Your natural hair contains an abundance of protein, constituting nearly 90% of its structure. Drying hair, coloring it or other invasive styling and cleaning methods can strip your hair of it. As a result, you will want to regularly treat your hair with protein products to maintain its structure.
How much will depend upon the porosity of your hair, which refers to its ability to either absorb or repel moisture. Below, we profile just a sample of recipes for DIY protein treatment for natural hair.
You will see many products that can also enrich your diet and can provide health benefits to other parts of your body.
1. DIY Kale Protein Treatment for Natural Hair
You don’t traditionally associate vegetables as protein sources. However, that is precisely what is included, along with vitamins and other minerals, in kale.
This DIY protein hair mask recipe (check out full recipe here) uses kale to promote a strong and healthy hair.
Image source: Flickr.com
- Kale: Although this recipe calls for kale leaves, you can use this powder made of protein and kale (click on link). If you were to use leaves instead, you can simply grind them as part of the paste you make.
- Lemon juice: A tablespoon of lemon juice adds a little moisture and a tinge of scent to this DIY protein hair mask.
- Olive oil: Olive oil moistens the kale leaves or kale-based protein powder to give this treatment a much-needed pasty consistency. Also, olive oil can counteract the dryness of the hair.
2. DIY Protein Treatment for Natural Hair with Curd
In this DIY protein hair treatment, curd, which is often used in yogurt, is the star ingredient. Both curd and yogurt are rich in protein.
This concoction takes little time to make, as you simply need a bowl and beaters or a reliable whisk for whipping. To cut down on dripping, use a shower cap after you apply this mix to your hair, than wash you hair with cool water.
- Curd: Curd comes in many flavors, such as lemon. This ingredient provides the base for this DIY protein hair mask. In its own right, curd offers plenty of moisture to dry hair.
- Coconut oil: For the treatment of damaged hair, coconut oil offers a reliable ingredient. It also has the ability to improve hair texture, prevent moisture in the hair strands from escaping due to evaporation, keep protein in your hair, and give a boost of vitamins.
- Honey: Honey heals, wards off bacteria and infections, and naturally softens and conditions hair. Your scalp is less likely to get itchy with honey. Combine this and the coconut oil with the curd and mix.
- Mixer: A simple handheld electric mixer mixes ingredients into an effective DIY protein treatment for natural hair.
3. DIY Mayonaise and Avocado Protein Hair Treatment
In about 25 minutes, you can make a DIY protein treatment for natural hair consisting of two ingredients packed with protein.
Mayonnaise includes as one of its ingredients eggs. The avocado that finds its way into guacamole also contains protein.
When applying the treatment, make sure you focus only on the dry places of your hair and the ends of the strands.
- Mayonnaise: Since this goes on your hair, you don’t need to be conscientious about the fat content of the mayonnaise. Get a mayo as fat as you can get and necessarily egg-based.
- Avocado: Get a ripe avocado or retrieve one and give it time to ripen if necessary. Scoop it out into a bowl, preferably a medium size.
- Potato masher: A potato masher flattens the avocado so you can combine the mayonnaise and create your treatment. A fork can also mash the avocado.
4. DIY Avocado & Banana Hair Treatment
This avocado/banana DIY protein hair treatment gives you proteins, potassium (thanks to the banana), and the many nutrients in eggs to nourish and lead to a sufficiently oiled but not too boiled hair.
The key is to create a puree free of clumps.
Image source: Flickr.com
- Avocado: We’ve already mentioned the benefits of avocado for dry hair. As with our above DIY protein hair mask ideas, you want a ripened avocado when you put the recipe together.
- Banana: As with the avocado, make sure you use a ripe banana.
- Olive oil: Add the olive oil along with a beaten egg into the pureed and mashed avocado and banana.
- Eggbeater: You can beat the egg in a separate bowl and then add the beaten egg into the mixture of avocado and banana.
5. DIY Eggs & Olive Oil Protein Hair Treatment
A DIY protein treatment for natural hair, such as this one, relies solely on eggs and your choice of essential oils. This simple recipe recommends olive oil as the best carrier oil, but others will suffice. You may like coconut oil or a conditioner.
As a word of caution for eggs, don’t get your hair dryer or use hot water for this treatment or other DIY protein hair treatment that uses eggs.
You might find yourself unwittingly cooking the eggs on your hair and having a difficult time removing them.
- Egg: Rather than fumbling with pieces of egg shells or spoiled eggs, you can get powdered eggs for the mix instead.
- Grape Seed Oil: If you want to deviate from olive oil, this grapeseed oil can furnish some fragrance.
- Protein-free conditioner: If you’re looking to add a conditioner to the mix during a DIY protein treatment for low porosity hair, consider a conditioner that is protein free. Hair with low porosity tends to promote product build-up because it repels moisture and the oils from regular conditioners. As a result, hair that is sensitive to protein can become dry and brittle. Know that you’re already including protein in the treatment by using eggs and coconut oil.
Looking for more DIY ways to care for your natural hair? Check out our recipes for DIY shampoo, DIY leave-in conditioner, our DIY hair growth serums, and DIY hair masks!
6. DIY Gelatin Hair Treatment
Gelatin is the main protein source for this DIY protein hair treatment. The author of this recipe touts the hydrolyzed protein for its ability to coat the shaft of the hair and repair damage to the outer layers.
- Spring water: Spring water comes without the contaminants perhaps found occasionally in tap or drinking water. A hot cup is needed to dissolve the gelatin.
- Unflavored gelatin: Find a packet of unflavored gelatin powder that you can dissolve in hot water.
- Apple cider vinegar : Mix this with the gelatin to give your DIY protein hair treatment some scent.
- Raw shea butter deep treatment masque: You apply this conditioner after your treatment sat on your hair for at least ten minutes. You can also stop the treatment and then go for the conditioner if your mixture has become dry and hardened.
7. DIY Eggs, Honey, & Coconut Oil Protein Hair Treatment
As an example of a DIY protein treatment for low porosity hair, we offer this recipe with ingredients like raw honey, coconut oil and egg yolk, (rather than necessarily the entire egg).
You might spend approximately one to two minutes whisking the ingredients, so you might consider an electric egg beater or hand mixer.
- Coconut oil: Ideal due to the high content of natural fats and amino acids.
- Raw honey: Whisk the raw honey with the coconut oil.
- Egg yolk: You can separate the egg yolk from the egg white then whisk it. You might also consider using egg yolk powder, which you can simply mix with the rest of the ingredients.
- Egg white separator: If you’re using fresh eggs, get an egg white separator to get the yolk for this treatment.
8. DIY Protein Hair Treatment with Greek Yogurt
Greek yogurt is another important source of protein out of which you can create a DIY protein treatment for natural hair.
You may notice familiar ingredients such as coconut oil, honey, and eggs. We also have a few that have not previously been profiled on this list of DIY protein hair treatment recipes.
Image source: MaxPixel.net
- Greek yogurt: Consider plain Greek yogurt because you’re interested primarily in the protein rather than the taste. Apply this near the end of the ingredient mixing process.
- Raw shea butter: You will want to apply heat to the shea butter and mix it with the coconut oil that you have already heated. Within the shea butter lies the moisturizing qualities of this treatment.
- Organic coconut oil: You may need to melt the shredded coconut oil before adding to the concoction.
- Castor oil: The castor oil provides another source of protein. You place it along with your other ingredients in the mixture. If you want to speed the mixing, use an electric mixer.
- Raw Honey: This honey helps your hair draw in moisture to combat dryness.
- Egg: This egg powder supplies the protein for this DIY protein treatment for natural hair.
Conclusion
These DIY protein hair treatment recipes involve a variety of ingredients that you might not immediately think they may contain protein because they are not meat.
However, they provide a lot of benefits in restoring the structure, strength, and moisture to your natural hair. Feel free to share your impressions on these suggestions or any other ideas for treatments you may use.
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