
Heat Protectant 101: The Foolproof Guide
Here’s how to keep strands safe and healthy each time you turn up the heat.
Whether you curl your hair for special occasions or flat iron your mane every morning, prepping hair with an effective heat protectant is one of the most critical steps in your hair care routine. After all, it’s not like you’d sit in the scorching sun without prepping your skin with sunscreen, so why would you expose your locks to high temperatures without some sort of buffer?
Heat protectants form a barrier between your hair and your hot tools, reducing damage, cutting down on dry time, protecting premature color fade, and more. We hate to be the bearer of bad news, but the only way to completely protect hair against heat damage is to give up heat styling altogether. However, thermal protectants are a close second to significantly lessening the impact of heat on strands.
What happens without a heat protectant, you may ask? You rough up the hair's cuticle and allow it to receive direct heat damage. This alters the bonds of the hair, manifesting as dryness, breakage, and even a shift in your natural curl pattern if you have coily or textured hair.
Not to worry, though; if you’re looking for the best heat protectants to add to your arsenal, you’ve come to the right place. Keep scrolling to discover the best thermal stylers we offer and stylist-backed tips on how to maximize their use.
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What The Pros Say Identify your hair type. Take into account your primary and secondary hair care concerns. Consider your hair goals. Think about how you style your hair most often. Make sure your routine includes staples such as shampoo, conditioner, leave-in conditioner or heat protectant, and styling products.
The Routine
Need more proof that heat protectants are a crucial addition to your routine? Watch the video below to see how two different Redken blowout products can yield two gorgeous results!
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Want more heat styling tips? Check out these articles to learn more.