best protein treatments for fine med porosity hair?

[sweet&sourkiwi]

Hello again all! It's been awhile. :) But...I think I've cut out protein for waaaaay too long and I need to make my way back! Just did a big clarify and moisture treatment to virtually no effect...

I've been researching past threads on protein, but thought I'd ask: what's a good protein treatment for a fine-haired gal living in a bone-dry place? I think I'll avoid plant proteins since they are humectant...and humectants here suck the moisture back OUT.

Leaning towards silk or keratin, and would like to avoid mineral oil (and again, humectants). I generally prefer to use silicones as a serum vs. in the conditioner but this may have to be a special case if that's not an option.

Also...what's a good upkeep protein conditioner for regular use/maintenance? Thanks in advance everyone!

[Nique1202]

There are shampoos that have protein in them, both with and without sulfates depending on what you prefer. Not much stays behind after each wash, but I've found it's enough for my hair without having to clarify too often.

[ko6kin]

Hello again all! It's been awhile. :) But...I think I've cut out protein for waaaaay too long and I need to make my way back! Just did a big clarify and moisture treatment to virtually no effect...

I've been researching past threads on protein, but thought I'd ask: what's a good protein treatment for a fine-haired gal living in a bone-dry place? I think I'll avoid plant proteins since they are humectant...and humectants here suck the moisture back OUT.

Leaning towards silk or keratin, and would like to avoid mineral oil (and again, humectants). I generally prefer to use silicones as a serum vs. in the conditioner but this may have to be a special case if that's not an option.

Also...what's a good upkeep protein conditioner for regular use/maintenance? Thanks in advance everyone!

Where did you read that proteins are suck water out? Proteins are film-formers and as far as i know they are protect against loosing water.

[lapushka]

I'm puzzled about the difference between vegetable protein and other proteins as well. :hmm:

[sweet&sourkiwi]

Where did you read that proteins are suck water out? Proteins are film-formers and as far as i know they are protect against loosing water.

Hmmm, I may have misunderstood this. I'm now looking at http://science-yhairblog.blogspot.com/2014/07/film-forming-humectants-what-they-are.html. Humectants have been hell-on-hair for me, but maybe in this form they would work?

[sweet&sourkiwi]

There are shampoos that have protein in them, both with and without sulfates depending on what you prefer. Not much stays behind after each wash, but I've found it's enough for my hair without having to clarify too often.

Thanks, that's good to know!

[ko6kin]

Yep, great blog and from that same blog see there are humectants and humectants- for instance glycerin is a different kind of humectant- and it MIGHT-(but somewhere, no link sorry, i've read that this is a myth)draw water out.
Humectants might draw water out, but only if used in large amount and alone, without an occlusive ingredients. The occlusives are barrier ingredients as they create a barrier for example butters are great barrier ingredients. i think loads of hair care products include some sort of occlusives along with humectants.
Maybe you need to try different kind of proteins? Have you tried rice protein?

[sweet&sourkiwi]

Yep, great blog and from that same blog see there are humectants and humectants- for instance glycerin is a different kind of humectant- and it MIGHT-(but somewhere, no link sorry, i've read that this is a myth)draw water out.
Humectants might draw water out, but only if used in large amount and alone, without an occlusive ingredients. The occlusives are barrier ingredients as they create a barrier for example butters are great barrier ingredients. i think loads of hair care products include some sort of occlusives along with humectants.
Maybe you need to try different kind of proteins? Have you tried rice protein?

I would love to know if it's a myth! I've been avoiding humectants, at least higher up on the ingredient label. I've found "high humectant" products like Fructis Triple Nooch dried me out...but it might not have been the humectant that was the actual problem. There are so many ingredients in things! I'm starting to wonder if it was more protein avoidance doing me in becaaaaaaaaause

I did the Hask Strengthening treatment from Sally Beauty supply (couple bucks for a packet that appears to have 4 uses in it for my admittedly not very long hair). It's got a nice mix of proteins in a cone-free, oily package but the proteins are lower down on the ingredient list, so it's not a hard-hitter. I wouldn't say it was a miracle transformation but it's made a big difference! This package did not have rice protein, but it does have soy, keratin, silk and collagen.

I didn't go into full treatment mode, just left it under a shower cap in the shower for 10m. And I didn't follow with a moisture treatment because I wanted to do one thing at a time. But dayum. My hair went from cotton candy grabby fluff to strong, straight, swingy HAIR. With enough weight not to float away. It feels a lot stronger. It also feels a lot straighter, but YMMV.

I think I have been depriving my fine hair of the protein it needs for too long! I'm glad I started small and didn't go straight to Aphoghee or another hard-hitting protein...this gave me the feedback I need to know that proteins are positive for me for now! :D

[ko6kin]

sweet&sourkiwi, happy for you and your hair, great that you've found what your hair was missing!
Also proteins like heat treatment with them, this way they "stick" better to hair