My Experience With Moisture Overload —- This post was written on April 8, 2013
The new year started off with a bang. I was excited about my curls and the length I had retained in the last 2 years and my new years resolution for the year 2013 was moisture, moisture, and moisture. I wanted to focus on moisture because I felt that my hair was always dry and easily tangled therefore making it difficult to style. I did some research and stumbled upon the phrase “protein sensitivity.” Protein sensitivity is a term that’s used in the natural hair community to describe natural hair that detests/dislikes protein. These naturals claim that their hair becomes dry, brittle, and breaks whenever they use protein in their hair. Upon learning this, I was convinced that there was a big possibility that my natural hair was protein sensitive but the issue with that, was that I didn’t do regular protein treatments. The last time I had given myself a protein treatment was very early in my natural hair journey. How can my hair be sensitive to protein if I’m not putting protein in it? Right? Still confused with what was going on with my hair I did more research on the subject matter and found out that there is some form of protein in approximately 80% of all hair products! So even though I was not giving my hair regular protein treatments, it was still getting a regular dose of protein just from the everyday products I was using to style my hair. At this point I was convinced that my hair was “protein sensitive”and decided I was going to completely eliminate protein out of my natural hair regimen. I got rid of all my hair products that contained any form of protein (keratin, wheat, soy, hydrolyzed, etc.) and was giving my hair strict deep moisture treatments weekly.
Did I see a difference? You bet I did! I noticed that my hair became much softer and manageable when wet in the shower and a little “stretchy,” but when dried it still felt brittle and dry. To make matters worse, my hair began to shed and break more! At this point I I didn’t know what to do with my hair. It was clear that my hair was not happy and there was something terribly wrong. What did I do? I went back into research and was determined to get answers, the right ones, and this was what I found:
Protein
Protein is what gives the hair its strength and structure. Hair is about 70% keratin protein by nature. Protein is found most prevalently in products like instant conditioners (bargain brands like Suave and V05), leave in conditioners, protein conditioner treatments, and even some moisturizers.
Moisturizers
Moisturizers are products that are water-based and nourish your hair deep within the strand. Water is the ultimate moisturizer so water-based products are best for really getting the best moisture benefit. Products with moisturizing properties tend to be your conditioners and other water-based products. Moisturizers may also be protein-based, but these protein based moisturizers do not have the moisturizing benefit that moisture-based moisturizers have. Good moisturizers will not contain ingredients like petrolatum, mineral oil, or lanolin. These are cheap product fillers. Be wary of products that claim moisturizing benefits and contain these ingredients. There is nothing moisturizing about them! Petrolatum and mineral oil are sealants and have the potential to suffocate the hair and scalp and seal out the moisture it needs.
Protein Overload
Hair that is shifted too far on the protein side will break easier, both wet and dry, because it lacks elasticity. Hair that breaks with very little tension or stretching is moisture deficient. Any type of stretching or tension will break it because the protein goes in and adds structure to the hair. Too much structure will make the hair rigid, decrease its elasticity, leave it brittle and prone to breakage. To correct this imbalance, you will need to go into a simple deep conditioning and moisturizing regimen. You may not be doing “protein treatments” per se, but you may be using other products that are protein heavy ingredient wise. I would watch out for protein in common products like leave in conditioners, moisturizers, gels, and instant conditioners like Suave and V05. Protein hides in a lot of everyday products- so avoid those for a few weeks until your moisture balance is corrected. This will give your hair a chance to even out the protein/moisture balance.
Moisture Overload
Yes! There is such a thing as “over-conditioning” the hair. Hair that is shifted too far on the moisture side will be “super-elastic” and stretch more because it lacks a sound protein structure. Many ladies describe the feel of over-conditioned/over-moisturized hair as “mush-like” or “overly soft” when wet. It has almost a weak, limp spongy feel to it. Protein deficient hair will tend to pull and stretch along with the comb and then break. It will always stretch first then break which is the result of very low supplemental protein in the regimen. When this is the case, you will need some kind of protein to give the hair structure which will make it feel rigid (stronger) again. If your hair is stretching without returning, even if its not breaking you should use a light protein to correct this. When your hair stretches, the strand “thins” and becomes weaker across the cross section. It may not break right then at that very point in time, but stretched out of and beyond its shape, it is compromised and will eventually break at some other point. Your hair should be springing back to position. If its stretching and stretching without breaking it may be your hair’s way of telling you, “Hey, I need a little structure (protein) here! I’m getting waaaay too elastic, but not yet enough to break– so do something now!” This is where a preventive maintenance protein application would come in. You don’t have to wait for breakage to act. Your hair is telling you now Start light, and work from there. You may not need a heavy treatment just yet.
And, you don’t have to get all of your protein from a “treatment” per se or conditioner either. You can always throw in protein based leave in conditioners like (Infusium23) or water-based moisturizers like (Cantu’s Breakcure/or Elasta QP mango butter) to help you maintain the balance within your regimen. This way you can get a little or a lot without relying on one product.
How to Determine if your Hair is on Protein Overload or Over-moisturized:
How Do I Perform a Proper Wet Assessment?
It will be difficult for you to wet assess your hair by holding a single strand and pulling on both ends. That type of stress would be considered “undue” stress, because no single hair is ever really subjected to that sort of tension at one time. Any strand of hair (healthy or not) that you pull on by both ends has the potential to snap depending on the pressure you apply to it. Hair should be wet assessed by the normal act of combing though it or touching-testing it.
Wet Assessment Break Down
If your hair:
(Wet or Dry) Stretches slightly/returns to original length /no breaking= you are balanced just stick with maintaining!
(Wet or Dry) Stretching a little more than normal then breaks= more protein
(Wet or Dry)Stretching, stretching, stretching/no breakage yet= more protein
(Wet)- Weak, gummy, mushy, limp hair= more protein
(Wet or Dry) Very little/no stretching then breakage= more moisture
(Dry) Rough/tough/hard/tangly/brittle hair= more moisture
Unsure= err on the side of moisture
** For those of you just starting out on your journey to healthier head of hair, I recommend you begin with a more moisture friendly regimen before you incorporate the protein aspect. The reason being, many of us (before our hair care awakening) have naturally moisture deficient hair care routines and regimens- especially those with no regimen at all.
My Conclusions
After doing the wet assessment over and over again, I came to the conclusion that my hair was over-moisturized. I went from putting too much protein in my hair (due to the products I was using) to hair that was now over moisturized (due to cutting out all protein). My protein-moisture balance was completely thrown off. When wet and dry, my hair would stretch more than normal and then break so it needed more protein! Cutting out all protein was a no no. I have added some products with light protein back into my regimen and I am currently on the Aphogee Two-Step Protein Treatment. This treatment is only to be used once every 6 weeks. I’ve used it once already and I’m due for another in 2 more weeks. My hair is not fully balanced yet but I’m working on getting it there. Once it is balanced with the protein, I will stop the Aphogee treatment and focus on maintaining that balance.
Maintaining natural hair is a lifestyle and if you want gorgeous beautiful hair, you have to take the time to get to know it and do the necessarry steps to take care and maintain it. It’s not always an easy journey, but over time we become more experience and better at handling our hair.
Be encourged on your journey and happy hair growing 🙂
xoxo- Rose