Anyone who has sweat his way through summer knows that it’s one of the hardest times of year to sport a head of hair.  Many guys intentionally trim their hair short (ditto for facial hair) in warmer months, to forego the headaches brought on by heat and humidity. (The long term damage from UV rays is right up there with hair-splitting summer frustrations, too.)

But not so fast: You can have the summer beach waves you’ve worked towards all year, while keeping hair safely shielded against the seasonal elements. There is a long list of hair care and styling products that make life easier in summer—and that goes for guys with shorter hair styles, too. Read on for our favorite summer hair products for men.

The 10 Best Men’s Hair Products in Summer1. An Un-Meltable Styler

Nothing is worse than going on your lunch break only to have the summer swelter melt your hair product. Not only is your hair compromised, but you’ve got a bunch of product building up on your scalp or dripping down your face (and even clogging the pores). So, make sure your product of choice promises to stay put, rather than turn puddly.

American Crew clay spray styler$19

American Crew

Oh, and before you apply that…

2. A Shielding Oil

Humidity, heat, and UV rays can all compromise your hair. They work solo or together to open the cuticle and cause moisture loss, frizzing, breakage, split ends, and more. By coating the strands with a defensive oil (or even a spray), you can block the damage from these environmental factors, and typically these lightweight oils absorb fully into the strands to allow usage of other stylers over top.

Bumble and bumble UV and heat defense oil$29

Sephora

3. A Texturizing Spray

Keep your hair styling regimen fuss-free in summer, and do as the surfers would: Get beachy texture from the ocean salt itself, and you can emulate the volumized, lightweight, texturized styles (even if your hair is merely one inch long). All you need is a sea salt styling spray, and a few fingers to tousle it all after.

Rahua texturizing salt spray$34

Amazon

4. An Anti-Frizz Conditioner

Your daily conditioner is the easiest, most regulated way to prevent frizz and poofing (due to heat and humidity). The right one will coat and shield your strands from moisture loss while also detangling—even the most thick, coarse, and curly hair among us.

Use it daily, even as a “co-wash” on the days you don’t shampoo.

Living Proof anti-frizz conditioner$30

Sephora

5. An Anti-Humidity Curl Shield

How you style your curly hair is a matter of preference, especially in terms of product weight and hold. Regardless of your preferences, make sure it prevents frizzing and poofing in summer by shielding your strands from the humidity and heat. You’ll even prevent split ends and breakage in the process.

Ouidad anti-humidity curl gel$26

Amazon

6. A Revitalizing Hair Mask

Summer’s toll on hair is severe, from the breakage to the frizzing to the dryness to the split ends. What hair desperately needs is a weekly revitalization: Try a deep-conditioning hair mask that fortifies strands, restores cuticles, calms scalp strain, and pumps tons of nutrients into each hair.

Sisley Paris Hair Rituel regenerative hair mask$105

Nordstrom

Side note: If you have dyed or bleached hair, then it’s important to incorporate color-balancing and bond-building masks, alongside shampoos/conditioners and stylers that boost and protect color (particularly against summer staples like salt water, chlorine, UV rays, and heat. Read more about preserving dyed hair.

7. A Hair-Part and Cowlick SPF Powder

Of the numerous ways to protect your scalp from the sun, few are as universal or mess-free as the hair powder. (Few are as underrated, too!) A simple sprinkle can prevent your hair part, bald spots, and cowlick from frying in the sun. We’ll give runner-up status to scalp mists (for guys with thinning hair or buzz cuts), but it’s this mineral powder that helps folks with more hair and patchwork vulnerability.

Supergoop SPF 35 mineral scalp powder$34

Amazon

8. A Post-Sun Recovery Treatment

Like a prescriptive hair mask, a post-sun treatment cream will counter the effects of UV and heat damage on the cuticles, while also providing lightweight style control. It boosts shine, deeply conditions and hydrates, and keeps hair from frizzing and breaking. 

Sachajuan post-sun hair recovery cream$32

Amazon

9. A Gentle Shampoo

This is a perennial tip, but keep your routine shampoos on the lighter side: No sulfates, no harsh surfactants. You want to flush away sweat, oil, grime, and product buildup without stripping excess moisture. You can keep a deep detox shampoo on hand for when your scalp and strands need a true refresh, but those days are few and far between. For the regular washes, especially in summer, a gentle shampoo is a must—and ideally one that is packed with nourishing vitamins and scalp-balancing ingredients.

Fellow summer shampoo$26

Nordstrom

10. A Scalp Treatment

Whether it’s a daily nourishing cream or a weekly mask, a scalp treatment will calm the scalp and mitigate any inflammation and irritation, while also getting ahead of flaking. It can counter any sun exposure and calm the head after a long day outside (though sun burns should be treated with their own proper ingredients and products). Remember, a scalp in harmony gives hairs an optimal environment for growth.

Harry's scalp treatment cream$9

Harry's

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Adam Hurly has been covering men's grooming since 2013 (and for GQ since 2016). He is also a travel writer. In Fall 2024, Adam is launching Blue Print by Adam Hurly, a men's grooming platform. Adam resides in Lisbon (previously Berlin, NYC, and San Francisco). He is a Sioux Falls, SD, native... Read moreWriterInstagramRelated Stories for GQBathroom and ShowerHair