Honorable Mentions
Photograph: Kat Merck
Sutra Heat Guard Blowout Cream for $24: I love Sutra’s IR2 hair straightener, so I had high hopes. This thick and almost fragrance-free cream is meant to protect up to 450 degrees Fahrenheit and reduce drying time, but my hair felt dried out after use.
Mane Temp Check for $26: “Smell cute, feel cuter” goes the slogan for this line of hair products and tools from celebrity hairstylist Jen Atkin, founder of Ouai. This pink spray immediately cheers up any bathroom counter with its handwritten-style cartoon letters, happy clouds, and lychee/rose/vanilla scent. Though I loved how it worked on my 3a hair, I can see how it may be too drying for some.
The Rootist BioBrew Fermented Leave-In Repair Serum for $57: Same as the brand's dry shampoo, this lightweight spray's claim to fame is its use of Rootbiotic Ferment, a fermented botanical blend that provides bioavailable nutrients for the scalp and hair. It's an interesting concept, but I wasn't blown away by its standard properties like frizz reduction. At this price, for less than 2 ounces of product, I felt like I should be.
IGK Good Behavior Supreme Seal Smoothing Serum for $34: I like this pump-bottle serum a lot as a finishing product and for applying to dry ends, but it's too hard to get even application as a regular heat protectant.
R+Co On a Cloud Bond Building Repair and Styling Oil for $38: Same as above, I love this product as a styling and finishing oil, but not as a heat protectant. (Though it is heat protective up to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.)
Verb Hydrate Oil for $36: This 450-degree-Fahrenheit protective, serum-like product left my hair a little oilier than similar products. Online reviews complain about malfunctioning pump bottles, but mine had no issues.
Function of Beauty Smooth With It Blowout Mist for $13: This Target-exclusive spray is fortified with argan oil and Tsubaki oil (from camellia fruit), a common ingredient in many K-beauty products. It is a spray, but I was surprised to find it comes out with an opaque, cream-like consistency rather than as a liquid, which means it goes on a bit heavy. That said, sometimes my frizzy hair needs something on the heavy side, and this definitely fit the bill—it did visibly reduce frizz after blow-drying, and my hair felt very soft.
Remilia Rice & Shine Leave-in Conditioner for $24: This hydrating, heat-protective leave-in spray comes in a cool, cork-topped bottle and has an inoffensive scent. However, it did not do much for frizz in my tests.
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