In this post, I’m going to share with you the best heat protectant (s) for natural hair I have used, that is worth every dime.
I’m also sharing my top secrets on how to get that perfect blow-dry, for the glossy shiny hair you deserve, without damaging it!
Best heat protectants for natural hair
There are feel heat protectants that I like and could recommend, but I am going to review for you now, four of the most recent products I’ve used, that got my head (and my heart). They are:
- Kerastase Vita Ciment Heat protectant (Cream)
- Morrocanoil heat protectant (spray)
- KERASTASE nutritive Nectar thermique Leave-in Heat Protectant
- Moroccanoil Hair Treatment (Oil)
- L’anza Keratin Healing Oil Hair Treatment (Oil)
I have curly hair, but I usually straighten it. This is because my hair is voluminous, unruly, and takes too long to get styled. Don’t judge me, but the best way I found to keep up with my life without losing control of my routine, is to blow dry it. In fact, I don’t really blow dry exactly per se, as I air dry or cold dry without a brush, to then use the flat iron. After an hour or so, my hair is straight.
I know that the secret to my hair not breaking out so much includes the right shampoo, hair masks, and heat protectant. During the past years, I have used quite a few heat protectants, from creamy to liquid, to oils, and here to tell you what really works or not.
These are brands that I absolutely adore and trust for my hair. I will give you an in-depth review of each one of these heat protectants, and how to make the most of them, for glossy shiny hair at home, done by you.
Best heat protectant for natural hair: Kerastase Vita Ciment Heat protectant (Cream)
I used the Kérastase Resistance Ciment Thermique for quite a long time. One thing that I like about this heat protectant for natural hair, is that one bottle takes forever to finish. Another thing I like about it is that it worked great. After many years of use, my hair kept strong and the final results of my straightening were amazing.
The reason I started using it was that my hair was breaking down and falling a bit. I purchased the entire vita ciment line (which is for resistance) and started to see great results.
Even though The vita ciment thermic was designed for damaged hair, I must say my hair was not really damaged, but I needed a product for strength, so you can use it even if your hair is not really that damaged as well. After a few months of using the entire line, I got to see great results.
What is that actually?
It’s a Heat protectant with 450°F thermo-protection. The texture is of light milky cream, it’s not sticky, and the smell is very light. Kerastase says that it not only protects the hair but also repairs providing a treatment that rebuilds the hair from inside out, which I totally agree with because, after years and years of using a hair straightener, I never had severe damaging problems.
Is it Anti Frizz and manages brittle hair?
It is perfect for those (like me) that need to fight frizz. Every time I straighten my hair, I use the dryer to dry my hair freely. To be more precise, I dry it with a diffuser instead of doing the proper blow dry with a brush per se, then I use the straightener (flat iron), and take care of my straightening from there.
The reason I do it is that I think it is more practical and also less damaging. Because I don’t blowdry my hair with a brush, to succeed, I need a powerful heat protectant. And the vita ciment thermique met all my expectations, especially on taming my frizzy hair. After the straightening, the hair felt really soft and malleable, free from frizz and glossy.
Thermo-seal Glazing Technology for shiny hair?
To be honest, I didn’t know what the thermo-seal goal is, and I have no more details about it, but it is supposed to add an extra shine to your styled hair. Wherever it is, it works. I already mentioned how I notice my hair gets shiny every time I use it. Of course, it’s a mix of the right products, since shampoo, conditioner, hair mask, and of course the right heat protectant.
Does it make styling the hair easier?
Absolutely, yes. First of all, the texture is really easy to apply to the hair, and at the moment you use it, hair slides through your fingers, and I can notice an instant malleability. You just need a little amount of the vita ciment, like something equivalent to a 1-cent coin on the palm of your hand.
Right the moment you apply, you can already feel the smoothness. If you use the straightener, you will notice how the flat iron slides more smoothly on the hair sections, and I have also noticed that with time, the time spent on styling diminished.
How to Use Vita ciment?
Before I start with the directions on how to use the Vita ciment thermique, here is a quick shout-out for you: every time you style your hair, always remember to hydrate or apply any other hair mask treatment for your hair.
Even if you apply the best heat protectant on your natural hair, it will never substitute a hair mask. You will need a hair mask because the heat can damage your hair if you don’t take a few precautions, such as choosing the best shampoo, conditioner, and hair mask.
That being said, here are the steps for the perfect hairstyling
- Shampoo your hair
- Use a hair mask
- Apply heat protectant on wet hair
- Style as you wish
In my case, as I said that I don’t blow dry with a brush, I just apply the vita ciment thermique on wet hair then I dry it with a hair diffuser. When the hair is totally dry I detangle and then I style with a flat iron.
I found out another trick. This is optional but it’s an extra step that I love doing because the results are amazing. After applying the heat protectant and drying it really well, I like to apply a little bit of a heat protectant oil such as Moroccan oil.
Vita ciment Pros and Cons
From my experience, it has more pros than cons. Here is a quick list that you can check out.
Pros
- Makes it easy to heat style your hair
- Anti-frizz
- Leave it soft
- Gives an amazing shine
- Don’t need to use too much product
- Helps to easily detangle your hair
Cons
There is not so much to talk about cons here. I love it. The only thing I might say is that you should not apply too much otherwise hair will get heavy and I bet you won’t like the results.
Vita Ciment Q&A
Question 1: Do I use it after conditioning or can apply it right after shampoo and don’t wash it up?
Answer: For better results, wash your hair and apply a conditioner or hair mask. Only after that do you apply vita ciment leave-in, to then dry it out with heat and flat iron. The reason I say this is because you should never go on heat without conditioning or treating your hair with a hair mask. Heat can be very damaging if you don’t do it the right way.
Question 2: Is vita ciment enough to hold the style on my hair?
Answer: Yes but of course, you should never do heating on your hair without shampooing and conditioning it first. Once you do these steps, you can use the vita ciment heat protectant alone before blow-drying and/or flat iron and the result will be a soft, silky hair.
What you can do, however, for an extra touch of silkiness, is to apply a tiny amount of heat protectant oil. Be aware that it has to be a heat protectant oil. I like using Moroccan oil, or the Kerastase elixir oil and I have found out later the Lanza mitic oil is just amazing. Note that this step is totally optional and the vita ciment alone will already give you the protection and a wonderful final result.
Question 3: How much vita ciment is enough for protecting my hair?
Answer: You need a little amount of the product. Every time I exaggerated and put too much vita ciment in my hair, the hair got heavy so I don’t recommend applying too much.
You need to pay attention to your hair. Is it long? Is it voluminous? One tip that works for me is that you divide the hair into sections and apply a little bit section by section. But really just a tiny bit, just enough to create a thin layer of protection.
Question 4: Can I use it as a leave-in?
Answer: Yes you can and it will work great as a leaving as well. Every time I used it as a leave-in.
Question 5: How can I use it if I just want to air dry my hair to then go straight to the curly wand or flat iron?
Answer: This is what I normally do, as I don’t know how to blow-dry my hair myself, as it is very long and voluminous. You just wash and condition it as usual then apply a little product on your hair section by section, air dry it, and then proceed with your curling or straightening.
Best heat protectant for natural hair: Moroccan oil heat protection spray review
You can use the Moroccanoil heat protection spray before hot styling your hair with curling wands, flat irons, hairdryers, and so on. This protection spray will create a layer of protection for your hair even in extreme heat (up to 430˚F).
It provides a soft hold and a glossy finish plus I noticed my hair gets straight for longer when I use this spray. Another thing I love about it is the idea that it’s protecting and improving my hair because it is vitamin infused that nourishes my hair leaving it strong to receive the heat.
The Moroccan oil heat protection spray is the one I have been using lately. I bought it in conjunction with the Moroccan oil shine spray and the Moroccan oil original treatment one year ago and I’m still using it because it takes forever.
Just for the record, I straighten my hair very often like once a week and sometimes every two weeks. Sometimes I like to give it a break but normally. I tend to straighten it quite often. These products are the holy grail of heat styling in my opinion. I can state without a doubt they are one of the best out there.
Note: Down below in the second part I share more tips about the perfect heat styling at home
Read Also: Moroccanoil Hydrating Styling Cream Review
Is the Moroccan oil heat protection spray my favorite so far?
For the moment this is what I am using and really in love. The reason I liked is that it’s super lightweight. So depending on your hair type, you might feel the need for something that is extremely light. Indeed this is one of my favs.
It’s hard. I cannot name just one favorite, but I am pretty happy about this one. I must say it doesn’t let my hair be as shiny as the vita ciment, and I still think that vita ciment is a little better in relation to the anti-frizz effect.
However my hair gets more bouncy with the Morrocan oil spray, and it is more practical to apply because of the spray fo course. The smell is wonderful and after all, I still can say that this one leaves the hair very shiny.
How do I use Moroccan oil heat protection spray?
It is simple to use. First of all remember to clean your hair with the right shampoo, conditioner, and hair mask, ok? Now, with your hair still wet, do this:
- Divide hair into sections
- Make sure you maintain a distance between your hair and the spray (20-25 cm)
- Spray it and then comb your hair. Just make sure you don’t apply too much as it will weigh hair down
Quick Tip: You can apply a small amount of heat protectant hair oil before applying this spray for an extra hint of shine. It will also make the hot styling easier and quicker.
Read Also: Kerastase Elixir Ultime vs Moroccan
Moroccan oil heat protection spray Pros and Cons
As we did with the vita ciment pros and cons, I decided to discuss it. Take a look:
Pros
- Smooth hair
- Perfect straight
- Delicious Smell
- Keeps hair strong
- Keeps hair shiny
- Keeps hair protected
- Improve hair texture
- Take care of split ends
- Easy to apply
- Holds the blow-dry to last longer
- It takes forever to finish
Cons
- Texture can be a little sticky on the hands but once you are done with your styling you won’t notice this anymore
- Fragile bottle. A am very careful while carrying my products in general and as far as I remember, during the entire year I never dropped this product on the floor. The one day it happened, the spray got broken.
Moroccan oil heat protection spray Q&A
Question 1: Should I use the Moroccan oil heat protection spray on wet or dry hair?
You should use the Moroccan oil heat protection spray and any other heat protection product with wet hair because it will create a layer of protection your hair needs to go through the dryer, flat iron, curling wand, and so on.
Question 2: Will the Moroccan oil heat protection spray make my hair feel sticky?
No. It won’t make your hair feel sticky at all. What might happen is that the Moroccan oil heat protection spray might feel sticky on the hand while you apply it, but that’s all. The moment you finish your hot styling, your hair will look and feel silky.
Question 4: Is the Moroccan oil heat protection spray good for black thick natural hair?
Yes. It is indicated for all hair types including back thick natural hair.
Question 5: Is the Moroccan oil heat protection spray anti-frizz?
Yes, I have been using my frizzy hair with success. For extra care and to double
Question 6: Does it work on dry hair as well?
I think it works best on wet hair but you can still apply it on dry hair, as I have already done as well and it worked well. I just prefer wet hair as I think it gets shiner and the results are better with wet hair.
Read Also: Steam Flat Iron Hair Straightener Guide & Reviews
KERASTASE nutritive Nectar thermique Leave-in Heat Protectant
Kerastase nutritive Nectar thermique is another product that I swear by. I used this for quite a long time too, right after I decided to change the vita ciment for a while. It came in a kit where I got three travel-size products from the Kerastase nutritive nectar. It came with the shampoo, the conditioner, and the Nectar thermique leave-in.
The Kerastase nutritive nectar thermique works with heat up to 450°F and is indicated to dry hair. I believe that much natural hair suffers from dryness, so it is important to use something like this line often enough. What called my attention the first time I used it was how the hair was shiny and glossy.
I think that of all the products I have reviewed in this article, this was the one that got my hair the glossiest. Apart from that, pretty much like the other products I have mentioned, it takes forever to end, because you just need a little amount of the product. Pretty much like any other heat protectant, if you apply too much the results will be heavy hair.
According to Kerastase, this product can also be used if your hair tends to break while blow-drying. It promises 85% less breakage from blow dry, which I believe it’s true because I straighten my hair so much (I mean too much) that if I didn’t use powerful products to protect it, I don’t know what I would do.
What about the texture?
It has a lightweight creamy texture, a little running, it’s like a milky cream. On the hands, it doesn’t feel sticky at all and you will have no trouble applying it to your hair, as it will slide and spread very easily.
Read Also Best Shampoo For Keratin Treated Hair [That You’ll Ever Need]
Does It nourish, smooth, and illuminate the hair?
Absolutely yes. We know how natural hair tends to get extra dry and extra frizzy after the heat, especially if we use and abuse these tools. I noticed with the Kerastase nutritive nectar thermique hair felt nourished and very soft to the touch. Not to mention the shine.
The result was extremely soft, malleable, glossy hair. It also helped me keep my hair straight for more than a week if I wanted. I know some people can hold their hair straight only for a couple of days, and it might depend on your hair structure, but I’m pretty sure your hair will keep the style for longer with this product.
Because its formula is designed for dry hair, you will notice that from the first time you use it. If you have very oily hair though, don’t use this because it will end up weighing your hair and it will get kind of sticky so dry hair only here.
How do I use Kerastase nutritive Nectar thermique?
It’s simple to use Kerastase nutritive Nectar thermique. Here are the steps you can follow, and it’s pretty much how you use any other heat protectant for natural hair:
- Wash your hair as usual
- Apply conditioning or hair mask
- Divide your wet hair into sections and apply just a little bit of the product to every section. A quick tip is to use heat protectant oil on wet hair before applying the heat protectant.
- Comb your hair and go on heat styling as you wish (curling, straightening, and so on).
Best Oils heat protectant for natural hair
Can you really use oils for heat protection? Depending on the oil, the answer is yes, you can. It’s been normal nowadays that we use kitchen oils in our hair, right? I use them a lot. I love olive and coconut oil. Even though these oils are good for the hair, they are not appropriate for hair heating.
Then I am talking about premium hair oils designed to be used specifically for hairs and have a formula that permits their usage with heating tools. But the next question you might be asking is if you can use these premium oils alone for heat protection.
Can I use these premium hair oils alone as a heat protectant for my natural hair?
Theoretically yes. These oils come with the power to protect your hair, but in my opinion, I would never use them as a heat protectant alone, unless I’m running out of them. This is because I believe that the special heat protectants that were designed with that end are the most indicated to do that job.
Why use heat protectant OILS on natural hair?
What I like to do, however (and that’s what I do every single time I use heat on my hair) is to add these oils before or after (usually after) the heat protectant for two main reasons:
- It reduces the straightening time significantly: It is amazing the difference in the time I spent when I add an extra layer of oil to when I don’t. I can reduce the straightening time to half and I feel less tired because I put less effort into the process.
- It gives an extra shine and silkiness to your hair: I have noticed that every time I apply oil in conjunction with my normal heat protectant, it gets even shinier.
- Gives an extra layer of protection to my natural hair: I don’t use oils alone. I might use my normal heat protectant alone, but not oils. However, I’m aware that premium oils
Read Also Kerastase Curl Shampoo Review: The Manifesto Curl Line
Moroccanoil Hair Treatment (Oil)
Have been using Morrocan oil for more than 10 years now. I have a full review of the Moroccan oil in which I compare it to Kerastase elixir oil in another article, make sure to go check this out! I can only say good things about it, as I apply Moroccan oil all the time, be for an extra shine and malleability while styling my hair with or without heat.
As I mentioned before I like to use it after I apply the heat protectant on my natural hair and it will help me finish my straightening quicker and I will feel less tired. If you have naturally voluminous hair, you know how important it is, especially if you have longer hair, the straightening process can take really long and tedious. Cutting this time will make the total difference.
Apart from that, use this oil for extra shine. It will also help you detangle your hair before styling which is really important. If you detangle your hair before, it will also help you save time.
How do I use Moroccan oil as a heat protectant?
Just wash your hair, condition, and hydrate as normal. Then you can apply it before or after your conventional heat protectant still with wet hair. Blow-dry (or air dry) your hair and when it’s dry, you can apply it again (only if your hair is dry to super dry).
Lanza Keratin Healing Oil Hair Treatment
My initial consideration
This is an ideal product for heat because it Provides high-temperature thermal & UV protection. I discovered the Lanza Keratin Healing Oil Hair Treatment one year ago. I bought it in conjunction with the Lanza Keratin Healing Oil Hair mask and it was a wonderful surprise. This oil is one of the best to be added to any hair treatment you might want to do.
It is a bit expensive but as well as the Moroccan oil it’s worth every penny you spend because the hair gets amazing shiny results. To be more precise, the first thing I noticed was a significant improvement in the hair texture.
I like it so much that I started using the Keratin Healing Oil Hair Treatment not only with my heat protectant but on a daily basis as well. Even though I heard this is also a volumizing oil, I still used it on my voluminous hair and it was disciplined so I had no problems with that.
What are the benefits of the Lanza Keratin healing oil hair treatment?
Let’s talk a little about the benefits that are promised by the brand, and I will share with you now if I agree or not with these promises based on my own experience. Just to recap, if you don’t know I have dry, frizzy curly natural hair, it’s very long and very voluminous, and I straighten it quite often (too often to be honest).
1. It says your hair will get strong and healing activities will improve your hair: That’s true. I already shared how I got surprised to see how this oil started to improve my hair texture. It looked beautiful and healthy. Also noticed the hair was not really falling so much.
2. Let your hair be more flexible and bouncy: That’s true. My hair was light in a good manner, full of movement every time I moved around. It will be easy to detangle and much easier to style as you go, saving you tons of time, and more importantly leaving your hair great.
3. It rehydrates hair, leaving it soft and silky smooth and anti-frizz: That’s also true. I have shared this with you already but I’m gonna repeat it here. I got really excited with this oil as it was really soft and shiny. But I mean glossy shiny. I could also get rid of the frizz which made me extra happy.
As you can see, this product really keeps up with their promises, it is really a very highly indicated product that I am sure you will love and adore. Actually, all the products I have listed for you are the top ones in my opinion because they transformed my dry voluminous hair into silk disciplined, shiny, and practical hair that I dreamed of.
How do I use Lanza Keratin healing oil hair treatment?
I have already shared before, but just for the recap, I’m repeating the instructions here. Just wash your hair, condition, and hydrate as normal. Then you can apply it before or after your conventional heat protectant still with wet hair. Blow-dry (or air dry) your hair and when it’s dry, you can apply it again (only if your hair is dry to super dry).
Best heat protectant for natural hair Q&A
Now that we know the products, I would like to talk a little more about heat protectants for natural hair, so keep on reading because there’s still a ton of info that I’d like to share and that I think you might want to know, that is related to heat protection for your natural hair.
Question 1. What is a heat protectant?
Heat protectant is a product you apply on your hair, usually after you wash and conditioner, while your hair is still wet and before you hot style it with a flat iron or any other hot styling tool
Question 2. What does a heat protectant do?
It creates a layer of protection that will prepare your hair to receive heat. Many heat protectants are also vitamin-rich and contain beneficial ingredients that not only protect but also nourish your hair, leaving it shiny and bouncy.
Question 3. How Does Heat Protectant Work?
Yes, it works. I have been styling my hair for many years and I always use a heat protectant. Of course, a heat protectant alone will not be responsible for the total success of your hair brushing for example, as it is a conjunction of shampooing, conditioning, hydrating, healthy food, drinking water, and so on. But it does work and you should never use heat on your hair without applying a heat protectant.
Question 4. What are the benefits of using a heat protectant?
It Prolongs the duration of your brushing/straightening, makes your hair less porous, seals your hair cuticles leaving it shinier, reduces frizz, and protects your hair from humidity. Along with that, it helps your hair keep its moisture while being submitted to heat.
Question 5. What happens If I don’t use heat protectants on my natural hair?
The heat will damage your hair, making it more opaque and more susceptible to breakage over time. The same might occur if you don’t use high-quality products on your hair while straightening or using heat to curl it. Unfortunately, the best hair products are a little more expensive, but the good news is that they can really make a difference and can be seen as an investment in your self-esteem.
7. How much heat protection Should I use?
The answer to that is less is more. But also it has to be enough to cover all your hair extensions. The best way is to start little by little, by dividing your hair into sections and starting applying as you need. For the spray heat protectants, it works in the same way. Apply it section by section, always remembering that the product should be approximately 20 cm away from your hair.
Five Tips to HELP your PREVENT HEAT DAMAGE
1. Use high-quality Use titanium or ceramic flat irons and hot styling tools. My Favorite one is GHD. I have been using this brand for a decade and love it each day more and more. They are not only durable and reliable but also come with technology that leaves the hair super glossy.
2. moisturize and deep condition your hair: Invest in a good shampoo, conditioner, and hair masks. If your hair really needs hydration, it’s voluminous and unruly, then you have to have high-end hair products. I have tried the drugstore hair masks and other products and it does nothing to my hair. I really wish I hadn’t had to spend too much money on these high-end products, but they work so I got them.
3. Treat your hair often. I like to do it once a week, but there are times (when I don’t straighten my hair) I treat it twice a week. Try not to wait more than a week as it can leave your hair super dry and it might lose momentum. I have also noticed that oil treatments work really well too.
4. Keep your hair tools clean. It’s important to maintain a good routine of cleaning your hot styling tools so next time you use them you will not have residual products from the last time you used them.
5. Have a styling break from time to time. I know this is super hard if you have the habit of hot styling your hair, but from time to time, it is nice to let it breathe and have a break. I am not saying that tall heat is good for your hair. What I said from the beginning is that there are ways around heating that can prevent your hair from damage, breakage, etc. We all know that heat on our hair all the time is not the best, but still, we can find ways to treat it and avoid damage by doing it the right way. However, a break from time to time can be important, especially if you take that break to hydrate and deep condition your hair.
Best heat protectant for natural hair final thoughts
I hope you liked the reviews and that I could clarify and help you somehow to achieve the best results ever. I know these products and not the cheapest ones, but they are not so expensive in my opinion.
Is good to have in mind if we want our hair to look great, we should invest in high-quality products and settle only for the best. If you have any questions, leave them in the comments below and I will be happy to answer.