"In a perfect world, on a humid summer morning, I’d roll out of bed with soft, tousled, beachy waves and would make my way to my desk with my locks perfectly intact, smooth, and luscious. In reality, 10 seconds after I step outside every morning, no matter if I curled or straightened my hair, it ends up in the same disheveled, frizzy, half-wave mess.
When the temperature is high (and the humidity is even higher), the last thing anyone wants is their hair sticking to the back of their neck, or worse, putting in the effort in the morning to have it all go to waste before 9 a.m. And is there anything worse than blow-drying your hair when it’s 100 degrees out?
The good news is that there are plenty of hairstyles that can be accomplished without heat tools or a ton of effort in the mornings. Put the curling iron down and try out these easy, heatless hairstyles this summer.
1. Curly Half-Up Half-Down
If you’re a curly girl, you know that heat and humidity can be a total wild card for your hair. A simple half-up, half-down hairstyle like this one can be easily achieved with either a scrunchie or a clip. By sweeping most of your hair out of your face, you’ll be able to ensure your strands don’t get too sweaty.
2. Braided Ponytail
If you have a protective hairstyle right now, you might want to beat the heat by throwing it up in a ponytail. This is obviously quite a simple hairstyle—all you need is a sturdy hair tie or two—but it’s a game changer if you’re sweltering in the summer heat.
3. Hair Scarf
Aside from the fact that hair scarves are trending right now (thank you, Sydney on The Bear!), they’re also perfect for warm days when you want to keep your hair out of your face. Choose a scarf that you like, fold it into a triangle, and tie it around your hair for a cute, picnic-ready look.
4. Messy With Clips
If you can’t be bothered with an updo, no sweat—you can keep strands out of your face with a few strategically placed hair clips. For this one, the messier the look, the better. Find some cute clips and place them willy-nilly throughout your hair, and you might just end up with a style you love.
5. Short High Ponytail
Short-hair girlies know how hard it can be to put your hair up into a ponytail, but at this time of year, the effort might just be worth it. Even if you have a few strands falling out here and there, there’s something super chic about a short-hair ponytail in the summertime.
6. Low Slicked-Back Braid
One surefire way to beat the humidity is to opt for a slicked-back hairstyle. To achieve this slicked-back braid, start by pulling your hair back into an oiled ponytail. Then, secure it with a tie and braid the ponytail as normal, tying the end so that your ponytail becomes one long, manageable rope.
7. Braided Top Knot
Braided ponytail not keeping you cool enough? No problem. Wrangle your braids into a super-high ponytail, and then wrap them into a neat top knot with a few strands pulled out to achieve this look. With your braids out of the way, you’ll feel breezy!
8. Classic Claw Clip
Sometimes, a girl has no choice but to turn to her beloved claw clip. Frankly, when it’s warm out, it’s probably wise to always keep one on hand. However, if you want to be more intentional with your claw clipping, do it before you leave the house and brush your hair into a chic twist like this one.
9. Half-Up Bow
If you have natural waves, this is the perfect hairstyle for you in the middle of the summer. It’s not too tight or restrictive, but it will keep your hair in check if the humidity hits. Simply tie your hair loosely in a half-up style with any bow or ribbon you have on hand to achieve this style.
10. High Messy Bun
Can we bring back the heyday of the messy bun, please? A loose ponytail plus a few bobby pins and a devil-may-care attitude about wayward strands is exactly what we all need when it’s super hot out. Choose this updo before a patio hang or a beach day.
11. Bow Bubble Ponytail
If you feel like adding a little more effort to your heatless hairstyle, try out this bow bubble ponytail. Start by putting your hair in a high ponytail; then, use hair elastics to pinch together a few “bubbles” on the ponytail. Finish it off with a few bows, and you’ve got a super trendy and cool look.
12. Low Curly Messy Bun
If you have curls, pulling them into a messy, low bun is a great option for keeping them tame when it’s hot and humid out. You can tame a few flyaways, but for the most part, this style looks best when it’s kept super low-effort and low-maintenance.
13. Loose High Braided Ponytail
If you aren’t into the low-braid look, you can opt for a high-braided ponytail instead. This is actually the perfect style for pulling through a baseball cap if you’re headed to a game or just need some extra coverage in the heat.
14. Low Loose Bun
The high messy bun’s sister style is for anyone who wants that effortlessly chic look without the arm workout that is required for achieving a high messy bun. Simply gather your hair into a loose knot at the nape of your neck and head out the door!
15. Wet
Sometimes, there is no solution to a humid, hot hair day than to jump into a body of water. Whether it’s a pool, lake, or ocean, you might as well take advantage of the season and let your wet locks dry in the hot sun. After all, the heat may be a pain, but summer only comes once a year!