Here's a simple, DIY test to figure out what your curls need: Take a strand of your hair and try stretching it. If it stretches quite far, feels a tad mushy and then snaps, it is indicative of the hair being over-moisturised. You may need more protein to reinforce your hair cuticle.
Typically, if your hair is limp and lifeless, you need protein. If your hair is crispy and stringy, you need moisture.
How can you tell if your hair needs protein? Well, first, your hair will be struggling to hold a curl. Your hair is gonna feel very limp and dull. You're also gonna notice more frizz, but more like a poofy type of frizz. This is my favorite protein treatment. And no, this is not sponsored.
To determine protein or moisture overload, take a few hairs out of your hairbrush or after the shower and pull them between your fingers. If the strand snaps immediately, there's too much protein. If the strand stretches and stretches without really breaking, there's too much moisture.
You get so you can tell by feel what your hair needs. When my hair is limp and won't hold a curl pattern, it's over-moisturized and needs protein. When it's frizzy and feels greasy even when it's clean, it has buildup and needs a clarifying wash. And so on.
Your curls will struggle to hold their shape, they will have little definition and tend to fall flatter than normal. You will have more frizz than normal, a fluffy, soft type of frizzy hair.
Your hair may feel more coarse and struggle to hold a curl when dealing with protein overload. Too much protein may also cause split ends and breakage, leaving hair to shed more. If you're noticing more strands than usual on your comb or brush, that could be a telltale sign of high protein hair.
Protein is a necessary component of hair health and should be added to your regimen for the best curls possible. As a good rule of thumb, use a protein treatment once a week for some hair self-care that'll strengthen strands, for a more nourished and lively mane.
"To tell if you have too much moisture in your hair, pull a strand of hair and stretch it," said Simmons. "If it stretches without bouncing back, there is too much moisture. Your hair can look and feel limp, lifeless and extremely soft, almost fluffy.
Consuming more protein than the body needs can cause symptoms such as intestinal discomfort, dehydration, nausea, fatigue, headaches, and more. Chronic protein overconsumption can also increase the risk of conditions such as cardiovascular disease, blood vessel disorders, liver and kidney issues, and seizures.
The hair will feel dry, brittle and stringy, because it won't have enough moisture to stretch and support elasticity. The hair will lose shine and look dull. You will have more frizz than normal, a wiry, stringy type of frizz.
Take a wet or dry strand of hair and stretch it gently. If it doesn't stretch easily, snaps quickly, and feels dry, brittle or rough, it means you need more moisture. If your curl stretches but doesn't bounce back into shape, and the hair feels gummy or musy, it means you need more protein.
To summarize, too much or too little moisture in the air disrupts the bonds that hold our hair together, lifting our hair cuticles and causing it to fray in many different directions — what we've come to know as frizz.
Curly hair caused by selenium deficiency in an adult woman.
Add More Water
Stringy curls can happen when applying your products on hair that is less wet or damp. Water clumps the curls together and so using less water results in thinner “stringy” curls. Try applying your styling products when your hair is soaking wet and add more water throughout your styling routine if needed.
Curly hair needs both protein and moisture to stay healthy and strong. Our hair is made up of 91% protein. Protein is useful for strengthening and also for repair. However, if we damage our hair with too much straightening, colour treatments, and heat styling, the protein can break down (oops).
Moisture overload tends to affect those with high hair porosity, causing it to look limp, stringy, and greasy. To combat it, clarify regularly and go longer between washes. More washes means using more products- and more moisture.
Even after you've gone to all the effort of styling them, stringy looking curls can still happen! This can be really disheartening. There isn't any one reason for ending up with stringy curls, however most often they're due to insufficient moisture in the hair.
If the hair doesn't stretch, or even snaps and breaks, you are in protein overload. If the hair keeps stretching without bouncing back, and eventually falls apart, you are in moisture overload.
If your hair breaks or snaps when brushing or styling, it is not strong and needs protein. If your hair looks limp, matte and dry, it needs moisture. Keep reading to discover to understand what is really needed, why and how to bring your curls back into balance.
Weekly treatments with a traditional curly hair conditioner are ideal for all curl types. If your hair is drier, you can amp things up by continuing to use a regular conditioner once a week and adding hair masks or a deep conditioner for curly hair to your routine bi-weekly.
Too much protein in hair:
“If the hair feels like straw, that's a good sign of damage. If there is too much protein deposited in the hair it loses elasticity.