There are some things in this life that will always pair well together: milk and cereal, peanut butter and jelly, wine and cheese, your favorite hair tool and heat protectant. (See how I snuck in that last one?) It’s true though! If you’re someone that uses a straightener, diffuser, or blow dryer on your hair, you should be using a heat protectant. Skipping this step before styling your hair is almost like going outside without putting on sunscreen (which is also something you should always be doing, by the way).

Without heat protectant, you’re putting your hair through more damage. And as someone who used to straighten their hair religiously, I can tell you that that damage can seriously add up. “Whether it comes in a lotion, spray, or mist, the purpose of a heat protectant is exactly what the name suggests: protection,” says celebrity hairstylist Hanna Oh. “These formulas typically contain conditioning and strengthening ingredients that penetrate the hair to support its structure, along with surface-coating agents that form a protective barrier.”