If you aren’t using a heat protectant spray on your hair already, that needs to change. This often overlooked product is critical to maintaining hair health and integrity with all the heat styling you put your strands through. Of course, you can’t just use any heat protectant, you need to use the one that’s best for your hair type. Lucky for you, we rounded up the best heat protectant sprays for all types of strands. Whether you need one for oily hair or dry hair, there’s a protectant for you on this list.
Best Overall: Living Proof Restore Perfecting Spray
Living Proof’s Restore Perfecting Spray is the heat protectant spray most often recommended by hairstylists, hair care experts, and beauty editors. Not only does it provide heat and UV protection, it’s known to be one pretty impressive detangler. Plant extracts and slip-enhancing detangling actives reduce tugging and tearing so you can comb through wet or dry hair with ease. Knots are no match for this beloved spray.
(Image Source: Ulta.com)
Best for Curly Hair: Ouidad Advanced Climate Control Detangling Heat Spray
Perfect for all curly types (yes, that includes 4C hair), Ouidad’s heat protectant spray moisturizes curls before heat styling to keep them frizz-free thanks to an expert blend of grapeseed oil, sweet almond oil, macadamia nut oil, coconut oil, argan oil, and sericin.
(Image Source: Ulta.com)
Best for Fine Hair: CHI 44 Iron Guard Thermal Protection Spray
Fine hair requires a heavy-duty heat protectant that will protect your fragile strands, but also one that is gentle enough so as not to weigh down your hair. That’s where the CHI 44 Iron Guard Thermal Protection Spray comes in. Infused with vitamins and proteins to protect against thermal damage, the lightweight formula feels almost weightless—and that’s exactly what fine hair needs.
(Image Source: Amazon.com)
Best for Thick Hair: Moroccanoil Perfect Defense Heat Protectant
You may think that because your hair is thick and healthy that you don’t need a heat protectant spray—but, and it’s a big one, you’re sorely mistaken. Every hair type should apply a heat protectant before heat styling. The Moroccanoil Perfect Defense Heat Protectant is able to offer thick hair the thermal protection it needs without leaving your strands greasy. No need to spray on too much, a few spritzes has you covered.
(Image Source: Sephora.com)
Best for Natural Hair: Mielle Organics Mongongo Oil Thermal & Heat Protectant Spray
Mielle Organics’ heat protectant spray was made specifically with natural hair types in mind. Thanks to the spray’s unique Intense Heat Defense and Curl Pattern Protection technology, your hair will be protected and your curls will remain intact.
(Image Source: Mielleorganics.com)
Best for Oily Hair: Oribe Balm D’Or Heat Styling Shield
Technically this isn’t a spray, but it’s still a heat protectant, so we’ll let it slide—and you should too, especially if you have oily hair. Heat protectant can often make oily hair appear even oilier, which means you’re less likely to use it. Again, heat protectant is so important to maintaining the overall health of your strands that you should never use a hot tool without protecting your hair—think of it like a hair condom…or maybe don’t? Anyway, this balm from Oribe is perfect for greasy strands because it’s super lightweight and uses your natural shine to create a sleek style.
(Image Source: Oribe.com)
Best for Color-Treated Hair: Pureology Color Fanatic Multi-Tasking Leave-In Spray
We are obsessed with this Pureology spray because it offers 21 essential benefits, including heat protection. What makes it great for color-treated hair is that it features the brand’s signature Antifade Complex to keep your color looking as vibrant as ever well after leaving the salon.
(Image Source: Sephora.com)
Best for Blonde Hair: Kérastase Blond Absolu Heat Protecting Leave-In Treatment
Blondes need a little something more tailored to their bleached hair than the average heat protectant spray. Because heat styling can drastically dull your color each time you do it, you need protection to keep your blonde vivid—Kérastase’s Blond Absolu Heat Protecting Leave-In Treatment is obviously calling your name.
(Image Source: Sephora.com)
Best for Frizzy Hair: Briogeo Farewell Frizz Blow Dry Perfection Heat Protectant Cream
To keep your hair frizz-free no matter how much you heat style, reach for Briogeo’s Farewell Frizz Blow Dry Perfection Heat Protectant Cream. While it works wonders for blowouts, you can also use it for curling or straightening your hair.
(Image Source: Sephora.com)
Best for Dry Hair: Kérastase Nutritive Heat Protecting Leave-In Treatment
Formulated with iris root extract and rose jelly extract, this leave-in treatment from Kérastase provides intense nourishment and hydration to keep hair soft and shiny while also protecting against heat styling.
(Image Source: Sephora.com)
Best Drugstore: Not Your Mother’s Beat the Heat Thermal Styling Spray
For a heat protectant spray at a price that can’t be beat, Not Your Mother’s Beat the Heat Thermal Styling Spray is one of our favorite drugstore heat-protecting products. It works just as well as some of the more expensive counterparts and can be found almost anywhere around the world—if you’ve ever found yourself traveling without a heat protectant (who hasn’t?), you can rest easy knowing this will be available in the drugstore nearest you.
(Image Source: Ulta.com)
Best Luxury: Oribe Invisible Defense Universal Protection Hair Spray
Looking for a heat protectant spray that’s a little more high-end? You’ve found it. The Oribe Invisible Defense Universal Protection Hair Spray is one of the best of the bests, and the hefty price tag is totally worth it. It provides heat protection up to 450°F, protects against dryness and fading, and adds lightweight moisture to leave your freshly-styled hair looking like a professional did it.
(Image Source: Sephora.com)
Best Vegan: Sun Bum Heat Protector
Vegans, rejoice—there’s a heat protectant spray perfect for you. Actually, there are a number of vegan sprays out there, but we’re really big fans of the Sun Bum Heat Protector for its protective properties. Not to mention, it smells like a beach day in a bottle.
