Summer conjures images of “beachy,” effortless hair. But for many of us, those styles are best meant for everyone else, while we rake our locks back into a haphazard ponytail or slap on a hat and forget it. Summer hair, while great in theory, often leaves us discouraged because fighting the elements (heat & humidity) just seems like too much work.

So we turned to Hair expert Lee Rittiner for a little help. Rittiner has styled the likes of Mila Kunis, Jessica Biel, and Diane Keaton. He’s also styled for America’s Next Top Model, and you’ll find his work in the pages of Teen Vogue, including glossy photos for Revlon and Bebe.

Rittiner is also behind the heat styling line from Theorie, and he says that styling summer-worthy hair doesn’t have to be an ordeal.

Rittiner believes in effortless style and says it’s silly to fight the elements. “Take a break from the blow dryer, and let clean hair air dry instead,” he says. But don’t worry if your hair doesn’t dry into perfectly manageable waves.

Rittiner suggests using a small amount of texturizing spray, then taking a large curling wand and wrapping one-inch pieces to create big waves.  “You can do all of the waves in the same direction, or do every section the opposite of the one before for a more natural feel and finish,” he adds.

After you wrap each section, tug on the curl a bit to soften the wave, then finger comb and finish with a light dry shampoo.

Lee’s Favorites:

Theorie 4-in-1 Curling System
Price: $250
Location: www.folica.com

Oribe Texture Spray
Price: $39
Location: www.barneys.com

Serge Normant Meta Lush Volumizer
Price: $23
Location: www.spacenk.com