A heat protectant product should be applied right before you dry or style your hair for best results and maximum protection. Typically, the product will last around 4 hours and after that, you'll need to re-apply if you plan on styling your hair again to avoid potentially damaging the strands. Finding the best heat protectant can be confusing as there are so many products on the market. To help you out, here's a handy guide on what to look out for:

Keratin – our hair is naturally made up of keratin so it makes sense to also put it into our hair products. It's made of amino acids which are essential for healthy hair growth, strength and shine. Look for a protectant with amino acids in it. With a low smoke point of 350 degrees, coconut oil is the best option for those with finer hair. That said, all hot tools applied to the hair with a coconut oil protectant should not exceed a 325-degree temperature. Application – heat products come in a range of different forms, from a heat protectant hair spray for easy, lightweight application to heat protectant serums and heat protectant creams which are great for curly hair. How to use: Just like your favorite hair oil or leave-in conditioner, these heat-protection sprays are incredibly easy to use. All you have to do is spritz them through your damp or dry hair before you start heat styling.Gretchen Friese is a Salon Director and Hair Stylist at Foushee Salon in Denver, CO with over 20 years experience. She is a BosleyMDCertified Trichologist. Safety and Efficacy Considerations Oils– for healthy hair full of vitality and shine that's also super easy to manage, choose a natural heat protectant for hair that's got some oils in it such as grapeseed, almond, argon or coconut. The goal of any heat protectant is to reduce the damage done by applied heat. "When we use heat styling tools, they strip the hair of its natural oils and proteins by breaking down the hydrogen bonds," explains Friese. Heat protectants act as a barrier that coats the surface of the hair shaft to give it an added layer of protection, allowing the heat to penetrate slowly instead of all at once. Friese notes, "Different hair textures require various temperatures to achieve a desired look." Certain oils—like coconut oil or avocado oil, which you may already have in your pantry at home—can effectively be used in a DIY formula to guard strands from applied heat, but the biggest caution to take note of is each oil's smoke point. "Each oil has a different smoking point (the temperature in which the oil burns)," says Friese. If this smoke point is exceeded and your DIY protectant formula is used with a hot tool at too high a temperature, the oil will start to burn, and you could end up with extremely damaged, fried hair.

Powered by HydroResist Technology, which wraps strands in a hydrophobic conditioning veil that repels humidity and other environmental elements for perfectly styled hair that lasts for days. To help strengthen your hair, look for ingredients, like keratin found in the John Frieda Frizz Ease 3-Day Straight Flat Iron Spray. If your strands feel dry, opt for moisturizers, such as hyaluronic acid, fruit and nut butters, like shea and mango, coconut oil, glycerin, vitamin B-5, aloe vera, and honey. How We Chose For coloured hair, always make sure you're choosing a product that is safe for chemically treated hair and will keep it looking vibrant. Tame your frizzy curls with a good cream or serum. A good thermal product will also contain silicones for sealing in moisture and amino acids for building strength and vitality. To use avocado oil as the base of your natural heat protectant, mix one tablespoon of oil with at least one cup of water into a spray bottle and shake vigorously before each use. Apply this protectant oil while your hair is still wet and let it air dry a little bit if possible, just to let the oil set in before applying or exposing it to any heat.One of the unique perks of using avocado oil as the base for your DIY heat protectant is that it protects the hair from different types of heat: heat from your hot tool and natural heat from the sun. Because of this perk alone, avocado oil is a great protectant option for color-treated or graying hair. It also has an extremely high smoke point of 520 degrees, making it an excellent choice for any hair density or texture. Fragranced with the Moroccanoil signature scent, a Mediterranean-inspired blend of spicy amber and sweet floral notes. Secondly, it can fade the colour from hair and leave it dull and without a sheen. Thirdly, regular heating of hair will weaken it over time and cause little holes to develop in the protective outer layer of the strand (known as the cuticle) which leads to uneven texture and, you guessed it – more breakage!