Heat Damged Hair | Curlz for Dayz

Heat Protectant

Protection from Physical Damage

Physically, the surface of the hair fibre (i.e the cuticle) can suffer breaks and chips. This damage can also lead to physical breakage of the hair during combing after heat styling. Heat protectants coat hair and prevent direct contact between the heat implement and the hair fibre. This action helps to reduce physical damage to the hair and in turn breakage during heat styling.

Choosing a Heat Protectant

Any heat protectant is better than none at all. If you are looking to advance your knowledge however, a recent study from the University of Manchester highlighted that it may be beneficial to avoid water based heat protectants and opt instead for ‘dry’ ingredients (oils and solvents including ethanol). Water free protectants performed better than those with water. Many heat protectants contain ingredients such as silicones and polymers (including acrylates, polyquarteniums and copolymers). Although synthesised, these are some of the most well researched protectants.

In the search for natural alternatives, grape seed oil is often quoted as a good heat protectant because it has a high smoke point (i.e the point where the oil breaks down and starts to smoke – around 400F/200°C for grape seed oil). The smoke point of an oil does not really tell us if it is a good heat protectant though. A good protectant needs to be able to reduce transfer of heat to the cortex, an oil with a high smoke point simply will not degrade itself when heat is applied (good for coating and reducing physical damage) but on the flip side, if it stays hot and transfers heat to the cortex then it would not help towards the physical damage. In other words, the jury is still out on grape seed oil. Many other natural oils which are refined (not raw or virgin) also have similar high smoke points including olive oil, coconut oil and sunflower oil

http://blackgirllonghair.com/2012/03/how-to-find-a-good-heat-protectant/

Heat Protectant

LIST of heat protectants

-Redken Smooth Down Heat Glide mixed with CHI Silk infusion works wonders for me before I blow dry and flat iron.

-Chi silk infusion is good

-CHI 44 thermal protectant spry

-Grapeseed oil to blow dry and Aubrey Organics NuStyle Hair Soothing Serum to flat iron.

-Redkin and Soft Sheen Carson Heat protecting foam

– Fantasia IC Hair Polisher straightening spray

– “Firewall” by Ag Cosmetics

-Silk Elements Megasilk Heat Protection Spray

-I use Tresemee when I blow dry and ION for flat ironing.