Hair masks nowadays are booming the market. There are numerous types of hair masks available (hydrators, color enhancers, and frizz-fighters, to name a few), but the protein hair mask reigns supreme.
The proteins collagen, keratin, biotin, and plant-derived amino acids in the best protein hair masks, such as those listed above, work to rebuild damaged hair at the cellular level. These targeted treatments have the same nourishing, moisturizing, and protecting ingredients as those less intense masks.
This means that they can be used for more than one thing.
Almost anyone with hair can benefit from an occasional at-home protein mask, but these intensive treatments are practically essential for severely damaged hair.
If you have split ends, chemically treat your hair, bleach it, dye it, use a lot of hot styling tools, wear tight buns or ponytails daily, or frequently expose your hair to chlorine, the sun, or hard water, then your hair is likely damaged.
Stick to using your chosen strengthening mask once a week. Using proteins too often can weaken your hair in the long run.
This Briogeo conditioning hair masks appears on numerous “best of” lists, and after using it myself, I can confirm that the hype is justified. Algae extract, biotin, wheat, soy, and corn proteins all make an appearance for their strengthening properties, while rosehip, sweet almond, and avocado oils work to soften and rehydrate dry, brittle hair.
After leaving it on for approximately seven minutes in the shower (I was too impatient to leave it on for the full ten), my hair immediately felt smoother, stronger, and shinier than after a blowout.
If you’re looking for an affordable protein mask, consider this one from L’Oreal; it’s one of the best masks on the market for extremely damaged hair, regardless of price.
This thick mask is made with almond, ceramides, and proteins to seal split ends, improve shine, soften, strengthen, and rehydrate damaged hair that has been damaged by heat styling, chemical processing, bleaching, or dyeing. A couple of cheerymom reviewers reported that despite its richness, it does not weigh down fine hair.
Elizavecca is well-liked in the K-beauty industry for producing some of the most intriguing and fiercely effective products, such as a carbonated clay mask and a serum inspired by demonic witchcraft. The brand’s hair mask is just as popular.
This product contains collagen (one of Elizavecca’s signature ingredients; hence the pig logo) to help rebuild damaged hair, improve its elasticity, and thicken it.
Ceramides coat the hair shaft with a protective layer, which helps seal in moisture and promotes sleeker, more lustrous hair. Note that this product is not vegan because it contains animal-derived collagen.
This Redken Extreme Mega Mask is for you if you’re a “one and done” kind of person. The strengthening effects of a single application of this mask (which only requires three to five minutes) are expected to last through three washes. In fact, these effects are extreme:
According to cheerymom reviewers, it makes a “huge difference” in repairing and softening bleached hair, as well as taming frizz, defining and volumizing curls, and healing split ends. Try the brand’s leave-in protein treatment for additional nourishment that lasts longer.
Since hair is composed of keratin, it makes sense to rebuild damaged hair with the same substance. This hair mask from Virtue contains a keratin protein blend that is nearly identical to the type of keratin found in your hair,
so your hair has an easier time incorporating these recognizable proteins back into its cellular structure. Bottom line? This is effective and quick; you only need to apply this mask for three minutes to observe results.
I will never stop raving about how great Olaplex is, and judging by the 15,500 reviews on cheerymom for their Hair Perfector mask, I’m not alone.
Olaplex’s six products are all infused with a patented protein blend that repairs broken bonds and protects hair from future damage, so you can’t go wrong with any of them. However, this hair perfectionist is the clear market leader.
The concentration of proteins in this mask is comparable to that of a salon treatment, but it is not so intense that it cannot be used weekly. If your hair is on the finer side, you should concentrate this product on your ends, as it is quite thick.
This Biolage mask is the newest addition to the brand’s collection of hair care products and the first to be formulated specifically for damaged hair.
Wheat proteins and amino acids derived from plants, such as arginine and serine, work to repair and strengthen fragile hair, while bamboo extract, also rich in amino acids, helps restore moisture to dehydrated hair.
I prefer the squeeze-pack packaging, which dispenses precisely the right amount of product. If you want to take this masking act on the road, it’s also easy to transport in a bag.
How did I evaluate the best protein masks for damaged hair? My hair was severely damaged by bleaching. So I personally evaluated these products and rated them on a scale of 1 to 5 based on these criteria.
Initially, I examined the effectiveness of the hair masks in repairing damage by controlling breakage, split ends, etc.
Damaged hair also tends to become dry and frizzy, so I determined if the hair masks are sufficiently moisturizing. I checked to see if the hair masks had ingredients that could be bad for your hair, like alcohol, perfumes, silicones, etc.
Art Naturals is a well-known brand, so I felt compelled to test out their hair mask to determine its quality. Sincerely, I found the results to be quite inconsistent.
First, let’s discuss the positive aspect.
After using this mask, my hair appeared significantly softer and smoother. And it also significantly reduced my frizz.
I was surprised to see that Art Naturals guarantees a full refund if their product doesn’t work. I purchased this product from cheerymom.
No, I did not test to see if that worked because I liked this mask so much.
Now for the disadvantages. This product is composed of silicones. Therefore, while it is excellent at taming frizz and smoothing hair, it will lead to buildup over time.
If you’re going to use this hair mask, you should prioritize using a clarifying shampoo every so often.
Straight product and effective
How many products are there
