If you're tired of dry, brittle, or damaged hair from styling tools and want to keep it healthy, you must use a heat protectant! This often-underestimated product acts like an invisible shield, protecting your hair from high temperatures and helping it stay strong, shiny, and soft over time. If you want beautiful, healthy hair, this product is essential! A heat protectant is a fundamental product in any hair care routine, especially for those who frequently use thermal tools like straighteners, curling irons, and blow dryers, which can reach up to 200°C and seriously damage your hair. Its main function is to protect the hair and reduce the damage caused by excessive heat, which can weaken the hair structure and leave it dull, dry, and fragile. Here's what we’ll cover in this article: What is a heat protectant? The function of a heat protectant Organic heat protectants: what they are and how they're made Key ingredients in an organic heat protectant Benefits of organic heat protectants When to apply a heat protectant What happens if I don’t use a heat protectant? Organic vs traditional heat protectants: which is better for your hair? Organic heat protectant: La Saponaria's offerings Conclusion What is a heat protectant? A heat protectant is a product applied to the hair before using thermal tools or exposing hair to the sun. UV rays can damage the hair fiber, making it dry, brittle, and dull. Additionally, when hair absorbs water—from the shower, sea, or pool, the cuticle (the hair's protective layer) lifts. This causes the hair fiber to swell excessively, increasing its diameter and making it more prone to damage. This causes the hair fiber to swell excessively, increasing its diameter and making it more prone to damage. At this point, a vicious cycle begins: the damaged cuticle allows more water to penetrate inside, further worsening the condition, the more water gets in, the more the hair is damaged and its fragility increases. This is why, before exposing your hair to heat stress, it is essential to protect it with a heat protectant The fuction of a heat protectant Hair is made of keratin, a protein sensitive to heat. If not protected, high temperatures can denature keratin. That’s where the heat protectant comes in. It forms a protective barrier around the hair, preventing direct heat from damaging the hair fiber. It also reduces the thermal conductivity of the hair, protecting not just the outer layer (the cuticle) but also the cortex (the middle part) and medulla (the innermost part), while locking in internal moisture. Organic heat protectans: what they are and how they're made Organic heat protectants are perfect for those with sensitive scalps, who want to avoid buildup of heavy substances and prefer a greener routine. They are formulated with natural and organic ingredients, free from polluting chemicals like parabens, silicones, and sulfates. Traditional heat protectants often contain these non-biodegradable chemicals, which accumulate in the environment and harm ecosystems. On the other hand, organic heat protectants use plant extracts, essential oils, and other natural, organic ingredients to provide effective heat protection without compromising the health of your hair or the planet. Key ingredients in an organic heat protectant Vegetable oils, such as argan oil, flaxseed oil, and coconut oil: flaxseed oil is rich in minerals and omega-3, making it perfect for damaged and brittle hair. Argan oil is an excellent moisturizer and protects the scalp from external agents; it is useful for treating stressed hair that has lost its elasticity. Coconut oil, rich in fatty acids, is a great moisturizer for damaged hair and split ends. Vitamins, such as vitamin E: moisturizing, elasticizing, and helpful in protecting hair from sun exposure. Silicone alternatives, such as C13-15 alkane: a natural emollient. Natural-origin fragrances, such as cinnamyl alcohol, a fragrance agent naturally found in cinnamon. Another natural-origin fragrance is eugenol, extracted from essential oils of clove and cinnamon. Benefits of organic heat protection Natural Protection: Organic ingredients provide effective heat protection without damaging the hair. Environmental respect: organic heat protectants are made with eco-sustainable ingredients that reduce environmental impact. Additionally, the packaging can also be environmentally friendly—for example, using glass bottles, which are 100% recyclable. Better hair health: by using natural ingredients and avoiding harsh chemicals, organic heat protectants help keep hair soft, shiny, and healthy. Deep hydration: in addition to protecting against heat, these products provide nourishment thanks to vegetable oils and vitamins, helping to prevent dryness and breakage When should you apply a heat protectant? You should apply heat protectant on damp hair. Spray and distribute it evenly from roots to ends every time you use a blow dryer or other heat tools. It’s important to cover the entire hair length for uniform protection. The silky texture tends to dry quickly, prepping the hair for heat exposure. Heat protectants are suitable for all hair types: fine, oily, dry, or damaged. Benefits are visible from the first application and become more noticeable over time with consistent use. Your hair will be less frizzy and easier to comb. What happens if you don't use a heat protectant? Heat protectants help minimize the damage caused by thermal styling tools. Without them, heat can weaken the hair cuticle (the outermost layer), causing it to flake and break. Hair without protection becomes dry, dull, and loses volume more quickly. Over time, it becomes increasingly fragile and harder to manage. Organic vs traditional heat protectans: which is better? Organic heat protectants have the great advantage of being formulated without harsh chemicals that can negatively affect hair health and the environment. Traditional heat protectants often contain silicones, parabens, or sulfates that may build up on the hair shaft. Silicones, due to their film-forming properties, can create a coating on the scalp that may hinder proper oxygen flow and skin breathing. This can lead to irritation or increased sebum production, causing dandruff or itchiness in more sensitive individuals. Parabens, used as preservatives, can also cause allergic reactions like redness or itching. Sulfates, strong cleansing agents, may strip natural moisture from hair, making it dry and fragile. In contrast, organic heat protectants use natural active ingredients to protect and nourish the hair using the power of nature. Bio Heat Protectants: La Saponaria’s Proposals You can choose from different bio heat protectants based on your hair type: Plant-Based Hair Crystals – ideal for fine or normal hair. They nourish, protect, tame, and soften the hair. We created them by blending wonderful organic oils of Coconut, Flaxseed, and Hemp with Argan Oil, which is sourced from a women’s cooperative in Morocco. This blend nourishes the hair without weighing it down and makes it shinier than ever. They can be used as a smoothing styling product – just a tiny amount is enough to add shine and reduce frizz – and as a bio heat protectant to shield your hair while blow-drying or before using a flat iron. 3-in-1 Protective Hair Oil – Aloha – ideal for thick hair. It provides nourishment and protects the natural beauty of your hair from: Sun, Salt, and Chlorine: prevents dryness and brittleness during sun exposure or swimming in pools. Heat from Blow-Dryer and Flat Iron: when applied before styling, it shields against heat and helps prevent split ends. Dryness and Dullness: used as a repairing hair mask, it restores tone and shine. Conclusion Organic heat protectant is an essential product for anyone who wants to protect their hair from heat while providing gentle, natural care that doesn’t harm the planet. Incorporating an organic heat protectant into your hair care routine isn’t just an act of beauty — it’s a small step that makes a big difference for the health of your hair and for a more sustainable world. {{cta('bcd4b34b-f2e1-44f1-b277-8adc7e4794de')}}

We truly love our sea and its inhabitants, and we wanted to take things a step further! La Saponaria has made a donation to Fondazione Cetacea, a non-profit organization based in Riccione that has been dedicated to protecting cetaceans and sea turtles in the northern Adriatic for over 30 years. We've adopted two turtles! Here's how it's going so far. We named one of them Mirtilla: she’s a sea turtle that was rescued off the coast of Cesenatico after being trapped in a fishing net. She’s now safe at the Fondazione Cetacea rescue center, where she’s receiving all the care she needs to get strong again and return to swimming free in her sea. The other turtle will be arriving soon—rescues happen frequently! We'll follow her journey together and choose her name with the help of our community. Follow us on social media to stay updated on this project, see how things are going, and help us pick the most beautiful name in the world for our next little turtle! La Saponaria: our love for the sea The first time we started developing our sunscreens, we were faced with a big question: is it possible to create a cosmetic product with the least possible environmental impact? When we apply sunscreen and then go for a swim in the sea, the product on our skin dissolves directly into the water—without any kind of filter. After extensive research and study, we finally managed to create what we consider our ideal sunscreens: the ‘Osolebio’ line was born out of the need to fully protect our skin while being as eco-compatible as possible with the marine environment. That’s why we chose to formulate sunscreens using 100% physical, NON-NANO filters, certified organic and with an easy-to-apply texture. We wanted products that would be safe and practical for the whole family to use, while also showing love and respect for our planet and our sea. Sunscreens can be formulated using either physical or chemical filters (you can read more about the differences in our in-depth article). Without going into the details of how they work on the skin, we can say with absolute certainty that many of the chemical filters commonly used in sunscreens have a significant impact on the sea and marine ecosystems. So much so that places like Hawaii and Palau have drawn up a list of banned ingredients—there, sunscreens containing certain chemical filters are prohibited because they cause coral bleaching and reef death. The physical filters we use are not only respectful of the sea and its delicate ecosystem, but they also support an ethical project focused on the protection and regeneration of Mozambique’s coral reef. From the very beginning, we wanted the impact of the ‘Osolebio’ line to be as positive as possible for the planet. That’s why, for example, we chose packaging made from re-bottle recycled plastic, which comes from single-use plastic bottles, and we created our Sea-Friendly Shower Gel and Shampoo using ultra-light, biodegradable surfactants, so it can even be used on boats or while camping.This year, we decided to take another step forward: we made a donation to Fondazione Cetacea, a Riccione-based organization that has been working for over 30 years to protect cetaceans and sea turtles in the northern Adriatic. Let’s get to know them better. Fondazione Cetacea of Riccione: over 30 years standing by the turtles’ Side Protecting the sea means taking care of the life that inhabits it. This is the daily mission of Fondazione Cetacea, a non-profit organization founded in 1988 in Riccione to safeguard the marine ecosystem, with a special focus on the Adriatic Sea. Through outreach, education, and conservation activities, the Foundation has become a key point of reference for the protection of marine biodiversity.Fondazione Cetacea is on the front lines when it comes to rescuing marine animals in distress, particularly sea turtles and cetaceans. Its Marine Turtle Recovery Center, one of the most important and active in the Adriatic, receives over 60 sea turtles every year from the waters of Emilia-Romagna and the Marche. Here, biologists, veterinarians, naturalists, and volunteers care for the animals with dedication and expertise. Many of the turtles arriving at the center are victims of accidental capture in trawl nets—facing the risk of drowning—or suffer from collisions with boats, which can cause serious neurological damage. Others are affected by hypothermia due to sudden drops in sea temperature, which can compromise their vital functions. Each turtle receives personalized treatment and, after a period of care and rehabilitation, is released back into its natural habitat, ready to swim once again in the Adriatic Sea. Beyond rescue and rehabilitation, Fondazione Cetacea also serves as an Environmental and Sustainability Education Center, officially recognized by the Region of Emilia-Romagna. Every year, its headquarters in Riccione welcomes tens of thousands of students, families, and tourists, with the goal of spreading awareness and respect for the sea and its inhabitants. Among the core messages it promotes are the importance of individual commitment to a cleaner, healthier environment, and a clear ethical stance: Fondazione Cetacea is firmly opposed to captivity.The Foundation upholds a fundamental principle: marine animals do not belong in captivity. Their place is in the sea, and every effort is made to ensure their return to nature as quickly and safely as possible, with minimal human interaction during their recovery process. What we loved about Fondazione Cetacea La Saponaria chose to partner with Fondazione Cetacea for the adoption of two sea turtles because of its deeply respectful and compassionate approach to animal care. All too often, turtles that are rescued after severe injuries—such as the loss of a flipper—are kept in captivity indefinitely and never returned to their natural environment. Fondazione Cetacea, on the other hand, has taken a different and more hopeful path by creating the "Caletta delle Tartarughe" (Turtle Cove), first in Numana and later in Baia Flaminia in Pesaro.This innovative space plays a key role in the rehabilitation of turtles, especially those with motor or neurological issues. One turtle at a time is placed in this controlled marine area—a fenced zone in the sea—where it is carefully monitored by the Foundation's staff and volunteers. The goal is to observe the turtle's behavior in a natural setting and assess its ability to adapt and become self-sufficient. Once a turtle shows it can fend for itself, the rehabilitation period ends with a joyful release back into the open sea.This method has proven highly effective: with the right recovery period, every turtle has shown the ability to rediscover its strength and freedom, ready to return to life in its natural habitat. Fondazione Cetacea has become a benchmark organization for the Emilia-Romagna and Marche regions, and it runs one of the most important and active turtle rescue centers in all of Italy. To date, over 1,000 sea turtles have been treated and released back into the sea, with that number growing significantly in recent years. La Saponaria’s turtles: Mirtilla has already arrived! La Saponaria made a donation to adopt two sea turtles—and Mirtilla is already here! You can watch the video of her rescue and the first care she received at the Foundation She was found trapped in fishing nets off the coast of Cesenatico and was immediately taken in by the team at Fondazione Cetacea. We’ll be following every step of Mirtilla’s rehabilitation—all the way up to her release back into the sea.Our second turtle hasn’t arrived yet, but we know it won’t be long, as unfortunately, rescues are all too frequent. Together with our team and our amazing community on social media, we’ll choose the name and follow her entire journey—from the moment she’s rescued to the day she swims free again!In the meantime, we’ll continue to take care of our sea and do everything we can to protect it.Stay tuned and be part of the journey with us! The problems facing our seas – and how we can protect them Here at La Saponaria, we’ve spent a lot of time reflecting on one key question:What are the biggest threats to our seas, and how can we help protect them?We believe there are three main issues where we can all make a difference: 1) Pollution from chemical substances : this includes a wide range of products, especially cosmetics—from face creams and rinse-off products to sunscreens, which can be particularly harmful as they often enter marine environments directly without any filtration.Many ingredients used in non-organic cosmetics have a negative impact on the sea.Take parabens and silicones, for example—they’re non-biodegradable and tend to accumulate in sediments or marine organisms.We know it’s not yet possible to create a truly zero-impact cosmetic, but we’ve always committed to formulating with natural, low-impact ingredients that leave a gentle footprint on the Earth and sea. 2) Waste and plastic pollution : the ocean suffers greatly from plastic pollution. That’s why, over the years, we’ve worked hard to reduce our use of virgin plastic to the bare minimum. Instead, we use recycled plastic, re-bottle plastic (from single-use bottles) and ocean plastic - recovered from the sea, recycled, and given a new life (a beautiful project we’re proud to be part of!)We also use alternative materials like glass, recycled aluminum, and paper, whenever possible. 3) Ghost fishing gear : one of the most dangerous threats to marine ecosystems is abandoned fishing gear, especially ghost nets.These nets—lost or deliberately discarded at sea—continue to trap fish, turtles, marine mammals, and seabirds, causing untold suffering and death. They also contribute to plastic buildup in the oceans, upsetting delicate ecological balances and endangering underwater habitats.That’s why we’ve partnered with Sea Shepherd, an organization we’ve supported for years. We donate soaps to be used aboard their ships, which are out there every day defending oceans and wildlife. Sea Shepherd actively works to recover ghost nets—and now we’re teaming up with Fondazione Cetacea as well! Help us name our second turtle! Our second turtle will be arriving soon—and we need your help to choose the perfect name!Follow us on Facebook and Instagram to vote and stay updated on her journey, as well as Mirtilla’s rehabilitation and release. Seguici sui nostri social per aiutarci a decidere il nome perfetto per la nostra seconda tartaruga e per seguire tutta la sua storia e quella di Mirtilla! Ci trovi su Facebook e su Instagram. You can also visit Fondazione Cetacea in person. If you do, snap a photo of our little turtles and send it to us—we’d love to see them cheered on by so many people! Want to support the Foundation?You can find all the details to make a donation on their website: fondazionecetacea.org