In 1568, the conquistador Bernal Díaz del Castillo wrote about a bread made of "a kind of mud or slime collected from the surface of the lake." He said it tasted like cheese. What he was describing was tecuitlatl, spirulina skimmed from Lake Texcoco and pressed into cakes, and it was food long before it was a line on a hair product label.

It turns up on the back of a spray can now. IGK Good Behavior is the brand's smoothing range, and spirulina protein and coconut oil are the two ingredients it puts at the center. IGK is run by four stylists: Aaron Grenia, Franck Izquierdo, Leo Izquierdo and Chase Kusero, and the name comes from the initials of their last names. They spent about eight years running salons, starting at the Shore Club in Miami Beach, before they made a product line. That explains the tone. These are things built by people who stand behind a chair and need a blow dry to work on the fourth client of the day.

I like the honesty of a brand that started on the salon floor. IGK Good Behavior is the brand's smoothing range, and the flagship is the 4-in-1 Prep Spray, which the brand says detangles, protects from heat, controls frizz and adds shine. It goes on damp hair, before your styler.

The trick is to choose by how you dry. The Good Behavior 4-in-1 Heat Protection Blow Dry Prep Spray is the one for a proper blowout, and the Spirulina Protein Anti-Frizz Smoothing Spray is the one for humid days when you want to finish smooth. RICH KID Coconut Oil Air-Dry Styling Cream is for people who skip the dryer, and Antisocial, a leave-in dry hair mask, is the weekly one for lengths that feel rough.

A heat protectant that pools on one section protects that section only, so spray it on damp hair, not wet, and comb it through. The American Academy of Dermatology also says to use low to medium heat, which I treat as the real advice and the spray as insurance.

Moroccanoil's Perfect Defense is a weightless protectant, the one I would hand to someone with fine hair who hates that coated feeling. Drybar's Hot Toddy is a mist, which suits a quick style. Paul Mitchell's Hot Off The Press is the salon staple in this set, and Mizani's Heat Screen is the one from the textured-hair side of the shelf. Kenra's Blow-Dry Spray is aimed at frizz control.

BondiBoost brings aloe and rosemary into its thermal protectant, Mane's Temp Check is for frizz, and PATTERN by Tracee Ellis Ross keeps its Heat Protectant simple. Heat protection is not one-size-fits-all, so read the label for your hair type and your tool.

A pairing I like: a heat protectant in the morning blow dry, and a leave-in mask like Antisocial once a week after a wash.

What I would skip: a heavy protectant on very fine hair on the day you want volume. Choose a mist, not a cream.

Wet hair is at its most fragile, and a snarl meeting a round brush is how you end up with a hairbrush full of hair. Detangle in the shower or right after it, before you pick up the brush.

Briogeo's Be Gentle, Be Kind Aloe + Oat Milk Detangler is the gentle-sounding one, with aloe and oat milk in the name. Drybar's Lil' Lemon Drop is the daily bottle for a small bag. UNOVE's Detangling Heat Protection Spray for Damaged Hair does two steps in one, and Cair by La Bonne Brosse's Detangling Spray is the luxury pick, which I would buy as a gift.

Bumble and bumble has two. Heat Shield Blow Dry Accelerator Spray is for people who want to get out of the house, and the Hairdresser's Invisible Oil Heat Protectant Leave In Conditioner is the softer one. OUAI's St. Barts Conditioning spray and Kenra's Pearl Detangler round it out, and both are leave-in conditioners in spirit.

Layer in that order: detangler first, the prep spray second, then the styler. Three light layers do more than one heavy one.

What I would skip: detangling on the ends first and working up. Begin at the tips, work up, and you will stop pulling the same knot down the whole length.

Hands are the enemy of a smooth air dry, because every touch breaks the clump and raises the frizz. Apply a styling cream to soaking wet hair, scrunch once, and leave it alone until it is dry.

Crown Affair's The Smoothing Air Dry Cream is the polished one, and RŌZ's Evergreen Hair Styling Cream is its more casual counterpart. JVN's Complete Hydrating Air Dry Cream leads with moisture. Living Proof's StyleLab Air-Dry cream and Emi Jay's Angel Hold are the two to try if you want a cream with a bit more staying power.

Messy by Alli Webb's Rough Dry Styling Cream is aimed at dry, frizzy hair, Gisou's Honey Milk is a 5-in-1, and Mizani's Press Agent is the one to reach for if you also blow dry. These are the creams that do what RICH KID does in the first grid, and if you like that coconut oil cream, it is a fair benchmark.

Put a prep spray on damp hair, a cream on top, and a diffuser on low for ten minutes. You get a finish that is smoother than air alone without the full blowout.

What I would skip: layering a rich cream over hair you washed with a heavy conditioner. You will end up with limp roots and a sense of regret.

Is IGK Good Behavior a heat protectant? Yes. IGK lists 450°F heat protection on both the Good Behavior 4-in-1 Prep Spray and the Spirulina Protein Smoothing Spray, and says the Smoothing Spray means you do not need a separate heat protectant. The rest of the line, like RICH KID, is not sold on that promise, so check each label.

 

Can you use IGK Good Behavior on dry hair? It depends which one you hold. IGK says the 4-in-1 Prep Spray goes on damp, clean hair before your styler, and its own team told a Target shopper it is not recommended for dry hair. The Smoothing Spray is meant for damp hair too, though IGK says you can mist it over dry hair before heat styling for extra sleekness.

 

What is the difference between the 4-in-1 Prep Spray and the Smoothing Spray? The 4-in-1 Prep Spray is the first step: IGK says it detangles, protects against heat, controls frizz and adds shine before your styler. The Smoothing Spray is a heat-activated blowout spray that IGK says mimics a keratin treatment, so it needs a blow dryer or diffuser to work. IGK suggests using them together for a longer-lasting blowout.

 

How do I use the 4-in-1 Prep Spray? Apply it evenly to damp, clean hair before your styler, comb through, then blow dry or style as you like. IGK says it is safe for all hair types, including colored and chemically treated hair.

Good Behavior is best understood as salon logic in a can. The four founders spent years running chairs before they made a bottle, and the 4-in-1 Prep Spray is exactly what you want when someone is waiting for a mirror.

So I would start there, add RICH KID if you air dry, and only then branch out to other brands. Keep the heat low, comb it through, and do not skip the damp-hair step. I like a brand that tells you where to begin, and this one does. Bernal Díaz thought it was mud. Your hair will think it is a good day.