The 12 Best Hair Straightening Products of 2023

Best Overall

Matrix Total Results Mega Sleek Iron Smoother Defrizzing Leave-In Spray

4.7

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No matter your natural texture, a few spritzes of this formula sprayed evenly over dry hair will help smooth it out—and fast. You’ll especially want to add this to your hair routine if you constantly battle humidity since it tames weather-induced frizz. When paired with the accompanying shampoo and conditioner, it can leave hair up to five times smoother too. This spray also helps protect your hair from temps up to 450 degrees, so you can feel a little less guilt about heat styling too. Plus, it contains shea butter to infuse your locks with plenty of moisture without a greasy feel. If you’re sensitive to fragrance, beware: this one has a strong scent, which might be too strong for some.

Price at time of publish: $22

Type: Spray | Size: 8.5 ounces | Cruelty-Free: No

Runner-Up, Best Overall

Color Wow Dream Coat Supernatural Spray Anti-Frizz Treatment

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While this spray may be positioned as more of a frizz-fighter, it truly does leave our hair impressively smooth and sleek, rightfully earning its place on this list for its many benefits. Credit a proprietary anti-humidity technology that essentially acts like a raincoat (hence the name), forming a shield to block out frizz-inducing moisture. It leaves you with silky, shiny hair, even on humid or rainy days. The smoothing effects are long-lasting, too—through three or four shampoos!—and it works on all hair types and textures. Just keep in mind that that technology is heat-activated, so you need to blow-dry after using it, but in our experience, you can usually skip the flat iron; the product is that good.

Price at time of publish: $28

Type: Spray | Size: 6.7 ounces | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Best Budget

John Frieda Frizz Ease 3-Day Straight Flat Iron Spray

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Don’t feel like styling your hair every day? We’re right there with you. That’s where this budget-friendly straightening spray comes in handy. It’s long-lasting—“3-Day” is in the title for a reason—and lightweight, so it promises not to weigh down your locks. Here’s how it works: heat-activated polymers and keratin proteins wrap around each hair strand, leaving it smooth and sleek after you blow dry and flat iron. The results last up to three days (or until your next shampoo), leaving you with soft, touchable hair—never heavy or stiff strands. For those prone to grease, go light on the spray; otherwise, it may make your hair oilier.

Price at time of publish: $13

Type: Spray | Size: 8.5 ounces | Cruelty-Free: No

Best for Curly Hair

SheaMoisture 100% Virgin Coconut Oil Daily Hydration Finishing Oil Serum

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Those with naturally curly hair know what a time-consuming challenge it can be to straighten it. Plus, you need to give your curls extra TLC in order to avoid fried locks. To spare yourself from dry, damaged hair post-straightening, add this affordable hydrating finishing serum to your product must-haves. With just a few spritzes, it smooths, protects, and gives you plenty of shine too. Thanks to a combo of coconut oil and coconut milk, it's also gentle and hydrating—always a good thing for curls. It’s too heavy to use on non-curly textures, so keep scrolling if that’s you. It’s also only intended to be used on dry hair, so spritz it on between blow-drying flat ironing or as the final smoothing step in your routine.

Price at time of publish: $12

Type: Serum | Size: 4 ounces | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Best for Color-Treated Hair

Olaplex No. 3 Hair Perfector

4.5

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While intended to be a strengthening treatment, this beloved Olaplex formula is a Byrdie fave for good reason: it does double-duty as an ultra-effective smoother too. Its science-backed formula works to repair the protein bonds in your hair that are broken due to (oops!) heat tools, coloring, and sun damage. No matter your hair texture, you can incorporate this into your styling routine a few times a week. You’ll almost instantly have a head full of smoother, shinier, more resilient, and—most importantly!—healthier hair. It may seem pricey, especially for such a small bottle, but trust us, it’s worth it.

Price at time of publish: $30

Type: Cream | Size: 3.3 ounces | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Best for Thick Hair

R+Co Mood Swing Straightening Spray

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Like curly hair, thick hair also often needs a little extra help in the smoothing department. This R+Co spray is a must-have for those blessed with a lot of locks, thanks to a formula packed with natural extracts. Its ingredients—which include amaranth seed extract, shikakai fruit extract, pequi oil, and acai seed oil—work together for a melange of benefits. Together they strengthen hair follicles, seal in hydration, repel humidity, promote a healthy scalp, and add a serious dose of both shine and softness. Also nice: It lasts up to three shampoos. Just keep in mind that it is heat-activated, so remember to spritz it on damp hair before blow-drying.

Price at time of publish: $34

Type: Spray | Size: 4.2 ounces | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Best Splurge

Oribe Straight Away Smoothing Blowout Cream

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Jinnouchi names this Oribe cream as her go-to, lauding it for being a foolproof pick for pretty much any and every hair texture. Not only does it smooth your locks, but it also includes antioxidants and protective proteins that shield your hair from the damaging effects of heat styling. Plus, it reduces your drying time, saving you time and leaving you with more manageable and super touchable hair. It’s pricey, yes, but a little bit goes a long way. In true Oribe fashion, it smells ah-mazing too.

Price at time of publish: $44

Type: Cream | Size: 5 ounces | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Best In-Shower

Garnier Fructis Sleek Shot In-Shower Styler

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Want to shave off some precious minutes from your hot tool styling routine? (Who doesn’t?) Try this affordable, innovative in-shower styler. It couldn’t be easier to use. Simply mix equal parts of the styler with your shampoo and wash your hair as normal. Condition, rinse, and blow dry as you normally would too, but leave your flat iron unplugged. You won’t need it, thanks to the Moroccan argan oil-based formula, which wraps your strands from root to tip. You’re left with all-day smoothness and shine, all while cutting back on the amount of heat your hair is subjected to and saving you time too.

Price at time of publish: $13

Type: Liquid | Size: 5.1 ounces | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Best for Damaged Hair

Briogeo Farewell Frizz Blow Dry Perfection & Heat Protectant Crème

4.6

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Damaged hair, whether from frequent flat ironing or color treatments, needs all the TLC it can get, and this heat-protectant cream, which safeguards your locks from temperatures up to 450 degrees, does the trick. A trio of oils—coconut, argan, and rosehip—provides essential fatty acids to help protect it from environmental stressors, as well as thoroughly condition your strands. Don’t let “oil” give you the impression that it’ll weigh down your hair, though; it won’t when used in moderation. Consider this a bottle of magic for dry, damaged hair, offering smoothing benefits while rehabbing your hair with plenty of hydration.

Price at time of publish: $26

Type: Cream | Size: 4 ounces | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Best for Frizzy Hair

Bumble and Bumble Straight Blow Dry

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Straightening, smoothing, frizz-fighting, and heat-protecting—what can’t this Bumble and Bumble cream do? As if that weren’t enough, there’s also a conditioning blend in the formula to help hydrate and boost shine. It adds a touch of hold to hair too, which is helpful when styling. While it’s non-greasy, this cream is best for thick and curly hair textures. (As lightweight as it is, it can be too much for fine hair.) It’s a little pricey, but consider it a one-and-done product, so you can streamline your getting-ready process.

Price at time of published: $32

Type: Cream | Size: 5 ounces | Cruelty-Free: No

Best for Air-Drying

Odele Air Dry Styler

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Okay, look: Even if your hair is naturally straight, there’s no way you’re going to get the straightest, smoothest style if you don’t at least blow-dry. That’s just basic science. But for times when you want to forgo hot tools and simply air dry, working this cream into your locks can make a huge difference. No, it’s not a straightening product, per se, but what it does do is help smooth your hair, tamp down frizz, and generally make hair less ‘poofy.’ (You know what we’re talking about.) The clean formula and subtle yet sophisticated, 100% natural fragrance is just a bonus, as is the wallet-friendly price tag. We’re suckers for its sleek packaging too.

Price at time of publish: $12

Type: Cream | Size: 6 ounces | Cruelty-Free: Yes