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Whether you use hot tools daily or just a couple times a week, applying a heat protectant before styling is an absolute must. Think of it like insurance: the product adds a protective layer across the hair to help minimize the damaging effects high heat can bring, such as dryness and even color fading. Yep, that costly dye job you just got at the salon could slowly diminish without the aid of a well-formulated heat protectant.
“Excessive heat styling can cause your color to fade because it breaks down the pigments of the hair. The high heat causes the hair cuticle to open, allowing color molecules to escape, which will cause the color to fade or look uneven,” Lamont Gonzales, a professional colorist at the Rita Hazan Salon in New York City, tells StyleCaster. “A product you can use to solve this problem to put pigments back into the hair post heat styling would be Rita Hazan’s shine gloss. There are three shades to choose from, and when used in the shower, will put the shine and luster back into your hair.”
Those with finer hair types especially shouldn’t skip using a heat protectant, but if worried about said product weighing down your strands, Gonzales advises opting for a spray formula. “For finer hair, I would recommend using a product that sprays, because sprays are easy to run through fine hair without weighing it down.” For coarse or curly hair, he recommends an oil or cream heat protectant, which are “a little heavier but necessary to keep the hair healthy, seeing as it takes longer to heat style this type of hair.” All in all, anything is better than nothing.
While a professional stylist will be able to style your hair with minimal damage the best—as Gonzales says, “Hairdressers know how to style all different types of hair while not over drying, which can result in heat damage”—that doesn’t mean you can’t continue your blowouts and curling seshes at home. Just make sure to choose the right heat protectant for your specific hair type to avoid the unwanted risk of over-styling.
See our top picks down below.
Gonzales’ favorite for styling all hair types, the Amika: Blockade Heat Defense Serum acts as a lightweight serum that protects hair from thermal styling and blow drying. Beyond offering protection, it also leaves the hair with added softness and shine.
This may not technically be a spray, but per Gonzales, this smoothing cream from Rita Hazan will “help you dry and smooth your hair in half the time, which will help you reduce the chance of any heat damage.” Since it has a thicker consistency, it definitely caters to those with fuller hair types looking for extra frizz control.
One of our own discoveries, the Eva NYC Mane Magic caught our eye since it’s specifically formulated for those with thinner hair. It offers 10 different hair care benefits, one of which is its ability to deliver 24-hour static and frizz protection. The lightweight, non-greasy feel never weighs down strands further.
This top seller from CURLSMITH is a protein-rich lightweight mist that offers protection against the hair’s harshest aggressors, such as heat, UV rays, sea water, chlorine, breakage and color fading.
Those with dyed hair should opt for a color-specific formulation, such as Pureology’s Color Fanatic Leave-in Conditioner . It contains nourishing ingredients like camelina oil, coconut oil and olive oil to detangle, protect and restore shine to damaged, color-treated hair.
