Everywhere you turn, hair experts are touting the amazing benefits of heat protectants. However, in the interest of saving time, many wonder if they can use direct heat on their hair without using a separate heat protectant.
This article will give you insight into what happens when you use a flat iron without applying a heat protectant first. We’ll also tell you what to use if you’ve run out and share some of the best heat protectants available. Let’s get started!
Can You Use a Flat Iron Without Heat Protectant?
You should never use a flat iron without a heat protectant. Flat ironing your hair without a heat protectant is a recipe for disaster. Even if you skip it once, you're putting the health of your hair at risk.
Flat irons can cause irreversible damage, and that damage adds up every time the plates pass over the same hair. On damp hair, even brief contact with high heat can be enough to cause damage (more on that below). So, use a heat protectant whenever you apply heat to your strands, and only straighten hair that’s completely dry.
Signs of Heat Damage in Your Hair
If we haven’t convinced you yet, here are some of the symptoms of heat damage. A heat protectant can reduce the amount of damage, but it can’t prevent it completely.
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Your hair is already growing. The problem is keeping it.
On average, hair grows a third to half an inch a month, and curlier hair tends to grow more slowly. If your length looks stuck, that’s your hair breaking off as fast as it grows in. Here are the seven causes of breakage and the weekly routine that stops them.
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- Dry and brittle strands
- Increased breakage and split ends
- Discoloration, like yellowing on gray or light-colored hair
- Changes in your hair’s porosity
- Altered or loosened curl pattern
- Increased tangles and knots
What Does a Heat Protectant Do?
Heat protectants protect your hair against the harmful effects of heat. Keratin (i.e., the protein your hair is made of) changes under heat, and those changes add up.
In one lab test, untreated dry hair began to break down chemically at about 392 degrees Fahrenheit. Flat irons can exceed that temperature, and damage can build at lower settings with repeated passes.
Heat protectants create a barrier that protects your fragile strands from the extreme heat emitted by hot tools like flat irons and blow-dryers.
That barrier has been measured. In one lab study, the best heat-protecting formulas cut the damage to the hair’s protein roughly in half, reduced breakage during combing by about a third to a half, and kept the hair cooler under a flat iron. That’s a big help, but it also means a heat protectant lowers the damage rather than stopping it.
Many heat protectants also contain proteins. These help a little, but less than you might expect. In one study, a wheat protein cut heat damage to the hair’s own protein by only 10 to 20 percent.
The best of them also contain humectants (i.e., ingredients that draw in moisture) and extracts that help smooth your hair.
How to Use a Heat Protectant Before Straightening Hair
A heat protectant only works if it covers your hair evenly and the rest of your routine doesn’t undo it. Here’s how to use one before you flat iron.
- Start with clean, completely dry hair. The American Academy of Dermatology says flat irons should only be used on dry hair.
- Apply your heat protectant section by section, following the label for how much to use and where to apply it. Comb it through so each strand is evenly covered.
- If your heat-protectant spray is water-based, let your hair dry completely before you start. In a lab study, hair treated with a water-based spray had more structural damage than hair treated with an alcohol-based spray, likely because the water evaporated quickly under the plates.
- Use the lowest heat that still gets your hair as straight as you want it. Coarse strands may need a higher setting than fine strands, so start low and work your way up.
- Make as few passes as you can over each section. The damage from a flat iron builds with every pass.
- Give your hair breaks between heat days. The American Academy of Dermatology suggests using a flat iron no more often than every other day.
Can You Flat Iron Wet or Damp Hair?
No. You should never flat iron wet or damp hair, even with a heat protectant. When hot plates press on damp hair, the water inside each strand boils.
That leaves tiny bubbles inside your hair that make it weak and brittle, so it breaks easily. Dermatologists call this bubble hair, and even brief exposure to high heat can cause it.
So, blow-dry your hair on a low setting or let it air-dry first. Check the hair closest to your scalp, too, because it often dries last.
What You Can Use if You Don't Have a Heat Protectant
If you’ve run out of heat protectant, check what else you already own first. Many leave-in conditioners, creams, and serums are made to protect hair from heat, and the label will say so. Those are the closest thing to a real heat protectant.
If you don’t have one of those, the oils and butters below can make your hair smoother in a pinch, but they can’t stand in for a heat protectant. Treat your hair as if it’s unprotected, and turn the heat down.
If you choose to use a substitute, keep these suggestions in mind.
- Keep the temperature of your flat iron lower than you would normally.
- These oils can leave your strands greasy, so only use a few drops.
- Go over each section as few times as you can.
- If you can wait a day, wait. Picking up a heat protectant is better than any stand-in.
For each oil below, we’ll give you its smoke point. A smoke point, or burning point, is the temperature at which an oil starts to smoke. Refined oils (i.e., oils that have been processed to remove impurities) usually have a higher smoke point than unrefined ones, so check your label.
Once the oil reaches this point, it breaks down and gives off toxic chemicals.
When you flat iron your hair, keep this in mind and never go above an oil’s smoke point. Just know that a high smoke point only tells you when the oil will burn. It doesn’t tell you how much heat your hair can handle. Repeated flat-iron passes permanently loosened curly hair at temperatures from 250 to 350 degrees, so an oil can stay below its smoke point while your hair is still being damaged.
Grapeseed Oil
Despite its lightweight consistency, grapeseed oil is loaded with fatty acids and antioxidants.
Grapeseed oil is also rich in a fatty acid called linoleic acid. It’s thin and spreads easily, so a few drops will cover a lot of hair.
Refined grapeseed oil’s smoke point is about 420 degrees, so it shouldn’t start to smoke on a low or medium flat iron setting.
Argan Oil
Argan oil is one of the most popular oils to smooth on before a flat iron. It’s become a beauty staple due to its wide array of skin and hair benefits.
Thanks to its high fatty acid and vitamin content, this delicate oil is exceptionally nourishing. Its smoke point isn’t well documented, so keep your flat iron on a low setting when you use it.
Coconut Oil
Love it or hate it, coconut oil is one of the most versatile oils around. It’s one of the few oils that soak into your hair instead of just coating it.
Unrefined coconut oil starts to smoke at about 350 degrees, which is lower than many flat iron settings. If you use it, keep your iron below 350 degrees, or choose refined coconut oil, which can handle about 400 degrees.
Shea Butter
When it comes to smoothing your hair before straightening, shea butter is a popular choice. It coats your strands and helps them lie flat as you straighten, but that coating isn’t the same as the film a heat protectant leaves.
Shea butter starts to smoke at about 433 degrees, and a little goes a long way. It won’t shield your hair from harsh UV radiation, either; a wide-brimmed hat does that job better.
Avocado Oil
Refined avocado oil has one of the highest smoke points of any oil, at about 520 degrees, which is well above the maximum temperature of most flat irons. This nourishing oil contains fatty acids and antioxidants. It also smooths and conditions your hair as you straighten it.
Almond Oil
Refined almond oil has a smoke point of about 430 degrees, so keep your flat iron below that.
This lightweight oil spreads easily and has a mild scent, which makes it an easy one to keep in your bathroom. It’s also a good pick for your hair and scalp on the days you skip the flat iron.
Not sure which option fits your hair today? Find your situation in the chart below.
Original Curl Centric chart
Out of heat protectant? Find your situation
Find the row that matches your hair today, then follow the last column. If more than one row fits, follow the one lower down the chart, because it’s the safer call.
| Verdict | Your situation | Why it matters | What to do |
|---|---|---|---|
| Use what you have | You have a leave-in conditioner, cream, or serum whose label says it protects hair from heat. | Heat protection comes from ingredients that coat each strand in a thin film and keep it cooler under the plates. Products made for heat carry them. | Use it the way the label says, on completely dry hair, and keep your flat iron on a low or medium setting. |
| Smooth, then go low | You only have oil or shea butter, and you need to straighten your hair today. | The oil helps your hair glide and lie flat, but your strands are still unprotected, so the damage adds up with every pass. | Use a few drops, keep the iron below that oil’s smoke point and as low as still works, and go over each section as few times as you can. |
| Wait a day | You have nothing made for heat, but your plans can wait until tomorrow. | Heat protectants are tested to cut damage under a flat iron. Oils make your hair smoother, but they aren’t made to protect it from heat. | Pick up a heat protectant and straighten your hair once you have it. |
| Be extra gentle | Your hair is color-treated, bleached, relaxed, or keratin-treated. | Chemical treatments can leave hair more fragile. In one lab study, acid-straightened hair started breaking down about 45 degrees sooner than untreated hair. | Use a product made for heat if you have one, or wait until you do. If you can’t wait, use your iron’s lowest setting and check the heat limits for treated hair.Heat limits by hair state |
| Dry it first | Any part of your hair is still damp, even close to your scalp. | Water inside a damp strand boils under the plates and leaves tiny bubbles that make your hair weak and brittle. Brief contact with high heat can be enough. | Blow-dry on a low setting or air-dry until your hair is completely dry. Then go back up this chart. |
| Skip the heat | Some of your curls no longer spring back after wash day, or your ends feel rough and straw-like. | That’s often heat damage, and it doesn’t reverse. More heat on those strands makes it worse, with or without a heat protectant. | Skip the flat iron for now, wear a no-heat style, and trim the damaged ends as your hair grows. |
Whatever you use, keep your flat iron on the lowest setting that still gets your hair straight. Even a real heat protectant lowers the damage rather than stopping it.
Top 5 Best Heat Protectants
With so many heat protectants on the market, choosing one can be challenging. That's why we've done the hard part for you and provided you with a list of some of the best heat protectants available.
CHI 44 Iron Guard Thermal Protection Spray
This heat protectant spray comes from the makers of some of the best flat irons on the market! CHI Iron Guard contains strengthening ingredients like hydrolyzed silk and keratin that repair and protect your locks. Its liquid formula won't leave your strands looking weighed down or greasy.
Design Essentials Natural Agave & Lavender Thermal Protectant Creme
Design Essentials brings you salon-quality products at a fraction of the price, and this thermal protectant creme is no different. Its shine-boosting formula seals in moisture and protects your hair against temperatures of up to 420 degrees.
It also has plenty of strengthening and hydrating ingredients like mango seed butter, grapeseed oil, and hydrolyzed keratin.
Silk Elements MegaSilk Olive Heat Protection Spray
If your hair is prone to frizzing up, this heat protection spray might be just what you're looking for. Its alcohol- and mineral-free formula locks out frizz and leaves your strands feeling silky. Strengthening hydrolyzed silk and nourishing olive oil protect your hair against heat and leave it perfectly soft and shiny.
Latinoil Chia Oil Heat Protectant Spray
This versatile heat protectant is so moisturizing that it doubles as a leave-in conditioner! Its featherweight formula is packed with powerful ingredients like chia seed oil, jojoba, hyaluronic acid, keratin, and wheat germ oil.
Latinoil Heat Protectant Spray protects and rebuilds your strands from the inside out, making it an excellent companion to heat styling.
Beyond The Zone Turn Up The Heat Protection Spray
A little goes a long way with this powerful heat protectant. Customers are raving about how silky soft it leaves their mane.
Its weightless formula seals and protects your hair's cuticle for maximum shine and smoothness. This spray does use silicones, so if you're concerned about product buildup, add a clarifying shampoo to your hair care routine.
Related Articles
- How to Flat Iron Natural Hair Without Causing Heat Damage
- How Often Should You Flat Iron Your Hair
- Do Flat Irons Damage Your Hair?
- Can You Use Hairspray Before Straightening Your Hair?
While you can use oil to smooth your hair in a pinch, it doesn’t protect your hair from heat, so we don’t recommend relying on it any more than is absolutely necessary. We hope this article has helped you understand how vital heat protectants are and convinced you to never use a flat iron on your hair without one!
