Damage isn't discerning. It can strike regardless of hair type. Do you color-treat your hair? It could be damaged. Do you heat-style your hair? Yep. What about travel? Have you exposed your hair to things like sun, heat, or salt water? All of these things can lead to split ends, dryness, dullness, and rough texture—the trademarks of damaged hair.
If you're like me, and you're on a journey of treating and reversing hair damage, you'll need to know what products and ingredients will benefit your hair the most. In other words, you'll need to know whether it needs protein or moisture. You see, protein and moisture are the two most critical components of healthy, shiny, expensive-looking hair, so when one (or both) is thrown out of balance, you see dreaded signs of damage appear. Ahead, learn how to tell if your hair needs protein or moisture. Then, see the best protein- and moisture-rich products to use.
The Basics of Protein and Moisture
Helen Reavey is a celebrity trichologist, hairstylist, and the founder of the scalp-care brand Act+Acre. She says to think of moisture and protein as the foundation of healthy, resilient hair—"one without the other leads to imbalance." Celebrity hairstylist Joey Scandizzo agrees, saying, "Your hair needs both moisture and protein so it can remain healthy and strong."
Both protein and moisture play specific roles in the hair strand. The former gives it strength and volume, whereas the latter gives it shine, softness, smoothness, and elasticity. Take it from Reavey, who says, "Protein strengthens the hair shaft by reinforcing its structure," she says. "Moisture keeps the hair soft, flexible, and smooth."
As Scandizzo puts it, "These two ingredients work together to restore moisture and infuse protein, hydrating, repairing, and strengthening your hair for a healthier appearance and texture."
How to Tell Which One Your Hair Needs
It's easy to say that your hair needs both protein and moisture, but what if you notice damage and you can't tell which one it's lacking? Luckily, the pros have some tips for figuring it out before you spend time and money purchasing a damage-reversing hair product. Start by analyzing how your hair looks and behaves. The experts say there are signs to look out for. See some of the most common ones below.
Your hair is most likely lacking protein if you see…
- Weakness
- Limpness
- Shedding
- Tangles
- Breakage/split ends
- Excessive stretchiness
- A "mushy" feeling
Your hair is most likely lacking moisture if you see…
- Dryness
- Dullness
- Roughness
- Brittleness
- A "straw-like" feeling
The Stretch Test
If you're still unsure of whether your hair needs protein or moisture to look and feel its best, Reavey recommends conducting a "stretch test." Here's how it works. Take a single strand of wet hair and gently stretch it. "If it stretches a lot and feels almost gummy before snapping, it needs protein. If it feels stiff and breaks with little to no stretch, it needs moisture. If it stretches slightly and bounces back, it’s balanced."
When I tried the stretch test, I found that my hair was stiff and brittle to the touch. In fact, the ends of my hair would often break off from the rest of the strands as I was stretching them. It was a clear sign that my hair needed moisture rather than protein. That got me thinking: What are the best moisture- and protein-rich hair products for treating and reversing damage? Keep scrolling to find out!
The Best Protein-Rich Hair Products
If your hair needs protein, Scandizzo and Reavey recommend looking for the following ingredients: hydrolyzed soy, rice, wheat, and pea protein. "It’s important to look out specifically for wheat, pea, soy, or rice proteins," Scandizzo says. There's also wattleseed (a natural source of protein in Australia), hydrolyzed keratin, hydrolyzed silk protein, amino acids, and collagen. The latter "helps fortify hair strands and boost overall thickness," Reavey says.
"This is a great weekly treatment for those experiencing more intense damage due to a lack of protein," Reavey says. "It’s made with K18’s patented peptide technology, which helps to restore strength to the hair."
Scandizzo recommends this three-minute mask. "It includes multiple hair conditioning agents and proteins like shea butter, cucumber extract, and hydrolyzed quinoa to strengthen and nourish dry, damaged hair," he says.
"You can also support hair strength through diet—foods rich in protein, like eggs, fish, nuts, and legumes, help fuel keratin production," Reavey says. Act+Acre Thick + Full Hair Capsules are another great way to supplement with amino acids and collagen to promote stronger, fuller-looking hair."
This heat-protecting spray contains pea peptides and other strengthening ingredients that literally reinforce the internal structure of the hair strands. It's so easy to use—just spritz it throughout your hair before styling it to reap all the benefits.
This contains a rice protein complex to strengthen weak, damaged hair.
The Best Moisture-Rich Hair Products
Reavey and Scandizzo say you want to look for ingredients that will both add moisture (humectants) and seal it into the hair strand (emollients) if you're dealing with dry hair. Common ingredients include hyaluronic acid, glycerin, aloe vera, avocado oil, shea butter, rosemary extract, and green tea extract.
"For moisture, I highly recommend using Eleven Australia’s Miracle Hair Treatment," Scandizzo says. "It has the ability to improve your hair’s hydration, silkiness, and strength. This leave-in treatment has over 11 benefits, and it specifically helps with adding moisture, preventing split ends, detangling, and naturally repairing the hair."
"Formulated with hyaluronic acid and glycerin, this lightweight serum provides deep hydration, reducing dryness and flaking while keeping the scalp balanced," Reavey says.
"Powered by glycerin and shea butter, this mask restores moisture, smooths frizz, and strengthens the hair’s protective barrier," Reavey says. "We also just launched a new bundle on our site, The Essential Hydration System ($94), that includes both products, as well as shampoo and a hydrating leave-in conditioner."
This moisture-rich "lotion" uses babassu oil, witch hazel, rosemary, and nettle to hydrate parched strands. I glide it through my dry hair at least once a day.
This mask is packed with hydrating ingredients that transform dry, dull strands into soft and shiny ones after a single use. It has a rich texture and a nice scent.
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