I decided to go for my curly hair journey since I was addicted to my idol – Taylor Swift’s princess hairstyle. I spent most of my time on maintaining the sufficient moisture and hydration level for it as I was told to do so.
Therefore, I had a positive belief that all my hair care routines were the right things to keep my curls elastic and gorgeous. And one day, I realized they were no longer with me regardless how much effort has been contributed to avoid it being limp or desert-like. That bad curly hair condition tortured me so much as they were lifeless and easily got frizz. Then, I found out that a shortage of protein might be one of the root causes.
I should have realized that it is as important as moisture or hydration. As a result, the protein game is up. And this is why I am here to share with you about my journey of how I could rejuvenate my curls.
WHY IS PROTEIN IMPORTANT FOR CURLY HAIR?
I believe that for all of us who have stepped into the curly journey, the toughest challenge is to balance protein and moisture. Although I was frustrated with my unwanted curl condition at the beginning and overwhelmed by thousands of treatments for curly hair found on the Internet, in time, I have learnt how to listen to my hair’s needs.
First of all, we should pay attention to the suitable moisture level for our curls. Most people think that hydrating our hair as much as possible is essential; it is wrong. Your curls would be over moisturized if you wash or condition them too much, or you sleep with your wet hair too often. Another cause of moisture overload could be using cheap and low quality hair products since they might be full of poor moisturising ingredients. Further, over moisturized hair can be worse if it has not been recognized in time; that condition is called “hygral fatigue”. Your cuticles in this situation are not only limp but also leave the hair shaft awkwardly, which can be imagined that your curls now are neither curly nor straight.
Besides focusing on moisture balance, it is substantial to feed your curls with protein as well. Lack of protein can be caused by many reasons such as damage from heat or chemicals, overstyling, excessive hair-washing, etc. To combat those situations, the only way to save your dry curls is to try your best to restore protein for your hair restructure process. But, how to do so? Let’s see how your curls are when they lack protein.
A fact that you must not forget is your hair is made up of 60 to 95% of keratin; therefore, any hair dull look has mostly come from the significant change of keratin. Keratin can be simply understood as a protective protein since it is not easily prone to be torn. It works amazingly as a shield covering around your hair shaft to ensure your hair to be elastic and healthy. Yet, keratin still can be destroyed by overstyling, heat and chemicals, which leads to protein deficient for your hair. There are some warning signs from your curls when they are suffering the thirst of proteins.
- Poor elasticity: Your curls will be spongy-soft and easily get stretched without returning to its curly state. Your nightmare starts when they become horrably sticky; additionally, a panic has come to a whole new level since they are intertwined mysteriously; therefore, the more you try to comb through, the more hair is shedding.
- Your curls become lifeless and stringy: Your curls will be limp, which decreases the natural volume. Metaphorically, it is like you get sick, and you have no energy to stand up yourself at all; therefore, some people misunderstand the actual situation and think that you should do more exercise. However, where is the source of energy for you to do so? Equally, if your curls are stringy, it does not mean that you need to wash them for a longer time or add more conditioner to spruce them up.
- Mushy and gummy from the touch: This is when your curls are over moisturized due to extreme effort to provide more hydration for protein-poor hair, which restricts your curls to retain sufficient protein for their growth. That is why I mentioned that balance is a golden key for this curly hair game.
- Increase in hair breakage and shedding: There would be many reasons for this issue. It can be caused by your poor diet, stress or external factors such as pollution, smoking or sun exposure, which leads to protein deficiency. Thus, it is difficult for your curls to grow and stay moisturized.
SOURCES OF GOOD PROTEINS FOR CURLY HAIR AND BEST PROTEIN HAIR CARE PRODUCTS FOR CURLY HAIR
There are many different types of proteins such as keratin, collagen, or you can find them in milk, rice, soy, etc; therefore, it is not difficult to look for any protein treatment for your curls. You even can make your own DIY protein treatments as well. It sounds great, right? I have collected some recipes for my curls treatment from my friends and on the Internet. Thanks to technology, I have not spent much money on expensive hair treatments even though my curls seemed not to have any chances to sheen again. My own treatment is made up of eggs, avocados, olive oil and honey, and I normally put this mixture on my hair as a protein mask. I am not sure whether they work for your curls or not, but they did in my case although the outcome was not significant.
Thus, I decided to look for some hair care products specialized for my curly hair. I was surprised at the fact that there are a lot of products for it; you can easily find them in drugstores with affordable prices or high-end brand stores such as L’Occitane, Sachajuan or Briogeo.
As mentioned, due to lack of protein, my curls were limp and easily got frizzy, and I was exhausted to keep them manageable. Thus, the first product I chose for my curl treatment is a Salt & Sulfate Free Shampoo and Conditioner Value Set from Damila. It is described to be formulated by many ingredients that are rich in protein such as sunflower seed oil, aloe vera leaf extract, olive oil and kiwi seed extract, which not only fasten to restore my curls but also prolong protein treatment by smoothing the cuticles and reducing frizziness. Personally, it is always time-wasting for me to choose different brands for shampoo and conditioner since I am not assured whether they cooperate well or not.
Therefore, I was happy to find out this package at an affordable price from the list of the best shampoo for keratin treated hair. The highlights from this product is that both shampoo and conditioner are sulfate-free and enriched with botanical ingredients and natural extracts. This combo product has amazed and delighted me so much. After a few washes, gradually I did not feel the rough from my curls when I touched, and they stayed curvy for a longer time than before when I tried to curl it without heat. I did not know whether I was overreacting or not, but I did feel touched when I could bring my curls back to life finally. Therefore, I highly recommend this combo from Damila for all of you who almost lose hope in saving your curls.
One more option I would like to introduce to you is Moisture Control Shampoo – Degrease from Maple Holistics. As I mentioned above, for restoring sufficient protein for your curls, moisture is also a factor you need to control and keep it balanced. The reason I choose this product is because after my curls were back to normal, I fell for over moisturizing them with a simple idea of not suffering from straw-like hair state again. This product performs perfectly as how its name implies. It removed grease, oil and even dandruff from my scalp incredibly, and the lightweight feeling for your hair was so unforgettable. Moreover, my hair shedding was controlled and decreased slowly as well. The excellence of this shampoo is that it is pregnant-friendly because it is formulated with natural ingredients enhanced by 100% of natural oil.
To cut a long story short, I just want you to keep in mind that there is no special hair treatment or recipes for your curls to stay curly. “Balance” is a keyword for you to learn by heart. Your curls must be balanced in protein and moisture to maintain its elasticity, volume and natural glowing look. Any extreme would lead to unwanted hair conditions as I shared above.
Thus, I hope my sharing is informative and useful for you to deal with your curls when they are not the same as you want. I’d love to hear your thoughts about my post, curly hair or treatments you have done before as well. So,please feel free to hit me up in the comment box below, and I will be back soon!
Author Bio:
My name is Lydia. I am a writer, blogger, and businesswoman that has contributed to many renowned skin care and beauty publications. Every product review and piece of advice or tip shared is a reflection of her authentic and natural approach toward beauty.
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