Heat protection for hair: why is a heat protectant needed?
Overview of Heat Protectants
Are you someone who loves styling your hair for different occasions? Then, heat protection is a must for you. We all use some hair styling tools for that
- Straight hair look
- The bouncy curl look
- The wavy cascade look and so on…
However, the prolonged usage of such tools as blow dryers, straighteners, curling irons, etc. can, in the long run, damage your hair cuticles and make your hair dry and brittle. This is where the heat protection or rather heat protectant comes in.
The heat protectant acts like an armor or shield between the hair strands and the high heat of the heating tools.
- It creates a protective layer over each strand of hair, protecting the cuticle from exposure to the extreme heat of the tool.
- Ingredients of Heat protectants: They contain ingredients that reduce the damage caused by the heat of the hair styling tools, like
- Silicone
- Wheat proteins
- Keratin
The heat protectant is made from a formula specially created to protect your hair from damage while using hair styling tools.
Benefits of heat protectant for Hair
If you are styling your hair with heat styling tools without using a hair protectant, trust me – your hair will never thank you, ever! There are numerous benefits of a hair protectant that we should know for the health of our hair.
- Reduces heat absorption: A heat protectant aids in reducing the amount of heat your hair absorbs by evenly distributing the heat among the strands, thereby keeping your hair healthy and damage-free.
- Hair health and shine: A heat protectant keeps your hair shiny and healthy. It prevents damage from the adverse effects of frizzy and unmanageable hair. A leave-in conditioner works quite well to strengthen your hair strands, making your hair smooth and shiny.
- Easy to style: Some heat protectants contain ingredients, that are activated by heat, thereby increasing the effectiveness of the hair styling tools. This makes styling your hair so much simpler and easy.
- Nourishment: Some heat protectants are infused with certain ingredients that make your hair smooth and nourished, added to protection from the extreme heat of the hair styling tools.
- Less breakage: A heat protectant generates a barrier thereby resulting in lesser breakage of hair, preventing split ends and dryness.
- Moisturizes: A heat protectant aka moisturizer contains vitamins and fatty acids, that lock in the moisture in addition to keeping the hair hydrated thereby nourishing the hair.
- Protection of hair dye: A heat protectant effectively alleviates the fading of hair dye, that may otherwise be elevated due to the heat of the hair styling tools.
- No frizz: A heat protectant smoothens out the hair shaft cuticles thereby reducing frizziness.
- Lubrication: A heat protectant lubricates your hair making it manageable and you can easily detangle it without hair loss.
Usage of Heat Protectants
Heat Protectants are available as
- Hair sprays
- Serums
- Creams
There are natural heat protectants that can also be used like
- Shea butter
- Almond oil
- Coconut oil
These should be used as per the texture of your hair.
- If you have thin hair, then you should use non-greasy protectants
- If you have a thick mane, then you should use easily absorbent protectants.
Apply a heat protectant to your hair while it is damp and then use the hair styling tool, in normal cases.
CAUTION: Wet hair should never be styled as it is brittle and tends to break easily.
Do they work:
The answer is YES! Provided the instructions listed on the product are followed “to the T”. Some heat protectants are formulated to protect the hair from extreme temperatures. Make sure your heat-styling tools do not exceed the temperature recommended on the product packaging.
Our hair is our pride and we take great care of it. Adding a heat protectant will enhance our hair health even more. And your hair will thank you for all the care you are giving it! 😊
Let me conclude with an input from a salon owner
I have always made sure that a heat protectant is applied before any of my hair styling services. One should avoid using any of the heat-styling tools (blow dryers, straighteners, or curling iron/tongs) without a heat protectant. 2 drops max. are sufficient for normal waist-length hair as applying more could make the hair feel oilier and limper. Some good protectants are
(1) L’oreal Professional Series Expert Absolute Repair 10 in 1 oil
(2) L’oreal Paris Advanced Hair Style Sleek it Iron Straight Treat Spray.”
Informative