I’ve written extensively over the years about my rather complex relationship with my hair, and how it’s only now that I’m in my thirties that I’ve really learned to truly embrace it in its natural form. Now, on wash day, I can say that I really love how my hair looks. When my strands are freshly-washed, conditioned and styled (and as an air-dry loyalist I say styled in the loosest sense of the word) my loose curls and waves have definition and bounce and make me wonder why I ever complain about my hair. By day two, however, it’s a different story. I usually wake up to find that some of my curls have flattened, whilst others have become frizzy, dry or lost their shape altogether. And by day three, despite my hair not really needing a wash still, I’ve usually reached the point where lathering up again is my only option unless I want to tie it all up and avoid looking at it.
That is, until I discovered curl refresh sprays. Rather than soaking my hair with water and attempting to reshape my curls and waves, or starting the entire wash day routine again, a curl spray is an easy shortcut to encourage your texture to spring back into shape. And they’ve been a genuine game-changer for me. Particularly this summer, where I’ve been juggling childcare, work and holidays and welcome a beauty shortcut wherever possible
What Is a Curl Refresh Spray?
“A curl refresh spray is designed to reinvigorate and enhance curly to wavy hair types, helping you get an extra day or so out of your styling without having to wash, condition and dry your hair from wet,” explains Issie Churcher, creative director at STIL Salon. And while curly girls will be used to having a misting bottle of water on hand to help with styling second and third day curls, using a dedicated curl refresh spray does have added benefits. “They contain ingredients that are not only helpful at wetting down the hair, but they also provide a light conditioning benefit,” says Churcher. “This can help to define and re-sculpt curls, while also adding shine and vitality back into the hair.”
Second-day hair before using a curl refresh spray.
How to Use a Curl Refresh Spray
“For best results, start by lightly misting in sections, working down the hair from roots to the mid-length and ends,” says Curcher. She recommends avoiding the roots if you have a finer texture to prevent them from looking oily. “Depending on your curl type, a wide-tooth comb or your fingers can be useful for smoothing down the hair, or a light scrunch can be effective at allowing the product to disperse and coat the hair evenly.”
Celebrity hair stylist Sam McKnight MBE suggests twisting your hair around your fingers to really enhance the curl after using a curl refresh spray. “For tighter coils, they can be used to style your twists or braid-outs by simply misting evenly through hair and styling. Allow hair to dry before unravelling for a softer, elongated look without the frizz,” he explains. You can even add a little heat with a diffuser if you want to speed up the drying process.
How We Tested
I put a variety of curl refresh sprays through their paces, testing them on my hair on days two and three to see how they performed in terms of revitalising texture, reducing frizz and adding definition. As someone who isn’t a huge fan of feeling product in my hair, I also considered their texture and whether they felt lightweight and non-sticky. Plus, I tried to include a range of price points here too.
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We focus on formulas that deliver, whether they’re affordable favourites or luxury investments. Our product selection is based on tangible results, ingredient know-how and what we’d truly recommend to a friend.
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