Thermal protection for straightening hair with an iron: types and tips for choosing

With regular hair straightening, the problem of hair damage under the influence of high temperature becomes very acute. Questions about where to find the best home remedies for hair straightening continue to persist. The need to apply special formulations in the salon is not even discussed. For home use, you can also find suitable products to reduce the risks when using an iron to straighten and smooth your hair. Their features, varieties, selection and application rules should be considered in as much detail as possible.

To understand why you need thermal protection of hair from ironing, it is enough to study the effect that is on the strands when in contact with a hot surface. Devices used for straightening can heat up to 230 degrees in the area of ​​contact with curls.

It is important to remember that each hair consists of a hardened protein - keratin, which is destroyed by heat. The outer layer that protects the carapace of tightly adjacent scales is called the cortex, it is he who determines the pigmentation, affects the color range of the strands.

Upon contact with a heating source, moisture evaporates from the keratin rod, it loses its grease. The hair becomes brittle, splits at the ends, loses its shine. By using protective equipment, the likelihood of damage is significantly reduced... In addition, the cortex remains protected, since the scales do not open during thermal exposure.

The existing types of thermal protective agents can be divided into several categories, according to the method and characteristics of their use. There are formulations that are used exclusively for hair styling. You can protect strands with them immediately before contact with a hot iron. Washable products are used as a component of comprehensive care, such as balms, shampoos and conditioners.

As a rule, in addition to rinsing agents, you have to additionally use indelible compounds. They are used on dry hair, provide the saturation of the strands with vitamins and other nutrients. This category of thermal protection is represented by serums, fluids, oils, sprays. Alcohol formulations are designed for oily hair, oily ones are aimed at ensuring safety when heating very dry strands.

It is customary to refer to the category of washable thermal protection products that used in daily hair care.

• Shampoo. Compositions with thermal protective properties provide gentle cleansing, remove excess sebum. When choosing products, you need to make sure that the composition contains hydrosaccharides and xylose. In combination, these funds control the closure of hair scales, help to form a special protective film on the hair surface.

• Balm. Products with an enveloping structure are the best solution for complex hair restoration after thermal exposure. With the right choice of composition, you can significantly reduce the effect on the strands of static electricity. Heat protective balms should be kept on the hair, like masks, for at least 15 minutes, spreading over the entire length. Then the result from use will be impressive.

Among the products that do not require rinsing, one can single out compositions that are distinguished by an intense nourishing effect. They envelop the hair, protecting it from the negative effects of high temperatures, and help restore damage to the keratin layer. The most popular forms of release of indelible thermal protection are worth considering in more detail.

Such products are applied to damp hair after shampooing, distributed over their entire length. This option is recommended for use on curly, unmanageable hair, as well as with a high density of hair. The creams are well absorbed without weighing the hair down, make it easier to comb and slide the iron.

Spray on dry or damp hair, serves as a kind of booster between the hair shaft and the hot ironing platform. Helps prepare hair for straightening. Most heat protection sprays contain keratin. Choose a texture based on your hair type. The fatter and thinner they are, the lighter the composition should be.

This is a special category of funds, used on very dry, severely damaged hair. Keratin is a part of the thermal protective oil, which ensures the restoration of the hair structure. Such formulations are usually not applied to the entire length, distributing it exclusively on the tips. The oil makes it easier to straighten unruly, curly hair.

Products that facilitate styling and at the same time protect hair from negative thermal effects are considered the best choice for lovers of hot straightening. Among the most popular options here are foam that provides a stable hold, fluid shine and sprays. The principle of operation of all options is the same - they form a film on the hair that prevents moisture evaporation, and have a pronounced fixing effect necessary to preserve the results of straightening.

Considering the best thermal protectors for use with a straightening iron, you can highlight the products of the brands presented below.

• L'Oreal. The company produces products of different classes, focused on providing high-quality thermal hair protection. Here are Absolute Repair and Nutrifier Creams, Steam Pod Serum. High efficiency, a variety of forms of release help you choose the right thermal protective agent for different types of hair.

• Schwarzkopf. The brand produces the Schwarzkopf Professional thermal protection line, which allows styling at temperatures up to 220 degrees. The products visibly smooth the hair, give it a well-groomed look, but do not restore split ends. The company also owns the Gliss Kur brand, which produces an oil spray for thermal protection during styling. The composition is highly effective and is recommended for application to the ends of the hair.

• Matrix. The brand is considered quite popular even in a professional environment, but its thermal protective compounds cause mixed impressions. Of particular interest is the Heat Resist series - shampoo, conditioner, smoothing lotion, when combined with other products, provide faster hair restoration. Design Pulse styling and fixing spray and cream strengthens styling rather than protects it from heat. But at low temperatures, it is quite effective.

• Estel. The Russian brand has professional and amateur thermal protection products. The Airex range features a silk protein light spray suitable for dry or wet application. Thermal Protection is another line of formulations from Estel. The spray of this series also helps to reduce hair porosity, has a slight fixing effect, and is suitable for use with an iron at temperatures up to 200 degrees.

• Kapous... The brand has a professional line of salon thermal protection Thermo Barrier, which provides an easy spray of the composition on the hair. Among other things, the product facilitates the sliding of the iron through the hair, removes frizz.

A detailed analysis of all important points helps to understand the rules by which thermal protection for hair from ironing is selected. Among the most significant criteria are individual characteristics: type of scalp, the presence of inflammatory processes, allergies. In addition, the dryness or oily hair, their density, and even the structure are important. Useful recommendations will help you make the right decision.

• Normal hair and a healthy scalp allow you to choose the ironing protection without restrictions. This can be a water-washable conditioner, or a spray that does not need to be removed after pulling the strands. Leave-in formulations better than others protect hair from thermal effects. They have a lighter texture and are well absorbed.

• Very dry hair injured or sensitive scalp intolerance to alcohol. For them, thermal protection is selected on a greasy, oil basis. The optimal form for application is sprays and foams that are easily distributed over the surface of strands of different lengths and evenly envelop them.

• Hair is normal or oily at the roots and dry at the ends must be subjected to intense therapeutic effects. Therapies are used indelibly, in the form of intensely moisturizing sprays and natural oils without a mineral component. If the ends are very dry, often break, during their treatment it is necessary to refuse to use the iron. After recovery, when pulling the strands, you need to pay more attention to the ends and distribute only a small part of the composition along the entire length.

• Greasy hair it is better not to burden with thermal protection applied without rinsing. Here you can use shampoos, balms, conditioners. Oil leave-in formulations in this case will only accelerate the contamination of the strands and will not allow you to obtain long-term preservation of a beautiful hairstyle.

• Thin hair without volumerequire the use of leave-in products with a very light texture. Fluids or emulsions will be appropriate here. They will not weigh down the hairstyle, keep it volume, and at the same time help to provide sufficient thermal protection.

• Curly, curly hair it is recommended to prepare for styling with an iron using rinsing agents. It will be much more difficult to evenly distribute the composition in the form of a spray or serum along the entire length on dry curls. The choice of rinse-off thermal protection is best done in favor of products that are thick and dense in consistency.

To make your hair-pulling procedure safe at home, there are some tips you should consider to improve its effectiveness. Before you start using a specific composition, it is imperative to study the manufacturer's recommendations attached to it. Not all heat protection products are suitable for use with an iron - some are oriented towards heating with a hairdryer.

It is not enough to read the instructions carefully. It is also necessary to take into account the intensity of the impact. Only thermal protective agents with the highest degree of protection are suitable for use with the iron. Do not apply indelible compounds to dirty curls - preliminary shampooing is an obligatory part of the care. For the summer period, you need to choose formulations containing UF filters.

A review of customer reviews helps to assess how much thermal protection helps to keep hair from drying out. Not all of them notice the real effect of the use of special chemical compositions. In addition, if the installation is carried out regularly, it will still not be possible to obtain 100% protection - hair will need special care and full restoration... What matters, in the opinion of ordinary consumers, is your own hair type. Dry ones require a much more intensively nourishing composition, for fatty ones a light spray will be enough.

Reviews of thermal protective agents for straightening strands in general make it possible to understand that with regular use of the iron, their use is simply inevitable... It is noted that the most effective formulations are those related to professional or premium products. But mass-market products often do not live up to expectations.

For information on what thermal hair protection is for and how to use it, see the next video.