Many of us are aware of the benefits of moisturizing and conditioning your hair to maintain hair health. But we are unaware of the importance of incorporating protein into our regular haircare regime to improve the texture and appearance of your hair. Hydrolyzed Keratin is a protein that plays a vital role in adding strength to your strands, improving their elasticity, and fortifying the hair follicles, enhancing your hair health.
This blog will discuss this buzzing haircare ingredient, its benefits, and how to use Hydrolyzed Keratin to maintain healthy hair and scalp.
What is hydrolyzed keratin?
Keratin is a protein that naturally occurs in your hair. It is responsible for hair health and is especially beneficial for curly hair which is more prone to breakage. Keratin adds strength to your hair but is more susceptible to damage due to our styling habits and environmental aggressors.
Many haircare brands are incorporating Hydrolyzed Keratin in the product formulation to supplement the loss of Keratin.
Keratin is a large protein molecule that cannot penetrate the hair shaft easily and need to be broken down into smaller fragments so that they can penetrate the hair shaft. Hydrolyzed Keratin is a smaller protein easily absorbed into the hair's cuticle. It comes from a larger keratin molecule.
Keratin is broken down into smaller fragments by enzymatic hydrolysis to allow easier penetration into the hair shaft. The hydrolyzed Keratin is smaller and has a relatively low molecular weight due to its low molecular weight. It penetrates the hair shaft and repairs the damaged strands, adding strength, elasticity, and shine to your hair.
Benefits of hydrolyzed keratin in haircare
The hydrolyzed Keratin's size and molecular weight allow better absorption into the hair shaft. It nourishes and fortifies the hair from within, giving strength, flexibility, and bounce to your hair.
1. Strengthens
The application of hydrolyzed Keratin topically can fill in the small gaps along the hair shaft. This includes the three layers of the cuticle, cortex, and medulla. Keratin helps fill these minor gaps along the hair shaft, strengthening the hair and improving its overall elasticity.
2. Reduces damage
It forms a protective layer on the surface of the hair, protecting it from heat and extreme climatic conditions, and reducing the chances of hair damage.
3. Fights frizz
Hydrolyzed Keratin can make your hair soft and frizz-free by keeping it hydrated and well-conditioned.
4. Moisturizes
A powerful humectant hydrolyzed Keratin is effective in keeping your hair well moisturized.
5. Improves hair density
It forms a protective layer by filling the gaps, replacing the lost protein, and enhancing the overall diameter of the hair, thus improving its density.
How to use hydrolyzed keratine in haircare?
If you are struggling with dry, dull, rough, and coarse hair, then you should consider incorporating hair keratin into your haircare regime. Hydrolyzed Keratin can be used in two ways to improve the structure of your hair, giving it a fuller appearance. You can apply a store-brought protein treatment or go for a DIY protein treatment.
1. Store-brought keratin & protein treatment
Most store-bought Keratin or protein treatments have moisturizing ingredients in the formulation so that you can apply the treatment easily to hair. To ensure that hair is not over-processed:
- Follow the instructions on the label. You may need a processing cap, hooded dryer, or processing cap for specific treatments.
- Make sure you have everything you need.
- Don't exceed the time or measurements recommended.
2. DIY keratin treatment
The best part of DIY keratin treatment is that you can customize it according to your needs. For the DIY hair keratin treatment, follow these simple steps:
- The first step is to decide the hair product you'll add hydrolyzed Keratin to deep conditioner shampoo, conditioner, or all three.
- If you add protein to your hair products, you can use them as you usually would.
- Measure how much hair product you'll use after you have chosen the product.
- Calculate the amount of protein you need based on the recommended concentration. You will need between 2 and 10 ml hydrolyzed Keratin.
- After you have determined the portion size, measure it, pour it into the desired container, and mix it up.
- Apply the mixture evenly to your hair. Avoid touching the scalp to prevent clogged pores.
- Rinse your hair thoroughly after the time is up.
How to choose hydrolyzed keratin in haircare?
You have two options for choosing hydrolyzed Keratin for your hair- Store-Brought Keratin Treatment & DIY Keratin Treatment. You can choose anyone depending upon the requirements of your hair. Due to time constraints, If you want to go hassle-free, you can go for a store-bought one, or if you want to customize the keratin treatment according to your haircare needs, you can choose a DIY hair keratin treatment.
Other ingredients it is compatible with
Most shampoos and conditioners work well with this product.
Side effects of hydrolyzed keratin
Though Hydrolyzed Keratin adds strength and improves the elasticity of your hair to reduce hair breakage and hair thinning, it should not be applied very often as a deep moisturizing conditioner. Your hair can tolerate protein treatments once every six weeks. Some people can manage to get away with just four or five weeks. Some hair types require a wait of up to three months. It all depends upon the texture of your hair.
Many of us are unaware that too much protein can cause more harm than good. You will get the exact opposite outcome of what you want. A high protein level can cause hair to feel dry and fragile, leading to protein overload. If you stretch your hair too hard, it may snap. To reverse an overload of protein, you must also moisturize your hair regularly.
No doubt hydrolyzed Keratin is beneficial for adding shine, thickness, and volume to your hair. It improves the flexibility of your hair, reducing hair breakage, but when used in excess can damage your hair. In other words, keratin treatment should be used in moderation to avoid protein overload, resulting in dry, dull, and damaged hair.
Also Read :
How To Know If Your Curls Have More Moisture Or More Protein?
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