I’ve written a blow dryer buying guide for 4c hair, but that does not cover all the things about 4c hair blowdrying. How can you blow-dry your hair without a heat protector?
Using a heat protector is vital if you use styling tools like blow dryers or flat irons frequently.
If you have tight coiled 4c hair, which means your natural hair is pretty kinky and thick, then I highly recommend you apply a good heat protectant before using heat.
Thus, how to choose a top-quality heat protectant for African American 4c hair is what we are going to talk about today.
Top 7 Heat Protectants for 4C Hair in 2022
1. ArtNaturals Thermal Hair Protector Spray
Artnaturals thermal heat protector is an affordable spray to help you reduce heat damage and split ends.
The product is not just only desirable for 4c hair, the seller claims that it can be used for all hair types.
Its ingredients have argan oil, which is helpful for giving your hair more moisture and nutrition when blow-drying and flat ironing.
The spray is safe and healthy, it contains 0 sulfates and won’t leave any harmful chemicals on your hair.
2. MIZANI Thermastrength Heat Protecting Serum – Designed for 4C
The MIZANI heat protector serum is made for natural curly hair, and it’s perfect for kinky coiled hair types. So, a great heat protectant for 4c hair? The serum is exactly what you are looking for.
To get your hair protected, it comes with great hair care technology such as anti-breakage that strengthens your hair quality.
The shea butter and botanicals in the formula are also going to give a silky result, protecting your hair from blowdrying & ironing high heat.
MIZANI also has special shampoo & conditioner for natural 4c hair, using the protector serum with those products can give you the best protection and styling result.
3. Design Essentials Silk Essentials Heat Protectant for Relaxed & Natural Hair
people love Blow-dry sprays because they are weightless hair products. But, you know what? you can get the same lightweight result with this Design Essentials serum.
The serum provides you with a pretty lightweight feeling and immense thermal protection against hot styling tools like blow dryers and flat irons.
It seals the cuticles and locks the moisture into the hair, releasing an amazing scent when blowdrying.
The serum can penetrate your strands better than regular sprays and it can be used on wet hair and dry hair both.
According to the merchant, the product’s formula is suitable for all hair textures but especially perfect for relaxed and natural hair.
All my sisters who got 4c hair, you know what to do.
4. HSI PROFESSIONAL Argan Oil Heat Protector
If you have searched “heat protectant” online before, you may have heard of this heat protector.
This HSI professional heat protectant spray is probably the best seller among all the heat protectants on the market.
Although it is a lightweight spray, it’s still powerful and high performance in thermal protection and anti-frizz. So it can be used on 4c hair too.
The product can protect hair from heat exposure up to 450º F, it’s extremely high compared to other blow dry protectants.
To give you a silky and hydrated after styling with heat, the spray features rich argan oil that can boost hair’s shine and health.
Also, its formula is mild and safe. The product contains no sulfate, phosphate and paraben. And it won’t make your hair color fade.
5. Arvazallia Heat Protectant Plus with Argan Oil
Looking for an ultra-lightweight spray with advanced protection technology? You will love the fine fine mist of the little bottle.
This Arvazallia heat protectant spray provides you with professional-grade heat damage protection caused by curling irons and hair dryers.
It utilizes a technology called two-layer protection, which penetrates your hair follicles and repair existing damaged hair.
Plus, the spray can go down to the roots of your hair and build a strong wall between the heat and your strands.
Why it is friendly to 4c hair? It has a highly effective anti-frizz technology that can help you to make your hair easy to comb without any tangling issues.
In addition, if you like to get extremely silky and soft hair, you can also purchase their professional argan oil hair treatments such as hair masks and hair creams.
6. CHI 44 Iron Guard Thermal Protection Spray
CHI 44 Iron Guard is another heat protectant spray for 4c hair.
We know CHI is a brand that manufactures styling tools like blowdryers and flat irons. But many people don’t know its heat protectant products are also considered to be high quality.
The thermal protection spray contains vitamins and proteins that are good for adding moisture and nutrition to your hair.
It does not add buildup and will not leave any residue on your hair since the spray is pretty lightweight.
To get the best result, the spray utilizes a superior thermal protection technology, which will fight against heat damage and breakage effectively.
As an extremely price-friendly heat protector, there is no reason to turn it down.
For more info, see our detailed review on CHI 44 Iron Guard Heat Protectant.
7. Kenra Platinum Blow-Dry Spray
Kenra platinum blow-dry spray has the fanciest bottle. But that is not the only advantage of this product.
The spray works like a charm when blowdrying for curly hair, and it’s a solid option for 4c hair too.
The bottle says it can cut down your drying time sharply by 50%. Although I think it is a bit exaggerated, but it does make your drying process easier.
The spray provides intense heat protection that protects your hair from breakage and damage.
And the styling performance is also decent for an affordable heat protectant, you will find your hair’s frizz is gone after using this spray.
If you want to know more about this product, you can see our review on this Kenra Platinum blow-dry spray.
Why Are Heat Protectants Important to 4C Hair?
For people who have 4c hair, it usually takes more time to dry and style their hair with a blow dryer or a flat iron.
So, in the drying & styling process, their hair can receive more heat than other types of hair.
To avoid high heat damage, we can’t just shorten the drying time, otherwise, the inside curls & waves can not get fully dry.
Some people may use lower heat to get the job done to reduce heat damage. But, that is going to waste plenty of time to do so.
Thus, a heat protectant is the safest and the most effective way to ensure your drying & styling experience without bringing too much heat damage to thick 4C hair.
What Kind of Heat Protectants Are Good to 4C Hair?
1. Pick a Lightweight One
If you have very tight-afro 4c hair, it is important to keep your hair bouncy and full throughout the day.
A greasy heat protector that gives hair shrinkage is a disaster, especially for 4c hair.
So you should not need to buy a product that weighs your hair down. A lightweight heat protectant is a key to get a successful & healthy hairstyle.
Generally, a watery spray is the most lightweight type. But you can also opt for a serum to get better hair protection and nourishing effects.
2. High Heat Protection
To build a security barrier between your strands and the high heat from blow dryers and curling irons, you should have some knowledge about the temperature.
Usually, a great heat protectant can protect hair from heat up to 425 degrees. And some products with premium protection can protect your hair from heat exposure up to 450º F.
You can choose the right heat protectant according to your daily styling needs.
If you are a person who will use flat iron a lot, be careful with the heat protection specs.
3. Anti-Frizz & Anti-Breakage Technology
We don’t want our hair to be weighed down though, we don’t want a crazy messy hairstyle either.
Although having voluminous hair is a good thing, it does not mean a heat protectant should completely take away all the moisture from your curls.
A perfect heat protectant for 4c hair should be able to give your tresses nutrition and shine without causing your hair frizzy and static.
So, if a heat protector only says it is lightweight and fragrant, that is not enough. A heat protector for natural hair should be all about making your hair silky and strong.
4. Choose Serum & Spray According to Your Needs
Normally, serums and creams have better performance when it comes to hair styling and hair care. But sprays are more lightweight and comfortable to use.
Just like you should pick a hairstyle that is suitable for your face, you should choose the right type of protectants that meet your needs perfectly.