I’m a big fan of glass headlights because they always stay clear and never haze up. Unfortunately, there are a lot of cars with plastic headlight lenses that turn yellow and haze up over time as the protective coat wears off.
Of course, you can always change the plastic lenses of your headlights for new ones, but that costs a lot of money and labor. However, there are cheaper alternatives called headlight sealants.
Now, because I’ve battled with my car’s plastic headlights in the past, I’ve made a list of the five best headlight sealants on the market right now.
Related: The Best Paint Sealant for Black Cars
The 5 Best Headlight Sealants
 Advertising | Best Overall Meguiar's G17804 Keep Clear |
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 Advertising | Best Value 3M Headlight Lens Restoration System |
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 Advertising | 2 in 1 Turtle Wax T-43 |
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 Advertising | Blue Magic 730-6 |
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 Advertising | Formula 1 Headlight Restorer & Sealant |
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Meguiar’s G17804 Keep Clear Headlight Coating – Best Overall
Meguiar’s is one of the biggest names in the car detailing industry for consistently making excellent quality car care products and rather unsurprisingly, the Meguiar’s G17804 is yet another great product.
The Keep Clear Headlight Coating comes in an aerosol can and is very easy to apply. It’s good for both newly restored headlights (that you’d want to keep from hazing), and new headlights.
The manufacturer claims that it provides UV protection and maintains the clarity of your new or restored headlights for up to a year, which is very good for a headlight sealant at such a low price.
Keep in mind that this is a headlight sealant, not a restore kit. You should apply this headlight coating only after you’re done restoring the old hazy headlights as it does not remove haze or discoloration. If you need a restore kit first, I’d strongly recommend the Meguiar’s G2970 Two Step Headlight Restore Kit because it comes with the same exact headlight sealant and it costs only a few dollars more.
• Maintains clarity for both new and restored headlights
• Unique durable formula
• Lasts up to a year
• Protects from UV rays
3M Headlight Lens Restoration System + Quick Headlight Clear Coat – Best Value
3M is another well-established brand and has been the number one choice for newbies and auto enthusiasts around the globe. I’ve used this kit many times to keep my headlights clear and it’s definitely one of my favorites.
This headlight sealant kit comes in the form of wipes, which make it extremely easy to apply. Another benefit of this kit is that it comes with a P3000 grit Trizact disc which could be used to lightly clean the surface and to allow proper adhesion of the headlight sealant, giving your headlights long-lasting protection.
Now, the included abrasive P3000 grit Trizact disc is only for light cleaning of the surface in order to give the headlight clear coat the best adhesion to the surface possible, not for restoring your headlights. If your headlights are dull and/or pitted, you’ll have to use a restoring kit to make them clear, and only then should you use the clear coat.
Just a tip before you move to the product above: make sure you have a pair of disposable nitrile gloves to protect your hands from touching the clear coat, as it’s extremely oily and difficult to wash.
• Comes with a P3000 grit Trizact disc
• Extremely easy to apply
• Forms a hard UV resistant coating
• Can be used on both new and restored headlights
Turtle Wax T-43 (2-in-1) Headlight Cleaner and Sealant
If your headlights are lightly or mildly oxidized this is the right product for you. Turtle Wax T-43 is a 2-in-1 liquid solution that should not only protect your headlights from oxidation and UV rays but also restore your headlight lenses to a new-like condition.
The T-43 contains special rubbing compounds that improve clarity by polishing and restoring the surface of the headlight. As the product also contains OEM acrylics, your car’s headlights are kept protected from future yellowing and oxidation; all without needing sanding or additional wipes.
The product needs to be reapplied at regular intervals to ensure optimal protection.
• Contains OEM acrylic resins that help prevent oxidation and cloudiness
• Designed for both new and restored headlights
• Works on plexiglass, plastic windows and other types of see-through plastic
• Compatible with other headlight restoration products
Blue Magic 730-6 Headlight Lens Sealer
It’s one of those products that are really simple and straightforward – it does what it’s supposed to and excels at it, while also being affordable. Blue Magic, a well-known car care company, made the product compatible with both new and restored headlight lenses.
When applied at regular intervals, the 730-6 Headlight Lens Sealer keeps the lens clear, provides great protection against UV rays, actively prevents yellowing and hazing, and keeps outside elements away.
• Seals the headlight from dirt and grime
• Effectively prevent yellowing and hazing
• Works on both new and restored headlights
Formula 1 Headlight Restorer and Sealant
Similar to the Turtle Wax T-43, the Formula 1 Headlight Restorer and Sealant is an all-in-one product that is sure to restore your headlights back to new-like clarity and keep them that way for a long time.
The Formula 1 Headlight Restorer and Sealant prides itself on being gentle enough to not damage the headlight surface, which would make the headlight more vulnerable, yet coarse enough to clean the haze that has accumulated on the surface of the headlight. All of that, while also providing lasting protection against yellowing, hazing, dirt, and grime makes this product an excellent choice.
Formula 1 also recommends using this restorer and sealant on brake lights, motorcycle windscreens, boat windows, and even helmets.
• Provides protection against weathering, oxidation, UV rays, dirt, oil, and grime
• Can also be used on brake lights, hazard lights, motorcycle helmets, and boat windows
Best Headlight Sealant Buying Guide & FAQ
What Is a Headlight Sealant?
A headlight sealant is designed to protect new or restored headlights from the outside elements, increasing its clarity and preventing headlight yellowing and oxidation.
Headlight sealants come in various forms: aerosol spray, liquid, paste, and car wipe.
Why Do Headlights Haze Up and Turn Yellow?
Car headlights are coated with a special protective clear coating, that is designed to protect from oxidation, UV rays, and other external elements. Once the protective coating is compromised and is no longer capable to protect the headlight – oxidation of the plastic surface takes place, thus turning the headlight yellow and hazy.
Car headlights are very exposed to harmful external elements by being located right at the front of the car. Road salts, rocks, car wash brushes, acid, heat, and intense UV rays from the sun are constantly wearing the protective headlight coating off.
Will a Headlight Sealant Restore Headlight Haze and Oxidation?
It depends on the kit itself. Some sealants are designed only for the protection of already restored headlights and will not remove the discoloration and haze itself. This type of car headlight sealant lasts the longest without the need to be reapplied, meaning at least a year before the coat starts wearing off.
Some headlight sealants are similar to car polish and contain some abrasive particles inside, meaning that it could be used to remove the oxidized surface layer of the headlight, while also providing protection from the outside elements. They are very versatile and cost-effective, however, in most cases, they don’t last as long and need to be reapplied regularly a few times a year.
However, if your car’s headlights are heavily oxidized, an all-in-one headlight sealant that also polishes the headlight might not be enough. In this case, a headlight restoration kit is the right product for you as it comes with various types of grit sandpaper, polishing compound, and the sealant itself.
How Often Should I Use a Headlight Sealant?
It all depends on a lot of factors, like the sealant that you’re using and the condition that your car’s headlights are exposed to on a daily basis. Driving on salted roads, gravel pathways, using automatic car washes and long exposure to sunlight decreases the life of your headlight’s protective coating.
In most cases, following the manufacturer’s interval of reapplication should be enough, but for best results, you should regularly check if the protective coating on your headlight isn’t peeling off.
What to Look for When Buying a Headlight Sealant?
Versatility
Some headlight sealants are not limited to only providing a protective coating as they can be used as a light polishing compound. If your headlights are lightly or mildly oxidized, a 2-in-1 headlight sealant would be best as it gives you the ability to restore your headlights and protect them from oxidation at the same time.
Level of Protection
Car headlights have a rough life and get exposed to salt, abrasives, rocks, acid, heat, and UV rays. The product you chose should provide protection from these outside elements. Another thing to note is that a sealant that hardens over time will provide more protection than a sealant that forms an oily film.
Cost-Performance Ratio
Cost does not directly correlate to performance in some cases as there are great products for cheap, that give great results. The performance of a headlight sealant largely depends on the ingredients used and should be the main factor when picking out the best-performing product.
Eddie is the co-founder of CarCareCamp.com, and the site’s primary contributor.
Under his belt, Eddie has a bachelor’s degree in Automotive Electronics Engineering and almost a decade of experience working as a semi-truck technician (specializing in electrics).
