Just like your favorite sunscreen, the best heat-protectant sprays are essential for preventing damage. You wouldn’t sit under the hot sun without wearing UV protection, right? Similarly, you should also avoid putting a 400-degree hot tool on your hair without first using a heat protectant. These essential hair-care products create a moisturizing barrier between your hair and the heat, which helps prevent breakage, frizz, and split ends.
Whether you’re blow-drying, straightening, or curling your hair, the extreme temperatures, often reaching up to 450 degrees Fahrenheit, can literally cook your hair’s protein structure, leaving it weakened and prone to snapping. What makes this particularly frustrating is that heat damage is cumulative, meaning each styling session without proper protection adds up over time, gradually compromising your hair’s health and appearance. The good news is that incorporating a quality heat protectant into your routine is one of the simplest yet most effective ways to maintain strong, shiny hair, while still achieving your desired styles.
Our Top Heat-Protectant Sprays
- Best Overall: K18 HeatBounce Leave-In Conditioner Heat Protectant, $48
- Best Strengthening: Aveda Brilliant Damage Control, $34
- Best for Tight Curls: The Doux O.P.P. One-Pass-Press Heat Protection Spray, $15
- Best for Fine Hair: Living Proof Leave-In Conditioning Spray, $34
- Best for Dry Styling: Drybar Hot Toddy Heat Protectant Mist, $31
- Best for Curly Hair: Design Essentials Agave & Lavender Blow-Dry & Heat Shield, $12
- Best for Long-Lasting Protection: Colorwow Dream Coat Supernatural Spray, $28
- Best for Damage Repair: Oribe Gold Lust Dry Heat Protection Spray, $46
- Best Multitasker: Alfaparf Milano Semi di Lino Diamond Extraordinary All-in-1 Leave-In Fluid with Thermal Protection, $26
- Best for Detangling: Unite Hair 7Seconds Detangler Leave-In Conditioner, $41
Frequently Asked Questions
To help narrow down the best heat-protectant sprays out there, we asked editors, along with two hairstylists with over a decade of experience, to share their go-to products. Each stylist had not one, but multiple favorites, which work across a range of hair textures and styling needs.
Best Overall: K18 HeatBounce Leave-In Conditioner Heat Protectant
Why we love it: Whether you’re diffusing, flatironing, or silk-pressing, you need a hair shield that protects your strands from damage. Enter the K18 HeatBounce Conditioning Heat Protectant, a lightweight leave-in that not only blocks heat damage up to 450 degrees Fahrenheit but also softens, detangles, and quenches thirsty ends in the process. The magic lies in its patented Resilicore technology, a blend of peptides, proteins, and conditioning agents that mimics resilin, a natural protein capable of withstanding extreme stress. This technology penetrates past the cuticle and into the cortex, where heat stress really does its damage. Unlike many protectants that can leave a tacky film or weigh hair down, this one sprays on weightlessly and disappears into strands. The formula is safe for all textures and even extensions, making it a universal staple.
Tester feedback from commerce editor Sarah Han
“Once upon a time, I used to completely air-dry my hair…and wake up with frizz for days. Listen, I didn’t know any better. (In fact, you shouldn’t go to bed with wet hair at all.). In the years since, I’ve upgraded my (albeit, still-not-so-too-sophisticated) post-shower routine to the following: generously spritzing heat protectant all over, rough-drying my hair to ~60% with my trust Dyson Supersonic, slathering on a hair serum or leave-in of choice on my mid-lengths down to my ends, and letting my microfiber towel soak up the remaining moisture as I watch some TV. After I rough-dry with K18 HeatBounce (which absorbs immediately—key for my impatient self), my hair still feels soft and hydrated, and my brush glides through without any issues. With my colored hair, I’m concerned with fading, and I think HeatBounce—along with the rest of my lineup—has helped prevent just that.” —Sarah Han, commerce editor
- Key ingredients: resilicore technology, sunflower seed oil, rice bran extract
- Who it’s for: all hair types
- Protects up to: 450 degrees Fahrenheit
Best for Strengthening: Aveda Brilliant Damage Control
Why we love it: Aveda’s Brilliant Damage Control spray is a lightweight mist that strengthens fragile strands while guarding against the stress of heat styling. Hydrolyzed wheat protein fortifies the hair fiber to help reduce breakage before it starts, while chamomile extracts condition and calm the scalp. Aloe vera adds hydration to keep hair flexible and resilient, making it less prone to damage from combing or hot tools. Sprayed liberally on towel-dried hair, it instantly softens and smooths, allowing combs to glide through with less resistance. It’s finished with the brand’s pure-fume aroma, a blend of jasmine, rose, and certified organic clove.
Tester feedback from managing editor Alessandra Foresto
“There’s never a time in my household when we’re out of this spray. Both my husband (who has medium-to-long hair, similar to soccer player Andrea Pirlo back in the early 2000s) and I use it on wet hair to detangle before combing and add shine. I also use it as a heat protectant before blow-drying and love the way it doesn’t make my hair crunchy. Both of us love its jasmine and rose scent.” —Alessandra Foresto, managing editor
- Key ingredients: chamomile flower extract, hydrolyzed wheat protein, aloe vera
- Who it’s for: all hair types
- Protects up to: n/a
Best for Tight Curls: The Doux O.P.P. One-Pass-Press Heat Protection Spray
Why we love it: Anyone who’s ever double-pressed their hair knows the struggle: you get it sleek on the first pass, then end up frying it on the second pass. The Doux’s One Pass Press Heat Protectant Spray was made to stop that cycle in its tracks. This formula strengthens as it seals, helping curls and coils glide through heat tools without breakage or dryness. A blend of aloe, jojoba oil, and pineapple extract keeps strands hydrated, flexible, and silky smooth while taming coarse textures that usually resist straightening. It softens the cuticle for an even finish and adds weightless shine that makes every press look like a salon blowout. Plus, it can be used post-styling for an extra shot of sheen.
“I used to be the type of coily girl that ran away from any type of heat. Then, my hairstylist recommended that I start blowing out my hair before doing a twist-out. Game. Changer. Before I stretch my hair with my Dyson Airwrap, I apply this O.P.P. heat protectant from The Doux. It is formulated to withstand flatiron heat, so it is great for my low-temp routine. I just do a quick mist over the section, comb through, and add heat. It doesn’t leave my hair coated in oil like some other products. It’s lightweight but I can notice a shinier finish to my blow-dry than when I skip it.” —Jessica Cruel, editor in chief
If you need to preserve your blowout in a humid climate, opt for the Silent Treatment 30-Day Anti-Humidity Spray from The Doux. “I love [using] The Doux’s Silent Treatment 30‑Day Anti‑Humidity Spray on my super curly texture clients. It delivers long‑lasting protection and helps keep styles smooth and frizz‑free with proper home care after initial silk press service. It’s suitable for a variety of hair types, especially for textured or natural hair that’s prone to reverting in humid conditions.”
- Key ingredients: aloe, jojoba oil, pineapple extract
- Who it’s for: all hair types
- Protects up to: 420 degrees Fahrenheit
Best for Fine Hair: Living Proof Leave-In Conditioning Spray
Why we love it: For fine hair, heavy leave-ins and heat protectants can weigh hair down and cause more harm than good when styling. Living Proof’s Leave-In Conditioning Spray flips that script with a featherlight mist that softens, detangles, and shields hair. This formula is built for balance: time-release peptides keep strands conditioned throughout the day, while instantly loosening knots to prevent tugging and breakage. A superfood antioxidant complex defends against UV and heat damage up to 450 degrees Fahrenheit, meaning your blowouts and straightening sessions don’t come at the expense of strength. After one use, hair feels smoother, looks glossier, and tangles glide out with ease—no residue, no buildup, just touchable movement.
“My delicate AF hair would simply wither away without a heat protectant, and Living Proof’s more than lives up to the task of simply keeping my hair healthy. Aside from protecting my hair from heat up to 450 degrees Fahrenheit, it helps me detangle it, boosts shine, and gives my hair the little hydration boost it craves during blowouts.” —Nicola Dall’Asen, senior news editor
- Key ingredients: time-release peptides, superfood antioxidant complex
- Who it’s for: fine, straight, or color-treated hair
- Protects up to: 450 degrees Fahrenheit
More heat-protectant sprays we like
Best for Dry Styling: Drybar Hot Toddy Heat Protectant Mist
Drybar
Hot Toddy Heat Protectant Mist
Why we love it: You’re not always coming from a fresh wash day, so on those in-between days, you need a dry spray heat protectant. The Drybar Hot Toddy Heat Protectant Mist, a 2025 Allure Best of Beauty Award winner, stops damage in its tracks. Unlike many sprays designed for damp strands, this formula works specifically on dry hair, making it the perfect final step before curling, waving, or flat-ironing. The mist delivers up to 450 degrees Fahrenheit of heat protection while leaving behind a smooth, almost satiny finish that resists frizz. It’s powered by heat-activated rice protein to strengthen strands against the stress of styling, marula oil to coat hair with moisture-locking protection, and fire tulip extract to keep hair healthy and resilient. It also has UV protectors that defend against sun exposure and color fading.
Tester feedback from senior copy manager Leslie Lipton
“Other heat protectants can actually make my hair staticky, but the lightweight marula oil in Drybar Hot Toddy Heat Protectant Mist coats just enough to keep hot tools from literally frying my strands.” —Leslie Lipton, senior copy manager
- Key ingredients: marula oil, heat-activated rice protein, fire tulip extract
- Who it’s for: all hair types
- Protects up to: 450 degrees Fahrenheit
Best for Curly Hair: Design Essentials Agave & Lavender Blow-Dry & Heat Shield
Design Essentials
Agave & Lavender Blow-Dry & Heat Shield
Why we love it: Curls and heat tools don’t usually play well together—that’s unless Design Essentials’ Agave & Lavender Blow-Dry & Heat Shield is in the mix. It’s engineered to cut drying time in half while protecting strands from heat up to 420 degrees Fahrenheit. Infused with agave extract to condition and strengthen, lavender oil to nourish and add control, and mango butter to deeply moisturize, the formula wraps around each strand in a protective layer. It also shields against UVA and UVB rays, helping preserve color-treated hair from fading.
Expert feedback from Everette
“Design Essentials Agave & Lavender Blow‑Dry & Heat Shield provides superior heat protection and softens the cuticle, helps repair split ends, and fights frizz for up to two weeks, and it’s lightweight, so it doesn’t weigh down hair. This particular product is best suited for clients who use frequent heat styling (blow‑drying, flat irons, curling irons), especially those with textured, curly, wavy, coily, or color-treated hair that needs extra protection against thermal damage.”
- Key ingredients: agave extract, lavender oil, mango butter
- Who it’s for: all hair types, 2A–4C curl types
- Protects up to: 420 degrees Fahrenheit
Best for Long-Lasting Protection: Color Wow Dream Coat Supernatural Spray
COLOR WOW
Dream Coat Supernatural Spray
Why we love it: Unlike most heat protectants that fade over time, this one provides long-lasting protection. Color Wow’s Best of Beauty-winning Dream Coat Supernatural Spray defends against heat and waterproofs your style with a glossy, humidity-proof barrier. Inspired by textile technology, the formula wraps each strand in an invisible, water-resistant “raincoat” that repels moisture, keeping blowouts smooth and frizz-free even in extreme conditions. Activated by the heat of your blow-dryer, it compresses strands into a sleek, supple shape, then seals that smoothness so it stays intact through workouts, steam, and even sleep. The lightweight mist won’t leave buildup behind, making it safe for all hair types, including those with color-treated hair and those who wear extensions.
Expert feedback from Everette
“I love Color Wow Dream Coat Supernatural Spray because it [offers] incredible humidity resistance and leaves hair silky, smooth, and frizz-free without weighing it down. It’s perfect for clients with frizz-prone, unruly, or color-treated hair who want a sleek, glassy finish that lasts for days. I apply it to damp hair, section by section, then blow-dry with tension to activate the heat-activated polymers. The results are consistently transformative and long-lasting, making it a must-have in my styling kit.”
- Key ingredients: polysilicone-29, silicone quaternium-18, chamomilla recutita (matricaria) flower extract
- Who it’s for: all hair types, especially frizz-prone or color-treated
- Protects up to: 380 degrees Fahrenheit (normal/coarse), 300 degrees Fahrenheit (fine/fragile)
Best for Damage Repair: Oribe Gold Lust Dry Heat Protection Spray
Oribe
Gold Lust Dry Heat Protection Spray
Why we love it: If your hair has seen better days due to heat damage, Oribe Gold Lust Dry Heat Protection Spray offers a second chance. This luxe heat-styling spray shields strands from temperatures up to 450 degrees Fahrenheit while actively repairing weakened cuticles, smoothing away frizz, and leaving hair touchably soft with a satin finish. The brand’s unique Bio-Restorative Complex is a powerhouse blend of plant collagen, caffeine, biotin, and niacinamide that penetrates deeply into the hair shaft to fortify from the root and restore a healthier look and feel. The formula also includes brassica oil copolymer, a plant-based shield that acts as a barrier against hot tools, along with coconut water and marine algae extract to infuse brittle hair with hydration.
“Oribe Gold Lust Dry Heat Protection Spray is my go-to whenever I’m using hot tools. It protects hair up to 450 degrees, which means I can blow-dry, curl, or straighten without worrying about damage. The best part is that it doesn’t just shield, it also adds nourishment and smoothness, so hair feels soft and silky instead of dry after styling. I especially recommend it for anyone with color-treated hair or those who love polished, sleek looks. I spray it section by section before styling, then finish with a light mist to add shine and control flyaways.”
- Key ingredients: bio-restorative complex, brassica oil copolymer, coconut water
- Who it’s for: dry, damaged hair, all hair types
- Protects up to: 450 degrees Fahrenheit
Best Multitasker: Alfaparf Milano Semi di Lino Diamond Extraordinary All-in-1 Leave-In Fluid
Alfaparf Milano
Semi di Lino Diamond Extraordinary All-in-1 Leave-In Fluid
Why we love it: When your routine demands a product that does it all, the Alfaparf Milano Semi di Lino Diamond Extraordinary All-in-1 Leave-In Fluid proves to be the ultimate multitasker. This formula acts as a heat protectant, shine booster, detangler, frizz fighter, and split-end preventer in one bottle. It counteracts humidity, protects against UV rays, and helps maintain vibrant color while sealing the cuticle for smoother, healthier-looking strands. What makes it especially impressive is its combination of four proprietary complexes: Urban Defense Pro shields against pollution and heavy metals, Shine Fix Complex (flaxseed extract) delivers long-lasting luminosity, Color Fix Complex preserves color with antioxidants and UV filters, and a Multi-Vitamin Complex featuring vitamins E and F nourishes and revitalizes the hair.
Expert feedback from Michael
”I love this leave-in because it does everything in one step. It adds shine, detangles, controls frizz, and protects against both color fade and heat. It’s ideal for fine to medium hair that needs polish without extra weight, and it keeps both blondes and brunettes glossy. I spray it on towel-dried hair from mids to ends, comb it through, and then go straight into the blow-dry knowing every strand is smooth and protected.”
- Key ingredients: flaxseed extract, vitamins E and F, UV filter
- Who it’s for: all hair types, color-treated hair
- Protects up to: 482 degrees Fahrenheit
Best for Detangling: Unite Hair 7Seconds Detangler Leave-In Conditioner
Unite Hair
7Seconds Detangler Leave-In Conditioner
Why we love it: Heat styling presents enough challenges, which is why perfecting your detangling routine before heat is even applied is crucial. Unite Hair’s 7Seconds Detangler makes this step a breeze. The leave-in spray loosens tangles in seconds while strengthening, repairing, and protecting strands from both UV and thermal damage, preventing unnecessary breakage before you even reach for hot tools. The formula is powered by hydrolyzed rice protein to fortify weak hair, panthenol (pro-vitamin B5) to deeply hydrate and add shine, and amodimethicone to smooth the cuticle for a silky, frizz-free finish. The spray seals split ends and locks in color.
Expert feedback from Michael
“This is my quick fix hero. It instantly detangles, protects from heat, and gives that soft, touchable finish without ever feeling heavy. I reach for it on all hair types, especially clients with extensions or anyone who battles knots. After shampooing, I spray it generously, comb through, and it sets me up for a flawless, protected style every single time.”
- Key ingredients: hydrolyzed rice protein, panthenol, amodimethicone
- Who it’s for: all hair types
- Protects up to: n/a
Frequently asked questions
Does heat protectant spray actually work?
Both Everette and Michael agree that heat protectants are effective and non-negotiable. It “works by forming a thin, protective barrier over the hair shaft, which helps to reduce direct heat exposure from styling tools like flatirons, curling wands, hot combs, or blow-dryers,” explains Everette. She adds that this barrier distributes heat more evenly to prevent “hot spots” and often contains silicones or proteins that smooth the cuticle and reduce frizz. Michael highlights the risks of skipping it, noting, “If you don’t use a heat protectant, hot tools can strip moisture, weaken the hair’s protein structure, and lead to dryness, breakage, and dullness over time.”
How do you choose a good heat protectant?
“Choosing a good heat protectant depends on your hair type, texture, and styling needs,” says Everette, who recommends lightweight sprays or mists for fine or oily hair and richer creams or serums for thicker, curly textures that need added moisture. She notes “to choose a heat protectant that matches the heat level of your styling tools and offers added benefits like frizz control or UV protection.” Most heat protectants that offer UV defense rely on antioxidants and UV-absorbing compounds like benzophenone or cinnamate derivatives to shield hair from sun-induced oxidation and color fading.
Michael emphasizes the importance of ingredients and temperature coverage, explaining that “when choosing a heat protectant, look for one that offers protection up to the temperature you typically style at (usually around 400 to 450 degrees),” and to select formulas with “nourishing ingredients like natural oils, proteins, or vitamins that not only shield your hair, but also keep it healthy and shiny.”
How do you apply heat protectant correctly?
Everette advises starting with clean, damp hair, noting, “part into four to six sections and spray or distribute the product evenly from mid-lengths to ends, avoiding the roots to prevent greasiness.” She recommends using a wide-tooth comb for even coverage and letting the product dry completely before heat styling to avoid sizzling. For touch-ups, she adds, “Use a lightweight heat protectant formulated specifically for dry application.”
Michael breaks it down by formula, explaining, “For sprays, hold the bottle 6 to 8 inches away and mist evenly on damp or dry hair, making sure to cover from mid-lengths to ends without oversaturating.” He notes that “cream or serum versions should be applied sparingly to damp hair—work a small amount between your palms, then distribute evenly with your hands or a wide-tooth comb. Focus on the ends, since they’re the oldest and most fragile part of the hair.”
Meet the experts
- Ebony Everette, a licensed hairstylist based in San Antonio, Texas
- Sean Michael, a licensed hairstylist based in Andover, Massachusetts
How we test and review products
When Allure tests a product, our editors look at it from every angle in an effort to best serve you. We review ingredients, scrutinize brand claims, and, when necessary, examine peer-reviewed scientific and medical studies. In addition to testing each and every product that’s included in each and every review, we rely on experts who shape their fields, including dermatology, cosmetic chemistry, and medicine, to help us vet the ingredients and formulas.
For our list of best heat-protectant sprays, we considered each product’s performance across five primary categories: product ingredients and efficacy, packaging, fragrance, texture, and product wear. Every product was determined to have excelled in each category by our editorial team, which is composed of in-house writers and editors as well as contributors—along with special consideration from dermatologists. To learn more information on our reporting and testing processes, read our complete reviews process and methodology page.
Our staff and testers
A beauty product is a personal purchase. You might be searching for a face cream to address persistent dryness or a new nail product to add to your Sunday self-care routine; you may simply be browsing around for the latest launches to hit the hair market. No matter what you seek or your individual needs and concerns, Allure wants to ensure that you love anything we recommend in our stories. We believe that having a diverse team of writers and editors—in addition to the wide range of outside testers and industry experts we regularly call upon—is essential to reaching that goal.
After all, can we really say a skin-care product is the “best” for people over 50 if the only testers we’ve solicited opinions from folks who have yet to hit 30? Can we honestly deem a high-end diffuser worthy of your hard-earned cash if it’s never been tested on curls? We’re proud that our staff spans a wide range of ages, skin tones, hair textures, genders, and backgrounds, which means that we are able to fairly assess any beauty product that comes into the beauty closet.
Your hair deserves to look its best: