How To: Protect + Prime Your Hair For Heat Styling

Don’t forget the most important step when heat styling your hair—the prep! Using heat protection products like thermal protection hairsprays and blowout primers will help protect your hair from the damage that can be caused by regular use of heat styling tools like hair dryers, flat irons and curling irons. Here’s what you need to know before turning the heat on.

BUT FIRST, HEAT PROTECTANT + PRIMER

Don’t reach for your flat iron, curling iron or hair dryer without first prepping your strands with our top thermal hair styling products.

BEST FOR STYLING DRY HAIR

Paul Mitchell® Hot Off The Press® Thermal Protection Hairspray builds a lightweight barrier between hair and heat styling tools with rice hull extract, while wheat proteins boost hair's strength. Stylist Tip: Apply twice. First before using flat irons and curling irons to help protect hair from thermal damage and then again to lock in the finished look.

Neuro™ Protect HeatCTRL® Iron Hairspray delivers advanced thermal protection with exclusive HeatCTRL® technology by reducing the rate of heat transfer from roots to ends with when using heat styling tools. Stylist Tip: Create the perfect foundation for thermal styling by starting your regimen with Neuro™ Lather HeatCTRL® Shampoo and Neuro™ Rinse HeatCTRL® Conditioner.

BEST FOR BLOWING OUT DAMP HAIR

Neuro™ Prime HeatCTRL® Blowout Primer preps hair for the perfect blowout with exclusive HeatCTRL® technology by reducing the rate of heat transfer from roots to ends when drying hair. Stylist Tip: Apply before blow-drying to aid in protecting hair from thermal damage.

Awaphui Wild Ginger® MirrorSmooth® High Gloss Primer primes the surface cuticle of the hair for a smooth, shiny, polished look. Contains KeraReflect®, an exclusive blend infused with rich Abyssinian oil and thermal protectors that restore moisture, add shine and help shield hair from the outside in. Stylist Tip: Use on clean, damp curly or wavy hair to prep strands for a smooth, polished blowout.
See All Heat Protectants + Primers.

MORE WAYS TO PREVENT HEAT DAMAGE

After using the right protective products before and after styling, here are some additional ways to help beat heat damage.

PARTIALLY AIR-DRY HAIR BEFORE BLOW-DRYING

Allow hair to air-dry at least halfway before turning on the dryer. This cuts down on the amount of time hair is exposed to heat, lessening the chances of damage. Or use a product that helps speed up drying time on damp hair like best-selling Paul Mitchell® Super Skinny® Serum.

CHOOSE THE RIGHT SETTING

As a general rule, the finer the hair, the lower the heat setting should be on the heat styling tool. Discover the ideal temperature setting for your hair type.

TEMPERATURE SETTING	HAIR TYPE
250-290°F (121-143°C)	Fragile, Very Fine
290-330°F (143-166°C)	Fine
330-370°F (166-188°C)	Medium
370-410°F (188-210°C)	Thick
410°F-450°F (210°C-232°C)	Coarse, Very Thick (Recommend For Professional Use Only)

USE THE ATTACHMENTS ON YOUR HAIR DRYER

The concentrator nozzle attachment allows for directional airflow giving you more control of heat when blow-drying while the diffuser attachment does exactly what its name suggests, it diffuses airflow for more fragile hair types.

USE A HAIR MASK

Weekly: Neuro™ Repair HeatCTRL® Treatment repairs and protects hair from the daily stresses of heat styling. The rich formula restores moisture and leaves hair smooth and conditioned with brilliant shine.

Nightly: Neuro™ Restore HeatCTRL Overnight Repair Leave-In Treatment helps hair recover overnight from daily heat styling with hair dryers, flat irons and curling irons. This reparative hair mask with HeatCTRL® technology mends damaged strands, replenishes moisture, and smoothes and seals the cuticle, while helping protect against future damage.

Take this quiz to get personalized styling tool and heat protectant recommendations now.