Why Your Relaxed Hair REALLY Needs a Protein Treatment
Check out our recommended at-home treatments for you.
You’re back from the salon with your freshly relaxed hair and it feels like a bad hair day is a thing of the past now. Your hair is sleek as ever with your fingers gliding from roots to tips with no restraints and not a single sight of frizz at hand. If only this could last forever, right?
We don’t know about forever but we do know that protein treatments for relaxed hair are magical and can help keep your hair in check for a little longer.
Why Use Protein Treatments for Relaxed Hair?
Your hair is mainly made of protein components and when you go in for a hair relaxing treatment these protein bonds in your strands are broken down along with curls and frizz, thus resulting in straight or ‘relaxed’ hair. So while smooth and sleek hair looks great, in the long term, this treatment may cause more damage to your hair, making it brittle and dry. That’s why it is important to replenish your hair’s protein elements from time to time to keep it healthy.
How Often Should I Use Protein Treatments on Relaxed Hair?
Too little protein and your hair can turn dry and damaged, too much protein, however, can lead to hair breakage. While there are no hard and fast rules on how often you should apply protein treatments on relaxed tresses, examining your hair might help you find the magical number. If you have highly porous hair, then you should be applying protein treatments more often. If you feel like your hair is generally healthy, a deep protein treatment every 4-6 weeks is recommended.
Protein Treatments for Relaxed Hair at Home
Taking care of your relaxed hair with protein treatments doesn’t have to be a daunting task. We’ve scoured through many treatments to bring you the best hair care products you can apply at home while you watch your favorite Netflix series and chill.
1. TRESemmé Keratin Smooth Treatment Mask
TRESemmé has become a household name when we talk about keratin. We could go on and on about the vast array of incredible products they offer. If relaxed hair is your concern, then TRESemmé’s Keratin Deep Smoothing Mask will definitely work wonders. It is specially formulated using Keratin and Marula oil to restore your hair’s health, shine, and softness, letting your hair stay healthy for longer.
2. VitaKeratin Deep Repair Hair Mask
You came out of the salon looking like a million bucks with your relaxed hair, you have to maintain that salon-like feeling.
VitaKeratin Deep Repair Hair Mask is a treatment that will give you salon-like results. It does not only repair your hair but also strengthens and nourishes each strand with ingredients like vitamin E, keratin, and argan oil.
3. Cream Silk Triple Keratin Rescue Ultimate Straight Ultra Treatment Wrap
How can we talk about protein treatments and not include Cream Silk on our list? Cream Silk’s Keratin treatments are known to be a game-changer in the industry. A lot of reviews have claimed to see dramatic differences in their hair in just one use.
Use the Cream Silk Triple Keratin Rescue Ultimate Straight Ultra Treatment Wrap on damp, freshly shampooed hair and put your hair in a bun. Peel off the sticker to hold everything in place, and relax for the next 20 minutes. Remove the foil, massage the treatment onto your scalp, and rinse. Your hair will thank you for it!
4. Dove Keratin Repair 1 Minute Serum Conditioner
Need a quick pick-me-up for your hair but you’re running short on time? Dove Keratin Repair 1 Minute Serum Conditioner will nourish your hair without weighing it down. Formulated with Keratin Repair Actives, its quick-absorbing nourishment goes deep into the hair, leaving it feeling soft, smooth, and damage-free in just 1 minute.
5. Dove Amino Restore 1 Minute Serum Conditioner
The Dove Amino Restore 1 Minute Serum Conditioner is one of the best protein treatments for relaxed hair. The serum range by Dove is potent and powerful because it has amino-infused serum capsules that go deep within your hair to nourish it. Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins. And did we mention that it only takes 1 minute to see the results?
DIY Protein Treatments for Relaxed Hair
Protein treatments for relaxed hair don’t have to come at a price. There are homemade protein treatments for relaxed hair too! We’ve scoured the web for these tried and tested at-home treatments. Most of the ingredients are probably already available in your pantry so there’s no excuse for not taking care of your precious mane.
1. Egg White Treatment
You’ve probably heard from your nutritionist how egg whites have a great amount of protein in them. But not only are they good for your muscles, but they also serve as a great protein treatment for relaxed hair.
How to: Use the egg white of 1 egg and beat until frothy. Apply evenly to hair & scalp and cover with a warm towel or shower cap. Leave it on for 20 minutes before rinsing it off. Repeat after 2 weeks.
Tip: Rinse off the egg white with warm or cold water. Using extremely hot water might cause the egg to fry on your head (eeks!)
2. Coconut Milk Hair Mask
Your lola probably told you to apply “gata” on your hair when you were younger. Just when we thought it was just another old wives’ tale, coconut milk is actually a rich source of protein and is packed with saturated fatty acids and vitamins. It conditions your hair while filing in the damaged protein spots caused by the hair relaxing treatment.
How to: Heat 3 tablespoons of coconut milk on low flame for a minute or until it’s warm. Apply to hair and scalp and cover with a shower cap. You can leave the treatment overnight or for a minimum of two hours. Then, shampoo and condition your hair. Repeat twice a week.
Tip: Be careful while boiling the coconut milk as it may scald your hands and head.
3. Avocado – Aloe Vera Hair Mask
Avos may be a hit amongst the millennials today but it has been a favorite in the beauty industry for the longest time. In this hair mask, we combine the protein and fatty acids of avocadoes and the anti-inflammatory properties of aloe vera to give you healthy and strong hair. Breakage caused
How to: Mash up half an avocado with 1-2 tbsps of aloe vera gel and massage into clean, damp hair. Let it sit for 15 minutes before rinsing. Do this every 2 weeks.
So, Do You Actually Need Protein Treatments for Relaxed Hair?
Having beautiful hair doesn’t have to end in the salon. After getting your hair relaxed, it is important that you take care of it so that results not only last longer but also prevent further hair damage. We did the work and listed out some of the best protein treatments for relaxed hair for you. Try them out and see the difference for yourself.
