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, professional 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
A staple in salons, hard-working Paul Mitchell® Hot Off The Press® Thermal Protection Hairspray builds a lightweight barrier between hair and tools with rice hull extract, while wheat proteins boost hair's strength. The flexible-hold, humidity-resistant frizz-fighting formula is the perfect finishing touch for any style—curly or straight.
Hot Off The Press
$24.00
An iron’s best friend, Neuro™ Protect HeatCTRL® Iron Hairspray forms a protective barrier between hair and tools with exclusive HeatCTRL® complex, a heat-activated blend of proteins and silicones that help resist humidity and block out frizz.
Stylist Tip: Apply twice. First before using flat irons and curling irons to help protect hair from heat damage and then again to lock in the finished look.
Best for Blowing Out Damp Hair
Prep hair for the perfect blowout with Neuro™ Prime HeatCTRL® Blowout Primer. This color-safe primer forms a protective barrier between your hair and blow dryer with our exclusive HeatCTRL® complex, a heat-activated blend of proteins and silicones that delivers advanced thermal protection and silky-smooth, shiny results.
Neuro™ Prime HeatCTRL® Blowout Primer
$33.00
Made with 93% natural origin ingredients, Paul Mitchell® Clean Beauty Heat Styling Spray is infused with sustainably-sourced flax seed and ferulic acid to nourish and shield fragile strands when blow-drying. It’s the perfect prep for polished styles with movement and flexible control.
Paul Mitchell® Clean Beauty Heat Styling Spray
$25.00
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.
Paul Mitchell® Super Skinny® Serum
$10.50 - $39.00
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.
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: Bond Rx Leave-In Treatment helps repair and fortify damaged hair. Infused with Bond Rx Technology, this leave-in treatment provides heat protection and leaves hair instantly soft and frizz-free.
Bond Rx Leave-In Treatment
$28.00
Nightly: Tea Tree Lavender Mint Overnight Moisture Therapy helps restore and protect your hair while you sleep. This pillow-safe formula features monoi, pequi and jojoba oils to deeply condition dry, damaged hair.
