EXPERT OPINION. Keratin for hair at home

Is keratin really necessary for hair and should we be concerned about its presence in care products? How is keratin used at home? Does everyone need it? L’Oréal Paris expert Alla Mimikina talks about keratin as such and its presence in shampoos, balms and masks.

How to determine that the hair needs keratin products? Is home care enriched with keratin enough, or are salon treatments necessary?

Hair is 78% keratin. Keratin is a protein that contains 19 amino acids. It is he who is responsible for the density, elasticity, strength of the hair. When the structure changes under the influence of various external and internal factors, the hair becomes dry, weak, dull, and lose volume.

Diagnostics of the condition of the hair allows you to understand whether they need cosmetic products with keratin. You can carry out a simple test even at home. If the hair breaks easily when wet, it indicates a high degree of damage. In a dry state, hair that lacks keratin does not shine, is prone to tangles, is very frizzy, has increased brittleness and dryness.

How does keratin treatment work on hair? What can he and what can’t he do?

When applying cosmetics with keratin, a complete transformation of the hair occurs. Keratin penetrates between cuticle scales, filling damaged areas. Hair becomes denser, stronger, gain volume, beauty, shine and radiance. Keratin in the composition of cosmetics is able to restore the structure of the hair. It gives them smoothness, shine, protects against negative environmental influences, increases elasticity and firmness, facilitates combing and styling.

Are there situations when keratin products are not recommended?

Only if there is a predisposition to intolerance or an allergic reaction to cosmetic products with keratin. In all other cases, shampoos, balms and masks with keratin will only benefit the hair.

What is more effective – shampoo, balm, mask or leave-in care with keratin?

Does it make sense to use products with keratin after salon procedures?

Certainly yes. After salon treatments for keratin restoration, it is recommended to use a keratin hair care program at home.

What is keratin used in cosmetics made of? What to look for when choosing such hair care?

The composition of keratin includes amino acids, such as: glycine, alanine, cysteine, cystine and others. Hair care products use vegetable keratin derived from the amino acids of corn, wheat, soy and rice. L’Oréal Paris often uses phytomimetic keratin (vegetable protein) in its formulas, which mimics the effect of keratin found in human hair. This is what ensures efficiency.

Healthy Food Recommendations

We have already tried these two ranges with keratin (both from L’Oréal Paris) and feel free to advise you! Each range provides a complete complex treatment with keratin to restore, strengthen and beautifully look hair.

1 | Elseve Complete Recovery Shampoo 5

Revitalizing Shampoo with 2% Revitalizing Keratin Concentrate leaves even damaged hair with a healthy glow after shampooing. This is the first step in a keratin treatment for weak hair.

2 | Revitalizing balm Elseve “Full recovery 5”

The balm already contains 9% of a concentrate with keratin, so the hair becomes silky, strong and shiny against the background of regular use of the balm after shampoo. The effect is felt the first time, even very damaged hair is transformed.

3 | Elseve Full Recovery 5 Revitalizing Mask

The mask contains a high content of a regenerating concentrate with keratin. Perhaps this is the main stage in keratin care. In a few minutes on the hair, the nutrients from the mask saturate the hair fiber with keratin concentrate, the hair becomes silky and strong.

4 | Elseve Hair Restoration Cream “Full Recovery 5”

The final step in the Elseve Keratin Complete Recovery 5 treatment is a leave-in restorative cream. It contains 8% concentrate with keratin. And he is on the hair from morning to evening, continuing the process of active recovery. Along the way, the restorer cream can be used as a thermal protection. According to an independent study, after a single use of the cream, the hair looks 98% restored and 74% more refined.

Another line of L’Oréal Paris, which includes products enriched with keratin, is Elseve Dream Length. As you might guess from the name, it is designed for owners of long hair. Still, length is also a kind of test for hair, because they must be provided with nutrition from roots to ends. Plus, they get confused more often, they are tortured with elastic bands and hairpins, etc. In short, it is much easier for long hair to get the status of “damaged” than for short hair.

1 | Shampoo-transformation Elseve “Dream Length”

In addition to vegetable keratin, the formula includes castor oil, vitamins B5 and B3 – everything you need for long damaged hair. Thanks to the ingredients of the shampoo, the hair becomes stronger, and the problem of split ends will soon be forgotten (if, of course, you remain faithful to this range of hair care).

2 | Super balm “Easy combing” Elseve “Dream length”

One of the main fighters against split ends in the whole range. It does the job perfectly, also contains a complex of vitamins of group B, vegetable keratin and castor oil for strong, smooth and shiny hair.

3 | Elseve Rescue Mask “Dream Length”

The mask contains a proprietary complex with vegetable keratin, which distinguishes the entire Dream Length range. It is applied for only two to three minutes, and then washed off with water. There is no need to rub your hair at the risk of tearing it. The mask, thanks to its comfortable texture, envelops every hair.

4 | Elseve Steam Mask “Dream Length”