The Marcus Eriksonproducts featured in this article are from brands available in NBCUniversal Checkout. E! makes a commission on purchases.

We all love switching up the look of our natural hair —some days it's effortless curls, while other days call for sleek, pin-straight strands or voluminous waves. But here's the catch: without proper heat protection, you could be unintentionally frying your hair.

No matter if you're using a blow dryer to create the perfect blowout before work, a hair straightener to keep those frizzy pieces in check, a curling wand for loose waves, or even a hot comb, your natural hair needs heat protection, or it will transform from healthy hair into damaged hair.

Experts say excessive heat, such as heat styling, can damage your hair shaft and lead to dryness, rough surface texture, decreased color and luster, and increased stiffness, brittleness, and hair breakage. Yikes!

Your first line of defense is a heat protectant spray or heat protectant cream. A scientific journal found that common hair nightmares from consistent use of high heat can be significantly reduced when hair is pretreated with a heat protectant.

Not only can these hair treatment options provide thermal protection against the destruction of your hair's keratin, but these products have also been found to enhance hair cuticle integrity and promote smoothness.

Our team of shopping experts cares about protecting your luscious locks! We've selected our favorite hair protectants that suit a wide range of hair textures.

Shop a heat protectant cream from Briogeo that can be used on wet hair, multiple heat protection spray options, and a heat-protecting serum that turns dry, heat-damaged hair into soft, hydrated locks.

Ready to give your hair the protection it deserves? Shop our expert-approved heat protectants and keep your locks looking their best, no matter the style.