Heating assembly for an aerosol generating system

An aerosol-generating smoking device, comprising:

• a heater configured to heat an aerosol-forming substrate, the heater comprising an electrically resistive heating element and a heater substrate,
• wherein the electrically resistive heating element comprises a first portion formed from a first material and a second portion formed from a second material different than the first material, configured such that, when an electrical current is passed through the electrically resistive heating element, the first portion is heated to a higher temperature than the second portion as a result of the electrical current, and
• wherein the heater substrate is electrically insulating and defines the shape of the heater.