This post should give you a better understanding of the different kinds of proteins that can be found in natural hair products.
Let’s keep it real! Protein is important to your natural hair unless like some of us out there, you are sensitive to it.
Fact: your hair is made of a very strong protein called keratin and it is one of the main building blocks of strong healthy hair. Although protein is important to natural hair, some of us are sensitive to protein and when used in excess, it can result in dry, brittle hair and can cause major damage. Don’t ask me how I know…
How can you tell that there are proteins in a natural hair product you’re using?
Well, unless you are a chemist or a professional cosmetologist, it may not be easy for you to identify the proteins included in your hair products unless of course it clearly states so on the container. That is why I put together for you this list of the different types of proteins that are commonly found in natural hair products below.
The most obvious proteins found in natural hair products will have the word protein included in the ingredient list. In no particular order, they are:
- Wheat protein
- Quinoa protein
- Soy protein
- Rice protein
- Silk protein
- Milk protein
Whenever you see the word hydrolyzed preceding an ingredient, it means that the protein used has been broken down with water into smaller particles to allow it to penetrate the hair shaft beyond the cuticle.
Examples of these proteins are:
- Hydrolyzed soy protein
- Hydrolyzed collagen (both protein and humectant)
- Hydrolyzed silk protein
- Hydrolyzed keratin (both protein and humectant)
- Hydrolyzed oat flour
- Hydrolyzed silk (both protein and humectant)
- Hydrolyzed wheat protein
- Hydrolyzed Elastin (both protein and humectant)
There are some other “Not so obvious” types of proteins that can be found in natural hair products.
Those are:
- Cocodimonium hydroxypropyl hydrolyzed rice protein
- Keratin
- Cocodimonium hydroxypropyl hydrolyzed keratin
- Oat flour
- Amino acid
- Cocodimonium hydroxypropyl silk amino acids
- Casein
- Cocodimonium hydroxypropyl hydrolyzed casein
- Cholesterol
- Collagen
- Cocodimonium hydroxypropyl hydrolyzed collagen
- Panthenol
- Cocodimonium hydroxypropyl hydrolyzed silk
- Cocoyl hydrolyzed collagen
- Cocoyl hydrolyzed keratin
- Potassium cocoyl hydrolyzed collagen
- TEA-cocoyl hydrolyzed collagen
- TEA-cocoyl hydrolyzed soy protein
- Cocodimonium hydroxypropyl hydrolyzed soy protein
- Cocodimonium hydroxypropyl hydrolyzed wheat protein
Watch Me do a protein treatment on my hair
As I grow in my natural hair journey, I try more and more to be mindful and keep myself educated about ingredients that I am putting on my hair. As a blogger, I have to share that information with you. I hope you find it helpful. If you see any discrepancies or would like to add anything to this post, leave a comment down below or send me a message.
I have been wanting to share this information with you for a while. I hope you find it helpful. Don’t hesitate to print it out or save it so you can refer back to it next time you are shopping for new natural hair products.
If you have a sensitivity to protein, or you’d just like to have a list of protein-free products, check out this post I wrote where I share some of my favorite protein-free natural hair products with you.
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