It would be nice if we were born with an instructional manual for how to keep our pair perfectly healthy through all of the changes of life. As it is, there can be times when our hair seems soft and shiny one week, only to be dull and lifeless the next, and no amount of product seems to do the trick.
A lot of your problems could be coming from an imbalance in protein or moisture, but the challenge is finding out what your hair needs. Too much or not enough of either can make you feel like you are fighting your hair. If you get the right balance, you’ll have strands that look good and feel good. Don’t worry, your best hair days are right around the corner!
The Protein-Moisture Balance of Your Hair
Your hair needs just the right blend of protein and moisture to stay strong, shiny, and smooth. Protein gives your strands structure, helps repair damage, and prevents breakage, while moisture keeps your hair soft, flexible, and hydrated. When either is off, it creates an imbalance, and your hair will let you know. You may have hair that feels stiff or straw-like, and a moisture overload can leave it limp and lifeless. We are working towards a sweet spot where your hair has the strength to hold its shape and enough moisture to bounce and shine.
Signs Your Hair Is Having a Protein Problem
- Too Much Protein: If your hair feels stiff, rough, or “crunchy”, you may be dealing with too much protein. This can happen when strengthening products build up on the hair shaft and cause the strands to snap easily, tangle often, and lose their shine.
- Not Enough Protein: Hair that is lacking protein can feel too stretchy, too limp, and almost gummy when wet. This is a sign that your hair’s internal structure needs reinforcement.
How Do I Know If My Hair Needs Moisture?
When There’s Not Enough Moisture
Dry, dull, frizzy hair that feels rough or brittle is practically sounding the alarm for lack of moisture. If your ends split easily or your hair breaks when you brush or style it, it’s likely lacking moisture. Without enough hydration, your strands lose elasticity and shine and are much more prone to damage.
When There’s Too Much Moisture
It might be hard to believe, but even hydration can go overboard. Just like a toddler getting pruney toes from spending too much time in the bath, your hair can start to feel too soft and might start to feel limp after you wash it. You will also have soft frizz because the cuticle layer of your hair may lift and swell.
The Strand Test
The strand test is a quick, at-home way to check what your hair really needs. Take a single wet strand and gently stretch it. If it snaps right away with no stretch, your hair likely needs moisture. If it stretches a lot but doesn’t bounce back, it’s probably lacking protein and needs strengthening. If it stretches but returns right back to its original position, it is healthy and balanced.
How to Find the Sweet Spot
Alternate Between Protein and Moisture Masks
A lot of hair loves variety and will start to feel less healthy if it gets too much of a good thing. Try alternating products that your hair seems to respond well to. If your hair shows signs of having too much protein or moisture, scale back on these treatments and use a clarifying shampoo and lightweight products. Make sure to avoid harsh products, heat, or anything else that could damage your hair while it recovers.
Choose the Right Products
Just because that expensive product works for your Aunt Jill, that doesn’t mean it will work for you. Make sure to look for ingredients that match what your hair needs, remembering that these needs can change with hormone shifts and age. Protein will show up on the ingredient list as items like keratin, silk, or amino acids, while moisture comes from ingredients like aloe, honey, or natural oils.
Pay Attention to Weather, Coloring, and Styling
Austin’s heat, humidity, and tap water can all have an effect on your hair, whether for good or ill. Add in coloring, bleaching, and hot tools, and it’s easy for your hair to experience changes. Keep an eye on how your texture changes with the seasons or your styling habits, and get familiar with how your hair feels when it is imbalanced.
Should I Get a Professional Hair Treatment?
If at-home hair products aren’t doing the trick, it could be time for a professional treatment. We have a range of hydrating and clarifying treatments, plus bonding treatments to help with the most common problems with your hair.
How to Listen to Your Hair
Your hair is always talking, you just have to learn how to listen. When it feels dry, fizzy, limp, or brittle, it is letting you know what it needs. Finding the right products that give you the right levels of proteins and moisturizers can take a little time and some trial and error, but once you find the right routine for your hair, it will be able to shine.
If you aren’t sure what your hair needs, we are here to help at Blonde Faith Salon. Whether you need a strengthening boost, deep hydration, or a mix of both, we can bring you treatments and recommend products that work for your hair type. Give us a call at (512) 467-4717 and kick your bad hair days to the curb.
