Top 7 Thermal Hair Styling Products Your Hair Will Love
10 min read
What are some of the best thermal hair styling products to ensure that you are styling your hair without damage? Continue reading to learn more.
We all love rocking a beautiful hairstyle that not only looks great visually and makes us feel confident all day long, but has been done in a way that it doesn’t cause long-term damage to our hair.
Hair damage is a common concern when it comes to thermal heat styling, because exposure to high temperatures changes the shape of our hair’s keratin strands, converting them the ⍺-keratin to β-keratin. This causes the hair to get weaker, lose its elasticity, and become more prone to damage.
While there are certain best practices that we should follow to curl or straighten our hair without damage, this is just a part of the whole picture.
The reality is, even following all the best practices in the world won’t compensate for using bad hair products, such as low-quality flat irons made from cheap materials, and serums full of harsh chemicals.
In this article, we will take a look at the top thermal hair styling products that you should use for your heat styling routine without worrying about severe long-term damage.
But before we jump into our list of must-have thermal hair styling products, let’s answer a couple of key questions:
What is thermal hair styling?
Thermal hair styling is not a new or innovative concept - in fact, it’s something that you have probably been doing for years. Essentially, it is the use of tools such as flat irons, curling wands, hair dryers and other tools that apply heat to achieve the desired hairstyle.
As we mentioned briefly in the beginning, exposure to high temperatures without taking the right measures or using high-quality tools can be extremely damaging for the hair.
High heat causes the water in the hair shaft to evaporate, making it more prone to breakage and split ends. It also breaks down the protein structure of the hair and damages the cuticle, making it more difficult for the hair to retain moisture.
How does heat styling work?
Heat styling works by applying heat with a tool like a flat iron or a curling wand to change the shape or texture of the hair. High temperatures temporarily break the bonds that hold the hair in its original shape, reshaping it into a new style.
The exact temperature that should be used for heat styling will vary depending on the type of hair and whether it’s strong and healthy or heat damaged, ranging from as low as 200°F (90°C) to as high as 450°F (230°C).
Dome signs of heat-damaged hair include:
- Dry and brittle hair
- Having a lot of split ends
- Irregular, frizzy texture of the hair
- High porosity
- Poor colour retention
- Excessive hair loss
- Rough and dry texture
Luckily, there are steps that you can take to style your hair with heat without worrying about long-term damage. Let’s take a look at some of the most important thermal hair styling products for strong, healthy and shiny hair:
Top 7 thermal hair styling products
1. Thermal heat protectant
One of the most essential products that you should use to ensure that you are not causing serious damage to your hair as a result of high temperatures is a thermal heat protectant.
The thermal heat protectant usually comes in the form of a spray, a serum or a lightweight cream, and it is applied to your hair before you turn on your flat iron or curling wand. It creates a protective barrier between the heat and the hair, reducing the direct effects of high temperatures on it.
Heat protectants also play a role in smoothing out the hair cuticle, which reduces friction and makes it easier for your flat iron to slide over the hair. This produces more effective results and requires less passes over each hair strand, causing less damage from heat.
If you are looking for an effective heat protectant, the NuMe Watch Me Werk is one of the best options that you will find on the market. Made with caviar extract, vitamin A and sunflower seed oil, it protects the hair from high temperatures, as well as from the absorption of UVA and UVB rays.
These natural ingredients help to condition the hair and prevent breakage, providing a deep nourishing all while controlling frizz for a sleek and smoother heat styling.
2. Hair primer
Among the most important thermal hair styling products that you can use to reduce heat damage is a hair primer. If you frequently use make-up, you probably already know that a make-up primer is a must for creating a base layer - and the hair primer does the same.
The hair primer smoothes out the hair cuticle and makes the hair easier to style, among other awesome benefits such as:
- Making the hairstyle last longer
- Providing protection against breakage
- Hydrating the hair to reduce dryness
- Reducing frizz
- Enhancing the shape and texture of the hair
Some hair primers, such as the NuMe Rise and Prime, use natural ingredients that also strengthen the hair and provide deep nourishment, such as hydrolyzed silk, sunflower seed oil, isoparaffin and honey extract.
It also comes with a pH balancer to help your hair absorb the next desired hair care product much more efficiently.
3. Hair dryer with ion technology
If you have a frequent heat styling routine, you probably already know that ironing wet hair is one of the worst things that you can do to your hair if you want to keep it away from damage. And, if you didn’t know it before - now you do!
When you iron wet hair, the high temperatures burn it and cause the molecules inside your hair strand to boil, which causes irreversible structural damage. So, using a hair dryer to ensure that it is fully dry before you apply further heat styling is a must.
However, not all hair dryers are made equal. Low-quality, inexpensive hair dryers that lack features such as temperature adjustment and speed settings are not only more likely to overheat and cause burns, but also lack consistent heat or air flow.
This makes it more difficult to achieve the desired hairstyle, leading to uneven and frizzy hair. They also tend to be louder and more difficult to use, making the styling process an uncomfortable and unpleasant experience.
In addition, some hair dryers use overall better technology to efficiently dry your hair minus the damage.
For example, the NuMe Signature Hair Dryer uses a proprietary combination of materials and negative ion conditioning technology to seal in the natural moisture of the hair, eliminate static electricity, and provide a consistent distribution of heat.
Whether you are using the Signature Hair Dryer on its own or before styling with a flat iron, it is definitely one of the best thermal hair styling products that you can use.
4. A flat iron with tourmaline plates
Speaking of the best thermal hair styling products that you can use for your hair if you want the gorgeous hairstyle but without the damage, opt for a flat iron with tourmaline plates instead of a regular ceramic one.
Tourmaline is a semi-precious gemstone that emits negative ions when heated, which helps to lock in moisture, neutralize static and eliminate frizz in the hair. Tourmaline plates also distribute heat more evenly, allowing for faster and longer-lasting results.
In fact, tourmaline technology is able to produce up to 20 times more moisture-locking ions than other types of flat irons and curling wands, minimizing the damage when heat styling.
On top of using innovative tourmaline technology, the NuMe Megastar Flat Iron uses a proprietary infrared light strip built directly into the plates, which allows the wavelengths of far infrared heat to penetrate deeper into the hair shaft for increased moisture retention and effortless styling.
This one of our must-have thermal hair styling products will simply enamore you once you see how sleek, shiny and undamaged your hair will come out when heat styling with it.
5. Hydrating hair serum
When it comes to thermal hair styling products, another one to put on your bucket list is a hair serum. Hair serums are designed to improve the appearance and texture of the hair, hydrate it, and smooth out your hairstyle while combating frizz.
In addition, they protect the hair from harmful free radicals in the environment, make it more manageable, and add shine to your beautiful mane to make it look healthier.
The NuMe Sleeky in a Bottle hair serum adds instant hydration and shine to your hair, making the frizzy texture feel perfect.
Made using sustainably sourced ingredients like macadamia seed oil and argan oil, it aids in moisture retention and scalp care without weighing the hair down.
6. End sealer
The end sealer is a hair care product that is specifically designed to seal the hair cuticles while providing a protective layer on your finished hairstyle. It is typically applied to the ends of the hair, which are the oldest and the least nourished parts of the hair strand.
End sealers have multiple benefits, including:
- Prevention of new split ends
- Reduction of hair breakage
- Smoothed and glossier hair
- Enhanced natural shine of the hair
- More manageable look
When it comes to thermal hair styling products, they are a valuable addition to your styling routine, especially if you are suffering from dry and fragile hair.
The NuMe Seal The Deal End Sealer is the perfect option if you are looking to replenish nutrients to the end of your hair. Made with hydrolyzed wheat protein, corn protein and algae, it moisturizes and conditions the hair while adding volume and improving smoothness.
7. A high-quality curling wand
If you are looking to unlock endless hairstyles without the damage associated with heat styling, opt for a versatile, high-quality curling wand such as the NuMe Octowand 8-in-1.
It uses innovative tourmaline technology which emits negative ions to seal in moisture, perfect for creating healthy and long-lasting hairstyles that you will absolutely love.
Complete with 8 interchangeable barrels, the Octowand ensures that you always get salon-grade, professional results, and your hair always comes out sleek, shiny, and most importantly - undamaged.
Using a high-quality curling wand can make all the difference when it comes to heat styling your hair.
Cheaper, inexpensive options commonly found in supermarkets usually provide inconsistent results, less versatility, and they lack important features such as temperature control.
FAQ
What tools are used during thermal styling?
Some of the most common tools used during thermal hair styling include curling wands, flat irons, hair dryers and hot brushes, as well as other types of hair straighteners. High-quality tools allow for temperature control to reduce the damage caused by heat.
How do I prepare my hair for heat styling?
To prepare your hair for heat styling, start by washing and conditioning your hair thoroughly to remove all the dirt and debris. Make sure that the hair is fully dry, and apply hair primer and a thermal heat protectant before you turn your heat tool on.
How can I style my hair without heat damage?
To style your hair without heat damage, make sure that you are using a high-quality flat iron with tourmaline plates built with negative ion conditioning technology. This technology helps to lock in moisture and significantly reduce the damage. In addition, make sure that your hair is washed and then fully dry before styling - and don’t forget your thermal heat protectant.
