You’ve heard of the term “protein overload” when it comes to your hair, but what about moisture overload?
These two terms are often confused, and they are in fact can be quite different.
Which is why in this article we’ll go through all there is to know on moisture overload vs protein overload, and how to prevent them right from the start.
Once you finish with this article, you’ll hopefully learn the best ways to find the perfect balance of moisture for your hair and how to make your curls look better while also helping them grow faster.
💡 Moisture Overload vs Protein Overload – Which One is Which?
Table of Contents
Protein and moisture overload (or hygral fatigue, if you prefer to be technical about it) are the most common reasons your hair is in dire straits.
If you’re having issues with either, you need to look at what your diet and lifestyle are telling you about how your hair is managing to stay healthy.
Though some of you might be lucky enough with curls that don’t require much attention, not even those curls can stay that way without the occasional pampering from time to time.
Whether it’s a weekly wash to keep it looking healthy or a special treatment that brings out the shine of your curls, or when your hair is limp, lifeless and even won’t curl, and you’re thinking it may be time to call in the professionals.
Moisture Overload Warning Signs:
Hair needs both moisture and protein, and when there is too much of one, you throw off the much needed balance of your hair.
Whatever your curls type is, if they are too moisturized to the point of becoming hazardous. It may lead to split ends and breaking.
As I’ve said before, it’s quite easy for a curly girl to have moisture overload.
Many people believe that drinking more water is always beneficial; however, this is not the case. It’s all about finding the right mix of protein and hydration.
A moisture overflow may manifest itself in several ways. The warning signs could include:
- Limp
- Lifeless
- Overly supple
- Mushy
- Stretchy and elastic
- It doesn’t curl well
- It has a dry and airy texture.
- After-style-lumpiness, where your haircut will immediately collapse right after styling.
- How To Prevent Moisture Overload
You can prevent moisture overload by following a few simple measures while washing your hair.
☑️ Don’t over-condition your hair, and don’t wash it too often.
You want to keep your hair moisturized without creating excess moisture in the first place. One way to achieve that is to avoid using conditioner on your hair. You should only use conditioner if you want your hair to feel soft after the shower.
☑️ Wash, squeeze out the water, rinse, and repeat!
You want to get the maximum amount of water out of your hair before sealing it in with a leave-in conditioner.
Curly hair may require more attention to water retention than straight hair, but it is still important to avoid sealing it in too much moisture.
☑️ Remember to use a protein gel if you can to help keep your curls in check.
💡 What Protein Overload Means for Your Hair?
It’s easy to get carried away when it comes to hair products, or worse, when you’re not even using the best products on your hair.
Protein is an important ingredient for your hair, but too much will cause you to have dry, damaged hair, which will, in turn, lead to breakage and frizz.
This means the best way to use protein is to use it sparingly and only on your hair ends.
Interestingly, the cheaper products are usually, the better when you fear the overload protein in your hair because they are commonly formulated for the texture of your hair and not necessarily for protein.
The balance between moisture and protein
In terms of weight, protein, water and oil form pretty much your hair.
Which means, protein is on the “dry” end of the spectrum, while water is on the “wet” end.
Your hair is happiest at its natural equilibrium point: where its protein and water levels are just right, which means you can use some moisture to keep it looking healthy.
If you have a bad hair day, it probably is because your hair is out of balance. Most people can correct their hair with a few simple things. But if you find that a certain hair product suddenly does not work for you, your hair is probably out of balance.
In this case, the hair is either overproduced or under-processed, so you should consider taking the following steps:
1. Cleanse the scalp and hair to remove excess product.
Every time you use a hair product, the balance of your hair shafts. The hair products you do wash out also play a role: the products you don’t wash out.
If you don’t pay attention to what your hair needs or the ingredients of the hair products you’re using, it’s easy to throw your hair out of balance. It’s better to opt for a holistic approach to hair care than to use only a couple of basic products and hope everything else is okay.
You want to prevent your hair from having moisture or a protein overload. After all, you don’t want to deal with hair loss down the road. To prevent that from ever happening, you want to do the best job you can at keeping your hair looking great, with cleansed scalp and zero excess products.
2. Condition your hair.
After you cleanse the hair, apply a conditioner. If you have curly hair, use a clarifying shampoo. This will help you to get rid of excess products. Then you can rinse your hair again.
3. Apply a leave-in conditioner.
Leave-ins are usually used in combination with a moisturizer. They help to give your hair more hold and shine.
4. Finally, blow-dry the hair.
Don’t blow-dry the hair too much. Blow drying your hair too much can make it look greasy and unhealthy. You want the hair to be shiny but not sticky.
💡 The Takeaways
Moisture is important for healthy hair. However, if you’re experiencing a lot of dryness, protein treatments may be just what your hair needs.
Moisture overload vs protein overload? Both are a problem for many people, though some are naturally prone to this, while others are not.
But these are something you can reduce by understanding how your hair works and balancing out your use of protein-rich products, to prevent hygral fatigue and those lifeless, lumpy curls.
