Good Housekeeping

Hair

12 Best Heat Protectants, Tried and Tested

 

These power stylers can guard against hot tool damage.

Heat tools for hair — like straighteners, curling irons and hair dryers — are some of the biggest culprits of hair damage. However, we would be naive to think that just because hot tools can cause damage means that people would stop using them entirely. Applying a thermal protecting leave-in styling product can minimize some negative effects of heat damage, though there is no way to totally reverse the damage.

Two studies published in the Journal of Cosmetic Science (in 1998 and 2011) have shown that several ingredients (which include copolymers, hydrolyzed protein and cationic surfactants) can minimize hair breakage when applied before thermal exposure.

The Good Housekeeping Institute Beauty, Health & Sustainability Lab tests hundreds of haircare and styling products each year, from shampoos and conditioners to dry shampoos and smoothing serums. In the Lab, products are evaluated on real human hair swatches using technical instruments and they are also distributed to consumers for at-home use feedback, including ease of application, effects on hair and overall satisfaction.

Our Beauty Lab experts say that heat protectants really do work, since they can coat hair, masking the degraded surface of damaged hair and improving hair manageability, which in turn results in reduced hair breakage. We compiled a list of top heat protectants from brands like Color Wow, Matrix and ColorProof. With so many products on the market, it can be difficult to find which one is best for your specific hair.

Best Overall

Kérastase Discipline Anti-Frizz Smoothing Spray

Pros

• Helps frizz
• Increases shine
• Makes hair soft

Cons

• Expensive
• Might be heavy on some hair

A winner of the GH Beauty Lab's anti-frizz styler test, this multi-tasking Kérastase mist tames frizz, adds shine and leaves hair feeling soft. Our Lab concluded that the mist stopped frizz on testers' hair for a full day as well as on hair swatches in the Lab’s humidity chamber, and it didn't feel tacky. Containing several ingredients like xylose, protein and silicones, it also protects strands from the heat of styling tools.

But, it is on the pricier side and its oily texture might feel too heavy for some users. Reviews range from people with hair that’s thick, curly, straight, fine and everything in between. The one thing they all have in common is how much they love this product.

Hair Type Fine, medium and thick
Key Ingredients Morpho-Kératine and Xylose
Type Spray
Size 5.1 oz

Best Value

TRESemmé Thermal Creations Heat Tamer Spray

Pros

• Lightweight
• Easy application

Cons

• Strong scent

Don’t confuse the price for quality. GH Beauty Lab Reviews Analyst Chiara Butler has been buying this product since she was a teenager. “It’s a lightweight spray that does exactly what it needs to do without adding any weight or oiliness.” It’s an easy-to-use spray bottle, and the fine mist makes it easy to apply. It’s recommended to spray on damp or dry hair liberally, about six to eight inches away from your head. If you’re sensitive to scents, some reviewers found it to be quite fruity and floral.

Hair type All hair types
Key Ingredients Glycerin and Keratin
Type Spray
Size 8 oz

Best Serum

Matrix Food For Soft Hair Serum

Pros

• Easy application
• Softer, shinier hair
• Lightweight
• Good for damaged hair

Cons

• Oily
• Can weigh down hair

The need for hydration is universal for all hair types and textures. This Good Housekeeping Beauty Award winner was evaluated by a panel that included stylists Michelle Hong, founder of NYC The Team, and Becca Mutchler. The results: perfect scores in easy application and near perfect scores for styling and creating softer, shinier hair. Ingredients include avocado oil and hyaluronic acid, which help to lock in hydration.

“It was very lightweight and easy to apply," Mutchler says. "It spread very smoothly in my hand, and didn't feel super thick like normal oils do.” The oil serum hybrid also offers heat protection up to 450° F. Hong doesn’t recommend it for fine hair as it will weigh it down, but “damaged hair will benefit as the cuticle will absorb the oil, nourishing the hair.”

Hair type Normal
Key ingredients Avocado Oil and Hyaluronic Acid
Type Oil
Size 1.7 oz

Best Leave-In

It's a 10 Haircare Miracle Leave-In product

Pros

• Light texture
• Keeps hair smooth
• Restores moisture

Cons

• Perfume smell

Our Beauty Award winner is a favorite among staffers. This well-balanced formula enriched with silk amino acids and sunflower seed extract has seen its share of satisfied consumers over two decades. Our staffers have used this product and can vouch for its lightweight texture and effectiveness in keeping hair smooth. “I love that this eliminates the need to use so many products and even provides heat protection for styling,” one tester said. If you’re sensitive to scents, this product might not be for you, as testers report that it has a distinct overly processed fragrance.

Hair type All hair types
Key ingredients Sunflower Seed Extract, Green Tea Leaf Extract, Silk Amino Acids, Aloe Vera, Panthenol
Type Spray
Size 10 oz

Best for Wavy Hair

Color Wow Dream Coat Supernatural Spray

Pros

• Tames frizz
• Long-lasting results
• Helps restore damage
• Good for color-treated hair

Cons

• Must be used on wet hair

Loved by multiple GH Beauty Lab staffers, the Color Wow Dream Coat Supernatural Spray is worth trying. According to the brand, the best way to get results is to towel dry after the shower, divide hair into sections, spray liberally on evenly damp hair and wait to use other products until after blow-drying. The formula requires blow-drying and tension to activate. Catharine Malzahn, GH Beauty Assistant, shared, “My blowout looked great even after 24 hours, including walking through the humid New York City weather and traveling on a plane.” Another reviewer said, “it helped make my hair not look as damaged, since I dye it and put heat on it quite often.”

Hair Type All hair types
Key ingredients Chamomile extract and glycerin
Type Spray
Size 6.7 oz

Best for Colored Hair

Oribe Invisible Defense Universal Protection Hair Spray

Pros

• Prevents color fading
• UV protection
• Non-oily formula
• Locks in moisture

Cons

• Expensive

If you enjoy experimenting with different hair colors and find yourself dyeing your hair frequently, the Oribe Invisible Defense Universal Protection Spray can help lock in your hair color. “This spray provides high heat protection in a non-oily formula, locking in moisture while preventing color fading from UV rays,” says Amy Abramite, Creative Director & Stylist at Maxine Salon in Chicago. This product is on the pricier side, but it may be worth the investment to help extend your hair color’s longevity.

Hair type Colored hair
Key ingredients Multifunction UV Absorber, Plant-Based Collagen, Oribe Signature Complex
Type Spray
Size 5.9 oz

Best for Damaged Hair

Living Proof Restore Perfecting Spray

Pros

• Leave-in detangler
• Hydrates hair

Cons

• Polarizing performance

This is living proof that you can protect yourself from hair damage. The conditioning detangler is meant to soften, smooth and strengthen dry hair — with an added bonus of heat protection (up to 450°). This spray is formulated with nourishing ingredients. While there’s no way to completely reverse heat damage, this product acts as a heat protectant, UV protectant and leave-in detangler, making it a multipurpose spray.

GH staffer swears by this product, using it weekly. One said, “I used to never put any heat protection on my hair until my hair stylist recommended this one. I have thick, curly dry hair and this not only protects my hair, it truly makes it feel hydrated.” The product got mixed reviews from people who didn’t see results.

Hair type Damaged hair
Key ingredients Plant Extracts, Beet Root Extract, Amino Acids
Type Spray
Size 8 oz

Best for Voluminous Hair

Fekkai Clean Stylers Root Lift Volume Spray

Pros

• Adds volume
• Lifts hair
• Light mist

Cons

• Requires shaking

We recruited three hair style experts to evaluate 12 products on their clients. They concluded that Fekkai Root Lift was best for adding volume, lifting the hair and not weighing hair down. “Usually root lifters are sticky and thick, but this one was like a light mist which was great and very user-friendly,” Mutchler says. Another tester found it needs to be shaken before application to perform well; if it’s not shaken, the product didn’t work.

Hair type All hair types
Key ingredients Hydrolyzed vegetable proteins, biotin and tripeptides
Type Spray
Size 1.5 oz

Best for Straightening Hair

Redken Frizz Dismiss Rebel Tame Heat Protectant Leave In-Cream

Pros

• Improves manageability
• Accelerates blow drying time

Cons

• Cream can be thick

Hydrating, frizz taming and blow dry accelerating, Redken's Frizz Dismiss is an all-in-one formula especially great for straightening hair. "It helps make my super thick hair feel manageable, seals in smoothness and cuts my blow dry time," said former GH beauty assistant Katie Berohn. Because this is a cream it may be too heavy for fine hair, which could make it look greasy.

Hair type Thick hair
Key ingredients Babassu oil
Type Cream
Size 8.5 oz

Best for Fine Hair

ColorProof Volume Blow Dry Spray

Pros

• Adds volume
• Long lasting

Cons

• Doesn't leave hair very shiny

A top performer in the GH Beauty Lab’s voluming styling products test, this blow dry mist not only protects hair against heat but also helps make fine strands look voluminous and full all day long — all without any heaviness or that crunchy, tacky feeling. “I like this product better than the voluming spray I get at my salon,” a tester said. It should be noted that a few testers wanted more shine from this product.

Hair Type Fine hair
Key ingredients Polyglutamic acid, hydrolyzed corn starch, volumizing polymers
Type Spray
Size 6.7 oz

Best for Frizzy Hair

Hask Keratin Smooth 5-in-1 Leave-In Spray

Pros

• Maintains frizz
• Creates smooth and shiny hair

Cons

• Some hair did not become smooth

Frizzy hair can be hard to maintain, especially in hot, humid weather. If you find yourself struggling to maintain frizz, Abramite loves this product. “Hask Keratin Smooth 5-in-1 Leave-In Spray is a keratin-enriched conditioning spray that protects hair from heat for a smooth shiny look,” Abramite says. Some reviewers were disappointed when it didn’t make their hair feel smooth after usage.

Hair type Frizzy hair
Key ingredients Jojoba seed oil
Type Spray
Size 6 oz

Best for Blow Drying

Shu Uemura Tsuki shape blow dry spray

Pros

• Enhances blowouts
• Holds hair without crunchy feeling

Cons

• Expensive

A versatile, lightweight styler with heat protectant properties, this spray from Shu Uemura is a GH editor favorite. "This is really great for anyone hoping for a blowout with more volume, or if you want to use a curling iron, since it helps define curls and provides a bit of hold sans feeling crunchy or stiff," says Berohn. However, it is a more expensive price point.

Hair type All hair types
Key ingredients Silicone and Polymers
Type Spray
Size 6.4 oz

How we test the best heat protectants

When evaluating haircare products, Good Housekeeping Beauty Lab scientists first distribute label-masked products, including various brands and price points, to a panel of women across the nation. These at-home testers rate aspects of the product such as the scent, ease of application and performance.

In the Lab, scientists use equipment, such as the Instron, to gauge conditioning abilities, and a humidity chamber to measure anti-frizz properties. Although we haven't evaluated heat protectants, we gathered this list of products based on any available studies to verify thermal protection of strands as well as brands that have tested well in the past.

What to look for when shopping for the best heat protectants

Formula: Heat protectants come in several different forms, including sprays, serums and creams. "Look for a lightweight spray with 450 degree heat protection with sealing split end repair for shine and frizz control, as well as UV protection from environmental aggressors," Amy Abramite says.

Hair type: It's best to shop for a heat protectant formula according to your hair type. Those with fine or thin hair might find serums and creams too heavy, so we recommend looking for a lightweight spray with “voluming” or “thickening” claims on the packaging. Creams, serums and sprays, with nourishing oils like argan, can be better suited for medium to thick hair.

How does a heat protectant spray work?

Applying a thermal protecting leave-in styling product can minimize some negative effects of heat damage, though there is no way to totally reverse the damage. Abramite says hair protectants should "preserve the health of hair by forming a protective shield around the cuticle, locking in moisture for a softer smoother texture."