A heat protectant is essentially sunscreen for hair: The pros tell us that you need to use a heat protectant every time you use hot tools to avoid permanent hair damage. As celebrity stylist and curl-lover Naivasha Johnson says, “Heat protectants are our hair’s health insurance.” Shielding your hair with a protective blanket may seem a little overwhelming, but these versatile formulas are more than just armor between your locks and the straighteners and curling irons you love to use. These lightweight barriers seal the cuticle to protect your hair, prevent frizz, and enhance shine, leaving your locks silky soft and touchable.
Sound crazy? We thought so, too, so we enlisted a group of InStyle editors of all hair types and textures to test the hottest, most popular heat protectants out there. Over the course of five weeks, we pored over every aspect of these heat protectants, from how they affected the look and condition of our hair to how they smelled and how long we had to wait for them to sink in. Then, we blasted our hair with hot tools at 450 degrees to test how well they protected it. We awarded extra points for products that also offered other benefits we wanted, like moisture, shine, and frizz control. Then, we compared each product’s notes, ratings, and rankings to create a list of options that actually fit the bill.
Why we like it: While the spray provides intense moisture to your hair, you won’t feel its texture.
Blink and you might not notice it—if it weren’t for the visibly shiny, fluffy-soft look of your new locks, you’d probably think you forgot to spray them with this lightweight mist. Like the rest of the shine-boosting Oribe Gold Lust line (including some of our favorite shampoos and conditioners), this deceptively discreet spray protects your hair in more ways than one. In addition to protecting against heat up to 450 degrees, it nourishes frizzy, damaged hair with coconut and macadamia oils, while collagen, niacinamide, and caffeine strengthen strands from the inside out. I usually only use cream-based heat protectants because I find sprays don’t provide enough moisture and leave my hair feeling sticky, but I’m completely sold on the Oribe Gold Lust Protective Spray. I touch up my curls two to three times a day, which keeps my hair from turning into a dry, brittle tangle and even adds volume to my unwashed hair. Since it’s recommended for use on dry hair, we think it’s a great product for those who often skip blow-drying and prefer to use heat tools to create texture on air-dried hair. Type: Spray | Key Ingredients: Collagen, Coconut Oil, Seaweed Extract | Heat Protection: Up to 450 degrees | Size: 5.2 oz
Why we like it: Ingredients like hydrolyzed silk and vitamin E give this hair cream its beneficial properties, helping to reverse damage caused by color and heat treatments.
What we don’t like: When applied to dry hair, the cream is a little sticky when first applied.
This serum-primer creates a radiant halo around the hair. This formula is based on the conditioning properties of hydrolyzed silk, which gives the hair an angelic shine. It also makes the texture of the cream soft and nourishing, and helps restore the protein in the hair, as prolonged use of foils for hair coloring can damage it.
Additionally, UV absorbers, which work similarly and synergistically with vitamin E, act like an iron curtain, blocking heat damage, whether it’s from artificial hot tools or Mother Nature’s UV rays. As we continue to use it, we will enjoy its natural hair scent: a soothing, herbal scent of a luxurious spa. Our only gripe was that our hair felt a little sticky when we applied the product to dry hair, but that sensation disappeared once we dried our hair with a blow-dryer.
What we love: The lightweight formula is packed with vitamins and proteins to leave hair feeling hydrated and thicker.
This multi-tasking, creamy blow-dry cream from Shu Uemura seems to be both a heat protectant and a luxurious salon treatment. Not only did this cream do a great job of protecting our strands from heat damage, but it also tamed frizz and transformed our lifeless, flat locks. It was so effective, we considered ditching all other styling products and using this one exclusively.
This hair cream pulls off triple duty thanks to the generous amount of beeswax in the formula, which releases a sea of ​​moisturizing fatty acids and hair-strengthening antioxidants, leaving our hair so soft and shiny that we felt like even our old strands had new life and shine. What’s more, the protein-rich castor oil in the formula keeps working as the conditioning cream continues to penetrate the hair strands, repairing frizz and preventing new growth.
We’re especially pleased that there’s no trace of frizz and the hair around the fringe remains smooth, giving us hope that we can finally master the art of effortless fringe. Finish with hairspray and you’re ready to take on the day.
Why We Love It: You’ll turn heads with luxurious-looking hair, and with just a few applications, your hair will look, feel, and smell thick.
We overestimate fine hair strands. Yes, they tend to get oily faster and can look a little greasy without a lot of product, but give them a chance to grow under Philip B. Heat Protectant Spray and you’ll never doubt how good they look. Featuring a signature time-release formula, the lightweight plant extracts and oils in the spray soften hair immediately upon application without weighing it down with heavy ingredients all day long. Plus, vitamin E gently detangles hair, reducing hair loss due to breakage.
“I have what appears to be thick hair, but every strand is so fine, and I’m picky about the formula and texture of my hair products,” says senior editor Caitlin Clark. “Sometimes hairspray leaves my hair looking shiny and new, and other times it feels heavy, flat, and greasy before I even leave the house, and I never know which way to turn out. I always thought of hairspray as just fancy water that usually didn’t do much for my hair other than make it look worse and frizzier, but I love the scent of Philip B.’s products, so I thought, What the heck… Worst-case scenario, my hair will be scented and I’ll use it as hair perfume, but best-case scenario, it will leave my hair smelling truly intoxicating, soften all my fine strands, and add so much shine and brightness that even my boyfriend has commented on how good it looks.”
We also love that it can be used on both damp and dry hair, so you can experiment and see what works best for fine, frizzy hair. One thing that did divide us, however, was the scent. While we think the rich, woody scent is similar to a high-end perfume, its bold scent certainly isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. Type: Spray | Key Ingredients: Artichoke Leaf Extract, Mango Butter, Vitamin E, | Heat Protection: Not Specified | Size: 4.23 oz
Why we love it: Damaged hair will grow back—this time, the antioxidant-rich ingredients in Olaplex’s proprietary bonding system provide better protection against heat and environmental stress.
No one is immune to split ends, but one look at our brittle locks and burnt ends is enough to tell you that we don’t always pay enough attention to moisturizing our hair. But somehow, Olaplex has managed to restore and strengthen our hair.
What’s special about Olaplex is that its formula is twofold: starting with the brand’s signature bonding system, which relies on antioxidants, proteins, and amino acids found in red algae to protect hair from potential threats like pollution and UV rays. Combined with nourishing, softening panthenol and shine-boosting citric acid, this serum left our hair looking radiant. Even though it uses a ton of rich oils to achieve such great results, what’s even more amazing is how lightweight it felt on our hair: It absorbed in under 20 seconds. Note: This serum’s floral scent lingers all day, but we’re a peonie lover, so we like to give it a whiff every now and then.
Type: Serum | Key Ingredients: Bis-aminopropyl diglycol dimaleate and red algae extract | Heat Protection: Up to 450 degrees | Size: 3 oz
Why we love it: Argan oil repairs dry, brittle hair without weighing it down or leaving a sticky residue that makes it look wet.
While many products and brands are using the ultra-hydrating, protein-healing properties of argan oil in their products, Moroccanoil, the brand behind our favorite dry shampoos and hair products, has developed a formula that puts it miles ahead of the competition. In addition to the hydrating ingredients panthenol and glycerin, this primer is infused with argan oil, which seals the cuticle and locks in moisture for silky, shiny nails. In addition to shine, this rich oil pulls double duty, acting as a force field between your hair and sun damage.
People with dry hair are no strangers to styling products that not only moisturize their hair but also weigh down the entire head. However, this spray is finely dispersed and evenly distributed, distributing it perfectly from roots to ends, avoiding the common problem of heavy hair getting tied up in a messy bun.
Type: Spray | Key Ingredients: Argan Oil, Panthenol, and Octylacrylamide | Heat Protection: Up to 450 degrees | Size: 8.1 oz
Why we like it: Made with only nourishing ingredients, this formula won’t damage your hair, but still contains all the ingredients to protect it from damage.
We’ll admit, we were a little skeptical about applying thick serums to our hair (they’re notoriously sticky), especially since they can be used on both damp and dry hair. But no matter how we sprayed this Amika conditioner—wet, dry, or somewhere in between—it never left a sticky residue.
If the packaging is what first catches your eye, the effective formula will keep you coming back for more. It’s hard to pinpoint which ingredient is the star when each one is important, but sea buckthorn oil and its army of 18 different amino acids, vitamin C, and fatty acids come pretty close. This versatile oil locks in moisture in each strand, strengthening follicles and promoting new hair growth. We think this protectant would be a great addition to our summer hair care routine, as our locks typically require less moisture than they do during the dry winter months.
What We Love: The trio of emollient-rich oils hydrated our hair, effectively smoothed and controlled frizz after just one use.
For tangled scalps, the results of using this serum were immediate and dramatic. Every time we style our hair, we notice a reduction in static and overall dryness, as well as improved nourishment at the ends, leaving us smiling when we look in the mirror.
Like the frizz mask, this protective hair cream also contains argan and rosehip oils, which are a little heavier and can tame flyaways, but the real star of this hair cream is the coconut oil. Hair is left feeling hydrated and shiny. With so many oils in the formula, we were worried that this creamy base might feel heavy or sticky—or worse, leave our skin greasy—but it turns out it had the opposite effect. Rubbing the gel in your hands before applying helps it spread evenly throughout your hair.
Type: Cream | Key Ingredients: Rosehip Oil, Coconut Oil, Argan Oil | Heat Resistance: Up to 450 Degrees | Size: 4 Ounces
What We Love: This spray provides luxurious hydration that leaves our locks feeling fully nourished and looking bouncier and defined.
What We Don’t Like: While the scent is pleasant, it is quite strong and may clash with the scents of other lotions and perfumes.
For those of us with curly hair, it’s a fine line: We want as much moisture as possible without weighing down our curls or making them flat. But Mizani’s Protective Mist proves that a little and simple can definitely make a big difference. By blending lightweight conditioning ingredients like tea tree oil, rose water, and propylene glycol, we get more defined, bouncy curls, waves, and curls. With the addition of salicylic acid, a natural surfactant, this formula naturally reduces sebum production.
To further eliminate the crunchy feeling that can come with some curl-creaming products, the sprayer produces a wide, even stream of steam that never clogs or gets blocked. Another standout feature of this spray is its heady, garden-fresh scent that hits your nose like the smell of pie on a windowsill in a cartoon. The only downside is that the scent is more noticeable, so you’ll need to stick to an unscented body lotion when using it.
Type: Spray | Key Ingredients: Rose Water, Glycerin, Tea Tree Oil | Heat Resistance: Up to 450 Degrees | Size: 8.5 Ounces
Why we like it: This under-$20 spray leaves hair shiny, soft, and hydrated, all while using the same ingredients as pricier brands.
Just one spray of Verb left our locks softer, thicker, and bouncier, with ends that no longer looked dry and frizzy. But what really sets it apart is its ability to transform dull hair into vibrant, almost mirror-like shine—a result we can attribute to an impressive array of moisturizing vegan ingredients, including shea butter, citric acid, and peach and rosehip oils. Squalane, a natural skin lipid, is another key ingredient, as it acts as an emollient and antioxidant, strengthening and nourishing the hair and scalp.
While it only provides protection up to 425 degrees (a relatively low threshold compared to other products on the market), it’s a great value for the money. Type: Spray | Key Ingredients: Peach Oil, Rosehip Oil, and Squalane | Heat Protection: Up to 425 Degrees | Size: 6.5 oz
What We Love: Our hair soaked up all the smoothing and shine benefits of this lightweight spray-on conditioner, which is so nourishing we assume it’s a leave-in conditioner.
Living Proof’s Perfecting Spray is a premium blend of botanicals like beetroot and artichoke extracts, and emollients like glycerin that soften hair, relieving the pain of tangling on fragile, sensitive scalps. While many creams can instantly flatten our fine hair or leave our curls looking like they’ve been drenched in a rainstorm, this gentle spray adds volume and helps hold our styles in place all day long. It absorbs fairly quickly, in about a minute on dry hair, but we had to comb through our hair thoroughly to ensure it was evenly distributed.
On the plus side: We found that its slightly sticky texture allowed the spray to act as a very light hairspray, helping curls and waves hold their shape while giving them more texture and volume.
Type: Spray | Key Ingredients: Glycerin, Beet Root Extract, and Artichoke Extract | Heat Protection: Up to 450 degrees | Size: 8 oz.
Why we love it: This oil-based primer absorbs quickly into hair and is a true frizz-fighting master, helping our straight hair hold its shape longer and look smoother.
We tried a bunch of the best straighteners to get supermodel Emily Ratajkowski’s straight locks before we realized that the first step is actually prep. This silky oil penetrates our hair like lightning. It’s so fast that we can use hot tools right after using it without worrying about the steam coming out of the straightener. What’s more, instead of having to deal with the embarrassing situation of our straight hair turning frizzy as soon as we leave the house, we’re happy to find that it stays smooth and frizz-free even after a walk in the rain.
This long-lasting hold is likely due to the inclusion of some of our favorite detangling and softening agents, like coconut, argan, and almond oils, which are also great at blocking the effects of too much UV exposure. We still had to apply another coat of pomade to the ends of our hair every now and then, which were a little dry after using the primer, but we were more forgiving of this shortcoming given how well it worked otherwise.
Type: Oil | Key Ingredients: Coconut Oil, Argan Oil, and Macadamia Oil | Heat Resistance: Up to 450 Degrees | Size: 6.2 Ounces
What We Love: Our strands soak up the nutrient-rich formula with proteins and ceramides, leaving them shinier and stronger.
We think of this primer as the primer you apply before your makeup: it preps your hair before styling and helps it stay in place better – even after an intense workout at the gym, your hair looks soft and bouncy. To achieve a long-lasting, glossy shine, the creators of this primer looked at the structure of the hair and studied its structure. In this way, this primer acts like a muscle for your hair. For example, it contains ceramides – lipids that act as a laminator between the hair strands and anything that can cause breakage (like heat from hot tools), helping your hair retain moisture. Split ends? All that is a thing of the past, as is dullness, static and breakage.