Using hot tools on your pretty tresses can bake the life right out of them. If you don’t protect them from heat-styling, the strands will end up dry, damaged, and broken. Thankfully, the solution is easy. All you need is the best heat protectant for natural hair.
There are all sorts of heat protection sprays available for blowouts and straightening hair as well as curling it. Different formulas are customized to create the best heat protectant for curly hair, fine hair, and other hair types. Here are our top picks that we’ll review below:
| The best heat protectants for natural hair | Why we recommend them |
|---|---|
| Hair Food Coconut & Argan Oil Heat Protectant Spray Blend |
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| HSI PROFESSIONAL Argan Oil Heat Protector |
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| Mizani Thermastrength Heat Protecting Serum |
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| Drybar Hot Toddy Heat Protectant Mist |
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| John Frieda Frizz Ease Extra Strength Serum |
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| L'Oréal Paris Advanced Hairstyle SLEEK IT Iron Straight Heatspray |
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| Design Essentials Agave & Lavender Moisturizing Blow Dry and Styling Primer |
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| SheaMoisture Anti-Breakage Spray |
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| OGX Protecting + Silk Blowout Quick Drying Thermal Spray |
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What is the most effective heat protectant for hair?
The most effective heat protectant for natural hair is the one that shields each strand from dehydration and breakage. Most have extra benefits like reducing frizz and adding shine.
One of the key things to keep in mind is that most of these products protect up to 450°F. If possible, keep your tools at that temperature or below it.
Best Heat Protectants for Natural Hair in 2024
Check out the best heat protectant serums and sprays below to learn more.
Hair Food Coconut & Argan Oil Heat Protectant Spray Blend
Feed your hair the nutrients it needs to stay strong and healthy. The Hair Food heat protectant spray contains argan and coconut oils, two of the best natural protectors of natural hair. It guards against damage by thermal styling up to 450°F.
Moreover, it’s made for all hair types, whether curly or straight, thick or fine. It’s paraben-free, with no sulfates or artificial color.
It has a beautiful beachy fragrance and it leaves the hair soft, smooth, and frizz-free even if you don’t heat-style. Users are pleased that it doesn’t leave a noticeable residue, either.
For best results, shake the bottle before applying it. Work in sections to coat the hair before styling.
Pros:
- Hair-healthy formula with coconut and argan oils
- Made for all hair types and textures
- Strengthens the strands, reduces frizz, adds shine, and protects against damage by thermal styling up to 450°F
- Has an appealing beachy fragrance and leaves no visible residue
- Free of parabens, sulfates, and artificial dyes
Cons:
- None
HSI PROFESSIONAL Argan Oil Heat Protector
This leave-in conditioner is a thermal protection spray, too. It prevents damage from blow dryers, curling irons, and flat irons. Who knew that a lightweight mist could provide so much protection?
The active ingredient is argan oil, which is packed with vitamins A, B, C, and D. It’s an excellent moisturizer for the hair, detangling it and leaving it smooth and frizz-free. You can apply it to either wet or dry hair.
The spray is made for all types of natural hair including human hair extensions. It’s safe for color-treated styles and free from parabens, phosphates, and sulfates.
Some customers say it makes the process of straightening curly hair so much easier. Others say that it revives their curls and prevents them from poofing up when they dry.
Pros:
- Lightweight mist with argan oil and vitamins
- Made for all types of natural hair including extensions
- Can be used on wet or dry hair
- Doubles as a leave-in conditioner that detangles and prevents frizz
- Protects against heat up to 450°F
- No parabens, phosphates, or sulfates
Cons:
- None
Mizani Thermastrength Heat Protecting Serum
Mizani’s serum isn’t a spray. It has a texture that’s similar to a gel, which makes it handy for layering under other products. Unlike a spray, it carefully coats every strand so that you don’t miss a spot. That’s good news for textured hair.
The formula features ceramide technology and shea butter that shield against breakage. It literally boosts the tensile strength of each hair. After you apply it, you’ll find that it’s much easier to style the hair while blow drying, plus the hair ends up shinier and with more volume.
Users say it has a light scent and is pleasant to use. It leaves their hair silky and shiny without feeling sticky or greasy. Those with fine hair appreciate how it doesn’t weigh it down.
On the downside, those following the Curly Girl method may be disappointed as it contains silicone (dimethicone). Unfortunately, it also has parabens and paraffin.
Pros:
- Excellent for textured hair, the serum boosts the tensile strength and prevents breakage
- Perfect as a leave-in conditioner as it layers well under other styling products
- Has a light scent and leaves the hair silky and shiny
Cons:
- Contains parabens, silicone, and paraffin
Drybar Hot Toddy Heat Protectant Mist
Drybar’s spray has fire tulip extract, marula oil, and heat-activated rice protein. This unique formula helps provide perfect results when straightening or curling hair. It also offers UV protection against fading.
What’s more, it has a tasty fragrance that smells like vanilla, coconut, and amber.
Some reviewers are thrilled with the professional results they get when using it with a flat iron, hot brush, or blow dryer. A few said that it seems like it left residue in their hair.
Pros:
- Lots of nutrition and protection for the hair from marula oil, fire tulip extract, and rice protein
- Provides UV protection against fading as well as a defense against damage from heat styling
- Delicious fragrance of vanilla, amber, and coconut
Cons:
- A few people complained about residue in their hair
John Frieda Frizz Ease Extra Strength Serum
They call this a six-in-one serum because it guards against heat damage, moisturizes, smooths the strands, wards off humidity, and prevents frizz. It’s a salon heat protectant that helps repair damaged hair. It can be used on both color-treated or natural hair.
Apply it to wet hair for extra conditioning, but be careful to avoid the roots to prevent build-up. It only takes a dime-sized amount for shoulder-length hair. Be aware that it contains silicone and mineral oil besides healthy ingredients like algae and hydrolyzed silk.
Customers say it’s an excellent product for heat styling, but not as capable if they allow their hair to air dry.
Pros:
- Safe for natural and color-treated hair
- Moisturizes, prevents frizz, and protects against heat styling damage
- Has algae and hydrolyzed silk to strengthen the hair
Cons:
- Seems to work better when used with heat styling instead of air drying
L’Oréal Paris Advanced Hairstyle SLEEK IT Iron Straight Heatspray
Here’s the best drugstore heat protectant. Some say it’s the best heat protection spray for straightening hair.
It can leave the hair shiny and frizz-free for up to three days. Yes, real people have found this to be true. They straighten their hair with it, then it stays sleek for three days as promised.
We peeked at the ingredients to find out why it works so well. Besides silicone, it has Camelina sativa oil, also known as wild flax. It’s packed with fatty acids and proteins that the hair needs.
Just a note on silicone: it’s not a toxin. The right formula can actually strengthen the hair and improve its appearance. The only downside is that some types of silicone can build up residue.
Be sure to apply the spray to damp hair, not dry, to get the best results. And please be careful where you aim at. People say that the overspray will make the floor slippery.
Pros:
- Budget-friendly drugstore heat protectant spray
- Provides up to three days of sleek, straightened hair
- Has a light fragrance and a hair-strengthening formula with Camelina sativa oil
Cons:
- Has silicone, which isn’t necessarily bad – see the information above
Design Essentials Agave & Lavender Moisturizing Blow Dry and Styling Primer
This Black-owned brand understands how to protect textured natural hair. The spray guards against both UV and heat damage. Moreover, it reduces drying time by half to help hair blow-dry faster and thereby reduce the risk of damage.
It’s also a leave-in conditioner that repairs split ends and prevents breakage. Check out these ingredients and you’ll see why: glycerin to draw in moisture, castor oil to nourish the strands, and botanicals like agave and lavender to heal damage.
What’s interesting is that this concentrated formula continues to protect the hair for up to fourteen shampoos. It does all this without using mineral oil, alcohol, parabens, petrolatum, or DEA. Just apply it to damp hair and blow dry to enjoy silken, shiny tresses.
Pros:
- Guards against UV and heat damage
- Helps hair dry faster to prevent breakage
- Conditioning formula is packed with nutrients and free of parabens, mineral oil, alcohol, and petrolatum
- Protection lasts up to fourteen shampoos
Cons:
- None
SheaMoisture Anti-Breakage Spray
What is a good heat protectant for 4C natural hair or natural Black hair? We’ve seen lots of people recommend this spray. It’s based on organic shea butter and Jamaican black castor oil with a touch of peppermint.
It’s a natural detangler and conditioner that also prevents dehydration and breakage from heat styling. It leaves curly and wavy hair glossy and soft.
Furthermore, it comes from a brand with roots in Africa. They procure ingredients through Fair Trade sources and avoid using parabens and sulfates in their products.
Customers say the spray gets rid of fuzziness and makes the hair look healthy. Some love the fruity fragrance and others are not fans.
Pros:
- Natural detangler and conditioner that shields against heat damage
- Good for textured curly and wavy hair
- Based on Jamaican black castor oil and organic shea butter
- Free of parabens and sulfates, made with Fair Trade ingredients
Cons:
- Not everyone loves the fruity fragrance
OGX Protecting + Silk Blowout Quick Drying Thermal Spray
Turn frizzy, thick hair into a sleek and manageable blowout with the spray. It cuts down dry time and protects against heat damage up to 450°F whether you use an iron or a blow dryer.
The magic ingredients are silk and quinoa that fortify each strand, leaving them smooth while preventing split ends.
Reviewers say it makes quick work of blow drying hair and provides salon-type results. Unfortunately, some say the applicator nozzle is difficult to direct.
Pros:
- Provides salon-type results with reduced drying time
- Makes frizzy, thick hair manageable and smooth
- Contains quinoa and silk to fortify the strands and prevent split ends
Cons:
- There were some complaints about the nozzle on the spray bottle
Conclusion
Keep your natural hair healthy, hydrated, and strong by using a thermal protectant. It’s worth the extra step in your styling routine. The right product can also reduce drying time and provide salon-quality results.
We hope our reviews helped you find the best heat protectant for your hair today. If so, we’d love to hear about it in the comments below.