While heat styling tools make it so much easier to achieve beloved blowouts and sleek, straight looks, they can cause hair to become dry and brittle. The best heat protectant sprays are designed to shield your strands from the potentially damaging effects of hair straighteners, blow dryers or curling irons—and keep them feeling healthy and strong. After rigorous research, we landed on our winner: the Morrocanoil Perfect Defense Thermal Protection Spray.
strands from damage so you can use your styling tools without worry.Illustration: Forbes / Photo: Retailers
While spray formulas are popular, depending on your hair type, you may opt for a heat protectant cream instead. To help you find the best version for your strands, we consulted with Vetted’s in-house beauty expert deputy editor Jane Sung, as well as staffers with a variety of hair types from fine to curly. Whether you need a versatile spray or a frizz-taming cream to use with your blow dryer brush, here are our top picks for the best heat protectants.
With a weightless formula that’s suitable for all hair types, Moroccanoil’s Perfect Defense spray earns the top spot on our list. It combines antioxidant-rich, nourishing argan oil with panthenol, a form of vitamin B5 that acts as a hydrator for dry strands. You can use this spray on damp or dry hair to boost moisture and shield hair from heat up to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
Ulta Beauty
Kristin Ess Style Assist Blow Dry Mist
If you have thick hair, we recommend this shine-boosting mist from Kristin Ess. It comes out of the bottle as a sheer mist, instantly smoothing split ends using a proprietary strengthening complex. At the same time, it targets weak areas of the hair, improving the appearance of damaged cuticles and providing thermal protection at up to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
What our editors say: “I have long, thick, wavy-to-curly hair, and this Blow-Dry Mist has been my go-to heat protectant for years,” says managing editor Emmy Favilla. “It has a really pleasant, subtle scent, and is lightweight enough to use in between washes prior to flat ironing sections of my hair that need touch-ups. I think it works well at reducing frizz and improving shine, and overall it’s one of my favorite hair products—at a really great price.”
The Living Proof Restore Perfecting Spray uses a host of botanical ingredients to protect hair from heat up to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Beet root extract strengthens and conditions hair, while marine algae extract provides an extra line of defense against UV rays. Its lightweight texture makes it an ideal match for fine hair.
What our editors say: “I’ve been using the Living Proof Restore Perfecting Spray for the last year, and I absolutely love it,” says commerce editor Katherine Louie. “I have very fine, thin hair, and a few sprays are enough to coat my strands before I blow dry. I love that it detangles, smooths and softens my hair, too. It has a light scent that I find refreshing, and the full-size bottle lasts a long time.”
Target
Garnier Fructis Flat Iron Perfector Straightening Mist
If you’re not ready to shell out on a more expensive option, you can still see great results with this wallet-friendly spray from Garnier Fructis. Offering thermal protection for temperatures up to 450 degrees Fahrenheit, the argan oil-based formula locks in shine and reduces flyaways for up to 48 hours. Keep in mind that it has a long-lasting fruity scent, which may be a bonus for some—and a turn-off for others.
What our staffers say: “The fruity scent stays through multiple rounds of straightening and heat manipulation,” says partnerships manager Georgie Olmeda. “The fact that it’s paraben-free is also a plus for me.”
Sephora
Kérastase Nutritive Heat Protecting Cream
Those with dry hair will benefit from a cream-based heat protectant—Kérastase’s rich formula fits the bill perfectly. Plant-based proteins shield strands from temperatures up to 450 degrees Fahrenheit, while niacinamide provides a healthy dose of moisture to parched locks. It has a lovely floral scent that features notes of ylang-lang, wild rose and jasmine.
Sephora
Virtue Create 6-In-1 Styler
If your roots are on the oilier side, Virtue’s keratin-rich styling cream will help restore balance to your locks. It protects hair from heat and humidity, while also repairing existing damage. Key ingredients include panthenol and cypress, which both provide a boost of hydration. While the nourishing formula may be thicker than a spray, it won’t weigh down hair—which is particularly essential for oily roots.
What our staffers say: “I have fine hair that’s dry, but my roots get oily fast so I love how this seals and protects my hair from heat damage without making it greasy,” says senior e-commerce partnerships manager Jessica Weisman. “My hair feels smooth and shiny with a little added texture, without feeling weighed down.”
Sephora
Bumble And Bumble Heat Shield
Formulated with a protective honey complex, this nourishing spray is an excellent match for curly and coily hair types. It shields strands from heat damage at temperatures up to 450 degrees Fahrenheit, while also calming frizz and locking in hydration. Plus, the lightweight mist won’t weigh down hair, so your curls remain bouncy and voluminous.
What our staffers say: “This product gives my ends a sleek, frizz-free look with maximum protection against heat tools,” says Olmeda. “Curls are naturally dry, so I’m always looking for ways to protect my hair. This does the trick.”
Color Wow
Dream Coat Supernatural Spray
Color Wow’s line of products are designed with dyed hair in mind, preserving your unique shade while delivering essential moisture. The brand’s popular Dream Coat Supernatural Spray protects color-treated hair from heat damage and humidity, leaving it feeling strong and smooth after each styling session. It uses a heat-activated polymer technology to coat each strand with a light, moisture-repelling layer that lasts up to four washes. Plus, chamomile flower extract boosts the vibrancy of your hair color.
Amazon
Beyond The Zone Turn Up The Heat
If you frequently flat iron your natural hair, we recommend this heat protectant spray from Beyond The Zone. The lightweight formula seals hair’s cuticle for a smooth, shiny look, keeping frizz at bay. It also optimizes the effectiveness of heat styling tools, so you can get salon-quality results at home. The light, fruity fragrance has notes of pomegranate, mandarin and milk sorbet.
What our staffers say: “I’ve been using this spray ever since my go-to stylist recommended it many years ago,” says editorial assistant Whitney Bruno. “I have curly, afro-textured hair and it’s great to use before flat ironing. Plus, it has a nice, light scent.”
Why Trust Forbes Vetted
At Forbes Vetted, we’ve researched and written dozens of haircare stories, poring over product formulas to ensure we’re making the absolute best recommendations possible.
We consulted with two expert sources when writing this story: Amsterdam-based hair stylist Wout Philippo and Devin Graciano, hair stylist and co-founder of haircare brand Goldie Locks. Both Philippo and Graciano shared their insight on how to pick a heat protectant based on your hair type and concerns.
Deputy editor Jane Sung, who oversees Forbes Vetted’s beauty and grooming vertical, selected picks and approved our final list. Sung draws from over 15 years of industry experience researching and testing beauty products.
We tapped our internal team of staffers—who have years of product testing experience among them—to share their personal heat protectant recommendations.
This article is regularly updated to ensure all product information and pricing is accurate. During its February 2024 update, beauty writer Claire Epting re-evaluated our selections and added several staff-recommended picks to the list.
What To Consider In The Best Heat Protectant Sprays
There are a variety of heat protectant formulas on the market, which is why we asked our experts for advice on picking out the right one. Here’s what to look for in these haircare products that go above and beyond.
Ingredients
When it comes to key ingredients, Amsterdam-based hair stylist Wout Philippo is a fan of argan oil. “It protects the outside of the hair but also strengthens and moisturizes it as well,” he says. Devin Graciano, hair stylist and co-founder of haircare brand Goldie Locks, recommends looking for “fatty ingredients that are able to shield the hair, like natural oils such as coconut or more of a polymeric compound like dimethicone.” Some formulas include extra ingredients for added benefits, such as niacinamide for hydration or chamomile extract for color protection.
Hair Type
The type of formula that works best for you has a lot to do with your hair type. It’s most important to pick a product that doesn’t weigh your strands down or cause them to become overly saturated. “Let’s say you have extremely fine hair and need to work on volume,” says Graciano. “It’s likely you wouldn’t reach for a cream, so opt for a mist instead.” Meanwhile, Philippo says those with curly hair or dry textures will benefit from a moisturizing cream.
Do Heat Protectants Really Work?
Yes, heat protectants actually do work in protecting your hair against direct heat damage. “A heat protectant protects the hair by enveloping the cuticles in a protective layer while also reducing water evaporation by sealing in the hair’s natural moisture,” says Philippo. This is especially important for processed or dry hair, as there is a risk of damaging the cuticle with repeated heat exposure.
Which Heat Protectant Spray Is Best?
After examining several formulas, we named the Moroccanoil Perfect Defense the best heat protectant spray overall. Formulated with vitamin E-rich argan oil and hydrating vitamin B5, the weightless spray conditions strands and offers heat protection up to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. While this pick is suitable for all hair types, we’ve also included options that are tailored to curly hair, fine hair and more.
How Do You Use A Heat Protectant?
Start by prepping hair with a hydrating leave-in conditioner and comb through for even distribution. Graciano emphasizes this step: “If you don’t comb through hair first, you might not be ironing out kinks or knots in your hair, which is also not the healthiest of practices.” Then, layer your hair with your heat protectant, starting from the most dehydrated point of the hair (your ends), working upward. As a rule when you are using any product (unless it’s a root volumizer), apply with a lighter hand as you work from your ends towards your scalp. Then, proceed with using your heat tool.
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I’m a New Yorker who lives in Los Angeles with my husband, three daughters and dog. A former Conde Nast staffer, I’ve covered style for over two decades (with an emphasis on beauty and wellness). I would love to cover more travel as it’s my greatest passion. I also owned a designer clothing store many years ago with a fellow Conde Nast editor.
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I am an updates writer for Forbes Vetted, and I optimize content related to fashion, beauty, and travel. Before joining the team, I was a commerce writer for Bustle Digital Group as well as a freelance entertainment journalist with regular contributions to ScreenCrush, PopCrush, and more. I have a B.F.A. from Chapman University’s Dodge College of Film and Media Arts, and I currently reside in Long Beach, California.