We’ve Tried Hundreds of Them—But Only These 9 Hairstyling Creams Remain in Our Routines

I have a confession to make. Despite being a beauty editor with a cupboard full of hair products at my disposal, I’m actually pretty low-maintenance when it comes to my hair. Beyond shampoo, conditioner and maybe a little hair oil after using my hair dryer, my hair care routine is minimal. However, after forgetting to use my heat protector with my hair tools one too many times, and a few years of changing my hair colour with bleach and balayage, my hair now needs some extra care. Coupled with the change in weather as we approach the end of summer, I’ve found my hair looking and feeling drier, lacklustre and in much need of some de-frizzing now that those autumnal downpours are just around the corner. So, I’ve decided to deploy some hairstyling creams into my routine, and I’m so glad I did.

What Are Hairstyling Creams?

Unlike the more lightweight hair serums or heavier hair oils, hairstyling creams sit somewhere between the two. Designed to be used on damp hair pre-styling (or even on dry lengths, depending on the formula), they work to hydrate, smooth, define curls, add shine and offer heat protection as you style. Thanks to their number of benefits, they’re a great addition to your haircare routine to streamline your wash day without having to reach for several different products. They can also help to make your style last for longer if you’re using a hair straightener or a curling wand, or some can also be used on dry hair to refresh your style, de-frizz or add shine and softness in between shampoos.

However, finding a good hairstyling cream for your hair type and concerns can prove tricky, especially with the sheer number of products out there. So, I’ve called upon the Who What Wear UK editorial team to share their favourite hairstyling creams below, so you can find the best one for your hair texture and hairstyling needs. We’ve tried hundreds of them between us, so these are the only ones that are truly deserving of a spot in your routine.

The Best Hairstyling Creams

• Best Overall: Hershesons Almost Everything Cream
• Best for Smoothing: Ouai Anti Frizz Crème
• Best for Curls: Cantu Shea Butter Coconut Curling Cream
• Best for Air-Drying: JVN Hair Complete Air-Dry Cream
• Best for Lasting Hold: Gisou Honey Milk 5-in-1 Styling Cream

1. Hershesons Everything Cream

Hershesons Almost Everything Cream is a beauty team favourite for multiple reasons. Firstly, as the name suggests, it can be used in so many ways, whether you want to smooth frizz and flyaways, define curls, add a piecey texture to dry hair or create a slicked-back bun. It does it all. “It’s the hairstyling cream I use on my fine straight hair,” says Who What Wear UK beauty director, Shannon Lawlor. “It doesn’t weigh anything down, and I love that I can use it for absolutely anything and everything, from slicked styles to adding hydration on the ends or creating waves.”

2. Ouai Anti Frizz Crème

I have coarse, frizzy hair that is often exacerbated during humid or rainy weather, and this is one of the few hairstyling creams that helps to keep my hair looking and feeling smooth. It hydrates my somewhat wavy hair enough without feeling heavy and helps my hair stay sleek for a couple of days, but it can also be used on dry hair if you need to top up your style in between hair washes. Like all Ouai products, the scent is incredible. This one has its iconic Melrose Place scent, which is a soft rosy musk that wafts from your hair every time your hair swishes.

3. Color Wow One Minute Transformation Styling Cream

4. Cantu Shea Butter Coconut Curling Cream

“My hair needs a lot of extra moisture to feel like it’s been properly cared for, and I’ve always used Cantu for its nourishing oils and buttery soft creams to lock that in,” says Who What Wear UK fashion editor, Remy Farrell. “When I’m between protective styles, I like to give my natural hair a chance to breathe and recuperate, so I’ll deep wash, condition and finish with curling cream to style it. Now I have a daughter with a slightly different hair texture but a very impressive head of curls that tend to get a little dry, so I use the Cantu for Kids Curling Cream (£6) daily to help detangle and finish her hair in five minutes.”

5. JVN Hair Complete Air Dry Cream

JVN’s air-dry cream has become a bit of a modern icon, and for good reason. On those days when you don’t want to blowdry your hair, this air-drying cream offers the perfect amount of hold, definition and smoothness without feeling crunchy in your hair. I find that it never fails to enhance my loose waves, softly defining the lengths whilst remaining soft and flexible to the touch. It’s a great summer essential for heatwaves and holidays. Our deputy beauty editor, Grace Lindsay, is also a fan of it for her wavy hair.

6. Oribe Imperial Blowout Transformative Styling Crème

Oribe‘s incredible formulas need little introduction, but this hair styling cream is one of the best if you have the budget to splurge, and comes highly recommended by our editorial writer, Brittany Davy. It replicates the glossy, bouncy effect you get from blowdries at high-end salons, leaving your lengths looking and feeling glossy and volumised. The secret is down to the unique cream-to-oil-to-powder texture, which simultaneously hydrates, glosses and volumises your hair as you blowdry, helping to lock in your style with lasting hold. Spenny? Yes. Worth it? 100%.

7. Living Proof Style Lab Air-Dry Styler

“I often use the Living Proof Air-Dry Styler on days when I’m too lazy to get my hair tools out. It’s not so much of a cream in the typical sense, but more of a thick, milky liquid that leaves my waves feeling naturally tousled and smoothed, without the frizz,” says SEO writer Ava Gilchrist. “A little goes a long way, and you have to shake well before use, but it instantly makes me look more put-together than if I let my hair dry on its own.”

8. Bumble and Bumble Hairdresser’s Invisible Oil Heat/UV Protective Primer

If you find that most hairstyling creams are too heavy, then this lightweight, milky cream comes in a mist format that’s easy to distribute through your hair without weighing your lengths down. “I will say I’m a little OTT when it comes to skin and haircare products—more is always good! Though there are a few I move around in rotation, the one product that I will never replace is the Bumble and Bumble Invisible Oil Primer,” says junior branded content editor Humaa Hussain. “It has seriously kept my hair from heat damage (I’ve been straightening it almost every day since I was 12, so I can only imagine what state it would have been in otherwise). I just saturate my freshly washed hair before blowdrying, and voilà.”

9. Gisou Honey Milk 5-In-1 Styling Cream

A newer hairstyling cream I’ve added to my routine is this one from Gisou, which I’ve been using to prep my hair when I want a bouncy blowdry to last several days. I love a multi-purpose hairstyling cream that does the job of five, and this one literally does it all; it increases shine, offers heat protection, smooths frizziness, hydrates and offers long-lasting hold. And I can attest that it excels at all of them, leaving my hair feeling glossy, soft and bouncy after styling. The honey scent also smells delicious and has me sniffing my hair throughout the day.

How We Tested

Our editorial and beauty teams have tested hundreds of hairstyling creams between us, so we’ve tested the very best ones on the market. Our editorial team have different hair types and hair care concerns, so we’ve been able to identify the best ones for both your hair texture and your hair’s needs in your routine. Many of these hairstyling creams have been permanent favourites in our routines for years, and we have also tested new hairstyling creams to see which ones make the cut for us to recommend.

Why Trust Us

At Who What Wear UK, we know that beauty isn’t one-size-fits-all. Our editors have tested thousands of products, including some skincare, makeup, hair and nails, over the years and work closely with trusted experts—dermatologists, make-up artists and leading industry insiders—to ensure every guide is well-researched, inclusive and relevant to you.

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.