Surf Spray has been, and most likely always will be, a go-to for Summer hairstyling; however, a new contender has emerged on the scene this year that may appeal to people that Surf Spray doesn’t. Bumble and Bumble’s Surf Styling Leave In claims to moisturize hair using a “Beach Protective Blend” that contains Red Seaweed, protect against color-fading UV rays, all while adding a light hold and flexibility, so that “hair is left soft and beachy chic, without the grit.” Retailing at $29, I wanted to find out if this product was worth the price tag.

According to the website, this product is ideal for medium to thick hair that is either straight or wavy, and somewhere between healthy and dry. I decided using my own hair to test this exciting new product, seeing as I technically have two hair types in my one head of hair; there’s my actual hair, which is fine, straight, and not very cooperative without excessive amounts of product, and then there’s my wonderful HairTalk tape-in extensions, which are a bit thicker and naturally wavy, and tend to react better to styling in general. So, after reading the directions on the back of the vibrant packaging, which state, “Work evenly into towel-dried hair, leave-in, and go” I washed my hair and got ready to style.

I began by thoroughly towel drying my hair, and using a few spritzes of Bumble’s ever-popular

Hairdresser’s Invisible Oil to detangle. Then, I started with about a quarter-sized amount of the Surf Styling Leave In and worked it into the ends of my hair. I soon realized that the “gel-creme” formula was a lot lighter than I had initially expected, and was able to use a lot more than I had originally planned without my hair feeling weighed down. For the sake of time, and style, I decided that instead of leaving my hair to air dry over several hours, I would take a slightly more active approach; so, once the product was thoroughly and evenly distributed, I quickly twisted all of my hair in small sections, to allow a chance of some waves in the parts of my hair that I knew would dry pin-straight. I then parked it under a hood dryer (picture the thing your grandma sat under at the salon with curlers in) until I could feel that all of my hair was dry (about 20 minutes).

When I returned to the mirror, I used my fingers to gently comb through the twists I had made in my hair, and the results were a bit mixed; my extensions, as predicted, held the twists and had a beautiful, beach inspired look, but my real hair, while a bit less straight than usual, was still relatively flat. However, my natural hair and extensions were both waved enough to still blend. In terms of its claims to moisturize, this product came through one hundred percent; my hair was the softest and most touchable it had ever been with any Surf product in it, and had no trace of the gritty texture I had come to expect.

In conclusion, I think that what, to some, is the product’s strong suit, to others may be its downfall. In other words, while the moisturizing element of the product is amazing for those whose hair already contains a natural wave, those of us with finer, straighter hair may require a bit more grit and oomf to see real results. Ultimately, I was able to throw a few wand curls on the very top layer of my hair and be satisfied with the end result, but next time I might add something stronger to my real hair to get the job done. For anyone with even a hint of natural wave, this product is a 10/10 for the perfect balance of hold and touchability.