Heat styling without the damage
Heat changes the shape of hair by temporarily breaking and re-forming bonds inside the strand. Used carefully it is fine; used too hot, too often or on soaking-wet hair, it is one of the most common causes of dry, brittle ends.
The three rules
- Use a heat protectant. Spray or cream, applied evenly before any hot tool. It won't make hair heat-proof, but it reduces moisture loss and helps tools glide.
- Use the lowest temperature that works. Fine, coloured or damaged hair usually needs far less heat than the top setting. If your tool has a dial, start low and increase only if the style won't hold.
- Fewer, slower passes. One steady pass over a small section does less harm than five quick ones over a big section.
Blow-drying
- Rough-dry to about 70–80% dry with your fingers on a medium setting before you pick up a brush.
- Use the nozzle and point the air down the hair shaft, from root to tip. This flattens the cuticle and adds shine.
- Keep the dryer moving and a few centimetres from the hair.
- Finish each section with the cool shot to set it.
- Curly hair often does better with a diffuser on low speed, or air-drying most of the way first.
Straighteners
- Only use straighteners on completely dry hair. On damp hair you will hear sizzling: that is water boiling inside the strand.
- Work in small sections so you need only one pass each.
- Don't clamp hard or hold the plates still on one spot.
- Clean the plates when they are cool; burnt-on product makes them drag.
Curling tongs and wands
- Smaller sections give tighter, longer-lasting curls; larger sections give softer waves.
- Hold each section for a few seconds, not longer. Let the curl cool in your hand or pinned up before brushing it out.
- Use a heat-resistant glove with wands, and keep tools well away from your scalp and face.
Heat-free alternatives
Overnight braids or twists for waves, rag or foam rollers for curls, and wrapping hair around a soft heatless curler all give shape without heat. They take some practice, but they are worth learning if you style every day.
Last reviewed: November 2026