Let’s face it, sometimes we still need to use a little heat to tame, style, and set our hair, even when we have the best hair products at our disposal.
There is a hot tool for every style, whether you’re straightening for a sleek look, blow-drying thin hair for volume, or preserving your curls with a hot roller.
We all love styling our hair and using heat styling tools has become a part of our daily lives now. And although hot rollers may appear outdated, they deserve a prominent place in your beauty closet.
Be it curling or straight, we need heat for the desired outcome. But we cannot look away from the fact that it has consequences too, and consequences that aren’t healthy for your hair in the long run.
And that is precisely why I would recommend you to use heat protectant when using hot rollers or any heat styling tools on your hair. Heat protectant products are designed to help protect your hair from heat damage, including the high temperatures generated by hot rollers.
Are heat protectants really important?
I cannot stress enough on the importance of using heat protectant before using any heat styling tool. It helps to create a barrier between your hair and the hot rollers, reducing the amount of direct heat that your hair is exposed to. 
Look for protectants that contain silicone, wheat proteins, and keratin, as it lessens the heat damage that hot styling products bring to hair.
Think of it as a sunscreen but for your hair. It is absolutely essential.
The hair can become dry and brittle through constant use of heat styling products like straighteners, curling irons, and yes, even hair dryers. If you often blow dry, straighten, or curl your hair, a heat protectant should be at the top of your hair care list.
What should you look for in your heat protectant?
I have mostly seen people going for ingredients that include humectants like panthenol and propylene glycol, which keep moisture in and prevent frizz, amino acids like keratin, which strengthen hair and offer antioxidants, and natural oils and extracts like aloe, which seal the cuticle of the hair and protect it from damage. 
Despite the fact that some products use silicones (such as dimethicone and cyclomethicone) and water-based polymers (such as polyquaternium and acrylate copolymer), some people choose to avoid these chemicals because they can leave a film on specific hair types and end up weighing it down.
Benefits of using heat protectant
Hair heat protectants provide several benefits, including:
1. Preventing heat damage: Heat protectants form a protective barrier on your hair that helps to minimize the damage caused by high temperatures from hot tools like flat irons, curling irons, and hair dryers.
2. Reducing breakage: Heat damage can cause your hair to become brittle and prone to breakage. Using a heat protectant can help to reduce the risk of breakage and split ends, resulting in healthier-looking hair.
3. Maintaining moisture: Your hair needs moisture to survive and it loves it! Because of this, good heat protectants are a crucial component of hair care. The health of the hair is improved by moisture. Heat protectants are beneficial for hydrating hair because they include vitamins and fatty acids.
4. It locks in moisture: Heat protectants not only hydrate hair, but they also ensure that moisture is retained by producing a layer over the hair shaft and sealing moisture inside.
Heat can cause your hair to become dry and dehydrated, which can make it look dull and lifeless. Heat protectants help to lock in moisture, leaving your hair looking shiny and hydrated.
5. Improving manageability: I have experienced damaged hair because of excessive styling and it can become difficult to style and manage then. That is why I would advise you to use heat protectants to help keep your hair smooth and frizz-free, making it easier to style and manage.
6. It aids in reducing frizz: The cuticles on the hair shaft are smoothed with heat protectants. By controlling how much water the hair absorbs, this lowers the likelihood of frizz in humid climates.
Overall, using a heat protectant can help to protect your hair from damage caused by heat styling, leaving it looking healthier, smoother, and more manageable.
Heat protectant according to your hair type
Finding the best heat protectant for your hair can be a bit overwhelming, as there are many different products available on the market.
Here are some tips to help you find the best heat protectant for your hair:
1. Consider your hair type: Different hair types require different levels of protection. If you have fine hair, you may want to look for a lightweight, non-greasy formula that won’t weigh your hair down. If you have thick or coarse hair, you may need a more heavy-duty product that provides extra protection.
2. Look for a high-temperature rating: Heat protectants are rated based on the temperature they can protect your hair from. Look for a product that has a high-temperature rating, especially if you use hot tools at high temperatures.
3. Check the ingredients: Look for products that contain ingredients like silicones, which can help to protect your hair from heat damage. Alcohol-containing cosmetics should be avoided because they can dry out your hair.
4. Read reviews: Reading reviews from other users can give you an idea of how well a product works and how it performs on different hair types.
5. Consult with a stylist: Your hairstylist may be able to recommend a heat protectant that is specifically suited to your hair type and styling routine.
Best heat protectants in the market
- OGX Protecting + Silk Blowout Quick Drying Thermal Spray
- FoxyBae Cool AF Heat Protectant Hair Spray
- Sun Bum Heat Protector Spray
See also: What Can I Use Instead of Heat Protectant? (DIY Solution)
FAQs-
1. How do you use heat protectant before hot rollers?
To use heat protectant with hot rollers, simply apply a small amount of the product to your hair before you begin using the rollers.
Be sure to distribute the product evenly throughout your hair, paying special attention to the ends of your hair which are typically more prone to damage.
2. Which hair types respond best to heat protection?
Whether you have straight, curly, or type 4 hair, heat protectants are beneficial for all hair types and can be used on wet or damp hair. Every time you use a hot tool, heat protectant should be used and should be applied to all hair types.
3. Should you apply heat protectant on wet or dry hair?
Heat protectant should be applied to dry hair. That is what I do.
This is because applying heat protectant to wet hair can dilute the product and reduce its effectiveness.
To use heat protectant, first, I wash and dry my hair thoroughly. Then, I apply a small amount of heat protectant, focusing on the mid-lengths and ends, where the hair is most vulnerable to heat damage.
It’s important to use only a small amount of heat protectant, as using too much product can weigh your hair down and make it look greasy. To distribute the product into your hair evenly, I recommend using your fingers or a comb with wide teeth.
Once I apply the heat protectant, I style my hair using hot rollers, curling rods or even straighteners.
Be sure to follow the manufacturer’s instructions for the tool you are using and avoid using high heat settings for an extended period to further protect your hair from heat damage.
To conclude, I love my hair and in order to keep styling it I need to make sure I keep it healthy in the long run, I need to do everything necessary for its protection.
Heat protectants are one thing that helps while styling your hair using heating tools.
However, we have to remember that they cannot ensure permanent protection against hair damage. They can only limit how much direct heat is applied to the hair.
Even if we can advise you to style your hair after applying a protectant spray, try to keep your styling sessions to a minimum to prevent hair damage.
