As someone with relatively fine, flat hair, I’ve always found hair serums troublesome. No matter which one I try, they just seem to be far too greasy for my strands and weigh them down. This has been particularly frustrating lately as I’ve been travelling a lot and thus, humidity has become more of an issue. However, my trusty Hershesons Everything Cream eventually came to my aid and in no time, I remembered just how much I love the best hair creams.
As much as I adore Hershesons one, it’s not the most easily accessible product (both in price and on shelves), so I wanted to share a list of my ultimate go-to options from years of testing. Hair creams are suitable for all hair types and are excellent for smoothing, adding moisture and hydration, shaping and defining and taming frizz, so they’re the ultimate versatile styling product – and the following hardworking formulas certainly deliver on all fronts.
1. Hershesons Almost Everything Cream
(Image credit: Hershesons)
I had to include my personal favourite – the one that made me fall in love with hair creams in the first place. As its name suggests, this promises to offer a myriad of hair styling benefits, from defining curls to taming flyaways and boosting shine, and can be used on both dry and wet hair. I use this as a finishing product to define any style, and also adore the subtle, understated scent.
2. Hair By Sam McKnight Happy Endings Nourishing Balm
(Image credit: Sam McKnight)
Sam McKnight’s cleverly named Happy Endings has a really great, non-greasy texture that feels featherlight in hair. All you need is a couple of generous pumps to tame frizz, re-moisturise hair and add a gorgeous fragrance to strands.
3. ARKIVE The Good Calmer Cushioning Moisture Cream
(Image credit: Arkive)
A highly rated affordable option you can pick up in Boots, hairstylist Adam Reed created this cream to hydrate, protect and boost shine. It utilises moringa seed oil to strengthen weakened strands and inject moisture and definition into any style.
4. JVN Complete Air Dry Cream
(Image credit: JVN)
A slightly different kind of hair cream, JVN’s is designed to be used on damp hair in place of other blow-drying products. It works to define hair to allow it to air-dry naturally without frizz or flyaways, and is enriched with a blend of nourishing ingredients to make lengths super soft.
5. Dyson Chitosan™ Pre-style cream
(Image credit: Dyson)
One of the most lightweight styling creams of the bunch, Dyson’s newly-launched Chitosan formula feels practically undetectable in hair while offering hold and frizz-free benefits. It works especially well when used in tandem with an Airwrap.
6. Larry King Haircare A Social Life for Your Hair
(Image credit: Larry King)
While Dyson’s is lightweight, Larry King’s cream has more of a rich, nourishing formula meaning you only need a little for best results. It can be used on all hair types and lengths, and on dry or wet hair.
7. Briogeo Curl Charisma Rice Amino and Avocado Leave–In Defining Crème
(Image credit: Briogeo)
Briogeo’s defining curl cream features an impressive ingredients list starting with avocado oil to soften and hydrate waves, curls and coils and ending in rice amino acids that seal the hair cuticle. I have naturally wavy hair so use this when I want to wear my hair down without too much heat styling and to define my waves.
8. Oribe Créme for Style
(Image credit: Oribe)
Suitable for all hair types, this cream can be used on wet or dry hair and offers hold yet flexibility for any style. It feels super moisturising on hair, taming frizz and adding shape as it goes to work.