The £10 'air dry' cream that has taken the frizz out of my hair
🛍️ Product reviewed: JVN Hair Complete Air Dry Cream
⏰ Tested for: Three weeks, daily
⭐ Our Rating: 4/5
💸 Reasons to buy: It temporarily reduced the fluffy texture of my hair
✋ Reasons to avoid: It can't permanently change the texture of your hair - but what can?
💰 Best deal we've found: If you have fine hair, buy the smaller 30ml version for just £10 instead of £23 for the full-sized one
When it’s hot, the last thing I want to do is blow-dry or straighten my hair. But, unfortunately, my fine, slightly wavy hair – cut into a French bob – turns into a cloud of fluff if I let it dry naturally. I also tend to sweat a lot from my head, which adds a nice touch of frizz.
I’ve tried all sorts of potions – from deep conditioners and sea-salt spray to hair oils – but nothing takes away that overly fluffy look if I dare to air-dry my do.
Then I saw Instagram users gushing over the JVN Hair Complete Air Dry Cream. At £23 for 147ml, I felt too much to spend on a test run. However, the 30ml size - costing a mere £10 - was the ideal sample size.
Spoiler alert: This might just be my new favourite hair product since I discovered the JVN Hair Instant Recovery Serum. Here’s why.
💸 Reasons to buy
JVN hair products were launched in the UK in 2022 by Queer Eye star and hairdresser Jonathan Van Ness (aka JVN). And there’s a reason they’re still flying off the virtual shelves.
Recently I've also written about my love for the JVN Hair Instant Recovery Serum which nourishes your hair while offering heat protection.
And now it’s the JVN Hair Complete Air Dry Cream that has wowed me with its efficacy. In a nutshell, it’s a cream suitable for all hair types that offers a gentle hold while ensuring your hair cuticles stay smooth as your hair air-dries. And it also protects against the effects of humidity and UV damage.
It is infused with chia seed and linseed extract for touchable hold, moringa seed oil to make your hair feel soft and look lustrous and shiny, with an ingredient called hemisqualane to reduce damage and strengthen the locks.
I proceeded with caution and used a drawing pin-sized blob of cream initially, rubbed it between my hands, and ran it through my wet, just-washed hair from roots to ends. As it felt so light on my hair, I then applied a tiny bit more to mid-lengths and ends.
I gently scrunched my hair into waves and then just left it to dry naturally while I got on with my day.
If you’ve got thicker, curlier hair, the brand recommends you apply the product to 30% damp hair, then dry with a diffuser.
They also offered another tip: to mix the Air Dry Cream with the Complete Instant Recovery Leave-In Serum which will protect your locks if you do want to use a hairdryer to part-dry it.
The scent of the product is gentle, soft and fresh. The texture is, as the name suggests, creamy – but it’s light, quickly absorbed and didn’t weigh my hair down. (I’d advise starting by using a very small amount, especially if you have fine hair, then you can build it up gradually if you want a little more hold).
I then let my hair air-dry, while doing the housework – hoovering, mopping floors and scrubbing out the bath. As it was a warm day, the sweat started pouring down my face from my head – the perfect test for the frizz-free claims the brand makes about the product.
I looked in the mirror and was disappointed to see that my hair did have a touch of frizz.
But – and this is where I was impressed – I simply tousled it around a bit and gave it a bit of a scrunch and it settled back into soft waves that lasted all day. Even through an afternoon nap.
I’m going to take it on holiday, too. Not only is it the perfect travel size, but it means I’ll be able to go from beach to bar without having to do a 20-minute ‘hair-rescue detour’ to my hotel room first.
✋ Reasons to avoid
Word of caution: don't apply too much - I made that mistake and it made my roots and fringe look a bit greasy.
And keep in mind that no product is a miracle-worker, and it won't completely change your natural hair texture. That means that I’ll never have the sleek, swingy locks of my dreams, but this product temporarily minimises my fluff so I don’t feel like I’m wearing a cloud of hair.
That alone is well-worth the £10.
💰 Best deal we've found
In the UK you can currently only get JV products from a few retailers, which are Space NK, Sephora, JVN's own website and Cult Beauty.
Shop now: JVN Hair Air Dry Cream 30ml | £10 from Cult Beauty
Shop now: JVN Hair Air Dry Cream 147ml | £23 from Cult Beauty
