Unless you have the most perfect head of hair in the history of hair, you’ll almost certainly have to use some sort of heated styling tool to achieve optimal styling results.
Luckily, consumers have never had nearly as many options for styling tools as they do today, with tools designed to heat hair as quickly and safely as possible. However, despite an emphasis safe and even heating in the hair care marketplace, consumers still need to be aware of the potential for heat damage.
Each hair type, whether it be thin, coarse, or curly, requires a specific heat temperature range. Knowing your specific temperature range is the key to avoiding dry, damaged hair and creating luminous, long-lasting styles. Read our guide below and see which temperature setting is ideal for your hair type!
Fine Hair
Those with fine, thin hair need to be the most careful when it comes to heat styling. This hair type is particularly susceptible to and heat damage and requires a gentle styling routine. Prior to any heat styling, fine hair types should absolutely be applying some sort of heat protectant spray, which will allow for longer styling times without compromising hair health. Aim for a temperature range as low as possible, not going any higher than 300°F.
Curly Hair
The trickiest hair type to manage in general, it’s a bit of a mixed bag when it comes to advice on temperature settings for curly hair. While many curly hair types are quite thick and dense, nearly an equal amount of curly hair is thin and fine. In general, curly hair is the hair type most prone to dryness and frizz, meaning that the highest heat setting should almost certainly be out of the question, especially for fine-curly hair types. However, for those on the thicker side, they can get away with slightly higher temperatures. In general, curly hair should aim for between 300 and 350°F.
Normal Hair
The luckiest ones on the list, normal hair types can get away with just about any heat setting and not worry about potential damage or breakage. Those with straight, medium-density hair should ideally aim for a medium-to-medium-high setting, which will allow for a quick styling time while maintaining that gorgeous shine and silky-smooth softness. For normal hair types, the optimal range is between 350 and 400°F.
Thick Hair
Last but certainly not least, we have thick/coarse hair types. Due to the increased thickness of their hair strands, thick hair types take much longer to style their hair. For the sake of saving time as well as preventing prolonged heat contact, using the absolute highest heat setting is a must for thicker hair. Thankfully, hair of exceptionally thick density can withstand extremely high temperatures without succumbing to heat damage or breakage! For thick hair, 400 to 450°F is the way to go.
