My Curls Only Ever Looked Good on Wash Day, Until I Discovered These 9 Refresh Sprays

Key ingredients: Beauté by Roquette®, curvelini, hydrolysed pea protein, fermented rice water

During this summer’s heatwave, my curls and waves have been dropping faster than ever before, yet this fine mist has made light work of rejuvenating my hair's texture in mere moments. It’s perfect when you don’t want to completely re-wet your hair, as it adds just a small amount of moisture yet brings curl pattern back in just a few scrunches. I love how hydrating it feels too—my curls always feel softer and more conditioned after using this, rather than simply coated in product. My only gripe is that I don’t love the smell, but it fades quickly and is a small price to pay for how good the results are. The only thing that would get my hair looking similar is a full re-wash.

Key ingredients: Style refresh complex, lipopeptides, enzymes, babassu oil

This isn’t a dedicated curl refresh spray, rather a style refresh product for all hair types. However, I have been blown away by how well it works on my textured hair which despite how it looks is actually incredibly fine. The mist on this is so pleasing—it delivers a continual spray which is similar to the misting bottles that I’m used to using with water. It means that you can really build up the moisture until your hair is quite damp and then take your time scrunching or forming curls with your fingertips. It also works really well as a base for other curl creams and oils, without adding any extra weight or texture. The finished result is hair that looks smoother, more defined and beautifully shiny.

Key ingredients: Chia seed and linseed extract, sugar cane extract, oat kernel extract

A great option for anyone with waves or soft curls that often find their texture falls flat after a day or two. It can be misted onto damp or dry hair to add lift and shape, without leaving hair feeling stiff or crunchy. I particularly like misting it around my roots and mid-lengths to add movement. I probably wouldn’t use it when my curls are desperately thirsty—there are richer options here for that—but if you're trying to combat that kind of lacklustre, second-day texture, then this is a brilliant choice for some instant va-va-voom.

Key ingredients: Avocado oil, quinoa protein, pro-vitamin B5, rice water

If your curls tend to get a bit dry and dehydrated then this moisturising spray is brilliant as it's packed with avocado oil, quinoa protein, provitamin B5 and rice water to inject some much needed hydration back into hair to reactive curls. I also find that it really helps to smooth the frizz that inevitably appears overnight, whilst leaving curls soft rather than crispy. For me, the biggest benefit is definition: it doesn’t completely recreate wash-day curls, but it makes the difference between hair I’m tempted to tie up and hair I’m happy to wear loose.

Key ingredients: Glycerin, castor oil, shea butter

If your curls tend to feel dry as well as misshapen between washes, this is the one I’d pick. Cantu’s formula is centred around glycerin and shea butter, so it has a noticeably more moisturising feel than some of the lightweight sprays on the list. If you have thick hair or curls and coils that can become fluffy or flatter when you sleep, then this restores definition and shape while injecting hydration. If you have fine hair then you'll need to be a bit more careful with the amount you mist on, but for coily or very thirsty strands this delivers all of the extra moisture needed to bring that texture back to life.

Key ingredients: Manuka honey, ceramides

An undeniably luxurious option in this lineup of curl refresh sprays, this lightweight mist is infused with nourishing ceramides and shine-boosting manuka honey to hydrate and smooth strands so that curls look beautifully defined. Just spray it through hair in the morning and reshape with fingers for bouncy texture that glistens with hydration. Plus, as long as reviving your natural curl pattern, your hair will feel so soft and smooth—almost like you've just visited the salon for a professional treatment. If you want a spray that adds shape but also cares for your hair, then it makes for a great investment.

Key ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, shea fatty acids

This is a really good reminder that you don’t need to spend a fortune to revive second-day curls. The formula is packed with glycerin and hyaluronic acid to give hair a welcome hit of hydration when it’s starting to feel dry. Simply spray it over second-day curls and scrunch to help bring back some of their shape and bounce in minutes. Plus, it can also be used on wet hair on wash day for extra definition, which makes it a useful styling multitasker.

Key ingredients: Mirsalehi honey, milk protein, ceramides

Technically, this is a leave-in conditioner rather than a dedicated curl refresh spray, but I wanted to include it because it works particularly well when my second- or third-day hair needs more than just definition. The fine mist makes it easy to distribute through my curls, whilst the formula combines honey, milk protein and ceramides to leave my hair feeling softer and more conditioned. I notice the biggest difference on my drier ends, which can become particularly fluffy between washes. Rather than giving me an immediate, heavily-styled curl, it makes my hair feel healthier and easier to reshape. I also love the signature Gisou honey scent, which makes refreshing my hair feel a little more luxurious.

Key ingredients: Pink Himalayan salt, lavender, angelica

The texture of my hair is quite unruly so, unless I spend time twisting my curls into place, often I'm left with more of a loose wavy look. This is perfect for anyone with a similarly loose curl pattern who wants to enhance their natural waves rather than really separate every piece of hair. I tend to scrunch it through my lengths quite generously and then let it dry naturally, and the result is more undone and beachy than the defined, moisturised finish I get from some of the curl-specific sprays. It gives my hair movement without making it feel coated, although I wouldn’t pick it when my curls are especially dry and in need of hydration.