Before I was one, I assumed that all beauty editors were perfectly groomed 24/7. Monthly manicures, a daily face of makeup, trims every six weeks (a recommendation I approach with the same flexibility as our government-mandated wine allowance)
With age, wisdom and over a decade in the industry, I've realised there are many ways to be a beauty journalist, and preened glamourpuss is but one. Thank goodness, because, intensive skincare routine aside, I'm actually a fairly low-maintenance person.
My specialist subject - and professional raison d'être - is finding products that sit within the Venn diagram overlap of low effort and high reward. And when I say JVN Complete Air Dry Cream is right in that sweet spot, I'm talking full bullseye.
Why this smoothing and style-holding cream is my beauty buy of the week
This laissez-faire approach is especially true of my hair, which I air dry probably five days a week. I love heat-styled beach waves as much as the next Sienna Miller-worshipping millennial. However, I also have a demanding job, a toddler, a dog, an old therefore slightly crumbly flat and an active social life that I stubbornly insist on maintaining despite all of the above.
That's a long way of saying I'm quite busy. And wet hair, left to its own devices, will do the work itself. If I could leave my face alone and makeup would appear, slightly less nicely than if I'd done it, I'd take that option most of the time, too. Especially, if the cosmetic equivalent of this air dry cream existed.
Here's the pitch: hair that you've done almost nothing to will look deliberately styled if you use this. After washing, I apply a sultana-sized blob from the ears down, then wipe my hands over my roots to catch frizz. I leave everything alone, or sometimes twirl it around my fingers a bit, and end up with a less-limp, less-frizzy, more done 'do with nice tousled texture (hello Sienna Miller's piecey waves)
As well as conditioning hemisqualane, which this brand uses across the board in their products, Complete Air Dry contains various plant extracts and oils, but it isn't heavy at all. It feels more like a serum than a cream, and has a powerful salon-y scent that lingers in a good way.
Even if you're dedicated to your best hair dryer, it's a no-brainer to take a break from heat styling now and then - and this product would make it a pleasure to do so, irrespective of hair type.
Funnily enough, my fine, straight strands are quite far down the list of hair types this product should be best for. Styling creams usually gel with thick and naturally-textured hair, and a curly-haired pal has confirmed this defines and defrizzes like a dream.
You don't need me to tell you how great this would be on holiday instead of sweating under a gasping hotel dryer. The brand offers a cute 60ml tube that's begging to travel with you this summer and rings in at a very affordable £12. Sound good? Great! Let's chat next Sunday.
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