Don’t you wish that brands would label their products “Protein-free” or “Contains protein”?
I know I do! That would make everyone’s life easier, right? But that’s not always what happens and we just have to deal with it.
Early on in my natural hair journey, I realized that whenever I used certain products on my hair, it would feel and act differently. My hair would become instantly dry and would start to break if I kept using that product. When I finally looked into it, I realized that my hair had such a reaction to certain products due to the proteins contained in those products.
Armed with that knowledge, I made it my mission to find alternatives to the products that weren’t working for my protein-sensitive hair. I now have a cabinet (and then some) full of protein-free products that I use on my hair on a regular and my hair is grateful for it.
So, If you are protein sensitive or you’re just curious about protein-free products, find below a list of 15 protein-free products you can start using on your natural hair today!
Shampoos
Cocoa Mint Moisture Rich Shampoo by Curls Dynasty
I have gone through countless bottles of this shampoo. It is more on the creamy side and may trick some at first, but it is moisturizing and leaves your hair feeling good!
Neem Tea Tree Shampoo Bar by Obia Naturals
This Neem Tea tree bar is said to be moisturizing. I personally find it to be more on the clarifying side. My recommendation is to use it sparingly. The most important is it’s a protein-free product.
Conditioners
Babasu Detangling Conditioner by Obia Naturals
Deep Conditioners
Mongongo Oil Hydrating Conditioner by Mielle Organics
A little bit goes a long way with this mask. It will leave your hair hydrated and moisturized. This is one of the deep conditioners I turn to if I’ve used too much protein on my hair. Watch my review and demo of using this deep conditioner on my channel.
Honey Miracle Hair Mask by TGIN
This deep conditioner holds a special place in my heart. Besides the fact that it is very moisturizing, it also is the first deep conditioner I tried on my natural hair after I big chopped my hair. Full disclaimer, if you’re not a fan of cones, you may not like it. The cone is however very low on the ingredient list.
Babasu Deep Conditioner by Obia Naturals
This conditioner is new to my protein-free product family, but It has become family. This is the kind of conditioner you will reach for after you’ve neglected your hair for a while and you’re in need of a lot of moisture. Check out my “First Impression” video of the entire Obia Naturals products.
Leave-in Conditioners
This is a very popular leave-in conditioner in the natural hair community. In full transparency, this isn’t a product I reach for first, but it gets the job done. That is the most important.
Curl Moisture Cream by Obia Naturals
This leave-in cream is a moisture-packed leave-in conditioner. You can also use it as a styler, which eliminates the need of using multiple products on your hair. It also lowers the possibility of product build-up.
Styling Creams
Twisted Definition Twisting Cream
One of my favorite twisting creams. I can’t get enough of it, you won’t either. It smells great, it’s moisturizing. It provides great definition. Per my experience, you may even use it as a leave-in conditioner. It is that good!
Coconut Water Style Setter by Camille Rose Naturals
Who doesn’t like definition? I got one of my most defined twistouts using this style setter. Don’t believe me? Watch it here
Almond Jai Twisting Butter by Camille Rose Naturals
Sweet Almond Heavy Cream by Obia Naturals
Good for twistouts, braid-outs, and Bantu knot styles. For extra definition, it is suggested to pair it with their Curl Hydration Spray. For a demo of the Sweet Almond Heavy Cream, click here.
Vanilla Cream Custard by Curls Dynasty
Another one of my favorite stylers. It is great for twist-outs, braid-outs, Bantu knot outs. The definition from this custard is out of this world. Watch me use this Custard for a twist-out.
Curl Refreshers
Curl Hydration Spray by Obia Naturals
This spray is great to refresh your hair after a few days. I love to use it on my protective style like these mini twits that I had on my hair for a few weeks.
Gels
Curling Custard by Kinky Curly
Curl Maker by Camille Rose Naturals
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There are plenty more protein-free products out there, these are just some of my favorites and some I’ve been able to confirm are protein-free. If you are aware of any other products that should be part of this list, don’t hesitate to leave them in the comment section below or just send me a quick message. I’ll be more than happy to include them here!
This post will help you learn how to identify proteins in natural hair products.
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