You may know the basics when it comes to getting your hairstyle to stay put for hours. A good hairspray is key—especially one that doesn't give your hair that "helmet" or crunchy feeling. Using the right tools and using them correctly is important, too. A lot of what we already know revolves around the styling process and what to do after you style your hair (aka spritz hairspray). But it's equally important to do some prep work beforehand to get your strands ready for styling. This will allow you to protect your hair against any heat damage from hot tools, condition it a bit, and also help prolong the life of your hairstyle.
One underrated product that often gets overlooked when it comes to styling prep is hair primer. In the same way makeup primer gets your skin ready for makeup application, a hair primer preps your hair for styling.
What is hair primer?
"Hair primer is the first step/product you want to use before styling your hair," says Mane Addicts artist Dina DiPietro. "Some hair primers are used to protect against hot tools, smooth, strengthen, and protect against UV."
And Siobhán Quinlan, a colorist and stylist at Cutler West Hollywood, describes it as almost like a toner for the skin. "It's going to add a soft amount of moisture and even out the porosity of the hair so when other products are applied they absorb equally throughout the hair," she says.
Do you need hair primer?
All of those benefits sounds pretty good, but you might be wondering if hair primer is a total necessity. If you want your hairstyle to stick and your hair to look fresh and revived, try it out. DiPietro especially recommends using a hair primer when you're using hot tools to protect against damage and help smooth the hair.
"I would always recommend one after shampooing your hair," Quinlan adds. "As far as every time you style, it can be a great product to help refresh hair. Because it's lightweight, it can be applied to dry hair without any worry of it weighing the hair down. The moisture will help combat any frizz, add shine, and help put some movement back into the hair." And the good news is it's beneficial for all hair types.
How should you apply hair primer?
Celebrity stylist Christin Brown, who specializes in curly and textured hair, likes to apply hair primers on dry hair, making sure to fully saturate the hair. And since most primers are sprays, Quinlan recommends making sure you aren't just spraying the top layer of your hair. She suggests flipping your head upside down and splitting it into a few sections before applying.
DiPietro highlights some specific steps to take:
1. To apply a primer that has a spray nozzle, hold it about eight inches from the hair. Point it toward the middle and ends of hair, avoiding roots. Alternatively, If you're using a lotion, apply a small amount in sections, focusing on mid-lengths and ends, avoiding roots.
2. Comb through.
3. Start rough-drying hair with a blow-dryer.
Below, take a look at some hair primers to try.
Best Hair Primers
Quinlan recommends this primer, which she says is super lightweight and has heat and UV protection.
Unite's product is recommended by both Quinlan and DiPietro. It not only detangles but also provides a lot of moisture. "I love how it has both UV and thermal protection," DiPietro says.
"My fave hair primer is Olaplex's No. 0 Intensive Bond Building Treatment," Brown says. "It primes the hair and delivers the highest concentration of their patented bond-building technology compared to any of their at-home products to repair and strengthen hair by relinking the hair bonds for stronger and healthier hair. I tell clients to use it as the first step in a two-part at-home system with the Olaplex No.3 Hair Perfector to strengthen and repair all types of damaged hair. When used together, it is scientifically proven to deliver 68% more repair and three times stronger hair in just one use. Pretty incredible!"
DiPietro also likes Fekkai's primer because it's really lightweight and good at smoothing the hair. "I love that it has pea protein to bond hair," she adds.
This spray protects your hair color and also does a good job of detangling your strands. It's another pick from Quinlan.
Bumble and Bumble's lightweight primer is enriched with vitamin D plus seaweed and kelp extracts, which add shine and softness.
Got some gnarly knots? Use this primer to smooth them. The formula seals the hair cuticles to protect it from heat damage and styling.
Sienna Naturals's conditioning and priming spray is made for curly hair. It's meant to be used between wash days to refresh your scalp, revive curls, and reduce frizz.
Use this drugstore primer spray to speed up your blow-drying time. It shields the hair from heat damage and enhances your hairstyle.
A 10-in-1 product? Yes, you read that right. You get 10 nourishing benefits with this primer—it strengthens, protects against heat and UV rays, reduces frizz, detangles, softens and smooths, cuts drying time, adds shine, and nourishes.
Formulated for curly hair, this primer comes in balm form and contains aloe, hydrolyzed quinoa protein, shea butter, and argan oil. It also has a nice scent of blood orange, juniper, and violet.
To pump up the volume, use Virtue's weightless spray. It will not only keep you hair looking fuller but also give it all-day hold.
Shu Uemura's primer can be used for both blow-drying (to lock in moisture and smooth) and air-drying (to enhance texture and shine).
This detangling hair primer is formulated with avocado oil to promote moisture, provitamin B5 for moisture and shine, and sea buckthorn, which is rich in nourishing omega-7.
Completely vegan and cruelty-free, this hair primer shields against heat damage and preserves your hair color.
All curl types can benefit from this primer—it can help bring them back to life. It also provides protection against damage from heat and brushing.
If you're dealing with dry, coarse, and brittle hair, spritz this primer to prevent even more damage and breakage. The formula contains a blend of six lightweight oils.
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