Question regarding ingredients/chemicals (proteins)

[monsterna]

I am attempting to eliminate protein products from my routine. I have successfully found a shampoo without it, but now I'm taking a look at my conditioner (Hello Hydration) and clarifying shampoo (Giovanni 50:50).

Some of the ingredients are as follows, and what I believe could be a form of protein:

- Glutamic acid (which is apparently a "proteinogenic amino acid")
- Cocos Nucifera Fruit Extract (Coconut)
- Soybean (Glycine Soja) Seed Extract
- Cocamide MEA (apparently derived from the fatty acids from coconut oil and monoethanolamine (MEA))
- Cocamidopropyl Betaine (a synthetic surfactant derived from coconut oil and dimethylaminopropylamine)
- Decyl Glucoside (which is produced by the reaction of glucose from corn starch with the fatty alcohol decanol which is derived from coconut)

I have seen around that, in terms of proteins, I should avoid ingredients to do with soy, coconut, anything amino acid, and a host of other things. A lot of those coconut things listed are derived from it, and I just wanted to know from people who know more than I: should I just scrap these two products if I'm attempting to go protein-free? I am no chemist and have no idea if they might be "protein enough" for me to forego.

Thanks!

[Intransigentia]

I'm not a chemist by any stretch of the imagination, but here are my guesses:

Glutamic acid: just an amino acid, which is a building block of protein, but probably too small a molecule to be of any concern

Cocamide MEA, Cocamidopropyl betaine, Decyl Glucoside - derived from coconut, but if I'm not mistaken these are all surfactants, the cleaning ingredients. They are not proteins and should rinse right out.

Coconut and soybean seed extract - not sure. If it was the actual coconut or soybean (ground and made into a paste, for example), it would be loaded with protein. But an extract, depending on how it was extracted, could contain anything from no protein to lots and lots.

[monsterna]

I'm not a chemist by any stretch of the imagination, but here are my guesses:

Glutamic acid: just an amino acid, which is a building block of protein, but probably too small a molecule to be of any concern

Cocamide MEA, Cocamidopropyl betaine, Decyl Glucoside - derived from coconut, but if I'm not mistaken these are all surfactants, the cleaning ingredients. They are not proteins and should rinse right out.

Coconut and soybean seed extract - not sure. If it was the actual coconut or soybean (ground and made into a paste, for example), it would be loaded with protein. But an extract, depending on how it was extracted, could contain anything from no protein to lots and lots.

Yeah, I found a clarifying shampoo called curls pure curls clarifying shampoo and it had a couple of those "coconut derived" ingredients in it, but still listed itself as protein-free. So thank you for that! :)

Anyone else maybe have something else to add?

[Kaijah]

Actually, the glutamic acid is an amino acid that acts mostly as a humectant, but it IS part of protein. It will act like protein on hair. (It's the result of hydrolized protein - a chemical process that breaks down protein into the smaller, more water soluble parts so they more easily mix into formulations and absorb into hair - resulting in polypeptides or the amino acids themselves.) Sometimes manufacturers will add lots of different amino acids into a product, and just label that "protein" instead of listing them all.

Intransigentia is right on the other things - just surfactants, and the "extracts" are pretty ambiguous. Could be the oil, could be the milk.

I just wanted to mention, since you seem to be avoiding things that are coconut based, that coconut oil does not have protein. It's pure fat. :) It does prevent protein loss, but that's a good thing - that means it helps lessen damage to your hair (from hydral fatigue, combing, general friction, etc.).

Coconut milk and meat both have protein, though.

On labels, hydrolized anything is definitely protein, but it's usually going to be collagen, keratin, wheat, soy, silk, rice, oat, or milk.

So it would probably just read "hydrolized soy" on a label, but it might also read "Cocodimonium hydroxypropyl hydrolyzed soy protein or maybe "soy milk extract."

[monsterna]

Thanks a lot, that's really helpful! :)