You can’t mop without sweeping first, brush without flossing, and you can’t put major heat on your hair without protecting it first. Now, we’ll admit there have been times when we’ve skimped on heat protectant or blasted the blow-dryer while our strands were soaking. With no barrier between your hair and temperatures that range anywhere between 300 and 450 degrees Fahrenheit, you’re essentially cooking your hair — with no oil, to boot.
Cosmetic chemist Ginger King previously told Allure that you’ll want to look for products with ingredients like meadowfoam seed oil and VP/DMAPA acrylates copolymer, both of which “form a shield” to prevent damaged hair. But those aren’t the only protective ingredients out there: hair-care brands use a range of familiar additives like aloe and argan oil to help seal the cuticle and keep heat from scorching your precious hair.
But whether you’re exposing your crown to high or low heat, a protectant is a major key in combating the breakage, dryness, dullness, and brittleness that all stem from heat styling. Fortunately for you, there are plenty of ways to keep your hair looking great, protect every strand, and keep your bank account full. We’ve rounded up the best heat protectants available at the drugstore, for hair that’s as safe as it is slayed.
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