Image: MomJunction Design Team
Lack of enough protein in your hair can make it look lifeless, rough, and dull. So, here’s our list of the best protein shampoos to help you out. Following a poor diet and using excessive heat treatment can lead to protein loss in your hair, causing your strands to weaken and break. Protein shampoos can replenish the lost protein in your hair.
With the goodness of keratin and other natural proteins, these shampoos can restore damaged and broken hair back to its healthy state. So, explore our list to learn more.
Top Picks
Benefits Of Protein Shampoos
- Make your hair strong and healthy from within
- Can repair the split ends by attaching the hydrolyzed proteins to the hair cuticles
- Help in hair growth as keratin is an essential active ingredient in achieving long hair
- Add moisture to your dry hair and make it look soft and shiny
- Improve the hair elasticity of damaged and broken hair
- Make your hair manageable by taming the frizz
- Add healthy volume to the hair by improving the protein content in the hair
13 Best Protein Shampoos
1. Best For Dry Hair: L’oreal Paris Elvive Total Repair Five Shampoo
The L’oreal Paris Elvive total repair five shampoo can deal with five damaged hair problems. This total repairing shampoo contains nine percent repair concentrate with protein. It helps deal with weak, dried hair, brittles, tangles, and split ends that leave your hair lifeless. Use this result-driven shampoo with a suitable conditioner to improve your hair health and leave it silky. Check out this product testing video and learn about a tester’s experience with using the product.
Pros
- Works well for color-treated hair
- Makes your hair ready for styling
- Adds bounce to the hair
- Irresistible fragrance
- Doesn’t weigh down the hair
Cons
- Might not be suitable for all hair types
- Contains harsh chemicals, such as silicones, sulfates, and parabens
"I noticed a significant difference in my hair after a few washes. It leaves my hair soft, bouncy, and full of volume. It has a rich formula—a little goes a long way. Despite an off-putting scent, it has become a staple in my hair care routine."
Why We Think It's Worth Buying
The product has garnered more than 31,330 positive reviews on Amazon.
2. Best For Severely Damaged Hair: Nexxus Keraphix Damage Healing Shampoo
The Keraphix damage healing shampoo from Nexxus cleanses severely damaged and brittle hair, leaving it strong and healthy. This protein-infused shampoo contains keratin protein and black rice to nourish your hair fibers from within. The shampoo is clinically proven to reduce damage and gives you a salon-like experience at home while making your hair look silky and lustrous.
Pros
- Suitable for all hair types
- Zero percent silicone
- Pleasant fragrance
- Helps remove frizz and enhance curls
- Makes hair more manageable
Cons
- Might feel greasy on some hair types
"I love how this shampoo's keratin formula makes my hair look shiny and silky. It has been a wonderful addition to my hair care routine. I have also noticed visible signs of repair, so my frizzy hair is very grateful. I would recommend it."
Quick TipWhy We Think It's Worth Buying
More than 7,484 buyers on Amazon have said the product lives up to the hype.
3. Best pH-Balanced Formula: Redken Extreme Strength Repair Shampoo
Restore your natural hair by treating the damaged hair with this Redken extreme shampoo. It helps reduce the breakage by 73% and restores the damaged hair. This pH-balanced formula contains protein and a three percent strength complex that cleanses and strengthens every hair strand. It fortifies the hair and makes the hair thick, shinier, and healthier when used along with conditioner and anti-snap treatment. Watch this review video to learn about the protein-rich shampoo in detail.
Pros
- Tames the frizzy hair and makes it manageable
- Enhance the curls
- Light fragrance
- Suitable for color-treated hair
- Lightweight formula
- Shows visible results
Cons
- Might feel greasy on some hair types
"My hair has become softer and more manageable since I started using this shampoo. With a pleasant, clean scent, I found it a commendable option for dealing with hair damage and frizz. Highly recommended!"
L'oreal Paris Elvive Total Repair Five Shampoo Best For Dry Hair | Nexxus Keraphix Damage Healing Shampoo Best For Severely Damaged Hair | Redken Extreme Strength Repair Shampoo Best pH-Balanced Formula | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hair Type | Damaged | Damaged | Damaged |
| Dimensions | 2.35 x 3.94 x 9.5 inches | 3.36 x 3.36 x 10.12 inches | 3.15 x 3.15 x 9.76 inches |
| Weight | 1.97 Pounds | 2.11 Pounds | 2.27 Pounds |
| Batteries | - | - | 1 A batteries required |
| Rating | |||
| Reviews | 31,330 | 7,484 | 10,154 |
| Price | $6.58 | $18.97 | $7 |
4. Best For All Hair Types: Design Essentials Oat Protein & Henna Deep Cleansing Shampoo
A natural hair formula from Design Essentials made from oat protein and henna can deeply cleanse your hair, removing the build-up. The hydrolyzed oat protein nourishes, hydrates, and conditions hair, while the henna adds volume and shine to your hair. It helps strengthen and replenish the hair by controlling the damage and makes it look thicker and fuller. It promotes healthy hair without putting your hair through harsh chemicals.
Pros
- Suitable for all hair types and textures
- Contains no silicones and parabens
- Mineral oil-, sulfate-, and petrolatum-free
- Cruelty-free
- Suitable for color-treated hair
- Makes your hair light and bouncy
- Improves scalp health
- Makes hair manageable
Cons
- Might leave your hair dry without a conditioner
"I was impressed by this product's cleansing ability without stripping the scalp of essential oils. It prevents build-up, smells nice, and feels light after washing–it has everything I have been looking for in an everyday shampoo. I love the formula and its effectiveness!"
Quick TipWhy We Think It's Worth Buying
Over 3,813 customers on Amazon have opined that this is one of the best products in its category.
5. Best For Frizzy And Split Ends: Vitamins Hair Cosmetics Keratin Shampoo
Restore the strength and luster of your damaged hair with this keratin protein-rich and professional-grade shampoo that is a blend of herbal ingredients. The collagen-infused shampoo also contains biotin, and castor oil, making it suitable to treat heavily damaged hair. It can treat your brittle, frizzy, and split ends by giving it a collagen boost and deeply nourish hair with essential proteins. With several benefits and features. This shampoo gives you a salon-like experience by making it look shiny and healthier from within.
Pros
- Gentle formula
- Enhance curls
- Alcohol-, sulfate-, and paraben-free
- Cruelty-free
- Makes hair more manageable
- Leaves hair soft and light
- Nice fragrance
Cons
- Runny texture
- Might leave a purple tint on some hair types
"I recently tried this versatile shampoo and was amazed by its results on my frizzy and dry hair, leaving them soft and shiny. Its lack of chemical formulation and mild scent are a big plus. It proved to be a promising find for my hair woes."
6. Best Mineral And Vitamin Content: Attitude Super Leaves Shampoo
With soy protein and cranberries, this protein shampoo from Attitude can amplify hair thickness and shine. It also contains watercress and Indian cress super leaves known for their rich mineral and vitamin content. They help in strengthening, re-energizing, and replenishing hair with softness and shine. This hypoallergenic formula is EWG-verified and ECOLOGO-certified.
Pros
- Anti-pollution formula detoxifies hair and scalp
- Vegan shampoo
- Contains clean ingredients
- Lightweight formula
- Good for sensitive, itchy scalp
- Not tested on animals
Cons
- Strong fragrance
- Might leave the hair dry when not combined with conditioner
7. Best For Silky Hair: Bain De Terre Keratin Phyto Protein Shampoo
Treat your fragile hair with this phyto protein shampoo to cleanse it luxuriously and strengthen it. It contains argan oil known for its reparative and regenerative properties, and the monoi oil can deeply hydrate hair follicles and makes the hair soft. The strengthening and nourishing shampoo helps in regenerating healthy hair from roots to tips and adds shine to it. This shampoo also defends your hair from future hair damage, thereby improving your hair health and keeping your hair silky, making it one of the best protein shampoos for hair.
Pros
- Suitable for color-treated hair
- Sulfate- and paraben-free
- Fresh botanical fragrance
- Helps reduce breakage
- Enhances curls
- Adds volume
Cons
- Not suitable for oily hair
"After testing numerous shampoos, I was glad to find this product. It adds significant volume to my fine hair, defines my curls without feeling greasy, and smells nice. I have been using it for a while and am pretty satisfied with it."
8. Best For Brittle Hair: L’ange Lather Keratin Protein Shampoo
Nourish and strengthen weak hair with this keratin protein shampoo from L’ange that is a scalp soother and makes the hair strong and healthy. It tames your hair by infusing it with the protein and gives you glossy and bouncy hair. The shampoo adds volume to your hair and protects your hair from harsh UV rays and free radicals. This vitamin and antioxidant-rich formula can deeply moisturize dry scalp and frizzy hair and shows visible results by adding a touch of softness and shine. Take a look at this review video detailing a tester’s experience with using the protein-rich shampoo.
Pros
- Suitable for all hair types
- Safe for color-treated hair
- Makes your hair ready for styling
- Sulfate- and paraben-free
- Mild scent
- Lightweight formula
Cons
- Might feel greasy on the oily hair
"This shampoo helped revive my dull hair, and that too with a lovely scent that lingers. Although it has a thick consistency, I diluted it, which lasted me for over a month. It is a great pick for everyday use."
9. Best Fragrance: Revlon Flex Body Building Protein Shampoo
Gently cleanse your scalp and repair brittle hair with this body building protein shampoo from Revlon. This protein shampoo restores the protein complex in the hair strands, and make hair look full, soft, and lustrous. It retains the moisture in the hair and makes it look naturally beautiful. This shampoo is suitable for normal to dry hair.
Pros
- Adds bounce to the hair
- Nice fragrance
- Refreshing formula
- Doesn’t weigh down your hair
Cons
- Can make your hair dry without a conditioner
"I would recommend this protein formula for stressed hair. It leaves my locks clean and residue-free. The scent is pleasant and is not harsh on my senses—a great pick for effective hair care."
10. Best For Healthy Shine:L’Oreal Professional Absolut Repair Shampoo
Formulated with wheat protein and golden quinoa, L’Oreal Professionnel’s Absolut Repair shampoo reduces damage and adds a healthy shine to the hair strands. This protein-rich shampoo can help reduce hair breakage and cleanse the dirt and dust accumulated on the scalp. Furthermore, the lightweight formula of this super-moisture shampoo rejuvenates damaged, dry, and weakened hair, making hair thick and healthy looking.
Pros
- Reduces frizziness and makes hair smooth
- Restores moisture to dry hair
- Provides deep cleansing
- Convenient pump mechanism
Cons
- Scent may be a bit overwhelming for some
"I added this shampoo to my routine recently, and my hair feels revitalized with a softer texture. A little product goes a long way, and it has a pleasant, non-overpowering scent. I found it reliable for hydrating my dull tresses."
11. Best For Chemically-Treated Hair: Salerm Cosmetics Protein Shampoo
Salerm protein shampoo is ideal for chemically-treated hair that is prone to damage. This infuses hydrolyzed keratin protein into the damaged hair and helps restore healthy and shiny hair. The super moisture shampoo for hair deeply hydrates every strand making your hair look naturally healthy and beautiful.
Pros
- Controls frizz and make hair smooth
- Restores moisture to dry hair
- Nice fragrance
- Adds volume to the hair
- Natural pH that is neutral to the skin
Cons
- Not suitable for all hair types
12. Best For Hairfall Prevention: Patanjali Kesh Kanti Milk Protein Shampoo
The ayurvedic shampoo from Patanjali is a blend of milk protein and other herbs to treat your rough and dry hair. It contains bhringraj, ghritakumari, Mehandi, hydrolyzed milk protein, and more herbs that help treat hair damage and dullness. The vitamin-rich formula helps nourish the scalp and prevent hair fall, making it the ideal protein shampoo to get natural-looking, healthy, and silky smooth hair.
Pros
- Good for sensitive scalp
- Moisturizes dry hair
- Controls frizz
- Improves hair shine
Cons
- Not suitable for all hair types
"This shampoo works great for my fine hair and my mother's grays, leaving them soft and manageable. It helps alleviate dryness and smells great. Overall, it's been a lovely experience using this product."
13. Best Hydrating Shampoo: Nexxus Clean & Pure Nourishing Detox Shampoo
Nexxus clean and pure shampoo helps gently cleanse and nourish your hair. The exclusive blend of protein, elastin, and marine minerals adds strength to the strands by nourishing them, giving you healthier, stronger hair. This hydrating shampoo will restore natural shine and luster to damaged hair. It also helps to purify the hair by detoxifying the scalp.
Pros
- Zero percent silicones and dyes
- No parabens
- Suitable for all hair types
- Lightweight formula
- Adds volume to fine hair
- Nice fragrance
Cons
- Some might develop an itchy scalp
"This product has helped manage my hair concerns, from reducing oiliness to handling sensitive scalp. However, it doesn't add much volume, which is its only downside. However, it's been a satisfactory pick for regular use."
How To Choose The Right Shampoo With Proteins?
Here are a few factors to consider before buying a protein shampoo.
- Hair type: Choose the shampoo based on your hair types, including normal hair, dry hair, oily hair, curly hair, wavy hair, and different hair textures. The right protein shampoo should suits your hair type, choosing the wrong product can make your hair worse.
- Ingredients: Some harsh chemicals, such as surfactants, can make your hair dry and brittle. Choose a product that is gentle on the already damaged hair and has no harsh chemicals.
- Hair problems: There are protein hair growth shampoos that can control hair fall, brittleness, split ends, add moisture, and more. Choose a protein shampoo that can particularly treat your hair problem.
- Lightweight formula: Choose a hydrating protein shampoo with a balance of proteins so that it won’t weigh down your hair. Go for lightweight formulas that can make your hair feel light and fresh.
- Fragrance: The fragrance of the shampoo will determine how your hair smells. Choose a shampoo that has a fragrance to please your senses.
, a licensed cosmetologist and bridal and event hair stylist, says, “Heat damage and chemical treatments can disturb your hair’s protein-moisture balance and make your hair frizzy, brittle, and dull. Thus, besides adding quality products to your hair-care routine, you’ll also need to make certain changes to your diet after consulting an expert to restore that protein-moisture balance.”
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How do I know if my shampoo has protein?
Check out the ingredient list on the shampoo to know if your shampoo contains protein. The type of protein used in the shampoo depends on the formula. Hydrolyzed collagen, hydrolyzed keratin, hydrolyzed rice, soy, or wheat protein, hydrolyzed silk, and hydrolyzed casein are some of the most common proteins used in shampoos.
2. How can I tell if my hair needs protein?
If your hair looks dry and brittle, it may be a sign that your hair needs protein. You can also identify the need for protein based on your recent hair trends, like if you have chemically treated your hair with bleach, dyes, or have heat damage from frequent heat stylings. This makes the hair porous and limp, and the hair strands may fall out effortlessly when brushing your hair.
3. How often should you add protein to your hair?
The frequency of protein treatments completely depends on your hair needs. If you think your hair is low on protein, you can choose a protein shampoo and use it once a week to notice the difference. You may try to increase or decrease the frequency based on your hair reaction to the treatment.
4. Does low protein cause hair loss?
Yes, low protein intake may cause hair loss. Just like any other body part, hair strands are made of a protein called keratin. When there is protein deficiency, it affects hair growth and may lead to hair loss.
5. Is protein shampoo good for curly hair?
Yes, protein-rich shampoos are good for curly hair if your hair is protein deficient. If your hair feels weak and has excessive hair fall, this might be an indication of low protein.
Why Trust MomJunction?
Poulami Nag, the author of this post, has vast experience in writing for various domains such as clothing, fashion, footwear, skin, and hair care. She has considered user requirements, quality, and safety aspects while curating this list of best protein shampoos for strong and nourished hair. A protein shampoo can help you replenish the lost protein and provide you with healthier and stronger hair. Poulami has also detailed some of the benefits and crucial factors to consider before buying a protein shampoo.
The Bottom Line
Protein shampoos are formulated to strengthen the hair from the roots to the tips while restoring its shine and softness. When choosing a protein shampoo, always consider your hair type, whether it is wavy hair, straight hair, thick hair, or dry hair. It is also essential to check the ingredients list to steer clear of products with harsh chemicals. Our favorites include the L’oreal Paris Elvive Total Repair Five Shampoo, which helps tackle split ends, and the Redken Extreme Strength Repair Shampoo, which makes the hair look shiny. Similarly, the Design Essentials Oat Protein & Henna Deep Cleansing Shampoo can be ideal for color-treated hair. Protein shampoos can also make your hair smell amazing. Therefore, opt for a shampoo with the fragrance of your choice.
Infographic: What Are The Benefits Of Using Protein Shampoos?
Pollution, dust, and harmful dyes can lead to dull and lifeless hair. Therefore, to keep hair healthy, you must look for specialized hair care formulations, such as protein shampoos containing keratin, collagen, and other proteins. Look through the below infographic to learn more benefits of using protein shampoos.
Illustration: Momjunction Design Team
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