Compare our top picks
Honored Kubuka
Photo: Kat Merck
Sutra Heat Gudout Cream for $24: I love IR2 straight hair IR2, so I had high hopes. This great cream with fragrance and line free is meant to protect up to 450 degrees Fahrenheit and reduce drying time, but my hair feels dry after using it.
Smooth beauty routine with IT Blowout Mist for $13: This special targeted spray is fortified with Argan oil and Tsubaki oil (from Camellia Fruit), a common ingredient in many K-beauty products. It’s a spray, but I was surprised to find that it comes out with an opaque, cream-like consistency rather than a liquid, which means it goes on heavy. That said, sometimes my fine hair needs something on the heavy side, and this is worth the expected charge to reduce frizz after the blow dry, and my hair felt very soft.
Remilia Rice & Shine leave-in conditioner for $24: This is a hydrating, heat-protecting formula with a cool, crisp bottle and an open scent. However, it didn’t do much for frizz in my tests.
Mark Anthony Grows Long Lasting Anti-Frizz Shielt Ultimate Blowout for $10: This anti-Frizz Spray is a great price, but it didn’t work wonders on my 3A curls, and the beauty performance is smooth so (above) happened in this price category.
A delicious anti-sugar leave-in conditioner for $10: I really liked the wood action and spray in this bottle of this heat protection, but it didn’t do well in Frizz in my tests.
Biolage Setting Spray for $24: I like the type of biolage, and the fact that this can be used on any wet or dry hair (although it does not limit the heat). However, whether I used it wet or dry, I found that it left parts of my hair feeling rough. Some internet surfers, however, find that they like curls.
Courtesy of Emi Jay
Heavenly hair milk for $40: This isn’t quite a spray, but it’s light enough to be, and it comes in a cool bottle with a twist-to-flush cap. It is the combined heat protection and heat protection that happens to be the best anti-FRIZZ product in itself (it is said to cut down during drying, but this feature is not noticeable in my tests). This is sometimes my best choice for a scent, but someone working ONLINE said it smells like a plaything, and I’ve never been able to resist it.
Moroccanoil Perfect Heat Protectant $15 (2 ounces): All Moroccanoil products come infused with argan oil, and this spray that protects up to 450 degrees Fahrenheit is no exception. It can be used on wet or dry hair, and it’s extremely lightweight – I thought it felt and acted like light hair, for better or worse. I didn’t like the smell or the fine, sin-based fineness – in fact, I was worried that it would dry my hair out, but it didn’t.
Milk_Shake Lifestyling Amazing Anti-radium spray for $28 and Smooth cream for $24: I love milk_ -hake as a brand, and these products have been going well, but not enough to be good enough to qualify as a top choice.
Verb Frizz Defense Sheating Special For $22: I’ve heard great things about this anti-frizz spray, and it actually survives, feels drying, and doesn’t leave a heavy residue. It can be a good choice if you have straight or wavy hair, but there are effective Frizz cutting options for Type 3 and 4 if you are trying to achieve a blow.
Reverie Anti-Frizz Leave-in Nourishing Milk for $44: I loved this spicy spice scent, the stylish glass bottle, and the fact that it’s heat resistant up to 450 degrees Fahrenheit (according to Reverie; it doesn’t say that on the bottle). It worked well! There are many better ways to share the value. (Ed. NOTE: This is an editor’s review of Adrienne and her favorite heat protectant for thick, wavy 2a hair. You see, it’s a silly call.)
We have tried others
Photo: Kat Merck
Smoothing & Blemish Preventing Primer $36: This leave-in conditioner protects up to 450 degrees Fahrenheit and is designed to work with the entire hair washing routine ($64), which includes a detegent-free “creasing cream. I tried it and it reminded me of the whole “no ‘poo” movement first, when doctors ditched today’s shampoo for natural options like baking soda. This method is not for everyone, but if you try it, I don’t think the mist adds enough to justify the cost.
Good behavior Igk Spulina Protein Specifying Spray for $38: This Aerosol felt like it dried my hair a bit, and has the same unpleasant smell as the 4-in-1 (above). I didn’t care for it in liquid spray, but it was difficult in the form of aerosol clouds.
Photo: Kat Merck
R + Co BEUPESHICICE STYLL STYLL STYLL MISER For $36: This high-tech aerosol in a reusable aluminum bottle was a favorite during the first weeks of testing – I loved its protection up to 450 degrees Fahrenheit and its anti-frizz properties. However, it uses a complex polymer and resin for smooth hair, and over time I noticed that it was leaving a sticky residue on my hands and heating tools.
Cloud 9’s miracle fix is a 3-in-1 claim and Cloud 9 Blowout blow dry serum for $23: People wake up on cloud 9 online, and I really like the straight beadopia straight hair, but not these products that happened to reduce Frizz the most during my test.
Mane Cotton Pipi dry texture and volume spray for $26: Protection up to 380 degrees Fahrenheit, this style should add volume, and I had high hopes given my good experience with this type of heat protection (above). However, it had the opposite effect on the inner back hair.
Briogeo Farewell Frizz Blowdry Prefection & Protection Creme for $26: I have thick, unmanageable hair, and this cream protector felt like it actually made my hair unmanageable and difficult to style. It may speak to its performance, but I felt like I had to take multiple passes with the titanium flat iron that turned out to be hot for the price.
Photo: Kat Merck
Pureology Inferal Inference Ford for $32: Purology is known for its formulas made specifically for color-treated hair, so I was hoping that this would be a great solution for those who don’t want to risk losing their highlights or writing. However, it seemed to leave a mild residue, and neither I nor my short-haired tester found the optional feature to be too effective.
R + COACHLAME STRECTICK STRACK SPRACK FTRAME FRAY $36: I appreciated this spray for its ability to add a lot of visible light, but the aerosol nozzle was not intended as I did not like it, I got a wide mist, and I got a cologne-like smell.
Thermi_Shake Lifestyling Thermo-protector $40: I usually like Milk_Shaka products, but this aerosol spray felt like it dried my hair and created my already manageable frizz. And it didn’t add a noticeable amount of brightness as promised.
Foxybae cool heat protectant + biotin for $16: I love the frosted texture of this pump bottle, and the fact that it can be used on wet or dry hair. However, it didn’t seem to work as well as other products and was greasy when used on dry hair.
CHI 44 Iron Guard for $19: This drugstore style works well to protect against frizz while taming frizz, and the fresh scent of botanical bliss is an improvement on the original formula. However, it left a sticky residue on hands and heating tools.
NeQI Diamond Glass Styling Spray for $12: I love NEQI hair spray, so I had high hopes for its heat protection, but it didn’t do much to reduce frizz.
Amazolombo
How does heat protection work?
The ingredients vary, but many heat protectors work in the same way: By mixing ingredients such as copolymers or silicone that was worn on the hair shaft to slow down (although not completely) Many heat protectors also include jumpurizers to help bond and smooth the cuticle to reduce frizz. Because heat protectors can slow down, not completely stop, heat damage, it is important to use low heat settings to protect your hair for a short time.
I wash my 3a curly hair twice a week, then blow dry and follow with a straightening iron. I touch my hair with a straightening iron every day in between. I tested the heat protectants in this guide during my normal daily life over a period of four months. I used each product on wet hair before blow-drying or on dry hair before straightening iron-whichever the instructions indicated. If the product can be used wet and dry, I tried both ways.
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