Heat Protection

How heat protectant spray helps prevent heat damage

When you blow-dry, straighten or curl, high temperatures from styling tools can draw out natural moisture and lead to heat damage, especially on bleached or colour-treated hair.

Unprotected heat styling can lead to:

• Dryness and lost shine
• Breakage as weakened strands become easier to snap
  Split ends from repeated heat exposure

Applying a heat protectant spray creates a barrier that slows down heat transfer to your strands. This thermal protection minimises direct heat stress, helping your hair stay hydrated, soft and protected.

Do heat protectant sprays actually work?

Yes, heat protectant sprays genuinely work! They coat your strands with a thin film that slows down and evenly distributes heat transfer. Plus, some formulas also work as a leave-in treatment with extra conditioning and smoothing benefits.

A good formula can also help:

• Lock in moisture by forming a barrier over the hair shaft
• Smooth hair and make styling easier
• Reduce drying time when it's specifically designed as a blowout primer
• Provide flexible use on damp or dry hair depending on product instructions

Heat protectant sprays we recommend at Hairhouse

Finding the right heat protectant depends on how you style your hair and what your strands need most. Here are the ones our stylists reach for most for a few common hair concerns:

• Best overall: ghd Bodyguard Heat Protect Spray is a salon favourite for good reason. It gives you lightweight protection up to 230°C while smoothing and conditioning your hair, making it a practical all-rounder for regular heat styling.
• Best for a fast blowout: Redken Quick Blowout is what we grab to cut down blow-dry time while leaving your hair smoother, softer and shinier, so you spend less time under heat.
• Best for damaged hair: K18 HeatBounce Conditioning Heat Protectant Spray shields your hair up to 232°C while adding moisture and making tangles easier to manage, making it a lifesaver for strands that already feel weak or stressed.
• Best for colour-treated hair: ghd Bodyguard Heat Protection Spray for Coloured Hair protects against heat up to 230°C while guarding against colour fade and discolouration, so your colour gets extra support during styling.
• Best for smoothing and frizz control: ELEVEN Australia Smooth Me Now Thermal Spray is our go-to for flyaways. It protects up to 220°C while argan oil and hydrolysed quinoa add moisture, shine and frizz control without weighing your hair down.

How to choose a heat protectant for your hair type

To pick the right heat protectant, match the format and key ingredients to what your hair needs. Starting with your hair type and main concerns will quickly help you narrow down your options.

• Oily or thinning hair: Stick with a lightweight spray. ghd Bodyguard Heat Protection Spray for Fine and Thin Hair won't weigh hair down.
• Dry or damaged hair: Look for repair ingredients like peptides, bond-building tech or lightweight oils like argan oil. K18 HeatBounce is great for adding heat protection, moisture and manageability.
• Frizzy hair: Try a cream or serum with a smoothing silicone like dimethicone or hydrating hyaluronic acid for more control and smoother results. Kérastase Gloss Absolu Anti-Frizz Glaze combines smoothing care with heat protection.
• Curly hair: Look for a lightweight formula that protects without disrupting your curl pattern while adding extra moisture.

If you prefer a paraben-free formula, Make Styling Heat Protect Spray is free from sulphates, parabens and mineral oil, and it's Australian-made and vegan. You can also use a leave-in conditioner if the label includes heat protection.

Heat protection for coloured and chemically treated hair

If your hair is colour-treated or chemically processed, you’ll need extra care when using hairstyling tools. Colour and bleach lift the cuticle and leave your strands more porous, so heat can speed up fading and pull your tone unevenly.

For targeted colour protection that keeps your shade vibrant, ghd Bodyguard Heat Protection Spray for Coloured Hair helps protect your strands against heat up to 230°C while guarding against colour fade and discolouration. You can also try Kérastase Chroma Absolu Serum Chroma Thermique, which provides heat protection up to 230°C, plus extra humidity and moisture support.

How to use heat protectant spray

Use this simple routine whenever you blow-dry, straighten or curl. Following these steps helps keep your hair healthy while giving you the best styling results.

1. Start with towel-dried damp hair if you're blow-drying, or make sure your hair is completely dry before using a flat iron or curling tool.
2. Spritz lightly and evenly through your mid-lengths and ends, avoiding your scalp so you don't weigh your hair down.
3. Comb through from roots to ends to detangle your strands and spread the product evenly.
4. Style on a low- to medium-heat setting, and keep your tool moving so heat doesn't sit in one spot for too long.
5. Seal in your look with a finishing hairspray once you're done.

Keep in mind that some formulas suit both damp and dry hair, while others only work on one. Check the directions first and follow the product guidance when layering with oils, serums or other leave-in products.

Shop heat protectant sprays at Hairhouse

Adding a heat protectant spray to your routine helps shield your strands from styling damage so your hair stays healthy, soft and shiny. Whether you blow-dry, curl or straighten, heat protection works for every hair type and routine.

At Hairhouse, you can compare top heat protection and hairstyling products from Moroccanoil, Wella, evo, Joico, muk, Goldwell, Juuce, Revlon Professional, Pure and NAK Hair. Shop online for free delivery on orders over $70, or visit one of Hairhouse's 100+ stores across Australia for professional haircare advice to find the right match for your hair.