5 Keratin Masks for Damaged Hair, Ingredients, and How to Apply

Last Updated on December 29, 2022 by Gaga

What is Keratin?

Keratin is a tough, fibrous protein naturally found in our hair, skin, and nails. It’s a vital structural component that makes our hair strong. The hair is up to 85% keratin which forms both the interior structure (cortex) and the outermost layer of the hair (cuticle).

The amount of keratin in hair diminishes with aging and can be also negatively affected by heat styling, chemical treatments, aggressive brushing, and environmental stressors.

When the cuticle layer is damaged, moisture escapes easily and your hair can become overly dry. The loss of keratin also makes your hair dull and prone to tangles and frizz. Without a healthy and compact cuticle layer, the middle layer of the hair shaft-cortex becomes exposed to damage, which leads to weak and inelastic hair.

healthy vs damaged hair

While that may sound grim, your damaged hair isn’t subject to a short (pun intended) life of being covered by hats and scarves. 🙂

With the reconstructing power of keratin masks, all the unwelcome changes in your hair due to keratin loss can be minimized. In just several minutes, these intensive treatments can replenish missing or damaged keratin and dramatically improve the condition of your hair.

How to Use Keratin Hair Mask to Fix Damaged Hair?

Hydrolyzed keratin proteins in hair masks will not permanently renew damaged hair. Protein particles that bind to the hair will rinse off over time, which is why keratin hair masks should be repeated once a week or bi-weekly to keep dry and over-processed hair strong, soft, and frizz-free.

a woman applying a keratin hair mask

Keratin Repair Mask Ingredients

Make sure to read the label and look for ingredients such as amino acids, hydrolyzed keratin, hydrolyzed soy protein, hydrolyzed wheat protein, and hydrolyzed silk. To be sure that your mask will provide you with the precious benefits of hydrolyzed proteins, these proteins should be listed high up in the ingredient list rather than at the very bottom of it. HASK KERATIN PROTEIN Deep Conditioner listed below is a good example.

Some hair masks use “keratin” in their name, but don’t contain keratin proteins at all. These so-called keratin masks have a high content of silicones, which will either wash out with the next shampoo or build up on your hair and you must use a clarifying shampoo to eliminate them.

You should also avoid keratin hair masks that contain sodium chloride, which may strip keratin from your hair.

Below is a list of several high-quality keratin reconstructive hair masks you might want to consider.

Related Article

5 Keratin Replenishing Hair Masks 

This post contains links to Amazon. The publisher may get paid if You purchase something through the links without additional costs to You.

line

1. HASK KERATIN PROTEIN Deep Conditioner Treatment is designed to restore and strengthen damaged hair.

Who should use it? This deep conditioner works exceptionally for women who have been dying their hair for years and struggle with dry, over-processed, and breakage-prone strands.

Key ingredients: Keratin amino acids are listed very high on the label, which means that this compound is present in large amounts. Keratin amino acids bind to the hair shaft, making overly porous hair look healthier and shinier. Coarse hair will be soft, frizz-free, and easy to detangle and style.

line

2. Phyto Phytokeratine Extreme Exceptional Mask is a regenerative conditioning treatment for dry, damaged hair. The main ingredient is botanical keratin composed of 18 amino acids. While a majority of repairing hair masks contain silicones in their formula, this mask is free of bad silicones, parabens, and phthalates. This regenerative mask deeply repairs and nourishes dry and damaged hair while restoring its elasticity and strength.

Key ingredients:

Botanical Keratin fills in the gaps in the damaged hair shaft and seals the cuticle to reduce frizz and boost shine.

Sapota Seed Butter, rich in fatty acids nourishes the scalp and adds shine to the hair without leaving a greasy residue.

Baobab oil restores the protective hydrolipidic coating around the hair strands and increases hair strength and suppleness.

Buriti fruit oil is rich in essential fatty acids and has potent antioxidant properties. It revitalizes dry hair, boosts elasticity, and fights frizz.

How to use: After shampooing, apply a small amount of the mask to mid-lengths and ends. Use a wide-toothed comb to coat your hair completely. If your hair is fine or thinning, apply a smaller amount, focusing on mid-lengths and ends, and leave it on for 2 to 3 minutes. If your hair is thick, apply the product more generously to the length and the ends of your hair and leave it on for 5 to 10 minutes.

line

3. Hair Rejuvenating Mask by Damila uses hydrolyzed keratins to provide remarkable restorative and conditioning benefits to damaged and over-processed hair. With the very first use, the mask transforms damaged strands into silkier, shinier hair. Regular use provides cumulative effects, making hair stronger and healthier.

Key ingredients:

Keratin proteins repair damaged spots along the cuticle, leaving hair stronger, silkier, and shinier. They leave behind a layer of protection to shield the hair from the effects of heat styling and minimize future damage.

Panthenol is a highly effective humectant that helps retain moisture, making hair more resistant to humidity.

Collagen helps improve hair’s thickness while boosting natural sheen.

How to use: Apply the mask to clean, damp hair. Massage into the hair to distribute it evenly. Cover with a plastic cap and let it sit for several minutes. Rinse out and style as normal. Use biweekly or more often if needed.

keratin mask applied to the client's hair in the salon
line

4. Luseta Keratin Smooth Hair Mask is infused with keratin to provide nourishment for dry, damaged, and weakened hair. The mask is free of sulfates, paraben, gluten, and other harmful ingredients. It is also safe for color-treated hair. Hydrolyzed Keratin, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Hydrolyzed Corn Protein, and Hydrolyzed Soy Protein replenish lost keratin, restore elasticity, and add shine and softness.

How to use: Apply this mask weekly and leave it on your hair for five minutes while in the shower.

line

5. AG Hair Keratin Repair Reconstruct Intense Anti-Breakage Mask is an intensive conditioning treatment formulated to reconstruct dry and damaged hair that has undergone chemical treatments such as bleaching or chemical straightening. This hair mask infuses hair with much-needed moisture and restores elasticity, leaving your hair softer, shinier, more manageable, and more resistant to breakage when you brush it. It doesn’t leave residue behind or weigh down fine hair.

Key ingredients: This hair mask is packed with keratin amino acids, silk proteins, and shea butter.

Thanks to their small molecular weight, keratin amino acids penetrate the hair shaft to repair the damage while adding moisture, strength, and elasticity. They also repair damaged cuticles, giving your hair smoothness and shine.

Silk amino acids help preserve moisture and provide additional strength, suppleness, and glow.

Shea butter is a great emollient that helps lock in moisture and condition hair.

Abyssinian oil keeps hair moisturized and improves its manageability and shine.

The blend of superfruits has antioxidant properties that promote hair and scalp health.

How to use: Massage into damp hair after shampooing. Leave it on for 2-5 minutes. To intensify the effects, wrap your hair and apply heat for 10-15 mins. Rinse.

line
pretty girl with strong and healthy hair

About the author

Website | + posts

Gaga is a blogger and founder of the Softer Hair website. She often says that insomnia is to blame for her first blogging attempts. Being the night owl, she hated the morning alarm. She left her office job and returned to what she loved most - writing.

 

Leave a Comment