Product knowledge: heat protector

These days clients and hairdressers alike are trained not to touch their hair without heat protector - but it's not always been a salon essential. The first curling irons were created in the 1860s, followed by hair dryers in the 1890s and hair straighteners at the start of the 1900s. These tools might have been primitive when compared to today's technology, but there was no scrimping on heat. Early hairdressing irons and tongs reached scorching temperatures, thanks to the fact that they had to be heated on red-hot charcoals. Setting lotions and styling products in one form or another have been around since these early tool innovations, but specific products designed to protect the hair from extreme temperatures weren't a regular factor of salon life until relatively recently. Today's heat protector products are designed to provide a protective shield of film around the outside of the cuticle and protect the hair from the heat of appliances. Considering that modern tools rival their early counterparts with temperatures of up to 200c, it's no wonder that hair benefits from a little protection - particularly when clients are using tools every day. See some of our favourite heat protect products in the gallery below! [hji-gallery-legacy]