Air styling often starts on damp hair, so the product underneath matters more than people expect. Hair is being dried and shaped in the same pass, so a heat protectant is the most useful thing you can add.

Moroccanoil's Perfect Defense is a weightless heat protectant, and it is the one I choose when heavier products flatten my hair. Oribe's Royal Blowout spray is made for sleekness and shine, which is what I want when I am smoothing rather than curling. The Kérastase Resistance cream is for damaged hair that needs some cushioning, and JVN's Complete Instant Recovery serum is a leave-in that doubles as heat protection.

Bumble and bumble's Bb. Heat Shield is a thermal protection mist, an easy spray to reach for when you are in a hurry. dae's Dreamriser is a mousse with heat protection, and it is my choice when I want volume from the root as the hair dries. Use it on towel-dried hair, work it through, and comb gently. I like a mousse when the roots need lift, because it gives the air something to hold on to.

Work with damp, not dripping, hair. Most stylers do best when the hair has been towel dried first and left to air a few minutes, since starting with soaked hair just extends the time and the exposure. Use less than you would with a flat iron, because sticky layers gum up the barrels. If the ends still feel crisp after styling, try a lighter hand with product and a cooler setting, not another layer of spray.

A styler leaves the shape, and a brush leaves the finish. I keep a few around, and I use them at different moments.

Mane makes a Medium Hot Thermal Round Brush, It's Giving Body, and I use it when I want extra volume at the roots after the Airwrap has done the curling. The Drybar Full Pint is a medium ceramic brush for smoothing the outside of the hair, and the Emi Jay Bamboo Paddle Brush in Pink Sugar is my desk brush, gentle enough for everyday untangling. Fable & Mane makes a Scalp Massager Comb, which I use in the shower to get conditioner through.

Bounce Curl's Volume EdgeLift Brush is made for curl definition and styling control, so it is the one for those who wear their texture. dae has a Vegan Detangle + Style Brush, and it is the one I put in a gym bag.

What I would skip: brushing hair that has just been curled while it is still warm. Let the shape cool for a few minutes, since curls set as they cool, and brushing them out early turns them into waves. Finish with your fingers, or with a wide-tooth comb, and leave the brush for the next wash.

My air-styling routine is short. Towel dry, protect, section, style, cool, and then leave it alone. I clip the top layer up, work on the underneath, and let each section cool before letting go.

The rest is patience. Clean the filter and attachments regularly, since a clogged filter changes how the tool behaves. Give yourself a few tries to learn the direction of each barrel, because the wrap direction decides whether curls turn toward or away from your face. I usually curl the front sections away from the face and the back sections in one direction, which gives a balanced, open shape. Wrap smaller pieces for tighter curls and larger pieces for waves, and give each one a few seconds to cool before you let go. And if your scalp or hair feels unusually dry or sore, take a break from heat, and ask a stylist or doctor if it keeps happening.