Heat protection spray for hair before straightening

Every product on this page was chosen by a Harper's BAZAAR editor. We may earn commission on some of the items you choose to buy.

Gabriel Visintin / EyeEmGetty Images

First question: When’s the last time you heat-styled your hair? Follow-up: Did you use a heat protectant? If not, it's okay—and you’re in the right place. “They add a protective barrier between your hair cuticle and your styling tool and work to prevent breakage, fight frizz, and smooth your cuticle making your hair look soft and shiny,” explains Amber Fillerup Clark, hairstylist turned influencer and founder of Dae. “This protective barrier allows hair to heat up slowly, rather than suddenly, which prevents hair damage.”

New to heat protectants? Here’s how to use them. “Apply on damp hair,” says Fillerup Clark. “It is best to section your hair out and comb through to make sure the heat protectant is evenly distributed and applied throughout all of your hair.” Then, use your blow dryer, straightener, or curling iron without worry.

Each product is a little different, but the core goal of protecting your hair against heat damage remains the same. Shop the very best for all hair types and styles, ahead.

1

dae

Cactus Flower Leave In Conditioner

2

JVN

Complete Instant Recovery Leave-In Serum

3

Design Essentials

Natural Agave & Lavender Thermal Protectant Creme

4

Matrix

Total Results Miracle Creator Multi-Tasking Treatment

5

Authentic Beauty Concept

Blow Dry Primer

6

Hair Food

Coconut & Argan Oil Heat Protectant Spray Blend

7

Briogeo

Farewell Frizz Blow Dry Perfection Heat Protectant Cream

8

Drugstore Deal

Tresemme

Keratin Smooth Flat Iron Smoothing Spray

9

Moroccanoil

Perfect Defense Heat Protectant

10

Flawless by Gabrielle Union

Shine Enhancing Heat Protection Spray

11

Alterna

Caviar Professional Styling Perfect Iron Spray

12

OGX

Protecting + Silk Blowout Quick Drying Thermal Spray

13

Drugstore Deal

Cantu

Thermal Shield Heat Protectant

Download Article

Download Article

Using heat to style your hair can damage your hair over a long period of time. Thankfully, there are many heat protection products that can reduce the damage that heat does to your hair. Use a heat protection spray before you dry or straighten your hair for best results.

1. 

   1

   Start with wet hair. Make sure that your hair is clean and has been properly conditioned. If you shampooed, ensure that all of the shampoo is washed out of you hair before applying conditioner. Rinse your hair with cool water before stepping out of the shower. A cool rinse ensures that your hair follicle is closed tightly and minimizes hair loss.[1]

2. 

   2

   Detangle your hair. Use a wide tooth comb to detangle your hair before drying. Begin at the ends of your strands and work your way up to your scalp. Do not tug too hard on any tangles in your hair.[2]

   Advertisement

3. 3

   Apply a heat protection spray. Before blow drying your hair you should apply a heat protecting spray. Hold the spray bottle about a foot from your head and spritz your wet hair. Make sure to cover the entire surface area.[3]

   • Heat protection spray can be found in the haircare aisle of most general and beauty stores.
   • Select a heat protection spray that can be used on wet and dry hair.

Advertisement

1. 1

   Blow dry hair with a paddle brush. Avoid using a round brush to dry your hair if you intend to straighten your hair. Trade your round brush for a paddle brush. This will guide the hair into a straighter position.[4]

2. 2

   Blitz the hair with the cool setting. Set the straight hair with the cool setting on your hair drying. Heat is helpful when you are styling hair. The cool setting on the hair dryer helps to keep that style for hours.[5]

3. 

   3

   Spritz the hair with a heat protector. Before you apply more heat to your hair with the hair straightener, spritz the strands with the heat protection spray. Make sure that you select a spray that you can use for both wet and dry hair.[6]

Advertisement

1. 

   1

   Divide your hair into sections. Section off your hair into at least three different sections on each side and the back. Decide which section you would like to work with first and clip the other sections of hair out of the way.

2. 2

   Straighten each section. Work the straightener through the strands of hair. Set your straightener to a medium heat setting. Move slowly through the hair but do not stop and hold the straightener on the hair. This will damage or burn the hair.[7]

   • Using a low setting will require you to drag the straightener through your hair multiple times, which can damage the hair.

3. 

   3

   Set the style. Use a hairspray or blitz the hair again with the cool setting on the hair dryer to set the hairstyle.

Advertisement

Add New Question

• Question

  What should I look for in a heat protectant?

  

  Arthur Sebastian is the Owner of Arthur Sebastian Hair Salon in San Francisco, California. Arthur has worked as a hair stylist for over 20 years and received his Cosmetology License in 1998. He believes that the true work of a successful hair stylist comes from passion and a love for hairdressing.

  

  Professional Hair Stylist

  Expert Answer

  Look for a spray that can do double-duty and also protect your hair from the sun. Quite a few products now have UV protectants. If you'll be spending a lot of time in the sun, these products can protect your hair from becoming weathered and faded.

• Question

  Heat protectant spray is wet, so how do I straighten my hair while it's in? My straightener only works on dry hair.

  

  Don't put on as much spray. A light spritz is all that is needed, and shouldn't leave your hair wet.

• Question

  Can I put my serum in before straightening or after washing the hair?

  

  I would suggest putting it in after you wash your hair, because then it has time to dry and it lets the serum do its job. I would be careful when putting it in your hair before using a hot tool, because it could fry your hair or ruin the hot tool. But if it helps, then use less than a quarter sized amount. I would also suggest that if you are putting serum in your hair while it is dry, you put it more towards the ends.

Ask a Question

200 characters left

Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.

Submit

Advertisement

• Never skip applying a heat protector to your hair when styling your hair with heat.

  As a small thank you, we’d like to offer you a $30 gift card (valid at GoNift.com). Use it to try out great new products and services nationwide without paying full price—wine, food delivery, clothing and more. Enjoy!

• Use a higher setting on your straightener to avoid running the straightener through each section multiple times.

  As a small thank you, we’d like to offer you a $30 gift card (valid at GoNift.com). Use it to try out great new products and services nationwide without paying full price—wine, food delivery, clothing and more. Enjoy!

Advertisement

• Too much heat applied to your hair will damage your hair over time. Heat protecting spray helps to minimize this damage.

  As a small thank you, we’d like to offer you a $30 gift card (valid at GoNift.com). Use it to try out great new products and services nationwide without paying full price—wine, food delivery, clothing and more. Enjoy!

• Use caution when working with a hair straightener. The straightener will get very hot and can burn your skin.

  As a small thank you, we’d like to offer you a $30 gift card (valid at GoNift.com). Use it to try out great new products and services nationwide without paying full price—wine, food delivery, clothing and more. Enjoy!

Advertisement

Things You'll Need

• Hair dryer
• Hair straightener
• Paddle brush
• Heat protecting spray
• Hairspray

References

About This Article

Article SummaryX

Heat protection spray coats the individual hairs on your head and protects them from damage caused by blow driers and irons. To use heat protection spray, spritz your hair when it’s damp, making sure to cover the entire area. Then, blow-dry your hair with a paddle brush. Before straightening your hair, you'll want to apply another light layer of heat protectant spray. Then, straighten your hair as normal! To learn how to prep your hair in the shower, read on!

Did this summary help you?

Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 165,211 times.

Reader Success Stories

• 

  "I know now what I can do to keep my hair healthier on day-to-day circumstances."

Did this article help you?

Can you use heat protection spray before straightening?

What should I spray on my hair before straightening?

Which heat protection spray is best before straightening hair?

How can I protect my hair from heat before straightening?