The 15 Best Hair Straightening Products of 2022 : Olaplex, Garnier Fructis, Oribe, and More
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The 15 Best Hair Straightening Products of 2022 : Olaplex, Garnier Fructis, Oribe, and More

Sep 28, 2023

Every product on this page was chosen by a Harper's BAZAAR editor. We may earn commission on some of the items you choose to buy.

Help your flat iron work faster with these must-have styling products.

It's easy to assume that all you need to get sleek, straight hair is a flat iron and a prayer. But if you're not using one of the best hair straightening products of 2022, you're missing out on an important step: protection. The 15 stylers below not only help keep hair smooth and frizz-free, but they also protect hair from thermal damage up to 450 degrees (and that should be plenty hot). Some can be sprayed on wet hair after the shower, others can be worked through dry or damp hair, and there's even a formula that can be mixed with your favorite shampoo to cut your styling time in half. We consulted with celebrity hair colorist Bianca Hillier and Kim Kimble, celebrity hairstylist and founder of Kim Kimble, to get this list of the best straightening stylers and expert tips on how to use them.

You can use this spray on damp or dry hair to add thermal protection and calm frizz for up to three days. It's so lightweight, too.

Customer Review: "I just tried this product this morning and I am literally blown away at how amazing it made my hair feel and look! I sprayed it on before blow drying my hair and when I used my flat iron my hair was so silky soft and no fly Aways. I’m so so so happy I took a chance on buying this product. It will be my go to hair product as it's like I have new healthy hair all of a sudden. Very pleased with this product" - Kat Gregory

This cream is a must-have for wavy and curly hair types before blowdrying and straightening. It not only helps protect against heat damage, but it adds lightweight hold so that your style lasts.

Customer Review: "Love this styling cream before I blow dry my hair. It smells wonderful and doesn't leave my hair greasy or oily. It's my guilty pleasure! I have naturally thick wavy hair."- bellanoel1631

"I love these products because I think it's very important to protect your hair while straightening it," Kimble says of her eponymous line. This heat protectant uses sweet almond oil and coconut oil to keep hair sleek.

Customer Review: "I absolutely love this product. I am always hesitant to use a curling iron or even blow dryer because I color my hair and don't want to cause any damage from heat. But this hair repair is color safe and hasn't affected my hair color. It's also kept my hair healthy when I use the blow dryer and curling iron. Great stuff!" - Estrella

If you tend to avoid styling products because they turn your hair greasy, this is the one you need to try. Lightweight and nourishing, this blowout milk was designed to work on all hair textures.

Customer Review: "This styling cream is absolutely heavenly! I used it on my damp hair before I blow dried & it is so weightless and immediately gave my hair a beautiful luscious blow dry with little to no effort." -Lily Beale

"Hair bonds are agnostic, so Olaplex is for all hair types and textures. As a matter of fact, curly hair types have more hair bonds. It is best to keep in mind to apply the needed amount depending on hair density and hair length," Hillier says. "Start with about a pea size and add more as needed. Someone with thicker hair will need more product than someone with fine hair. The Olaplex No. 6 Bond Smoother is perfect for all hair types hair since it moisturizes and reduces frizz without weighing the hair down.

Customer Review: "This stuff is AMAZING! It cuts down on so much frizz even on dreary days! I use it every day!" -TheDuchess1027

This do-it-all cream boosts shine, protects, hydrates, and smooths—so you can get on with your routine.

Customer Review: "This product is amazing!! My hair feels nourished and protected and I love the texturizing aspect, it makes my styled hair last longer without the crunchy feel of hairspray. The amount of product you get is amazing value!" -Cocobeara97

Thick hair types will benefit from this styling cream that helps fight frizz for a full 48 hours.

Customer Review: "My hair type is dry, frizzy, and naturally wavy. I add this before blow drying with the Revlon dryer and volumizer brush which has amazing results, soft, smooth, non-frizzy hair that lasts for a couple of days. It has become one of my routine products." -Surenderrr

Heat-activated polymers help your hair get straighter, faster—so you can spend less time with your flat iron plugged in.

Customer Review: "My hair dresser used this stuff on my hair and I absolutely needed to know what it was after I went home and used the flat iron it. Bought some the same day. While it's expensive, it works great on my wavy hair. Blow-drying is easier, as well as using the flat iron." - Magpie

With over 4,000 glowing reviews on Amazon, this drugstore staple helps transform even the curliest, frizziest hair into sleekness.

Customer Review: "This is great on natural curly hair. Does not stiffen or dry out."-MOGood

Over 8,000 Amazon shoppers agree: a little goes a long way with this top-rated smoothing cream that leaves hair soft and so shiny.

Customer Review: "Highly recommend, i have super thick course wavy hair and this product is the miracle I needed to get a smoother look. Even better when used with a high quality straightener. Im hooked, best smoothing cream I've ever tried! And I've tried so many." -DMA

This transformative product helped inspire the glass hair trend, and it's a favorite of major celeb stylists (and nearly 50k Amazon shoppers).

Customer Review: "I immediately bought this after my hairstylist used it on me before a blow out because it made my hair super soft. However, I wasn't sure if I would have quite as good results at home since my hair always feels great after an appointment and she's much better at styling than me- but wow! I can NEVER get my hair to feel soft and frizz is a constant issue. My blow out looked way better than it usually does when I do it and my hair has stayed frizz free and softer than normal four days out from my wash and dry. You really won't regret it." -Amazon Customer

This smoothing serum is a game-changer for a blowout, since it can be easily layered with other products to get the sleekest, shiniest results.

Customer Review: "This one really blew me away. I applied a lightweight leave in conditioner and then used this serum as my heat-protectant and styler. My blowout was so soft and easy. And when I flat ironed it, I applied a bit more and wow the shine, wow the bounce and very little reversion even in that misty rainy weather. Highly recommend - so glad I found it!" -BeautyNerd917

This genius product can be added to your favorite shampoo to help boost its frizz-fighting abilities. It helps cut down on blow-drying time so you might be able to skip the flat iron (or just use it much less).

Customer Review: "I absolutely love this product!!! It helps to blow dry my hair so much faster and keeps it smooth with much less frizz. I don't even have to get the flat iron out anymore! Such a time saver." -Sherrie

With ingredients like spirulina protein, shea butter, and heat-activated polymers, this styling cream helps mimic the smoothing effects of a keratin treatment from your own bathroom.

Customer Review: "I love this product i feel like I just got out of the Salon! I have long frizzy hair." -B

This new drugstore staple helps quickly smooth thick, frizzy hair while protecting it from heat damage.

Customer Review: "I loved how quick and easy this was to use. I have thick hair that gets frizzy easily this really helped smooth things out. I liked that I could also use it on dry hair to add a little smoothness. This is great for quick no mess hair days." -Rachaell44

"Someone with fine hair or even someone with very curly hair should always keep in mind to protect your hair," Kimble says. "If you want to maintain healthy and beautiful curls, you must protect them. Lastly, these products will help prevent over-straightening hair to make it smooth."

Unless your hair is super, super fine—you could probably benefit from using these products every day. "You should use protectant serums, oils, or leave-in styling creams in daily for the best results especially when using thermal styling tools," Hillier says. If your product of choice is also a bond-builder like Olaplex, there's more you should keep in mind. "Olaplex products cannot be overused so it's important to add them to your daily routine for optimal hair care and health," she says. "Be sure to apply enough to get the job done but keep in mind a little goes a long way since these formulas are highly concentrated."

"A few tips I have for getting straight hair really fast is using the right shampoo and conditioner to help smooth your hair," Kimble says. "Definitely dry your hair with a towel first really well to get as much moisture out as possible." The next step is to turn to one of the best hair straightening creams before reaching for a hot tool.

Kim Kimble, celebrity hairstylist and founder of Kim Kimble, not only works on celebrities like Kerry Washington, Beyonce, and Zendaya, but she was also Emmy-nominated for her work on Euphoria.

Bianca Hillier is a celebrity hair colorist and Olaplex ambassador, working with clients like Sofia Richie and Rocky Barnes.

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