The Contenders:Living Proof Curl Defining Styling Cream, $28, vs. Tigi Bed Head Foxy Curls Contour Cream, $19.99
The Breakdown:
The curly-hair struggle is real enough without having to suffer through bad (and expensive) curl creams. Luckily, we tested these products from Living Proof and Tigi Bed Head, and are happy to report they are both worth your time.
When applied to damp hair, the Living Proof has a surprisingly lightweight texture and a subtle, spa-like scent that won't clash with your perfume. Let your hair air-dry, or heat style with a diffuser, and you'll end up with defined, frizz-free ringlets that aren't crunchy or weighed down.
Applied and styled the same way, the Tigi also leaves you with frizz-free curls — though the finish is slightly different. This fruity-smelling drugstore find has a thicker texture and is supermoisturizing — more so than its high-end counterpart — and you wind up with curls that are glossier and more hydrated. We also determined you can get away with going longer without washing your hair after using the Tigi, which is a major bonus.
The Winner:Tigi Bed Head Foxy Curls Contour Cream
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Nostalgic Surf Spray That Gives You All The Beachiness
The Contenders:Bumble and Bumble Surf Spray, $27, vs. John Frieda Beach Blonde Sea Waves Sea Salt Spray, $9.99
The Breakdown:
In a battle of the cult classic salt sprays, we were eager to put the drugstore and high-end versions to the test. Apply a salt spray to dry or wet hair and ideally you'll end up with a subtle, tousled finish that looks as if you just stepped off the beach. The results are less volumized and more natural than those of a texture spray, but on a bad day, they'll be stringier and more tangled, as well.
Though Bumble and Bumble's surf spray is a fan favorite, our editors were unanimous — the John Frieda offers prettier, more perfectly tousled waves. The texture doesn't end up crunchy, frizzy or flat. And it doesn't hurt that John Frieda's scent is nostalgic and beachy, whereas the Bumble and Bumble smells a bit soapy. In other words, this stuff makes us especially glad the Beach Blonde line came back to life.
The Winner:John Frieda Beach Blonde Sea Waves Sea Salt Spray, $9.99
