Hair Frying from Hot Tools? These 10 Best Heat Protectants Can Help

We updated this article in January 2023 to add two new products, eva NYC and Curlsmith, in place of discontinued and sold out products.

Heat tools for hair, like straighteners, curling irons, and hair dryers are one of the biggest culprits of hair damage. Although there is no way to totally reverse the damage, you can minimize some negative effects by applying a thermal protecting leave-in styling product. In fact, two studies published in the Journal of Cosmetic Science (1998 and 2011) have shown that several ingredients (which include copolymers, hydrolyzed protein, and cationic surfactants) can minimize hair breakage when applied before thermal exposure.

The Good Housekeeping Institute Beauty Lab tests hundreds of haircare and styling products each year, from shampoos and conditioners to dry shampoos and smoothing serums. In the Lab, products are evaluated on real human hair swatches using technical instruments and they are also distributed to consumers for at-home use feedback, including ease of application, effects on hair, and overall satisfaction. While the GH Beauty Lab hasn't tested the heat protection efficacy of these products, our Beauty Lab experts say that heat protectants really do work "by coating hair ... masking the degraded surface of damaged hair, and improving hair manageability, which in turn results in reduced hair breakage," says Beauty Lab Director Birnur Aral, Ph.d.

Our top picks:


We rounded up the best heat protectant products you can buy from a combination of Beauty Lab top-tested formulas, editors' picks, and stylers that contain the key ingredients mentioned above. No matter your strand type or texture (curly, fine, dry, colored) read on for healthier, protected hair: