For finer curls, this Design Essentials Agave & Lavender Weightless Thermal Protectant Serum is as lightweight as they come. Ideal for using prior to straightening curls, the serum uses a combination of several silicones to leave hair with a glossy sheen. However, because this was formulated to be applied on dry hair, if you’re planning to blow dry your curls, you’ll still need another heat protectant that can be applied to wet hair. What stood out during this experiment was my hair and rough ends felt more hydrated and smooth throughout the week after using this product, than it has after I used other heat-styling products. With other heat protectants, my hair usually feels crunchy after two or three days, and I’d have to put in a lot of work to flatten my ends. Based on these two things alone, Elixir Ultime really impressed me.

Relevant Review: “It’s very hard to find a heat protectant that is designed for use on dry hair. I needed a good one to use on my hair just prior to flat iron use. This one is by far the best I’ve tried. Gives good protection and shine.”

The Expert

An aerosol formula tends to be the easiest way to ensure that you’re evenly misting your hair with a heat protectant without weighing your curls down, especially when you’re working with hair that’s already dry. Joico’s Heat Hero Glossing Thermal Protector can be used just before you go in with a straightener or curler, providing thermal protection up to 450 degrees Fahrenheit as well as pollution protection. The shine-boosting mist also helps to seal split ends for a smoother finish, with its blend of silicones, moringa seed oil, and vitamin E. Even though it contains several moisturizing ingredients, the aerosol spray does contain alcohol, which Gutterman notes should be used in moderation, particularly if your hair is already dry. The bottom line is, if you’re using any kind of heat on your hair, you should be using a protectant. “Sometimes we don’t think about it because we aren’t flat ironing or round brushing every day, but even if you’re diffusing, that can cause damage,” says Gutterman. When diffusing, that means applying a heat protectant that’s suitable for use on wet hair, and when using a styling tool, you’ll want something that can be applied when your hair is dry. What Does A Heat Protectant Do? For second-day hair, Gutterman stresses that you’ll need to use another heat protectant if you’re adding any kind of heat to your style. “This is lightweight, so it won’t even feel like you’re adding additional product,” says Gutterman of Living Proof’s Restore Perfecting Spray, which she shares is what she gives her model clients to protect their hair on set. Though it was formulated to serve as a conditioning detangler on wet hair, it’s light enough to mist through dry hair, too, where it’ll provide heat protection against temps up to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Instead of silicones, this spray uses plant extracts like beetroot and artichoke leaf to protect the hair against heat and UV exposure, which Gutterman explains can also dry out the hair. Relevant Review: “This hair product is great at making your hair blow out looking healthy, soft and smooth. I have curly, fine, dry hair, so I also need to use a little Kerastase treatment oil after blow-drying, and then my hair is good to go. [...] I have tried countless products over the years, but find that Kerastase products are the best. Pricey, but the products are great and last a long time, so they are worth the expense.”

Relevant Review: “Amazing! I have 3c and 2a curly hair. It loves to frizz and get poofy when I blowdry it. I spray this lightly all over my hair and then dry. My hair lays nice and flat. The smell is delicious like all their other products. […] It’s not greasy, doesn’t weigh my hair down either.” Another dry aerosol spray that evenly coats hair without weighing it down, Moroccanoil’s Perfect Defense can be misted through damp curls on wash day or as a second-day touch-up on hair that’s completely dry. Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory ingredients like yarrow extract and shiitake mushroom extract help to promote healthy hair growth, but it’s the blend of moisturizing ingredients like argan oil, panthenol, and hydrolyzed pea protein that boost hydration and impart shine (plus, they help to counteract the drying effects of the alcohol). Relevant Review: “This product is great if you want to get that really nice shine without leaving hair greasy. I love how shiny my hair looks after I apply only 1-2 drops on my hands and then apply to hair. It works great before I style with curling iron or by itself.” After I finished styling my hair, my hair was sleek, shiny, and still felt nourished without feeling heavy, stiff, or weighed down. The Elixir Ultime coated my hair well, especially my ends. Usually, I’d have to use a small toothed comb to smooth out a particular section of my ends first, flat iron that section, comb the ends out again, and flat iron it again, repeating this process up to four times. I only had to go over my ends twice when I used Elixir Ultime, which was exciting. As the day progressed, my hair continued to have great movement and shine. Potential allergens: Linalool, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Limonene, Coumarin, Benzyl Alcohol, Parfum/Fragrance

5. Best Heat Protectant Detangling Spray Under $20

Marissa DeSantis has worked as a beauty writer and editor for nearly 10 years. Her pieces can be found across print and digital publications like Bustle, Evening Standard, Teen Vogue, and InStyle. Sophie Rose Gutterman is a Los Angeles-based hairstylist with 10 years of professional experience across editorial shoots, beauty campaigns, and television. A curly girl herself, Gutterman’s curly clients include models and ESPN host, Malika Andrews. Shop The Best Heat Protectants For Curly Hair Best Heat Protectant Serum For Fine Curls: Design Essentials Agave & Lavender Weightless Thermal Protectant Serum Beneficial Ingredients: Argan Oil, Panthenol, Glycerin, Vitamin E, Dimethicone, Hydrolyzed Pea Protein | Size: 8.1 oz. | Cruelty-Free: Yes FAQs When Should You Use A Heat Protectant? Heat protection for hair is a bit like your daily sunscreen, in that it’s essential to protect against damage, yet a surprising number of people still haven’t gotten on board. Los Angeles-based hairstylist Sophie Rose Gutterman tells Bustle that heat protection is even more important for those with curly hair. “Curly hair is a lot more fragile than straight hair,” she says, noting that it naturally tends to be drier than straighter hair types. “Add blow drying and straightening the hair into the equation, and that’s where breakage and damage to the curl pattern begin,” she says. The best heat protectants for curly hair actually include two types, according to Gutterman, who shares that you’ll want a protectant that you can apply on wet hair and another that can be applied when your hair is dry. “When it’s wet, you will most likely use a cream, and when it’s dry, it’s best to use a spray,” she shares. The Expert

There was a slight residue on my hands after I ran them through my hair, but that was more me than the product. I might have applied too much of it on my lengths and could have gotten away with using half a pump instead.) When I was getting ready to flat iron my hair, I applied one more pump to my ends. It was a reflex—I knew I didn’t need any additional product, but my ends are so dry that it's become a reflex to apply more product to it.For a less expensive detangling spray that you can apply to curls right after washing, there’s Eva NYC’s Mane Magic 10-In-1 Hair Primer. This one is too heavy to apply on dry hair, but the multi-tasking mist is formulated with ingredients like argan oil and sunflower seed oil to help with everything from heat and UV protection to detangling, softening, and adding shine to hair. The primer was also designed to reduce drying time, so you can minimize the amount of heat exposure when you’re blow drying, too. When I pumped the Elixir Ultime oil into my hand, it had a beautiful texture. It's thin, rich, and has slip without feeling greasy. After applying one pump of oil to each section of my hair, I used my blow dryer on the cool setting and ran my fingers through my hair to get a feel for how the product was working. My hair had movement, felt soft, and it didn’t feel dry at all. This was a pleasant surprise, because other heat protectants I’ve used have made my hair feel dry and crunchy. Relevant Review: “I love using this on my curly hair. I apply it after I'm doing styling and right before blow drying my hair. Makes me hair super soft and shiny and helps speed up drying time. I also love the smell.” When I put heat on my hair, I apply a leave-in conditioner (I've been using the Shea Moisture Sugarcane Extract & Meadowfoam Seed Silicone Free Miracle Styler Leave-In Treatment) first, then layer a heat protectant on top of it. After spritzing the leave-in onto my damp, I applied one pump of the Elixir Ultime to each section.