Brittle hair, be gone! The best protein treatments deserve a permanent spot in your routine—especially if your strands are feeling limp, brittle, or dull. No, these powerhouse formulas aren’t your average smoothing hair masks.
First and foremost, it’s essential to understand hair from a scientific POV. “Hair strands are literal protein threads; once they protrude out of the hair follicle, it becomes a fine fabric,” as trichologist Bridgette Hill explained in our guide to repairing damaged hair. That said, protein treatments are formulated to target the structural integrity of your lengths, by filling in weak spots along the hair shaft and reinforcing its natural strength. Not to mention, they can also smooth frizzy flyaways, prevent split ends, and tackle dryness.
Vogue’s Favorite Protein Hair Treatments
Best Leave-In
K18 Biomimetic Hairscience Leave-In Molecular Repair Hair Mask
Read moreBest Affordable
Cer-100 collagen coating protein treatment
Read moreBest for Fine Hair
Ouai Treatment Mask for Fine and Medium Hair
Read moreBest with Keratin
Unove Deep Damage Treatment Ex
Read moreBest for High-Shine
Color Wow Money Masque
Read moreBest with Biotin
Briogeo Don’t Despair, Repair! Deep Conditioning Hair Mask
Read moreBest Bio-Identical Keratin
Virtue Restorative Treatment Mask
Read more
Think of them as necessary TLC for lengths that have seen one too many chemical treatments and daily heat styling. The benefits of protein treatments accumulate with each use, transforming hair from fragile to fortified with consistent use (and yes, that means shinier and softer lengths, too). Unsurprisingly, protein treatments are also a specialized area of Korean haircare, having long been popular in Seoul, and only just gaining buzz stateside. Their popularity is largely due in part to K-beauty’s innovative approach to formulas, or as Landing International CEO Sarah Chung Park explained, “the same clinical rigor, layered actives, and fermentation technology that transformed the global skin-care world.”
Ahead, 9 Vogue-approved protein treatments worth weaving into your routine (and your compromised hair strands).
