6 Signs Your Haircare Routine Might Be Missing Protein

  If your hair is feeling a little off lately, your routine could be lacking a key ingredient. Protein plays a huge role in keeping strands healthy, smooth, and resistant to damage by increasing the hair’s strength and elasticity. Without protein, your hair might start showing subtle and not-so-subtle signs that it desperately needs some extra love. Find out how to spot the signs your haircare routine might be missing protein and what you can do to bring your hair back to life.    

Limp and Lifeless Strands

Does your hair seems to hang like it has zero energy or bounce? Protein helps provide structure to your strands, which in turn gives your hair body and shape. Without it, your hair can start to look flat, dull, and unwilling to hold volume or style. A quick tip is to incorporate a weekly protein-rich treatment into your regimen to breathe some life back into deflated strands.

Frizz That Won’t Quit

Frizz isn’t always about needing more hydration. Sometimes, it’s a sign of a protein imbalance. Protein molecules help seal the hair cuticle, making each piece of hair smoother and less likely to be frizzy. If hydration alone isn’t tackling flyaway strands, your hair products might be missing protein-packed ingredients that lock in moisture.

Breakage Everywhere

Does it feel like your strands just snap? You can trace breakage from brushing and styling back to weak and brittle hair caused by a lack of protein. Protein reinforces the fiber of your hair. If you’re noticing more tiny broken pieces instead of long, intact strands in your brush, now might be a good time to explore protein-based solutions, like using an at-home keratin treatment to rebuild strength in your locks.

Lack of Elasticity

Hair that’s healthy and has a good protein intake stretches slightly when pulled and bounces back without breaking. If yours feels overly stretchy or, worse, snaps immediately when stretched, your haircare routine is missing vital proteins. Restoring elasticity isn’t complex. Incorporate hair products with amino acids or keratin to repair your hair’s inner structure.

Color That Doesn’t Last

If your hair color fades out quickly before next salon appointment, your hair may be protein deficient. Coloring processes weaken the hair and leave it porous, meaning protein-deprived hair struggles to hold onto pigment molecules effectively. By adding protein treatments to your pre- and post-color routine, you can help seal and strengthen strands, allowing color to remain vibrant longer.

Your Hair Just Feels Weak

Sometimes, you can just tell if your hair feels limp, fragile, or all-around unhealthy. Healthy hair is all about balance, so combining hydrating ingredients with those that replenish and strengthen can work wonders. From flat strands to lost elasticity, the signs your haircare routine might be missing protein are easy to spot once you know what to look for. Start incorporating protein-rich products into your routine and notice the difference. For the best results, bring balance to your hair’s needs by alternating hydration and protein-focused treatments.   Photo – Yaroslav Shuraev