Hair porosity is one of those things that doesn’t seem important until it is, especially if you’re starting out your curl journey. Because moisture levels are so important for curly hair, your hair porosity plays a big part, especially if you have high porosity hair.
What is high porosity hair?
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Unlike low-porosity hair, which can actually repel moisture, high-porosity hair can absorb moisture fairly easily. However, since its cuticles are lifted, it can also lose moisture just as easily if you’re not careful. Porosity levels are also among the highest perpetrators of frizzy hair and tangles.
What causes high porosity?
Your hair’s porosity levels can be genetic or the result of how you care for your hair. For example, Chemical and heat damage can create high porosity hair by damaging and separating your cuticles.
If this sounds like you, we’ve gathered a roundup of a few protein treatments that can help restore some of your hair’s strength, making it a little less likely to lose moisture (resulting in breakage and frizz).
Why do you need a protein treatment?
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Your hair is made up of proteins called keratins which can be damaged by sun exposure, environmental pollutants, poor hair care, chemical treatments, and heat tools. High porosity hair, specifically, is at a higher risk of damage because the hair cuticles don’t snap together tightly, leaving the hair follicle at a greater risk of damage.
By molding hydrolyzed proteins (large protein molecules that have been broken down into smaller particles) directly to the outer layer of your hair follicle, protein treatments help solidify the spaces and gaps between the hair cuticles. This smooths them out and decreases the damage and moisture loss your hair can experience.
This is also why some protein treatments are designed with high-porosity hair in mind.
But do protein treatments have silicones?
Some do, some don’t. Whether you like silicones in your products is often a personal choice. Silicones can have a place in your hair care products if you want them to, but they can also be pretty easy to avoid if you’d rather go silicone-free. Whatever you prefer, we’ve listed a few silicone and silicone-free products below.
1. Ma Browns Protein Steam Treatment Rinse
This deep moisturizing treatment is perfect for high-porosity hair and is full of natural vitamins, minerals, fiber, and antioxidants to nourish, strengthen, and repair dry, damaged, processed hair. To leave your hair soft and moisturized, apply it to clean, wet hair for at least 20-40 minutes (no heat required) before rinsing.
Silicone free? Yes
2. Aphogee Two-Step Protein Treatment
Unfortunately, high-porosity hair has a higher chance of damage and breakage than low-porosity hair. With that in mind, Aphogee developed a two-step process to strengthen overprocessed and chemically damaged hair—one that can even be used as a pre-treatment for coloring. However, the process is a little different than other treatments, so follow the directions closely.
Silicone free? Yes
3. Palmers Coconut Oil Formula Deep Conditioning Protein Pack
Formulated with hydrolyzed keratin and hydrolyzed silk, these disposable deep-conditioning protein packs can be used as a weekly in-shower treatment after shampooing. They’re also packed with beneficial oils to leave your hair feeling soft and hydrated.
Silicone free? No
4. tgin Miracle RepaiRx Curl Protein Reconstructor
This Miracle RepaiRX CPR Protein Treatment is great for helping to restore protein in hair and smooth out the hair cuticle. This can be used every 4-6 weeks to help reduce breakage and shedding and prevent split ends.
Silicone free? Yes
5. ORS HAIRestore Hair Mayonnaise
Made with Whole Egg Protein, this intensive treatment mask makes a great addition to your weekly hair care routine. All you need to do is apply it to wet hair cover with a cap and heat for approximately 15 minutes, or you can leave it on for 45 minutes to an hour before rinsing if you don’t have heat available.
Silicone free? No
6. SheaMoisture Hair Mask – Manuka Honey & Yogurt, Hydrate + Repair Protein Power Treatment
Shea Moisture is bringing the heat with this delicious blend of manuka honey, yogurt extract, and mafura oil to help repair damage from over-processed hair. They state that one use of this protein treatment can drastically reduce breakage by 76%.
Silicone free? No
7. Aphogee Curlific! Texture Treatment
Made with Hydrolyzed Quinoa, a natural protein, and Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein PG-Propyl, a vegetable protein and silicone blend, this high porosity hair protein treatment will be used in the shower after shampooing. By leaving it on for just a minute, you can improve your hair’s elasticity and eliminate hair loss from breakage.
Silicone free? No
8. Briogeo Don’t Despair, Repair! Deep Conditioning Mask
Designed to repair dry, damaged hair, this weekly treatment is scientifically proven to double the strength of your hair after just three uses. This mask functions both as an in-shower deep conditioner when left on for 5 to 10 minutes before rinsing or as a weekly deep condition under a cap and heat before rinsing.
Silicone free? Yes
9. Curl Junkie Repair Me! Reconstructive Hair Treatment
With a light, tropical coconut scent, this once-a-month treatment will help fill in those gaps between your high-porosity hair cuticles with a major dose of protein powder. You can apply it to wet hair and leave it in for 5 to 10 minutes before rinsing or go for a deeper treatment by adding a cap and some heat to leave your hair ultra-moisturized.
Silicone free? Yes
Do you use protein treatments in your hair routine? Let us know your favorite in the comments.
