How Protein & Moisture Affects Curl Retention

Have you ever experienced protein or moisture imbalance? ⤵️ It's not as complicated as you may think and can be simple to fix. They can both affect your curl retention (bounce).

🔹PROTEIN OVERLOAD🔹
❌ How it happens?
- Using products very strong in protein when not needed, like if your hair is healthy, low-porosity, or coarse textured
- Doing too many protein treatments
- Using protein-heavy products multiple wash days in a row

Signs?
Brittle, stiff, frizzy, lack of shine, and weighed down making it appear more limp

✅ How to fix it?
Clarify
Deep condition with a protein-free mask
Use stylers without protein. Repeat for a few wash days until hair is restored.

🔹LACK OF MOISTURE🔹
❌ How it happens?
- Never deep conditioning if your hair is dry
- Skipping leave-in and/or curl cream
- Using gels and mousses that don't have enough moisturizing ingredients

Signs?
Brittle, stiff, lack of shine, frizzy, and hair falls limp by the end of the day or day 2

✅ How to fix it?
Clarify
Deep condition
Use stylers with moisture like curl cream and liquidy gels.

🔹MOISTURE OVERLOAD🔹
❌ How it happens?
- Never incorporating products with some protein
- Air drying for long periods of time or sleeping in wet hair
- Styling soaking wet and not scrunching out excess water before drying
- Using heavy products such as butters

Signs?
Limp, heavy curls, lack of bounce, mushy feeling, always feels damp after "dried"

✅ How to fix it?
Clarify
Use a lightweight conditioner & rinse it out thoroughly
Use lightweight stylers
Be sure to scrunch out excess water and diffuse

PRODUCTS:

[gabrielagomez]

I had no idea lack of moisture led to curls falling by day 2! I have always gotten really nice curls by day one but my hair would fall flat by the next day and I just thought I had weak curls. THANK YOU!! I also started clarifying and using a hair mask essentially every time I wash my hair and it really did make a difference, my curls are more defined and last longer!

[sallyelphick]

Thank you so much for sharing this, I'm going to try these tips and see how my curls are my hair has not been working for me lately!

[palindromecornell]

Thanks for the tips! By the way, you have the most beautiful skin!!!

[june-like-the-month]

is it possible for only half of my hair to have protein overload? the top layer of my hair is sooo dry and just breaks when you stretch it, but the underside is perfectly soft and strong?

[candacemackintosh]

Hii thank you for the tips😊💫I have a question, but about gels

Is there a way to know if a gel can be mixed with a leave in by just looking at the ingredients?

[Corinthians-tczm]

Would you recommend alternating between protein and protein free deep conditioners?

[caretaker]

Very nice idea what can you do for dry brittle hair that's thin how to grow it out long again at the age of 45. I am always combining my hair and it looks so bad I don't know what to do with it. I comb and get knots out and I got to comb again what can I use. Please help

[cri]

Would just a styling product with protein be enough? Or would we have to use a protein treatment

[stephaniegarcia]

I prob have too much moisture because my curl fall exactly like you showed and a lot of frizzy ness too . How do I fix this what products do you recommend that are not expensive

[zekaay]

and this is completely different for low porosity wavy hair when over moisturizing makes it limp by day 2.

[mandy]

Which styling products have little or no protein?

[luzcarrion]

What deep conditioner for protein overload you recommend. Thank yoU

[Arginne]

I have low porosity hair nothing is making it feel moisturerized

[Thundercleese]

Protein was always my enemy and all I ever hear is more protein lol

[wewereherest]

omg I have the exact same name spelled the exact same way