Fortunately, natural hairstyles aren’t as tricky to pull off as they used to be. “The best way to achieve a great style without a blow-dryer is after washing your hair, take a towel and flip your head upside down, wrapping it up in a twisted towel for 15 minutes,” says Carolyn Aronson, hairstylist and founder of It’s a 10 Haircare. “Once you take it down, a lot of the excess water will have been absorbed by the towel.” This process prevents you from rubbing your wet hair with a towel, which can be damaging. (Got 10 more minutes? Lose weight for good with the 10-minute workouts and 10-minute meals in Prevention’s new Fit in 10: Slim & Strong for Life!) To ensure your natural hair doesn’t morph into a frizzy, chaotic mess during the air-drying process, it’s important to invest in the right styling products. We asked several hair experts for their fave natural hairstyles, and the best products to make them happen:
For All Hair Lengths: The No-Product Look
Spray Bumble and Bumble Hairdresser’s Invisible Oil Primer on towel-dried hair and comb through, then apply a quarter-sized dollop of Don’t Blow It from roots to ends. Finish with a pea-sized amount of Brilliantine on ends only, and let air-dry (but don’t make these seven mistakes!). “This will create a piece-y, natural hair look and will help prevent hair from looking fuzzy,” says Dani Everson, owner and stylist at Clementine’s Salon in Denver, Colorado. Get the look with these products:
Bumble and Bumble Hairdresser’s Invisible Oil Primer (Buy now: $28-33, sephora.com; nordstrom.com; amazon.com)Don’t Blow It (Buy now: $31-32, sephora.com; nordstrom.com; amazon.com)Brilliantine (Buy now: $24, amazon.com; sephora.com)
Try this quick fix for fine hair:
For All Hair Lengths: The Au Naturel Look
If you want to let your hair dry naturally and you have a curly hairdo, take the Moroccanoil Hydrating Styling Cream for a spin, says Nunzio Saviano, hair stylist and owner of Nunzio Saviano Salon in New York City. “Just scrunch it in and it helps the curls form really nicely while moisturizing each strand,” he says. (Psst! Make sure you never break these seven rules for curly hair.) And if you have fine or straight hair, you can scrunch Oribe Surfcomber Tousled Texture Mousse into your tresses for a sea salty, beach vibe. Get the look with these products:
Moroccanoil Hydrating Styling Cream (Buy now: $13, sephora.com, nordstrom.com)Oribe Surfcomber Tousled Texture Mousse (Buy now: $39, amazon.com, nordstrom.com)
MORE: 13 Silk Pillowcases That Fight Wrinkles And Bed Head
For All Hair Lengths: The Wet Look
If you’ve always wanted to try the sought-after wet look that Kim Kardashian has perfected, all you have to do is apply Kérastase Forme Fatale Styling Gel to towel-dried hair and slick your hair back around the ears, says Saviano. Voila! (Want younger-looking hair? Follow these five rules for hair after 40.) Get the look with this product:
Kérastase Forme Fatale Styling Gel (Buy now: $34, amazon.com)
For Shoulder-Length Hair: The Beach Babe Look
Spray Bumble and Bumble Hairdresser’s Invisible Oil Primer onto towel-dried hair and comb through, then work Surf Spray into your hair from roots to ends, says Everson. Using your fingers, divide your hair into two-inch sections, twisting each section away from your face. Finish with a light spray of Thickening Dryspun Finish and let your hair air-dry. Shake it out to create a lived-in, beachy look (it’s one of the 15 hairstyles guaranteed to make you look younger.) Get the look with these products:
Bumble and Bumble Hairdresser’s Invisible Oil Primer (Buy now: $28-33, sephora.com; amazon.com; nordstrom.com)Surf Spray (Buy now: $27-35, sephora.com; amazon.com; nordstrom.comThickening Dryspun Finish (Buy now: $31, amazon.com; sephora.com; nordstrom.com)
PREVENTION PREMIUM: 9 Highly Effective Solutions For Thinning Hair
For Shoulder-Length Hair: The Crinkled Look
The easiest summer style to don is one that will give you a crinkly, textured look in seconds, says celebrity hair stylist Kiyah Wright. Start with a good gel or curl product, such as Eco Styling Gel, which will maintain your natural hair look without the heat. Let your hair air-dry, then part into one-inch square sections, double-strand twisting each section of hair until it’s in a Chinese knot. Lightly flat iron to set the hair, and unravel for an instant style that’ll turn heads. For an even tighter curl, you can also double-strand twist your hair, then wrap each twist around a bobby pin, essentially using the pin as a roller. Smash each twist with your flat iron before unraveling, and you’ll have a tightly textured look in no time. (Don’t have time to wash your hair? Here’s what happens when you stop sudsing your strands every day.) Get the look with this product:
Eco Styling Gel (Buy now: $9, amazon.com)
For Shoulder-Length Hair: The Vintage Curls Look
Shower the night before and let your hair air-dry until slightly damp. Set hair with a workable, memory hold spray like White Sands Undercover Styling Spray (Buy now: $21, amazon.com). Loosely gather hair into a ponytail at the crown of your head. (You can also position the base and move it around to find the most comfortable spot while you sleep.) “A scrunchie would be perfect for this, since it will leave virtually no ponytail dents,” says Fernando Salas, hair stylist and creator of White Sands Hair Care. Taking one- or two-inch sections of hair, wrap into a pin curl around your finger and secure with bobby pins around the base of the ponytail. (The larger the section, the looser the curl, says Salas.) In the morning, take out and shake with your hands to reveal waves that look like you spent hours with your curling iron. MORE: 6 Sophisticated Ways To Wear Your Hair Up
For Long Hair: The Ponytail 2.0 Look
Once you’ve towel-dried and brushed out your hair, applying a hair mask to your entire head—such as the L’Anza Moi Moi Hair Masque—gives you the opportunity to treat your hair while embracing its natural state, says celebrity hair stylist Felix Fischer (you can also make your own avocado and honey hair mask.) Place hair on top of your head and brush into a simple high ponytail. Take little strands of hair from the ponytail and wrap them around a quarter-inch hair wand, leaving out the ends. Keep going until the entire ponytail is curled. Spritz Oribe Dry Texturizing Spray onto the curls and shake them out. Get the look with these products:
L’Anza Moi Moi Hair Masque (Buy now: $29, amazon.com)Oribe Dry Texturizing Spray (Buy now: $46, amazon.com; nordstrom.com)
MORE: 11 Organic And Natural Shampoos That Work Just As Well As The Stuff With Chemicals
For Long Hair: The Romantic Bohemian Look
Towel dry hair and apply Bumble and Bumble Hairdresser’s Invisible Oil Primer. “Comb through with a wide-toothed brush to get the tangles out, but not so much as to brush out your hair’s natural texture,” says Everson. (Make your hair look instantly thicker with these tips.) Lightly spritz Surf Infusion Spray and apply Curl Defining Creme from roots to ends. Section your hair off into four quadrants—one on either side of the head and two in the back. For each of these sections, make a rope braid by separating the section into two pieces, and twisting them in alternating directions. Use a soft elastic to hold them in place. One your hair is dry, take out the braids and shake out your hair. Spray a bit more of the Surf Infusion Spray onto your hair for a tamed, soft romantic look. Get the look with these products:
Bumble and Bumble Hairdresser’s Invisible Oil Primer (Buy now: $28-33, sephora.com; amazon.com; nordstrom.com)Surf Infusion (Buy now: $28-29, amazon.com; sephora.com; nordstrom.com)Curl Defining Creme (Buy now: $31-32, sephora.com; amazon.com; nordstrom.com)
