Ever have one of those mornings when you snooze your alarm one too many minutes, have to take the quickest shower of your life and are left with no time to blow dry your hair? If your schedule is anything like mine, this happens a little too often. A year ago I would’ve left the house feeling frumpy or like my look wasn’t finished, but now I’m learning that the just out of the shower look—and the air dried hair that follows—couldn’t be more chic. Get ready to embrace low maintenance beauty, girls, because undone, freshly dried, natural-looking locks are the ultimate fall accessory.
This look is incredibly simple and was all the rage at the Spring ’15 shows. Designers like Chloe, Isabel and Dior achieved textures that were not completely straight or wavy. The hair was perfectly imperfect, as if each model had just taken a brisk walk through Central Park after a quick shower. Fall is the perfect time to try this look, because humidity is dwindling, allowing your hair to dry frizz-free, the air is crisp, so your hair will dry at a reasonable pace, and it’s not yet too cold outside to walk around with wet hair.
Convinced yet? Here’s how to get the look:
In-Shower Prep – Squeaky-clean hair is the key to this natural look. During your morning shower, make sure to thoroughly shampoo your hair. You can also condition, but I would recommend only applying product to the ends of the hair. Too much conditioner might weigh down your hair throughout the day. I LOVE Philip B Russian Amber Shampoo and Conditioner.
Post-Shower Moisture – Once you hop out of the shower, apply a leave-in cream to soften the hair, like Oribe’s Supershine Light Moisturizing Cream. This will add a healthy shine by repairing your hair without making it heavy or greasy.
Towel Dry – After you’ve applied the leave-in cream, towel dry your hair using a super gentle microfiber hair towel wrap. My go-to is the Turbie Twist Super Absorbent Hair Towel. This gives you a chance to put on your makeup for the day while your hair is soaking up all the moisture.
Finishing Touches – Once you’ve finished getting ready for the day, take your hair out of the towel. Depending on how your hair naturally dries, you can brush through your locks or leave them untouched. I like to brush my hair, part it in the middle, and then gently tousle the strands near my roots. Now, just because summer is over doesn’t mean you have to pass on your favorite beachy touches. When your hair is somewhat dry, spray Bumble and bumble’s Surf Spray all over. This will give your hair a nice lived-in finish without looking tangled.
Overnight Healthy Hair Bonus – If you find your hair is a little too dry after morning showers, try taking a shower at night and using a nighttime treatment before bed. When my hair is looking and feeling lackluster, I use Sachajuan’s Over Night Hair Repair (Annie loves it too and talks about it here!) designed to mend the quality of your hair while you get your beauty sleep. Prepare to wake up to newly moisturized locks and chic bed head. If you’re rolling with the bed head look, finish with Surf Spray before your start your day.
Now you can finally feel good about having less time in front of the mirror. And, most importantly, enjoy your extra five minutes in bed.
Story by Lexi Tollefsen.