What is thermal protection for hair and why is it needed?

• Why is the use of thermal protection required?
• How to choose thermal protection?
• Tips on how to use thermal protection
• How to make thermal protection at home?

Every woman wants to have beautiful, luxurious and healthy hair. However, due to the constant negative influence of dyes, hot air from hair dryers, straightening irons and curling irons, curls become lifeless and brittle. However, you can restore your hair if you know the secrets of using thermal protection. This product will protect your hair during aggressive negative effects.

Why do you need thermal protection?

The protective layer of our curls consists of scales pressed tightly against each other. This is a kind of “armor” that protects the internal structures of the strands from dehydration and the negative influence of external factors.

However, under the influence of high temperatures, the scales begin to peel off from each other. The fact is that they consist of keratin, which is destroyed when heated. This leads to the removal of water from the hair, loss of elasticity and firmness.

Thermal protection prevents the destruction of the keratin layer, enveloping each hair with an invisible film. Your strands will remain healthy after styling, smooth, shiny and well-groomed.

Thermal protection for hair and why it is needed

Do you know what negative effects curling irons, hair dryers and flat irons have? Most of these devices operate in a temperature range from 120 to 220 degrees. Droplets of water contained in each hair evaporate when exposed to such devices. This provokes softening of the keratin plates and the formation of hollow microbubbles. As it cools down, the hair becomes drier and more fragile. Weak spots appear on them, which cause tangling, fragility and other troubles.

Thermal protection is needed to protect curls from damage. Regular use of such products prevents overheating of the hair, helps prevent damage to the keratin plates and tears of the cuticle layer. There are quite a lot of means that could help achieve a good effect. These can be mousses, conditioners, emulsions. However, sprays are more popular. This form of release is considered the most convenient to use. You can easily control consumption and quantity.

The following rating will help you decide on the most suitable product.

Mechanism of action and composition

Preventing overdrying is the main task of thermally protective cosmetics. The protective layer on curls is mainly created by silicones; they are most often used in the production of products. Products may also contain proteins, vitamins, minerals, amino acids and other caring components.

They have the following effect on the strands:

• provide deep and intense hydration;
• fill the micropores of the cuticular layer and smooth the surface of the hairs;
• increase the elasticity of strands;
• saturate curls with nutrients;
• promote the regeneration of damaged structures;
• Some products give a secure hold to your hairstyle.

Types of cosmetics

Cosmetics that provide protection against thermal damage are available in different variations. The main thing is that it suits your hair. In stores you can buy professional-type products and more affordable mass-market analogues.

The following main types of products are distinguished:

1. Washable. This includes shampoos, conditioners, balms and masks that require rinsing with water. They are quite convenient to use, but the active components do not stay on the strands for long, so they cannot provide a high degree of protection.
2. Indelible. These are preparations that can only be sprayed on clean strands; they envelop the hairs with a protective film. Additionally, they provide shine and gentle care. Available in the form of sprays, serums, emulsions, oils and lotions.
3. Products for protecting hair from ironing, curling irons and hair dryers. These products should be applied to dry, clean strands before heat styling. Their mechanism of action is similar to the second group, but the barrier against high temperatures on the curls is more reliable. Most often, cosmetics of this type are produced in the form of two-phase sprays, which need to be shaken well before spraying.

Top most current protective drugs

Estel thermal product
Based on reviews, a rating of brands has been compiled.

1. Estel thermal product perfectly protects hair from straightening irons. Its advantage is that it does not weigh down, but creates a light fixation of the hairstyle, and the silk proteins included in its composition penetrate into the structure of the hair, enveloping it from the inside with a thin film that perfectly retains moisture. Vitamin B5 included in it gives the locks a beautiful shine and a truly well-groomed appearance.
2. Continuing the review, it is worth focusing on one of the well-known brands. The German brand Wella increases the thermal resistance of strands to hot appliances, sunlight and ultraviolet rays, even in a solarium. The spray contains a special UV filter.
3. The L'Oreal company produces a series of thermal protection in the form of sprays and mousses with a special texture that instantly fixes the hairstyle without causing weight or gluing of hairs.
4. The professional brand Syoss Heat Protect is widely used among international hairdressers. The Syoss formula contains ceramides and a UV filter.
5. Among professionals, the best brand Schwarzkopf OSIS from the German brand Schwarzkopf has earned attention. All products from this brand reliably protect your hair from excessive drying and carefully take care of your natural beauty. They contain glycerin, which nourishes and moisturizes severely weakened hairs. Does this product help restore damaged strands? Yes, indeed, it helps by regulating the fat balance, the presence of vitamins E, B3, and nicotinic acid. Among the famous brands, Schwarzkopf is one of the most popular.
6. MATRIX Sleek is suitable for curly hair. This product will not only protect your curls from fragility, but will also prevent them from getting too frizzy and spoiling your appearance. And the shea butter included in its composition will give curls strength, elasticity, and prevent their loss.
7. Kapous Invisible Care contains caring substances based on wheat proteins that will fill voids in the hair structure and help it restore elasticity and strength.
8. Capus lotion is especially suitable for styling, reliably protects against the effects of ironing and hot hair dryers, and enhances shine. The capsicum is applied to damp curls, only then dried with a hairdryer.
9. Sunsilk spray is an excellent protection against the hot effects of devices, as evidenced by reviews from girls. The spray is applied before blow-drying to damp strands from the middle to the ends.
10. For thin strands, many girls choose Pantin spray. After using it, the curls look well-groomed and more voluminous. Pantin can be used before curling with an iron; it does not stick the hairs together, but, on the contrary, gives the hair a well-groomed look.

L'Oreal Thermal Cleaner

How to choose

Hair protection products are presented in a wide range, so sometimes choosing the most relevant product can be problematic.

First of all, focus on your hair type. A heat-protective hair spray, shampoo, emulsion or other type of cosmetic should be suitable for your curls.

Also consider the following factors:

• Oil-based leave-in products are good for fine, dry, damaged hair. They can be presented in the form of emulsions or sprays. But it’s better to avoid foams and mousses; they contain alcohol, so they remove moisture from the strands.
• Oily hair is best protected from thermal damage by using wash-off cosmetics. It will not weigh down your hair. Leave-in products can also be used, but without fanaticism, if you do not want the strands to stick together and instantly get dirty at the roots.
• For girls with mixed hair type, we can recommend a thermal protection spray. It does not need to be washed off; it contains caring components. But you should be careful when applying the product; you need to spray it so that the roots that are prone to oiliness remain untreated.

What types of thermal protection are there?

Cosmetologists officially distinguish three classes:

1. Masks, shampoos, conditioners, mousses, and rinses that are easily washed off. As a rule, such thermal protection for hair is used before washing or after washing. A significant drawback of all of the above products is that immediately after the first rinse they lose their healing effect.
2. Oils, heat protection spray, emulsions, balms and serums are applied to the hair before combing. The big plus is that such products are not washed off and contain a large amount of vitamins, proteins, and very often they contain cotton or green tea extract - recognized antioxidants. But such drugs can be quite expensive and few can afford to use them every day.
3. The third category of such preparations: balms, emulsions and serums, which are also not washed off, and should be applied immediately before using a hair dryer, straightening or curling iron. They, like all leave-in products, consist of two phases: moisturizing and protecting.

Expensive and high-quality cosmetic products for thermal protection do not require the use of additional hair styling products, so there will be no need to purchase hairsprays, foams and mousses for hair styling. True, it is better not to use products that contain styling oils: they are more intended for straightening than for shaping curls.

Features of application

The packaging of each product contains detailed instructions for use. It is imperative to study it in order to use the drug correctly and not harm the strands. Also consider the general recommendations of stylists:

• Apply leave-in products only to clean hair. If you straighten, curl, or blow-dry your dirty locks, they may suffer from overheating from styling product residue.
• Be sure to use sprays with UV filters in the summer. They will protect your hair from the negative effects of sunlight.
• Follow the heat styling conditions. Even if you have applied a product with a high level of protection to your curls, do not heat the devices above 130° C, otherwise the keratin layer will be destroyed.
• Leave-in products are best applied to damp strands. After washing your hair, pat dry with a towel to remove excess water. Then spray as much spray as you need to cover your entire head of hair and let it dry completely naturally or use a hair dryer.

To remove the film that cosmetics leave on your hair, comb it in the evening with a fine-tooth comb. Remember to wash your hair with deep cleansing shampoo every 2-3 weeks.

Hair styling tips to minimize hair damage

1. Never direct a stream of hot air from a hair dryer to the root zone of your hair.
2. When styling your hair with a straightening iron, hold the curls on the tiles for no more than 2-3 seconds.
3. Try to dry your hair with a hairdryer on a low temperature setting.
4. Try to avoid metal-coated irons.
5. To prevent the hair dryer from overheating your hair, alternate between cold and hot air flows.
6. Never use a straightener to style wet hair without first applying a protective product.
7. Passing the iron along the entire length of the hair once is enough; several times you can straighten or curl the ends.
8. When constantly using a hair dryer and straightener, regularly trim dry and brittle ends.
9. Regularly wipe the tiles with wet pads to remove any remaining styling products.

source: just-hair.ru Beauty and Health

In the morning, when we wake up, our hair does not look as beautiful as we would like, not to mention the fact that there are no traces of yesterday’s beautiful hairstyle; if they remain, then this is even worse - all traces must be eliminated before going to bed.

You have to wash your hair, dry and style your hair with a hot hairdryer - after all, you need to do this quickly so as not to be late for work. If we also straighten our hair with an iron, then the hairstyle becomes even more wonderful, but the hair doesn’t think so - it becomes very bad from everyday exposure to high temperatures, and it begins to dry out and break - not only at the ends, but along the entire length .

An interesting and bright image is wonderful, but what is to blame for the hair? Truly, it is difficult to please beauties: if previously girls and women of any class tried to curl their hair - and they also used hot curling irons - today the curls given by nature do not suit them, and they grab irons and hair dryers - a hair dryer can also be used to stretch and straighten hair .

Manufacturers of such devices assure us that there is nothing wrong with this, and we just need to use irons and hair dryers correctly. Indeed, the correct choice of such devices and their correct use reduce the negative impact on the hair, and yet it remains - nothing can be done about it.

It’s better, of course, not to use a hairdryer, straighteners, tongs and other devices at all - before they didn’t exist, and women’s hair was thick and long, but they didn’t have to go to work every morning and at the same time look like a business woman - Each time has its pros and cons. Add to this the exposure to direct rays of the sun in summer, and in winter too - indoor window glass does not reduce their exposure at all, and the hats that women used to wear are not in fashion today - and it becomes clear that hair cannot do without protection.

Product Overview

On store shelves you can find various products from well-known manufacturers. They all differ in the degree of protection, method of application and, of course, price.

We have compiled a rating of the best products that have received good reviews from ordinary consumers and professionals.

Discipline Fluidissime

Thermal protection spray from the French brand Kerastase allows you to cope with styling even very unruly hair. It ensures that the strands remain healthy even when exposed to temperatures of 230° C. Suitable for caring for thin, brittle and damaged curls.

Using the product, you can simplify styling and preserve it for a long time. Strands stop frizz even in damp weather. The spray gives them shine, smoothness, elasticity, makes them obedient and silky.

It is recommended to use the product together with shampoo and conditioner from this line. The only negative is the high price, which is inherent in all professional cosmetics.

Color Line

Barex Joc cream protection is designed specifically for colored, highlighted, chemically permed and bleached strands. The product contains components that accelerate hair regeneration after aggressive procedures, prevents electrification, improves its appearance and protects color from washing out.

The drug is a washable thermal protection. It should be applied to damp strands, heated with a hairdryer for several minutes and the residue removed with running water. As a result, curls become more manageable, elastic and soft.

Some users note that the packaging of the product is not very convenient - it is sold in jars with a screw cap.

Curex Brilliance

The Russian brand “Estelle” offers a protective leave-in fluid that saturates hair with moisture and prevents damage from high temperatures. After using the drug, the hair acquires a dazzling shine as it better reflects light. It also makes combing noticeably easier and the ends stop splitting.

The drug has an oily consistency, which makes it very economical to use. For one treatment of strands, only 2-3 drops of fluid are enough.

Users note that the product perfectly eliminates excessive frizz and makes curls denser and silkier.

Wellaflex

The famous Wella brand offers a comprehensive and affordable product. It simultaneously protects strands from destruction at temperatures up to 230° C and reliably fixes the styling. Manufacturers also took care of the caring properties of the product; it contains vitamin B5 and UV filters.

Girls note that the product dries quite quickly, so when styling it is better to apply it to individual strands. Do not overdo it with the dosage; too much product will cause the hairs to stick together.

Home spray

Traditional medicine also has effective means that can preserve the beauty and health of strands during thermal styling.

You can prepare an affordable and completely natural spray at home. For this we need the following components:

• one glass of purified water;
• three tablespoons of dried herbs of your choice or collection: sage, calendula, chamomile, nettle;
• three teaspoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice;
• one teaspoon of calendula tincture;
• 2-3 drops of your favorite ether to give the product a pleasant aroma.

Boil water, add herbs, simmer for 15 minutes over low heat, remove from heat. Leave for 40 minutes and strain. Pour the liquid into a spray bottle. You can store it in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. Spray the product on damp strands, let it dry and start styling.

Making a heat protectant at home

This section provides instructions on how to prepare thermal protection for hair at home. After all, no matter how good and high-quality the factory mixtures are, they are made on the basis of chemical components, and therefore, albeit minimally, they harm the health of the hair.

But mixtures prepared at home with your own hands are created on the basis of natural, natural ingredients that will not only protect your hair from high temperatures, but also guarantee its nutrition with useful microelements and vitamins.

How to make a spray

To prepare the spray, you need to take two teaspoons:

• dry nettle leaves;
• green tea;
• dried chamomile flowers.

All herbs are mixed and poured into two glasses of boiling water, and then boiled for about twenty minutes in a water bath.

Green tea will help protect your hair

After this, you need to strain the resulting broth and pour into it:

• a teaspoon of fresh lemon juice;
• half a teaspoon of boric alcohol;
• four drops of orange essential oil.

Note. Some ingredients, if you cannot find them, can be replaced with others. For example, instead of boric alcohol, use regular ethyl alcohol. But lemon juice can be replaced with citric acid.

You need to spray your hair with the prepared spray before you dry it with a hairdryer or do styling that involves using a curling iron or flat iron.

How to prepare shampoo

This shampoo will keep your hair healthy.

To prepare it you will need:

• eight to ten tablespoons of rye flour;
• chamomile decoction.

Mix the chamomile decoction and flour to create a mixture that resembles thick sour cream.

Note. To prepare shampoo you need to use rye flour. Because wheat flour will simply stick your hair together.

Rye flour will help prepare heat-protective shampoo

Leave the resulting “sour cream” for six hours so that it infuses and you can safely use shampoo:

• apply to palms;
• rub it well in your palms;
• Rub into strands with light massage movements;
• wrap your head with plastic and a towel;
• rinse off after half an hour with warm water without using any additional cosmetics.