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TheWashDay editorial · Updated · From the makers’ own pages · How we compare
A protein treatment is a rinse-out step its maker sells for strengthening hair, with hydrolyzed protein, keratin or amino acids on the label. The seven here differ most in time and in how often: ApHogee’s Keratin reconstructor stays on two minutes, Cécred’s mask up to twenty, and ApHogee’s Two-Step is dried on under a hooded dryer once every four to six weeks.
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Rinse-out protein treatments and reconstructors whose makers publish a full ingredient list and directions, from the makers’ own US pages. We haven’t used or tested them, and commissions never change the list or its order.
Where a protein treatment fits on wash day
Every treatment here is rinsed out, and for five of the seven the maker says to put it on after shampooing. It is an extra step, not your conditioner: three makers (ApHogee for its Two-Step, Briogeo and Cécred) say to follow it with their own moisturizing conditioner, mask or moisturizer.
Choose by the label and the time you have. A list that names hydrolyzed protein, keratin or amino acids is what puts a product in this guide; how much protein it has is not printed on any label.
Redken says one to three times a week for Extreme CAT. Briogeo says weekly for MegaStrength+, then every other week after several treatments. Curl Junkie says once a month, or as needed. ApHogee says every four to six weeks for the Two-Step. Cécred says whenever your hair needs repair.
ApHogee’s Keratin reconstructor and SheaMoisture’s Protein-Strong Treatment give no schedule. If your hair feels stiff or straw-like after one, the protein overload page says what to change next wash.
Two to five minutes: ApHogee Keratin and Redken Extreme CAT
ApHogee Keratin 2 Minute Reconstructor goes on after shampoo, half an ounce worked through to the scalp, under a warm towel or a plastic cap for two minutes, or five for hair ApHogee calls extreme cases. It comes in 0.7, 8 and 16 oz.
Redken Extreme CAT is a spray: after shampoo you spray it through, lather, leave it three to five minutes and rinse. Redken’s own page gives no size or price.
Curl Junkie Repair Me! goes through wet hair with your fingers or a wide-tooth comb and stays five to ten minutes; a plastic cap or heat makes it a deeper treatment, Curl Junkie says.
ApHogee Two-Step is the longest job here. After ApHogee’s shampoo you saturate your hair, comb it through and dry it uncovered under a medium-heat hooded dryer with high airflow, or a hand dryer without moving your hair. ApHogee warns that hair turns very hard while it dries: don’t comb or brush until it is rinsed out with warm water. Then its Balancing Moisturizer, sold separately, stays on two minutes.
Ten to twenty minutes: Cécred, Briogeo and SheaMoisture
Cécred’s Reconstructing Treatment Mask goes on wet hair in sections after shampooing and detangling, for up to 20 minutes, best under a plastic cap with heat from a hooded dryer, steamer or warm towel. Cécred prints “THIS IS NOT A DEEP CONDITIONER” and says not to leave it on overnight.
Briogeo MegaStrength+ goes on damp hair for at least ten minutes, longer or overnight if you like, then Briogeo’s Deep Conditioning Mask; Briogeo prints its protein and moisture lists separately. SheaMoisture’s Protein-Strong Treatment is a quarter-sized amount for ten to fifteen minutes, or a pre-wash treatment before you shampoo.
We haven’t used these treatments; we compare what their makers publish. This isn’t a ranking, and no label says how much protein a product holds. Makers’ words such as “repair” and “strengthen” are theirs, not results we checked.
Questions before your next wash
Is a protein treatment the same as a deep conditioner?
Not in these makers’ words. Cécred prints “THIS IS NOT A DEEP CONDITIONER” on its mask, and Briogeo says MegaStrength+ isn’t a hair mask; both say to follow with their own conditioner or mask.
How often should I use a protein treatment?
As often as its maker says, which ranges from one to three times a week (Redken Extreme CAT) to every four to six weeks (ApHogee Two-Step). Two makers here give no schedule.
Do I need heat for a protein treatment?
Only where its maker says so. ApHogee Two-Step is dried on under a dryer, with no plastic cap. Cécred says a cap and heat give the best results, and Curl Junkie that they make a deeper treatment; ApHogee’s Keratin reconstructor sits under a warm towel or a plastic cap. Briogeo, Redken and SheaMoisture give no heat step.
