Heat Protectants
400+ products
FAQ
Every time you expose your hair to heat by blow drying it, using a straightener or curling tong, you damage your hair. If you use a heat protector, you reduce the effects of the heat. A heat protector also usually has other properties – for example giving your hair extra shine, detangling it or giving it much-needed nutrition.
Heat protection forms a protective film on the hair strand. This film means that the heat doesn’t come into direct contact with the surface of the hair. Heated styling tools quickly reach very high temperatures – often more than 200 degrees. These temperatures quickly damage the hair, but if you use a heat protector the hair can resist this much better.
Use heat protection every time you use a heated tool on your hair – regardless of whether it’s a quick blow-dry or a long session to achieve a gala hairdo. Apply it to towel dried hair and allow the film to settle a little so the product doesn’t evaporate when you use the heated tool.
The steam you sometimes see when you use a straightener or curling tong is moisture evaporating, and opinion is divided as to whether the heat protection can also evaporate – so it’s best to allow it to dry a little first.
Heat protection can have different formats: spray, cream or oil. It’s best to apply the product into towel dried hair. Read the instructions on the product – some recommend that you apply it to all of your hair at once, while others should be applied as you style your hair. Remember that even if you’re using heat protection you should try to keep the temperature of your heated tools as low as possible.
Different heat protectors are well suited for different hair types. Feel free to read our test of heat protection to find the perfect one for you.
Three tips for buying heat protection for your hair
Tired of your shelves at home overflowing with products? Go for heat protection that will do more than just protect your hair from heat.
Detangling means it’s easier to brush your hair and detangle any knots. These can often be used as a leave-in conditioner even when you're not going to use a heating tool. Hold means that the heat protection also provides hold to your hair style. Which in turn may mean that you can skip sprays or other fixing products, depending on how much the heat protection provides. The amount of hold is almost always stated on the bottle or in the product information if you shop online. UV protection means that your hair is also protected from the sun’s ultraviolet rays.
The most common types of heat protection are spray and mousse. While a heat-protecting spray is often easy to apply in hard-to-reach places, a heat-protecting mousse can add extra volume to your hair.
There are also creams and serums that protect from heat. The most important thing is that you choose a product that you find easy to use, otherwise it may just end up on your bathroom shelf, providing no protection for your hair whatsoever.
For many, it’s important for hair to have a beautiful shine, while others struggle with hair that’s too shiny and therefore difficult to style. That’s why it’s worth taking an extra look at the product you’re thinking of buying to see if it will add the shine you’re longing for, or perhaps prefer to avoid.
Are you like so many others struggling to pump up the volume of your hair? Read this guide to learn some tricks to get the voluminous hair of your dreams.