Help! My Hair is Dry!: When Was the Last Time You Had a Protein Deep Conditioner?

As of late, I have been extremely focused on figuring out what kept me at full BSL all last year. The general conclusion is that I got really lax with my hair regimen. I mean, really, really lax. My regimen consisted of shampoo, a moisturizing DC, and a style whenever I felt like doing it. While this doesn't seem like it would be detrimental to my hair, it actually was. One thing I noticed while I was being all footloose and fancy free with my regimen was that my hair seemed drier. Despite the fact that my hair was constantly being bombarded with moisture, I began to notice that my hair would dry faster following a shampoo and DC session. Then, when my hair was dry, it would have a wiry feel too it. I thought that my hair wasn't holding onto moisture as it should and I quickly found out that this wasn't something that could be remedied with Porosity Control.

So what could the problem be?

A week or so ago, the answer hit me. It had been AGES since I last had a washing session were I used a protein DC. I really couldn't tell you the last time that happened. This past wash day, I followed my instincts, purchased a protein DC (Aubrey Organics GPB), and went to work. And that seemed to do the trick! My hair took awhile to dry completely (it was still damp on Monday...I washed my hair on Saturday) and my hair was able to hold onto the moisture I gave it. My hair hasn't felt this soft and cool to the touch in a very long time. I can't believe that my hair was acting a fool because it needed a meeting with a protein DC.

What does a protein DC do for your hair though?

In our hair journey, especially as a relaxed head, we are constantly told that we need to give our hair moisture, moisture, moisture. And for good reason. Moisture is simply required for a healthy head of hair. We all know that. But what about protein? Protein has an equal role in healthy hair. It is protein that gives our hair strength and structure. However, it is protein that allows our hair to hold on to the moisture that we give it (wild, right?). Yep, protein binds water molecules in our hair shaft, thereby allowing our hair to remain nice and supple. We lose a little protein with each hair wash, so it is important that we provide it back via protein DCs, protein leave in, or whatever protein related product that makes your hair sing. In my case, you can see that my sans protein approach wasn't doing my hair any favors. I was washing my hair, not replenishing the protein I was losing, and my hair couldn't retain moisture as effectively. It was a hard lesson to learn but boy, I am glad I learned it. It has spurred me to incorporate protein into my regimen as I once had. So now, I will protein DC every other week (alternating with moisture DCs) and on the weeks where I don't protein DC, I will use a protein leave in conditioner. That way my hair will get what it needs.

If you are experiencing dry hair that a round of clarifying or use of Porosity Control can't fix. Or if you are using every moisturizer underneath the sun and your hair still feels dry, check your regimen to determine the last time you used a protein anything. Your hair could be crying out for a good dose of protein.