Best Heat Protectant For Curly Hair [Review] in 2022

Protecting your curls from UV and heat damage is super significant. Curly hair is the most fragile hair type of them all because it tends to be the driest. Due to the texture, natural oils struggle to reach the end of the hair, so moisture is often lacking.

This is why many curly-haired girls tend to have oily roots with dry ends.

As a curly girl myself, I don’t tend to use a lot of heat as I only diffuse the ends of my hair on low heat. But I still use a heat protectant when using my blow dryer as despite the heat is low, it can still cause damage, resulting in frizz and breakage.

Heat tools tend to strip hair from moisture when not protected by heat protectants. Many heat protectants for curly hair work on hydration and maintaining moisture within the curls, as well and protecting hair from heat.

But you cannot just buy the first heat protectant you find at your local Walmart or Target, especially if following the Curly Girl Method. You’ll want to avoid ingredients like silicones, sulfates, and harsh chemicals like waxes and oils when buying a heat protectant.

This is because sulfates are very harsh on curly hair; they tend to strip the natural oils from curly hair and make it even drier than it is. Plus, non-water-soluble silicones and waxes can only be removed with sulfates, so they tend to build up on hair.

The top one you will come across is silicones, but not all silicones are bad.

I’ve recently come across Olaplex for curly hair, and I am in love with their products for curl definition, hydration as well as intense repair from the inside out. Their products No. 4 – 8 do contain silicones but only water-soluble silicones, which wash out with water.

So while their No. 7 Bonding Oil Thermal Heat Protectant may not be Curly Girl Method Approved, the ingredients are actually very enriching for curls. Water-soluble silicones help aid with moisture retention and hydration as well as speeding up the drying process.

They’re also unlikely to build up on the hair, so good news! You may just need to do one clarifying sulfate shampoo once a month to remove any buildup, which is recommended anyway. Olaplex also helps protect curls from harsh UV rays, so double thumbs up.

But enough of me rambling on about Olaplex, there are a few things to consider to protect your curls when drying and when choosing heat protection for your hair. Whether you have thick hair or fine hair, finding the right thermal protectant is key!

So let’s run down everything you need to know when buying thermal protectants for textured hair! 

Protecting your curls from UV and heat damage is super important. Curly hair is the most fragile hair type of them all because it tends to be the driest. Due to the texture natural oils struggle to reach the end of the hair, so moisture is often lacking.

This is why many curly-haired girls tend to have oily roots with dry ends.

As a curly girl myself, I don’t tend to use a lot of heat as I only diffuse the ends of my hair on low heat. But I still use a heat protectant when using my blow dryer as despite the heat being low it can still cause damage, resulting in frizz and breakage.

Heat tools tend to strip hair from moisture when not protected by heat protectants. Many heat protectants for curly hair work on hydration and maintaining moisture within the curls, as well and protecting hair from heat.

But you cannot just buy the first heat protectant you find at your local Walmart or Target, especially if following the Curly Girl Method. You’ll want to avoid ingredients like silicones, sulfates and harsh chemicals like waxes and oils when buying a heat protectant.

This is because sulfates are very harsh on curly hair, they tend to strip the natural oils from curly hair and make it even drier than it is. Plus non-water-soluble silicones and waxes can only be removed with sulfates so they tend to build up on hair.

The top one you will come across is silicones, but not all silicones are bad.

I’ve recently come across Olaplex for curly hair and I am in love with their products for curl definition, hydration as well as intense repair from the inside out. Their products No. 4 – 8 do contain silicones but only water-soluble silicones which wash out with water.

So while their No. 7 Bonding Oil Thermal Heat Protectant may not be Curly Girl Method Approved the ingredients are actually very enriching for curls. Water-soluble silicones help aid with moisture retention and hydration as well as speeding up the drying process.

They’re also unlikely to build up on hair so good news! You may just need to do one clarifying sulfate shampoo once a month to remove any buildup, which is recommended anyway. Olaplex also helps protect curls from harsh UV rays so double thumbs up.

But enough of me rambling on about Olaplex, there are a few things to consider to protect your curls when drying and when choosing heat protection for your hair. Whether you have thick hair or fine hair, finding the right thermal protectant is key!

So let’s run down everything you need to know when buying thermal protectants for textured hair!

Your heat protection should be a necessity in your hair care routine, especially when using heat tools like a blow dryer or flat iron. It helps protect the hair cuticle and seal in moisture within the hair strand. It is best to be used on damp or wet hair but can be used on dry hair too.

After all, some heat protectant is better than no heat protectant.

Using heat protectant when you style your hair is super easy and quick. Once you’ve washed your hair with shampoo and conditioner, use heat protection on your damp hair on the mid-lengths and ends. But before applying your heat protectant, don’t forget the leave-in conditioner.

As soon as I hop out of the shower, wrap myself up in my towel, wrap my hair up in my microfiber towel, and sit in front of the mirror with my leave-in conditioner, heat protection spray, hair gel, and my styling/ detangling brushes.

I grab my water spray and work in sections, starting underneath. I apply my leave-in conditioner, followed by my heat protectant, and then my hair gel. I will then use my brush to comb through and style– I personally love my Denman Brush.

As I run the Denman Brush through each section of hair, I will twirl my curl around the brush to create tension, and then it will leave me with defined curls. I will repeat this for each section, applying my heat protection and other styling products.

Want to know more about how to use a Denman Brush? Don’t you worry, I made a full guide on how.

I will then wait 30 minutes for my hair to naturally dry slightly and for the heat protectant and leave-in conditioner to penetrate deeply. I usually do my makeup during this time or have breakfast, so I don’t lose time waiting around.

Heat protectants will last for 4 hours after application, but it’s recommended to apply heat straight away once absorbed for the most protection.

I will then go in with my diffuser and cradle my curls and cup them upwards, focusing at the roots and then the ends last. I will dry until my hair is roughly 90% dry and there’s still some moisture in the ends of my hair; this helps with moisture retention.

I will then scrunch the crunch, and then I’ll be good to go; it’s super easy, really!

It’s not always the easiest task to look for the best heat protectants for curly hair. Since curly hair is the most fragile hair type, there are a few ingredients that you should really avoid, such as sulfates, silicones, and other harsh chemicals.

Avoid Silicones:

For the most part, heat protectants tend to contain silicones, which are brilliant for protecting hair from heat as they form a barrier over the cuticle; however, without sulfates to remove them, they will build up-on hair.

Sulfates can be very harsh on curls as they tend to strip curls from their natural oils, which curly hair is already lacking. The silicones you should avoid are non-soluble silicones as they do not wash out with water and have to be removed with harsh sulfates.

The silicones that can benefit curls are water-soluble silicones. Despite not being Curly Girl Method Approved, they help aid with hydration and moisture retention, which are two important factors for curly hair.

For example, Olaplex, their Bonding Oil, is safe to use on Curly Hair. If anything, it is beneficial for curls as it is super hydrating, works on a molecular level to repair broken bonds as well as provides head protection up to 450 F.

So while non-soluble silicones you should try to avoid, water soluble silicones are okay for curly hair. Just make sure to do a clarifying shampoo once a month to remove any buildup, which is recommended once every 1-2 months anyway.

Avoid Mineral Oils and Waxes:

Mineral oil and petrolatum are other ingredients you should try to avoid when doing the curly girl method or just caring for curly hair, they can weigh down your hair, and without sulfates to remove them, they build up like silicones. 

Some waxes use natural ingredients which are safe to style curly or kinky hair. However, most waxes are s non-hydrous, meaning they won’t wash out with just water or co-washing. 

If you find yourself accidentally using waxes or silicones, then you can use your reset shampoo to remove them, then go back to the Curly Girl Routine.

Look for Humectants:

You may have heard of this in your skincare products, but humectants are used in haircare, too; they are the hydrating ingredient that attracts moisture, and they’re super beneficial for hydrating your hair. 

Since textured hair is the driest hair type of them, all humectants work wonders for hydrating and retaining moisture within the strand, so when you spend the time putting countless moisturizing products in your hair, it doesn’t go to waste.

Humectants are extremely beneficial in heat protectants as it draws in and locks in moisture, leaving the hair feeling hydrated rather than dry and brittle, caused by excessive heat. Moisturized hair is healthy hair, and curls love hydration. 

Knowing how to care for your curls is key, after all!

You’ll notice in hair care products that the main ingredients are glycol, panthenol, and keratin. These works to strengthen the bonds up the hair shaft and preserve moisture and prevent frizz. Ingredients like aloe vera are also brilliant in protecting hair from heat. 

Look For UV, Frizz, and Humidity Protection: 

Styling your hair isn’t the only thing that causes heat damage and drys out your hair. Excessive sun exposure without any protection on your hair is another culprit to hair damage. It is a similar concept to going outside all day on a scorching summer’s day without any sunscreen. 

Your hair gets damaged in a similar way to how your skin gets sunburnt; now, while you may not feel it like you would a sunburn, it causes more damage than you may think. When exposed to sunlight, the UVA and UVB rays can strip moisture from our curls and damage the hair’s protein and cuticle.

This can result in dry, brittle ends, frizziness, split ends, dullness, and even thinning. Plus, with curly hair, this happens a lot quicker, and damage can be worse as curls tend to lack moisture due to the texture of the hair.

Humidity is also not your best friend, so it is best to get a heat protectant that also offers protection from humidity. Humid weather tends to suck up all the moisture from your hair strands and cause the hair cuticle to swell, leading to frizz and damage.

The last thing we want on our textured hair is the environment sucking up all of our expensive hydrating products and resulting in frizz and getting a head protectant that protects curls from heat from hot tools and environmental factors.

How do you make your own heat protectant?

There are a few ways you can easily make a heat protectant at home, most of which you have the ingredients for already. Humectants like aloe vera are brilliant heat protectants as they form a seal over the ends of your hair.

Other ingredients like coconut oil can also help protect hair when heat styling up to 350 F, so while this may not cover you when using a flat iron, this will be enough for day-to-day diffusing and blow-drying. There are so many benefits of coconut oil for your hair!

Grapeseed oil and argan oil are other great natural ingredients for thermal protection. Both oils can protect hair up to 420 F, which is enough for most flat irons! But if you want to know more of my top DIY heat protectant recipes, then be sure to check out my full article.

How long does heat protectant last?

Typically heat protectants last on curly hair for around 4 hours after applying. But for best results, you should wait 5-10 minutes after applying for the heat protectant to soak in before using heat on your hair.

They also work best within the first hour, so it is best when you want to blow dry your hair that you apply a heat protectant and start blow-drying no more than half an hour after applying it, especially if you have damaged hair.

You’ll want all the goodness to soak into the hair strands.

Do I need a heat protectant when blow-drying?

For many curly girls, we use heat protectants before diffusing our curls, but do we really need it? Most of the time, we are using low heat; surely that can’t damage the hair that much? But to answer your question, heat protection is absolutely essential!

The best way to stop damage is prevention; using high-strength heat protection will help create a seal over the curl and protect during styling. It will also tame things like frizz and offer extra hold, volume, and shine to your curls.

Some heat protectants even offer UV protection which is super important for any hair type, so it is not a step to skip!

What happens if you don’t use a heat protectant?

When you expose your hair to heat styling without a heat protectant or heat protection spray, this can cause damage to the strands of your hair. Heat can dry out the ends of your hair, cause split ends and breakage. It can also cause your hair to look dull and become easily knotted.

Since curly hair is already the driest hair type, this means that it is most prone to damage than any other. When you don’t use heat protectant spray when using a styling tool, your hair becomes extremely damaged, dry and even causes excessive breakage on the ends.

The heat strips off natural or artificial color pigments in your hair, breaking down the keratin protein, which gives your hair strength and elasticity. This can cause split ends and especially frizz. When your hair is frizzy, it is a sign that your hair is damaged or dry.

What is the best heat protectant for African American hair?

For clients with African Amercian hair, moisture is absolutely key, more than any other curl type. Most African Amercian hair has the 4c curl type, which is the driest curl type of them all; they need heavy creams and hydrating oils to retain moisture to tame frizz.

I personally love Mizani for 4c natural hair. It offers extreme hydration and protection from both UV and heat damage caused by hot tools. It also works wonders on thick hair as it is very hydrating and penetrates deep into the cuticle without feeling too heavy.

Olaplex is also brilliant for African American curly hair as it works on a molecular level to nourish and restore the hair follicle from the inside out. It helps to tame frizz and flyaways while offering heat protection up to 450F as well as UV protection.

Just as a general rule of thumb, hydration is key for this hair type you want to lock in moisture to prevent frizz and dry hair.

So there you have it, the best heat protectants for curly hair, whether you’re looking for the heat protectant sprays, oil thermal protectants, or heat protectant creams for natural hair, then I’ve covered them all. After all, looking after our curls is key.

Just be sure to avoid non-soluble silicones as they will build up on your curls; these tend to be used in most drugstore brands, so keep an eye out. Also, try to look for UV protection; it will save you from buying two different products.

Choose any of the heat protectants I have selected for you today; they are well and truly the best heat protectants for curly hair on the market. Our curls deserve a good bit of TLC; prevention is always better than a cure, so never skip this step.

Happy styling!