Leah LOVES hair. So much so, she dedicated an entire website to it! One of the founders of Hair Everyday and Chief Editor, Leah enjoys reviewing all the hair products and showcasing the best. She believes her most underrated articles are her hair care tips!
In my article below you can find out Why You Need Protein-Free Conditioners for Curly Hair and learn how protein effects low porosity hair.
Did you know that when you pick a conditioner for your curly hair, you cannot just pick any random one and that you actually need to check its ingredients?
Yes, you need to check whether it is a protein-based conditioner or a moisturizing conditioner.
But why, you may ask? Well, both these conditioners serve different purposes and therefore, when you choose a conditioner for your curls, you should first know what your hair needs – is it protein deficient or moisture deficient, and then buy the right conditioner based on your hair’s necessity.
Most people do not realize that over-feeding your hair with protein can cause severe damage to your locs, as it will lead to a condition called “protein overload” that can lead to making your hair stiff and straw-like.
Thus, make sure that your hair always has the right protein-moisture balance for the ultimate healthy hair experience.
Therefore, this article will tell you everything about why you need protein-free conditioners for curly hair!
What Is a Protein Free Conditioner?
Protein-free conditioners are those that give the hair sufficient moisturization while conditioning it without over-feeding the hair with too much protein.
Conditioners that do not contain protein-rich ingredients like hydrolyzed oats, soy, rice, peptides, keratin, hydrolyzed collagen, amino acids, hydrolyzed wheat, hydrolyzed silk etc., are those that are protein-free and are safe to use on hair that is protein overloaded.
Why You Need Protein-Free Conditioners for Curly Hair
Using a conditioner that contains protein based ingredients is not a bad thing. Protein does have a lot of benefits for curly hair. But in case your hair already has protein overload, then it is advisable not to use a conditioner that contains protein.
But, you may be wondering – how do I know if my hair has too much protein? Well, you can just do a simple test on your hair.
Here’s what you can do:
Take a few strands of your hair and hold it at one end and begin to stretch it out a little and then let go. If your hair stretches without snapping back, then it means that your hair has sufficient moisture and protein balance.
But, if your hair doesn’t stretch properly and breaks in between while you’re stretching it, it means that your hair has an overload of protein.
Thus, you will thereafter only need to use a moisturizing conditioner that contains no protein, to be able to restore the hair’s moisture-protein balance.
Advantages of Using Protein on Curly Hair
Our hair is always exposed and thus can succumb to a lot of day-to-day damage, which can result in the loss of protein from the hair strands and thus, that protein-loss needs to be replaced. This lack of protein can weaken our hair strands and therefore, we need to use protein treatments to “fill” the protein back into the hair.
How much protein you need to treat your hair with will be based on how weak/damaged your hair is (has it been through chemical treatments, heat styling etc.).
Protein overload https://t.co/Ev9YJ6aMrc pic.twitter.com/2ztYcM4tXg
— Natural Hair Queen (@NatHairQueen) November 21, 2021
Here are some of the main advantages of protein for curly hair:
· It can help protect the hair against everyday sun damage.
· Can help seal split ends and reduce frizziness.
· It can help promote better hair follicle strength.
· Can help increase hair shine.
· Helps repair the hair from within.
- Related: Best Protein Free Deep Conditioner For Curly Hair
- Related: What Are The Best Shampoos For Low Porosity Curly Hair
- Related: Best Microfiber Towel For Curly Hair
Does My Curly Hair Need More Protein or Moisture
Like I said before, our hair needs a balance of moisture and protein to be able to say that your hair is “healthy”. But, it is essential that the balance is always maintained, failing which, it can lead to hair damage. So, let me break this down for you guys. Let’s first talk about protein vs. moisture.
Our hair is basically made up of protein (which is called keratin) and this protein helps strengthen our hair and repair our hair strands as and when they get damaged.
But, when our hair gets damaged due to reasons like chemical hair treatments (like coloring, bleaching etc.), hair styling with heat, etc., it can break down the protein bonds in the hair and the protein levels get depleted.
On the other hand, when our hair contains moisture, it keeps the hair hydrated and improves the elasticity of our hair, thus reducing frizz and breakage etc.
So now, whether your hair needs more protein or moisture, will all depend on your hair type and texture. Is it highly porous, normal or has low porosity? Does your hair have high or low elasticity?
Well, the best way to find out whether your hair requires to be fed with protein or moisture is by observing the characteristics of your hair.
Characteristics of moisture overloaded hair:
· Your curls will not have any definition and shape.
· Your hair feels weighed down.
· Your hair will be soft and feel smooth.
· It has good elasticity.
Characteristics of protein overloaded hair:
· Your hair will feel stiff and straw-like.
· It will be very rough and coarse when you touch your hair.
· Your hair will look dull and will stand flat and limp.
· It breaks easily due to lack of elasticity.
After you’ve observed the characteristics of your hair, you can then tell whether your hair needs more protein or moisture and accordingly give your hair the required treatment.
Best Protein Free Conditioners for Curly Hair
In this section, I’ve reviewed four of my top favourite protein-free conditioners that I have used on my curly hair in the past.
1. Jessicurl Deep Conditioning Treatment
Price: $18.85
Main Ingredients: Shea butter, cocoa butter, aloe vera
This product worked really well on my curls and really restored my curls back to life. My hair prior to using this deep conditioner, was heavily protein overloaded and I had experienced hair breakage, while also my curls had lost their shape.
Within just a couple of weeks of using this deep conditioner, I noticed the changes in my hair. My curls began to look more defined, while the hair breakage reduced considerably.
Also, this product is a leave-in conditioner and doesn’t have to be rinsed off after application. It is also completely free from chemicals like silicones and sulfates. Overall, I found this conditioner slightly priced high, but worth the amount, for the results I got.
2. Mielle Hydrating Protein-Free Conditioner
Price: $8.67
Main Ingredients: Shea butter, avocado oil, olive oil, sweet almond oil
This product is a post-shampoo conditioner and I’ve been using it for over two months now. I can really say that this protein-free conditioner worked wonders for my curls. So I had previously bleached my hair and thereafter had colored it. This really damaged my hair to a great extent and made my hair super dry.
What I really liked is that this conditioner made my hair very soft and smooth and it didn’t leave any sort of greasy residue, as it washes off very easily.
I found that this conditioner saved my hair from protein overload and gave my hair just the right amount of moisture it needed to fix my problem. Overall, I found this conditioner reasonably priced.
3. Shea Moisture Low Porosity Hydrating Conditioner
Price: $23.99
Main Ingredients: Shea moisture, spearmint extract, baobab oil, tea tree oil
I bought this conditioner along with its shampoo to go along with it, as it came as a set. Well, I can definitely say that I noticed the results after just using it for a little over a month.
My low porosity curly hair used to lack moisture and my hair had excess protein in it. Within just a couple of weeks of using this shampoo-conditioner set, I noticed that my hair had become moisturized and much softer than before. I also experienced lesser hair breakage than earlier.
Also, this product is paraben free and isn’t harsh on the hair. It also helps reduce frizziness to a large extent. But overall, I felt that it is slightly on the expensive side.
4. Obia Naturals Deep Conditioner
Price: $14.39
Main Ingredients: Babassu oil, avocado oil, pro-vitamin B5
I use this product as a deep conditioning mask, wherein I apply it and leave it on for around 30 minutes before I shampoo my hair.
My curly hair used to be super tangled and unmanageable prior to using this deep conditioner. Within two weeks of using this product, I noticed such good results. My hair had become softer, less frizzy and way more manageable than earlier. There were hardly any flyaways as well.
I also noticed that my hair felt well hydrated and the dryness reduced considerably. My curls started gaining shape over the weeks and within a month, my curls gained back their definition.
This product doesn’t contain any petrolatum, sulfates, silicones, mineral oils or sulfates and is completely safe for the hair.
The Final Takeaway
Protein-free conditioners are those that can help moisturize the hair without overloading it with excess protein.
These conditioners need to be only used when the hair has a protein overload and can be stopped once the protein-moisture balance is restored. Apart from this, protein is actually advantageous to the hair and can benefit the hair in many ways and needs to be a part of your regular hair care routine.
From time to time, you can simply do a hair strand test and see whether your hair requires protein or moisture and thereafter use the right conditioner on your hair to be able to experience healthy hair to the maximum!
Also Read:
Aunt Jackie’s Quench Leave In Conditioner Review
Ouidad Climate Control Featherlight Styling Cream Review
Devacurl Ultra Defining Gel Review
Shea Moisture Curl and Shine Shampoo for Curly Hair Review
To Summarize
