The 5 Best Heat Protectants for Hair
If you regularly style your hair using a blow-dryer, straightener, curling iron, or other heat-based tool, it's crucial that you also use a heat protectant spray. Why? Because too much heat styling can actually cause permanent damage to your hair, making strands look brittle, coarse, and dry and causing split ends or severe breakage. You should only use a heat-styling tool once or twice per week at most, but no matter how many times per week you're styling your hair, it's important to take measures to protect your mane first. A good heat protectant spray will help defend your hair against damage from heat-styling, keeping it looking shiny, silky, and healthy. Here are the best heat protectants for all types of hair.
Tresemme Thermal Creations Heat Protectant Spray
Prevent hair damage for good
To effectively combat the breakage, dryness, and dullness that results from heat-styling your hair, simply spritz the Tresemme Thermal Creations Spray onto your mane every time you blow-dry, curl, or straighten it…et voila, you’ll be left with sleek, shiny, extra-soft strands. This highly touted heat protectant spray is a salon-quality product, at a drugstore price. Infused with a heat-activated formula and nourishing vitamin complex, the Tresemme spray enhances your hair’s flexibility and acts as an extra-strength barrier against intense heat. Other than protecting your hair from damage, this spray also detangles and moisturizes your hair, leaving no residue or stickiness behind. It’s truly the cream of the crop when it comes to heat protectant tools.
Pros:
- Salon-grade quality, drugstore price.
- Has an ultra-moisturizing vitamin complex, which leaves hair shiny and soft.
- Is very light on your hair, so there’s no stickiness left behind.
Cons:
- The nozzle design could stand to be improved.
Premium Nature Argan Oil Heat Protectant Spray
Get silky-smooth locks
If your hair is particularly prone to dryness, or you suffer from chronic split ends or breakage, the Premium Nature Argan Oil Heat Protectant Spray can be a godsend. That’s because this spray is infused with nourishing, hydrating argan oil, which shapes and supports strands, all while providing a mega-dose of nutrients and moisture to your scalp. The result? Hair that looks and feels flawlessly smooth, shiny, and healthy. Life’s too short to deal with dry, brittle hair; get this Premium Nature spray, and your (newly silky) hair will thank you.
Pros:
- Awesome for all hair types.
- Has extra-moisturizing properties, so strands are supple, smooth, and well-nourished (basically acts as a leave-in conditioner).
- Detangles and adds shine, in addition to protecting from heat.
Cons:
- Doesn’t come with instructions.
Paul Mitchell Hot Off the Press Thermal Protection Spray
Because you (and your hair) are worth it
For those times when you just want to splurge a little on a higher-quality heat spray, the Paul Mitchell Hot Off the Press Thermal Protection Spray is an excellent product to pick. This spray is nearly unparalleled when it comes to shielding strands from heat (even the hottest tools), since the formula consists of wheat proteins that strengthen hair, while rice hull extract builds a lightweight barrier between your locks and your styling tools. And, this Paul Mitchell spray works just as well on thin hair as it does on thick hair, which is always a plus.
Pros:
- Wheat proteins deliver strength to your hair.
- Great at fighting frizz and preventing split ends and breakage from ever occurring in the first place.
- Hair looks polished, healthy, and shiny after using.
- Works equally well on all hair types.
Cons:
- The price tag may not be right for everyone.
Design Essentials Heat Protectant Strengthening Serum
Enjoy extra-straight strands
Straightening your hair can really wreak havoc on your strands, since heat dries out your hair, which can lead to serious split ends and even breakage. Which is why, if you straighten your hair often, investing in the Design Essentials Heat Protectant Strengthening Serum can save your mane. This top-quality heat protectant serum strengthens hair, while sealing the cuticle and locking in moisture, and boosting shine and glossiness. The formula contains 17 amino acids and an array of vitamins and minerals, all of which work to fortify strands so that hair never looks brittle, dull, or dry again, no matter how many times you straighten it.
Pros:
- Lightweight, powerhouse formula that contains 17 amino acids.
- Locks in moisture so that hair doesn’t appear dry or brittle.
- Enriched with proteins and minerals.
- Great for all hair textures.
Cons:
- Not cheap.
Kenra Platinum Blow-Dry Spray
Decrease blow dry time, increase shine and softness
If you blow-dry your hair frequently, the Kenra Platinum Blow-Dry Spray is a must-get product. Not only does this spray reduce your blow-dry time by about 50 percent, but the sleekly lightweight formula keeps heat off your strands, all while softening and smoothing down flyaways and tangles. Hair is left looking healthy and happy, and best of all, the results last all day. Not to mention, the Kenra Platinum Blow-Dry Spray smells pleasant and doesn’t leave behind a sticky residue, unlike some other heat protectant sprays.
Pros:
- Reduces your blow-dry time by about 50 percent, saving you substantial time in the bathroom.
- Eliminates frizz and tangles.
- Results are long-lasting.
Cons:
- You have to be careful to use this product sparingly, since it’s on the oily side.
Frequently Asked Questions
How often should I be heat-styling my hair?
Using a heat-styling tool like a blow-dryer or curling iron is fine, as long as you do so sparingly. Blow-drying your hair more than two or three times per week is a no-no, and you should only use a curling iron or straightener once or twice per week, at most.
How often should I use a heat protectant spray?
Every single time you use a heat-styling tool.
How else can I protect my hair from heat damage?
Apart from using a heat protectant spray, you can protect your locks by never blow-drying super-wet hair, using a deep-conditioning treatment every couple weeks, and only using the highest-quality heat-styling tools.
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