Our hair is an extension of our identity, a means to express ourselves in a myriad of ways. A spectrum of colours to dye your tresses with, extensions to experiment with, and enough styling products to bring to life any fantasy you conjure up for yourself—your hair is your adult playground. And, thanks to the plethora of hair styling tools at our fingertips, we have been playing hard.
It turns out that all that experimentation with getting salon-style blowouts and curls at home with near-magical instruments may actually be having damaging effects on our hair. Damaging enough to make sure your tresses are then given some extra care, such as by investing in effective heat protectant products. We spoke to celebrity hairstylist and makeup artist Sandhya Shekhar for her insights on how to avoid hair damage caused by heat-based hair styling.
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Dial down the usage of heat-based hair styling tools
“Heat styling affects the cuticles of your hair and creates long-term damage,” says Shekhar. The guilty party of hair styling primarily features hair dryers, straighteners, and curling rods – any device that uses external heat to alter the texture or look of your hair. “In some cases, the hair loses elasticity because of keratin damage. This changes the natural texture in the long run, leading to damaged hair.” explains Shekhar.
Straightening, as its alternate name implies, is literally ironing out your hair. “Hair straightening is definitely worse than blow-drying,” reveals Shekhar. The prolonged heat application on hair destroys its protective barrier and increases brittleness and dryness. And it’s a vicious cycle—you end up with dry and frizzy hair that you want to tame, blow dry, and straighten, but that damages and worsens it even more in the long run.
But, with great technology comes exciting innovation. Heat styling tools are now created with a range of temperature settings, making it easier for a broader range of hair types to play with as they will. “I’d say anywhere between 180-200 degrees Celsius is ideal, depending on the thickness of your hair,” says Shekhar. She reveals that blow drying on low heat is also less damaging, and the same holds true for blast drying, too. “The heat is more distributed and not hitting the hair shaft,” she says.
Heat protectant to the rescue
Heat styling tools may give you an unparalleled ‘perfectly coiffed’ look, but always use a heat protector to mitigate the damage caused by it in the long run. A heat protectant creates a barrier around the hair cuticle, the surface of the hair. “Any kind of heat protectant forms a coating that ensures that your hair is not destroyed, as opposed to directly applying heat on the hair,” explains Shekhar.
Exposure to temperatures above 200 degrees Celsius will likely cause irreversible damage if you’re not using a heat protector. Silicones, hydrolysed wheat proteins and polymers are usually what goes into a good heat protectant for hair. You can choose between a cream or spray, but make sure you spread the heat protector evenly on slightly damp hair. Shekhar recommends that, when choosing the best heat protectant for hair, pick a lightweight one that feels almost like water. This ensures the heat protector doesn’t build an excessive layer on your hair, making it heavy.
If you’ve skipped heat protectant for hair through most of your heat styling life, you can still revive your dry hair with hair masks and moisturisers. And next time, pile on the heat protectant for hair. After all, hair is dead keratin—it will grow out, you can cut it and start all over again.
No heat, no stress
It’s always a treat to pick the brains of experts who’ve worked with the best products in the market. Often, they’ll reveal a hack that defeats even the most well-crafted hair routine out there.
Although Shekhar uses tools, along with the best heat protectant for hair, on her clients for film shoots, magazine covers, and red-carpet appearances, she prefers to avoid heat styling for her own hair. “I believe in old-school methods of oiling your hair, especially for frizz. I always wash my hair at a lukewarm temperature, never hot (for the hair's elasticity to stay put),” she confesses.
“I like to stand in front of a table fan,” continues Shekhar. “I discovered it accidentally, but it really helps if I want to dry out and still retain texture. By day 2 of my hair wash, my hair tends to settle down into a blow-dried texture.”
Shekhar sticks to her advice of playing with your hair's natural texture. “See how you can enhance that with styling products of hair. You can braid your hair overnight for loose waves too,” she suggests. Getting the right haircut for your face and hair texture can also do wonders for how your hair tends to look without styling with heat.
