Your Best Blowout Yet Is Just One Of These Products Away

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You know it's happened to you—you're scrolling through IG when you come across a photo of your celeb girl crush in the sleekest blowout you've ever seen, making you wonder why your own hair quite never comes out the same. Well—in addition to a good flat iron or hair dryer brush, of course—the secret to an ultra-sleek blowout is really in the hair straightening products you're using.

A great hair straightening product can help you achieve smooth blowouts faster by making your hair easier to glide down while styling, protecting it from heat damage, and taming all those annoying flyaways. "The goal of a straightening product is to simply make straightening the hair easier and to mitigate frizz, so the effort put into blow-drying the hair is worth it," explains Kali Patrice, a hair stylist known as the Hair Whisperer.

Hair straightening products come in many forms too—from heat-protectant sprays to leave-in conditioners to finishing creams. So if you're ready to add some new products to your beauty arsenal, here are the 13 best hair straightening products, according to hair stylists and beauty experts.

Mega Sleek Blow Down Smoothing Leave-In Cream

Formulated with shea butter, Mario Solis, celebrity hair stylist and entrepreneur at The Hair Studio, is a fan of this product because it gets the work done, but is super lightweight, he says. In addition to working as a heat protectant, the leave-in cream smoothens hair, controls frizz, and makes it easier to glide down during blowouts.

Rave Review: "I really enjoy the soft manageable results I get when using all of the Matrix products. They are a little expensive, but work great with my hair so I buy them anyway because I usually can't find products that work well for me."

No.6 Bond Smoother

A cult-favorite, Solis likes the No. 6 Bond Smoother from Olaplex because it not only protects hair during the hair straightening process, but it also rebuilds hair bonds. It's a leave-in styling treatment that reduces frizz and makes for faster blow-dries. It can also help tame pesky flyaways.

Rave Review: "It truly saves your hair from deep damage and brings it back to life. My hair is color-damaged and dry, and after I used this, it was like a true revival!!"

Straight Away Smoothing Blowout Hair Cream

Solis says that this blowout hair cream from Oribe strengthens the hair like no other. It's formulated to help those with thick and curly hair achieve sleek, long-lasting styles. The cream provides heat protection up to 450 degrees, and is made with Oribe's signature complex, which defends hair from the deterioration of natural keratin, oxidative stress, and more.

Rave Review: "This is the BEST! After chemo, my hair came back super curly, coarse, and thick. This is the only thing that makes my hair smooth but not greasy."

Finishing Crème

Ouai's Finishing Crème is a lightweight cream that tames frizz, smoothens dry ends, and adds volume to medium to fine hair. Solis says he likes this cream because it's great for frizzy hair and makes a great finishing touch to help hair appear shiny and smooth. You may also fall in love with its scent, which is French-inspired using notes of violet, gardenia, ylang ylang, and white musk.

Rave Review: "I've been using this product regularly as a heat protectant for my blowouts and other heat styling (2C natural curls) and it’s been a total game changer—leaves my styled hair silky and soft for days."

Mood Swing Straightening Spray

Katelyn Ellsworth, founder of hair salon The Roslyn, calls this spray her go-to straightening product. "It has all you need in it to use alone or layer with style-holding product," she says. It's best for curly or wavy hair and is formulated with polymers that activate when heat is applied, reducing heat styling time overall. The spray also features natural ingredients, like acai seed oil, which nourishes the scalp.

Rave Review: "My hair dresser used this stuff on my hair and I absolutely needed to know what it was after I went home and used the flat iron on it. Bought some the same day. While it’s expensive, it works great on my wavy hair."

LAZER Straight Relaxing Fluid

When it comes to all-in-one products, Ellsworth loves this product from Unite Hair. She says it can smoothen hair, reduce blow-drying time, and protect your strands from damage. Formulated with a vanilla bean scent, the product tames frizz and flyaways on coarse or unruly hair. The anti-humectant also feels weightless, so it doesn't leave behind a greasy feel.

Rave Review: "This product is amazing. It actually straightens my curly hair and leaves it shiny and frizz-free. When I put my hands through my hair, it feels like I just had it relaxed—smooth and silky. Love it!"

Farewell Frizz Rosarco Milk Leave-In Conditioner

Briogeo's Farewell Frizz leave-in conditioner locks in moisture, while protecting hair against humidity. "The frizz-fighting and long-lasting product is great for all hair types," says Ellsworth. It's formulated with ingredients like rosehip oil, which protects the hair against free radical damage while deterring frizz, and argan oil, which conditions and addresses dryness and damage.

Rave Review: "This leave-in conditioner is amazing—very hydrating for my really dry hair. I keep repurchasing it because I love it so much!"

BLEU Smooth & Seal Blow-Dry Mist

Ellsworth says she also likes this mist from R+Co because it protects hair up to 450 degrees, defends against humidity, and leaves hair smooth and silky. The mist helps seal the hair cuticle, making it more resistant to humidity. One of its ingredients, kendi oil, also protects hair from breakage and minimizes frizz, leaving it soft and shiny.

Rave Review: "I live in Florida and have long brown hair that is color-treated. This product helps keep it healthy. It’s like sunscreen for your hair, which helps keep the color vibrant. I love it and use it every time I wash my hair. I highly recommend it."

7SECONDS Glossing

Becca Raziuddin, director of artist education at Blo Blow Dry Bar, like this product because it's an anti-humectant shine spray that keeps frizz at bay and delivers great shine. "Apply it on dry hair before you use any heat styling tools, such as a flat iron, and it will help protect the hair from UV rays and thermal heat," she says. Because you apply it on dry hair, it's a great option for refreshing days-old blowouts and other heat styles.

Rave Review: "This is my all-time favorite heat protectant and I've tried a lot. Just a little spray in the middle of drying, and again when flat-ironing, and my normally unruly hair is silky smooth!"

Deepshine Lustre Shine Enhancing Lusterizer

This cream from Rusk does what its name implies—delivers shine. "It's hands-down my favorite straightening product (and I have tried many)," says hair stylist Kali Patrice. "The slick cream detangles hair and controls frizz better than competitive products, while delivering as much thermal protection as other products in the category," she adds. When using it, a little goes a long way, and it layers well with other products. The cream is made with marine botanicals that contain nutrients, proteins, and minerals that further strengthen hair.

Rave Review: "I have been using Rusk Deepshine for years and like the shine it provides my hair. The product does not flatten my rather fine hair and is easy to use. It also requires a very small amount on application, so one tube lasts a long time."

Dream Coat Supernatural Spray

Raziuddin says that this Color Wow product is great for anyone with texture trying to straighten out their hair. It lasts about three to four shampoo washes. "This product is applied onto wet hair and makes the hair waterproof," she says. "When activated with heat and tension, it helps to smooth the hair strands and provides an imaginary 'raincoat' on the hair." Used before hair straightening, it'll leave your strands smooth and silky.

Rave Review: "In the summer, my hair always gets frizzy when I wear it down! But this product really does keep it from frizzing in the humidity!!! Love love love this!!"

Heat Protectant Shield

This heat protectant from Rahua won a 2023 Women's Health Healthy Hair Award in the category of 'Best Heat Protectant For Color-Treated Hair.' A plant-based spray, made from ingredients like avocado, almond oil, and shea butter, the treatment hydrates and nourishes hair and prevents hair breakage from heat. "This [heat protectant] shields strands and also smells incredible," Underwood says of the product. "You won't even know that you're doing something good for your hair—it's that luxurious."

Rave Review: "My hair has never looked so silky. After using this and the lighter leave-in treatment, my hair looks like I've had it done in a salon."

Read more: Women's Health 2023 Healthy Hair Awards

Triple Bond Complex Leave-In Hair Treatment

Jenna Perry, a celebrity hair colorist, raved about this product for Women's Health 2023 Healthy Hair Awards. She enjoys using it right before styling. "This product is the holy grail, and should be the last step before applying heat to your hair for future protection and a long-lasting blowout," she says. The no-rinse treatment doesn't require heat, but actually shows its best results through heat activation. It's formulated with a blend of lipids and peptides that defend hair against thermal and UV damage.

Rave Review: "Just after one use, my hair is much more sleek. I used to have a ton of breakage that stuck out and it smoothed down so much after one use. Can't wait to see further results."

How our team chose the best hair straightening products

Women’s Health editors, including commerce editor Jasmine Gomez and beauty director Brian Underwood, vetted the bestselling, top-rated hair straightening products. Our team consulted several hair stylists and then evaluated hundreds of customer reviews and ratings to narrow down the best hair straightening products for a wide range of needs and preferences.

Meet the experts

• Mario Solis, celebrity stylist and entrepreneur at The Hair Studio

• Becca Raziuddin, director of artist education at Blo Blow Dry Bar

• Kali Patrice, hair stylist at The Hair Whisperer

• Katelyn Ellsworth, founder of The Roslyn

• Brian Underwood, beauty director at Women's Health

What should you look for in a hair straightening product?

When it comes to hair straightening, the first thing you should think about is how you're going to protect your locks. In order to achieve shiny straight hair you'll likely need heat. "So, the most important thing you are looking for in a straightening product is heat protection," Solis says.

You also want to make sure that the straightening product you're using is designed for your kind of hair— coarse, curly, fine, frizzy. "This way your product won’t be too heavy or not heavy enough to do the job," Ellsworth says.

What are the benefits of using hair straightening products?

In addition to protecting your hair from the damaging effects of too much heat, using hair straightening products can help you achieve longer-lasting smooth hair, frizz control, and shine, Solis says. Sometimes hair straightening products may also be formulated with UV protection that can prevent damage from the sun's rays.

For those with curly and frizzy hair, using a product that can help with the manual labor of smoothing and straightening out is also a game-changer, adds Ellsworth. "Your hair will stay smoother longer, be protected from the high heat of blow dryers and flat irons, and lastly, save you time."

Do hair straightening products work for all hair types?

There are some hair products that cater to all hair types and textures, but those with coarser or frizzier hair should specifically make sure that the product they're using is appropriate for their hair. "It'll help achieve that smooth look versus finer thin hair, which may not require as much product." Products for finer hair are designed to be more lightweight, so that the hair does not appear oily and heavy.

How often should you use a hair straightening product?

If the hair straightening product you're using is a heat protectant, you should use it almost every time you use heat in order to main the integrity of your hair, Solis says. "Just be mindful that if you are just doing a refresh on day two, you may need to lower the heat level as much won’t be needed," he adds.

Ellsworth says that always using a heat protectant prior to styling your hair will also help prolong the style. Another thing to keep in mind is that some straightening products are meant to be used on wet hair and to be blow dried in, and some are meant to be used on dry hair to be flat ironed in, Ellsworth says. So, it's important to make sure you read the directions of whatever product you opt for.

Read more about the best hair straightening tools

Best Hair Straightening Brushes | Best Hair Dryer Brushes | Best Heat Protectant For Hair | Best Travel Hair Dryers | Dyson Airstrait Review

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