Are you a fan of heat styling? Then you know the feeling of rocking a great hairstyle after carefully applying heat to treat your hair. But what if we told you that there’s something more to think about – something that you should absolutely take into consideration when working with heat – and that’s how to heat style safely and protect your hair from damage. Read on to find out the secrets of heat styling safely.
1. Heat Styling: Prevention is Key
Heat styling is the quickest way to get the stunning locks you desire. Since it produces much more heat than air drying, it can put your hair at serious risk. Over time, continued use can lead to dry, brittle hair and split ends. Drying your hair with heat can deplete the hair of essential hydration and cause breakage.
- Invest in protectant sprays and serums. Before styling with heat, make sure to spritz or apply some kind of product to your hair. A protective agent like a serum, for instance, can create a thermal barrier while nourishing and strengthening hair. Hair creams, leave-in conditioners, and aerosol sprays can help lock in moisture and also protect.
- Keep temperatures low, if possible. Setting your hair tools to high does help you save time, but you may be doing more damage, and faster too! Try to set your hair tools to the setting just high enough to make the job, then keep an eye on your temperature settings to prevent excess heat.
- Also, before you style, make sure to towel dry your hair first. Excess moisture can, too, create heat damage, and using heat right after a shower can cause harm.
- Further, heat style as little as possible. Consider practical solutions like air-drying, wearing a hat, or protective styling.
With heat styling, as with any beauty routine, prevention is key. Taking the time to properly prepare and protect your hair can go a long way. Plus, give your hair a break from time to time to help encourage growth and create that healthy, strong, and gorgeous mane you desire.
2. How to Protect Your Hair from Damage
It’s no secret that our hair is one of the first things people notice when they look at us, and damaged hair can really affect our confidence. Fortunately, if you put the right protection in place it’s possible to keep your hair looking healthy and glossy – here are a few useful tips to help you along the way:
- Use the right shampoo and conditioner: find a combination that suits your hair type – if you have dry hair, look for products specifically designed for this, as they will nourish and soothe your scalp and strands.
- Limit heat styling: try air-drying during warmer months and use heat-protection sprays when using hot styling tools.
- Protect your hair from chlorine: if you like to go swimming, it’s important to use a conditioner or oil to create a barrier between your hair and the chlorine, which can be very drying and damaging.
- Nutrition matters too: by making sure you maintain a healthy, balanced diet with enough iron, protein and vitamins, you can help keep your locks healthy from the inside out.
Using hydrating masks and not washing your hair every day will also help to nourish and protect your tresses. Ultimately, you want to be sure to pay attention to the needs of your hair, finding the right balance of care and protection that works best for you and your hair type.
3. Which Heat Protectants and Tools to Choose
Heat protection is the key to healthy, shiny hair. Not only does it help you avoid damaging your hair from too much heat, but it also helps you create styles that look as good as the professionals. Here are some of the best heat protectants and tools you should consider when styling:
- Heat Protector Spray: A light mist of heat protectant spray helps prep your hair for styling so you can use less heat to achieve the same effect. Look for a heat protectant spray designed for the specific tool you’re using—blow dryers, flat irons, and curling irons all have different protective sprays so you can customize your look.
- Leave-In Conditioners: Another way to guard your hair against heat damage is to opt for leave-in conditioners. These help create a protective barrier between the heat and your hair so you can enjoy salon-looking styles without putting your hair through too much heat.
- Heat-resistant Brushes: Using brushes made from heat-resistant materials like boars bristles helps keep your hair from going through too much heat while brushing. Most professional stylists recommend using one for smoothing, blow drying, and curling.
When shopping for the right heat protectants and tools for your hair, remember to think about the type of styles you’re going to create. Each has different products that will help you protect your hair against too much heat so you can achieve salon-looking styles with ease.
Finally, don’t forget to check the temperature on your tools before using them. Too much heat can damage your hair, so make sure you’re setting your tools to the correct temperature for your hair type so you can maximize protection and minimize heat damage.
4. Tips to Create Healthy Heat Styled Hair
Healthy hair can be achieved even after styling with heat. Here are some tips to make sure that your hair looks its best!
- Use a heat protectant. Look for a product with a low level of alcohol and silicones, so as to not weigh down your hair. A heat protectant will coat your hair, providing a layer of insulation that will reduce the impact of heat.
- Reduce your heat setting. Lower the temperature of your tools to the it lowest possible setting. You might be surprised what a difference reducing from 400F to 350F will do. Plus, it will reduce exposure to damage.
- Get regular trims. Trimming your hair once every 6 to 8 weeks will help keep it healthy and reduce split ends. Add an oil or cream-based hair treatment to help protect your hair from damage while styling.
- Choose the right brush. Select a brush with natural bristles, which will help move hair and scalp natural oils through the roots and ends of your hair. Avoid plastic or metal brushes, and opt for a paddle brush or ceramic brush.
Finally, use a wide-tooth comb instead of a brush when your hair is wet. It will help to reduce damage to your hair cuticles and help keep your locks healthy and shiny.
By employing a few simple precautions like using heat-protectant, keeping temperatures low, and limiting heat-styling to once or twice a week, you can heat style your hair with confidence! Don’t be intimidated by the heat- just rise to the challenge of creating your favorite looks with the extra knowledge you now have in your styling arsenal!
