Caring for curly hair is not for the faint of heart – breakage, flakiness, what oil to use, what oil not to use, leave-in conditioner versus deep conditioner. Every curly haired individual knows the gut wrenching anxiety of trying new products; one wrong choice and you’re out $20 and a wash day.
It can be even harder to know what to do when you don’t know what problem to tackle first. Is my frizz natural or a product of my products? Would my hair be curlier if I did this, that, or the other?
A solid first step in figuring out the perfect curl-ution would be deciding whether or not your hair routine has an overload of protein in it. Protein buildup is a common curly condition that is often overlooked!
This isn’t the same type of protein that you’d find in a deli. While our diets can have a hand in our hair health, protein overload can only come from hair products and treatments.
The products us Curlies use can make or break our hair. One of the main proteins added to hair products is keratin, which is a crucial protein that already exists in the structure of any strand of hair. However, an excess amount of this protein can lead to buildup, which is what leaves the hair looking brittle or dry, and could also lead to more breakage. Not to mention, curly hair can be especially prone to protein overload.
That being said, there is hope! While protein can build up and cause problems, there are many steps you can take to prevent any further damage. This makes it easy to reverse with enough patience, time, love, and care.
Here are some steps you can take if you think your hair may have an overload of protein:
- Check your products for ingredients with protein and shelf them! Keratin, hydrolyzed collagen, and silk proteins are the most common proteins used in topical hair products. Continuing to use products with protein will lead to further build-up and potentially becoming more prone to damage.
- Clarifying shampoo can clear up any fog. A clarifying shampoo is one of my holy grail products. If I was stuck on a remote island and I could only bring 3 hair products, I would bring 2 Jessicurl Clarifying Shampoos and the Spiralicious Styling Gel – seriously. Using a clarifying shampoo will help cleanse your scalp of the built-up proteins, oils, and products that a traditional shampoo could only dream of doing. Let your scalp breathe by giving it a proper clean. For more information about how & when to Clarify, read here.
- STOP CONDITIONING YOUR ROOTS!! I’m sorry to yell at you, but seriously! The natural oils produced by your scalp are working overtime to keep you moisturized and layering it on is not helping them. If you feel like your scalp needs a little extra TLC, try the Jessicurl Oil Blend with a scalp massage instead of the smother of your deep conditioner.
- Trimming is winning. Cut that bottom inch off like it’s your evil ex and watch it blossom without the deadweight <3 This is the oldest trick in the book to making your hair look 10x healthier. Maturing is realizing that keeping those split ends doesn’t make your hair look longer, it just makes it look unhealthy ): your hair deserves to live!
- Use protein free products to maintain hair health. Look for brands and products that advertise NO PROTEIN in their stylers, such as Jessicurl! Rockin’ Ringlets Styling Potion, or Gelebration Spray for my fine-curled friends, is a flaxseed styling potion that keeps the structure of the curls without the added protein. Pair that with the previously mentioned Spiralicious Styling Gel and your curls are good to go – bye-bye protein overload!
I hope these 5 tips guide you well on your curly journey!