proof Air Dry Styler might have just changed everything.

Tracking down the best wavy hair products has been a lifelong mission for me. If I let my hair dry naturally, I'm left with hair that just falls flat and has a mixture of straight and curly strands. Shampoo for curly hair and gels and mousses designed for coils are far too heavy for me, but not using any products renders my hair lifeless.

Wavy hair offerings have certainly come a long way in the last few years, with many of the best shampoos for wavy hair readily available. But by far the product that my hair responds to best is any type of lightweight cream, and Living Proof's newest launch is no exception. It's one of the best air-dry products on the market.

The best hair creams are brilliant if your hair isn't thick enough to tolerate anything too heavy like a gel, but it also needs some help to look its best texture-wise. The Living Proof Style Lab Air-Dry Styler has a lovely, lightweight lotion-y consistency - thicker than a milk but thinner than a conditioner—meaning it works wonders for lightweight waves.

This formula also works to keep frizz and flyaways at bay, so it's brilliant for warmer climates or humidity as well. Made with algae-based polymer and bentonite clay, it provides hold without any crunch or leftover oiliness that can give the hair a wet look.

My review of the Living Proof Style Lab Air-Dry Styler

Before trying the Living Proof Style Lab Air-Dry Styler, I was sceptical. I have tried similar products in the past that haven't done much for my waves, leaving them looking almost identical to how they do when I haven't applied anything. But much to my surprise, that was not the case with this.

It comes in a very handy (and sleek) squeezy tube, making it easy to get the right amount in the palm of your hand. I start with about a £1 coin-sized amount and rake it evenly through my brushed, damp hair. I then scrunch it in, creating waves with my hands. And that's the process done. To get my seal of approval, wavy hair products have to be very hassle-free, otherwise, I may as well be heat styling. This cream certainly passes that test.

What I love most about this formula is that it's light enough to use on the roots as well as my ends, and no, it doesn't make them greasy or shiny. It has a lovely subtle scent, the same as other Living Proof products, and it feels weightless on the hair. You'd never know that there was product on there, apart from the beautifully defined waves.

One thing I will mention is that it's worth giving the bottle a good shake before you use it. I have found it to separate a little in the tube when I haven't touched it for a while, but this is easily fixed with a bit of movement.

Despite my waves being fairly soft, the Air Dry Styler manages to capture and define them without making my hair look stringy or heavy. Most crucially, it is not at all crunchy and I can easily run my fingers through it without any tangling.

I definitely find my hair to be significantly less frizzy when I use this cream, and it holds my waves for a good few days even when I sleep with it down. Plus, it makes my hair feel soft and hydrated, which in turn seems to boost shine.

It's one of the first products I have found that makes me want to leave my hair to air dry, which not only saves me a lot of time and effort, but also means my hair will be healthier in the long run.

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