Heat Protectants 2026

[Angel of the North]

I haven't used heat in the form of blow drying with comb, or using hair straighteners since 2019. The heat protectant that I used back then were the spray version of BTZ Turn Up The Heat and the Fantasia heat protectant serum in the pink bottle.

I will need to straighten my hair soon for a much needed trim, and realised that I still had the old bottles of protectants. When I looked on Sally UK, they no longer carry the BTZ line, Amazon has it available for around £35, but if I was willing to pay that for it, I may as well purchase another brand, it cost about £.6 - 7.99 at the time l purchased it, so that was definitely a hard no.

I currently have multiple products in my stash that are multi usable and are also a heat protectant:
Amika Frizz Me Not
It's a 10 Silk leave in
Chi Silk Infusion serum
Color Wow dreamcoat - Normal
Color Wow dreamcoat - Extra strength
Color Wow dreamcoat - Curly hair (doesn't require heat to activate)
Pureology Color Fanatic

I also intend to purchase The Shield from Amika and the GHD Bodyguard for fine hair most likely before the trim takes place.

Have you ever used any of these? What are your go to lightweight heat protectants, do you prefer sprays,creams or serums? Are you layering multiple products? Which heat protectant do you dislike and why? What heat protectant spray is your HG?

 

[Beautified16]

I have used The Shield from Amika and I like it but I don't reach for it often to be honest.

When I straighten my hair, I definitely layer the heat production.

My leave ins vary but my holy grail is Pureology's Color Fanatic hands down. I'm never disappointed when I use that. I always get compliments on my hair whenever I use it.

Afterwards I like to use a cream leave in which also varies but my go to so far is Matrix's Instacure Anti-Breakage Leave-In Treatment.

Then I use Olaplex no.9 serum before blow dry.

When I proceed to flat iron, I like to use Olaplex no.7 bonding serum or Amika's super fruit star serum. Occasionally I will use The Shield but that honestly depends on my mood.

I have tried the Matrix Mega Sleek serum this week on my roots to flat iron after my rollerset. I'm still on the fence about it. I went back in and used the Super Star Fruit serum by Amika and preferred that.

Another favourite of my mine is the Design Essentials Agave and Lavender serum. I love how it's lightweight and makes my hair feel.

I also have the ColorWow Dream Coat Extra Strength. When I was using it for flat ironing my hair, I felt that it was contributing to heat damage so I had stopped using it. I just started to use it again but this time I decided to use for my rollerset. I am going to watch how my curls revert back on next wash day to see if I want to proceed with using it at all.

 

[Lylddlebit]

I have used the It's a 10 Silk and the Chi Silk Infusion from your list.

It's a 10 silk:
I consider this light to mid-weight. If I want it to be heavier I will apply some to already dry hair (like the step between blow drying and flat ironing). If I want it to be lighter I apply it to wet/damp hair only.
This is a product I can be heavy-handed with on wet hair and know it will absorb for a light finish. I like all the It's a 10 leave-in sprays. I think the blonde version is the only one I haven't tried.

Speaking of it's a 10. I absolutely love the It's a 10 Miracle Styling Serum (with the green cap). It is not a heat protectant (like their serum with an orange cap), but smells great and pairs well with every leave-in and heat protectant I have as a finisher. It's a staple as a finisher and styling aid.

Chi Silk infusion:
It is light for a serum, but it is heavier than most water-based and cream-based leave-ins. I generally apply this to wet hair and may apply a dime-sized amount to finished hair.

I have had the normal color wow dream and their cream under my cabinet for 2-3 years but I haven't gotten around to using it yet.

Applying any protectant to my wet/damp hair will make it absorb better for a lighter finish and that is a technique I use to keep moisture in my hair for straightening and smoothing. Applying any serum, oil, or cream to already dried hair then straightening will give me a heavier finish, but my hair absorbs heavy products very well. So, even if my hair has a lot of product making it flat and stringy, it will absorb for a lighter finish after 2-3 days. I know most people have the opposite effect and their hair gets heavier as time goes on, but mine doesn't because of the way it absorbs product.

My two favorite heat protectants are
Crack Leave-In Hair Fix (I have been using this since the days of Folica). It is heavy, too heavy for fine hair, but my hair loves it.
and
Alterna CC Cream: I have been using for over a decade.

I try other products frequently and can use most protectants as long as they are not very oily or drying. I NEVER use heat protectants that contain Alcohol Denat as that ingredient prevents my hair from maintaining moisture for the duration of my press.

I like a satin finish to my presses with a bit of weight. So, I am heavy-handed with product, knowing how my hair absorbs the products I apply.

 

[Angel of the North]

I have used The Shield from Amika and I like it but I don't reach for it often to be honest.

When I straighten my hair, I definitely layer the heat production.

My leave ins vary but my holy grail is Pureology's Color Fanatic hands down. I'm never disappointed when I use that. I always get compliments on my hair whenever I use it.

Afterwards I like to use a cream leave in which also varies but my go to so far is Matrix's Instacure Anti-Breakage Leave-In Treatment.

Then I use Olaplex no.9 serum before blow dry.

When I proceed to flat iron, I like to use Olaplex no.7 bonding serum or Amika's super fruit star serum. Occasionally I will use The Shield but that honestly depends on my mood.

I have tried the Matrix Mega Sleek serum this week on my roots to flat iron after my rollerset. I'm still on the fence about it. I went back in and used the Super Star Fruit serum by Amika and preferred that.

Another favourite of my mine is the Design Essentials Agave and Lavender serum. I love how it's lightweight and makes my hair feel.

I also have the ColorWow Dream Coat Extra Strength. When I was using it for flat ironing my hair, I felt that it was contributing to heat damage so I had stopped using it. I just started to use it again but this time I decided to use for my rollerset. I am going to watch how my curls revert back on next wash day to see if I want to proceed with using it at all.

Thank you for your detailed response. I have a sample of the Amika Star fruit serum, so that was good to hear.

Thanks for the heads up about the Color Wow, I'll be using it with other products, I've got some much of it lol.

When you use the Amika The Shield, do you find it gives any extra protection against reverting?

 

[Angel of the North]

I have used the It's a 10 Silk and the Chi Silk Infusion from your list.

It's a 10 silk:
I consider this light to mid-weight. If I want it to be heavier I will apply some to already dry hair (like the step between blow drying and flat ironing). If I want it to be lighter I apply it to wet/damp hair only.
This is a product I can be heavy-handed with on wet hair and know it will absorb for a light finish. I like all the It's 10 leave-ins sprays . I think the blone version is the only one I haven't tired.

Speaking of it's a 10. I absolutely love the It's a 10 Miracle Serum (with the green cap). It is not a heat protectant (like their serum with an orange cap), but smells great and pairs well with every leave-in and heat protectant I have as a finisher. It's a staple as a finisher and styling aid.

Chi Silk infusion:
It is light for a serum, but it is heavier than most water-based and cream-based leave-ins. I generally apply this to wet hair and may apply a dime-sized sized amount to finished hair.

I have had the normal color wow dream and their cream under my cabinet for 2-3 years but I haven't gotten around to using it yet.

Applying any protectant to my wet/damp hair will make it absorb better for a lighter finish an is a technique I use to keep moisture in my hair for straightening and smoothing. Applying any serum, oil, or cream to already dried hair then straightening will give me a heavier friner but my hair absorbs heavy products very well. So, even if my hair has a lot of product making it flat and stringly it will abosorb for a lighter finish afer 2-3 days. I know most people have the opposite effect and their hair gets heavier as time goes on, but mine doesn't because of the way it absorbs product.

My two favorite heat protectants are
Crack Leave-In Hair Fix (I have been using this since the days of Folica). It is heavy, too heavy for fine hair, but my hair loves it.
and
Alterna CC Cream
I have been using both for over a decade. I try other products frequently and can use most protectants as long as they are not very oily or drying. I NEVER use heat protectants that contain Alcohol Denat as that ingredient prevents my hair from maintaining moisture for the duration of my press.

I like a satin finish to my presses with a bit of weight. So I am heavy-handed with product, knowing how my hair aborbs the products I appply.

Thank you for this juicy post, there's lots of useful information in there. I'll be checking the ingredient lists to check if any of them have alcohol denat in them.

Your favourite heat protectants would likely be too heavy for my fine strands, but I'll definitely look into the It's a 10 oil you mentioned, I was planning on using argan oil as a finishing oil, I have an oil by Arkive and one from Charlotte Mensah too, but looking for something very light to add shine and attempt to fight frizz.

 

[Beautified16]

Thank you for your detailed response. I have a sample of the Amika Star fruit serum, so that was good to hear.

Thanks for the heads up about the Color Wow, I'll be using it with other products, I've got some much of it lol.

When you use the Amika The Shield, do you find it gives any extra protection against reverting?

I honestly don't recall that if it protected against reverting but to be honest that wasn't something that I was checking for.

 

[Angel of the North]

I honestly don't recall that if it protected against reverting but to be honest that wasn't something that I was checking for.

Humidity is not kind to my hair, I would likely need something that will help me with that. I'll look into it some more. I was planning on layering The Shield with Frizz Me Not, I think it may have been @Napp who gave the Frizz Me Not a good review, which was what got me interested in the product.

 

[Angel of the North]

I'm liking the look of The Doux Silent Treatment, OPP and Just Glaze. It seems that Amika have discontinued their Blockade Heat Defence serum and have replaced it with the Star Fruit serum.

The brands I'm most drawn to are Amika, Color Wow, Oribe and The Doux, I have the Oribe anti humidity spray in my basket, I think it would work well as a finishing spray.

The funny thing is I don't straighten my hair often enough to justify purchasing them all, but I want to try them to see which one works best, the good thing is that other than the It's a10, curly hair Dreamcoat and the Pureology, the others are all travel size, which offsets the cost and less wastage. I know I will not be straightening my hair just to try them out lol.

 

[Lylddlebit]

Thank you for this juicy post, there's lots of useful information in there. I'll be checking the ingredient lists to check if any of them have alcohol denat in them.

Your favourite heat protectants would likely be too heavy for my fine strands, but I'll definitely look into the It's a 10 oil you mentioned, I was planning on using argan oil as a finishing oil, I have an oil by Arkive and one from Charlotte Mensah too, but looking for something very light to add shine and attempt to fight frizz.

Yeah, the It's a 10 Miracle Styling Serum (with the green cap) is perfect for that. It is a staple for me and I am surprised more people don't talk about how fantastic it is. I think you will like it. It works great on all hair types + one of the 10 things it does it fight humidity.

 

[Angel of the North]

Yeah, the It's a 10 Miracle Styling Serum (with the green cap) is perfect for that. It is a staple for me and I am surprised more people don't talk about how fantastic it is. I think you will like it. It works great on all hair types + one of the 10 things it does it fight humidity.

I'll have to look at that, I can't say I noticed one with a green cap, but then again I was looking for the silk version

ETA:

Is it this one? That's the first one I noticed with a green cap, if it is this one, I did see it, but was thinking that I wanted it as a leave in not for blow drying.

It's A 10 | Blow Dry Miracle H20 Shield | HWS Beauty

Miracle Blow Dry H20 Shield Protect your hair from humidity and frizz while deeply conditioning with this blow-dry treatment. Its unique formula locks in moisture and maintains your style, leaving hair soft, shiny, and protected from environmental damage.

hwsbeauty.co.uk

 

[Lylddlebit]

I'll have to look at that, I can't say I noticed one with a green cap, but then again I was looking for the silk version

ETA:

Is it this one? That's the first one I noticed with a green cap, if it is this one, I did see it, but was thinking that I wanted it as a leave in not for blow drying.

It's A 10 | Blow Dry Miracle H20 Shield | HWS Beauty

Miracle Blow Dry H20 Shield Protect your hair from humidity and frizz while deeply conditioning with this blow-dry treatment. Its unique formula locks in moisture and maintains your style, leaving hair soft, shiny, and protected from environmental damage.

hwsbeauty.co.uk

This one https://itsa10haircare.com/products/its-a-10-miracle-styling-serum?_pos=1&_sid=8aa6522b3&_ss=r
It goes on sale regularly on the direct site and Ulta. You can get it for half off a few times a year. I stock up when it is on sale

 

[Angel of the North]

This one https://itsa10haircare.com/products/its-a-10-miracle-styling-serum?_pos=1&_sid=8aa6522b3&_ss=r
I goes on sale regularly on the direct site an ulta. You can get it for half off a few times a year. I stock up when it is on sale

I can't believe how much variety the brand has. I found the styling serum, it's selling between £16 - 30, I'd like to check out the coily range at some point, I've got some many products to get through, so that will be in tbe future.

 

[ScorpioLove]

I have so many heat protectants / leave ins
my favorite combo is
Liquid: pureology color fanatic
Cream: orange Kerastase
cones: kenra blow dry mist (mist NOT the spray)
aerosol heat protectant: oribe gold lust

I have tried I feel every heat protectant out there and I do rotate to try new things but hand down these are the best for lightweight heat protectants.
The other ones work but for example chi is heavy, the moroccanoil aerosol is a little bit sticky, colorwow finishes way too fast for its consistency etc

 

[Angel of the North]

I have so many heat protectants / leave ins
my favorite combo is
Liquid: pureology color fanatic
Cream: orange Kerastase
cones: kenra blow dry mist (mist NOT the spray)
aerosol heat protectant: oribe gold lust

I have tried I feel every heat protectant out there and I do rotate to try new things but hand down these are the best for lightweight heat protectants.
The other ones work but for example chi is heavy, the moroccanoil aerosol is a little bit sticky, colorwow finishes way too fast for its consistency etc

That's very helpful, thank you. I definitely want to get the Oribe spray, the Amika shield and the it's a 10 serum. I'll play around with all of them at some point and hopefully find a winning combo.