I’ve decided to write about protein-free deep conditioner for low porosity hair because I have protein-sensitive hair and I figured some of our readers are also sailing in the same boat.
And why bother to use deep conditioners anyway?
Quick question: Have you ever tried to get a shy, reserved, and stubborn friend to open up about their private life to no avail because they’ve built a wall around themselves?
Well, moisturizing low porosity hair is kind of like that. That’s why nourishing deep conditioners are a regular essential.
Not all deep conditioners are tailor-made to fit low porosity hair’s needs.
In fact, many of them contain protein, one of its biggest watch-outs.
Here are my top three picks for the best protein-free deep conditioner for low porosity hair:
Table of Contents
Best Protein-Free Deep Conditioner For Low Porosity Hair
| Brand | Image | Details |
|---|---|---|
| TGIN Honey Miracle Hair Mask Deep Conditioner |   | . Adds hydration . Leaves hair shiny . Controls frizz |
| Curl Junkie Curl Rehab Moisturizing Hair Treatment |   | . Moisturizes hair . Great slip . Maintains curl definition |
| Jessicurl Deep Conditioning Treatment |   | . Perfect for curly, coily hair . Great moisturization . Deep penetration |
| As I Am Hydration Elation Intensive Conditioner |   | . Deeply nourishes the hair . Makes hair soft . Strengthens hair |
| Mixed Chicks Deep Conditioner |   | . Hydrates hair & scalp . Controls frizz . Good slip |
| Obia Naturals Babassu Deep Conditioner |   | . Strengthens hair strands . Great slip . Acts as a detangler |
| Alikay Naturals Moisture Repairing Hair Mask |   | . Color-safe . Reduces hair breakage . Moisturizes the hair |
| Eden BodyWorks Jojoba Monoi Deep Conditioner |   | . Tames frizz . Provides moisturization . Defines curls |
What Is Low Porosity Hair?
Before I talk about any protein-free deep conditioner for low porosity hair, let’s first look at why this type of hair doesn’t like excess protein.
Porosity refers to how well hair can absorb and retain moisture because of how “porous” the cuticle is.
High porosity hair has more holes in the hair shaft, so moisture goes in very easily.
On the other hand, if you have low porosity hair, it means that the cuticles are tightly packed that there’s little room for moisture to seep into the hair strand.
It’s hard even just to get the hair wet right away in the shower because water typically beads up on the hair for a while before completely drenching it.
One trick you can do to see if you have low porosity hair is the strand test.
Get a glass of water, drop a clean strand of hair in it, and wait around 30 minutes.
If the hair floats and sits on the surface, you probably have low porosity hair that doesn’t open up and absorb water.
If the strands sink, you have high porosity hair.
Protein And Low Porosity Hair
Now let’s talk about low porosity hair’s complicated relationship with protein.
Protein is awesome for porous hair because it fills in gaps in the cuticle to “repair” it and make the hair shaft stronger.
But low porosity hair doesn’t have gaps, just overlapping cuticles.
It’s closed shut as it is, and all protein will do is create a thick, hardened coating around the hair without penetrating or repairing anything.
It just sits there, causing product build-up.
This is called protein overload and can lead to dry, stiff, straw-like hair without any shine or luster.
The hair also sheds more and snaps off easily.
Instead of repairing the hair, the suffocating coating of protein actually makes the hair more brittle.
So if you have low porosity hair, try and space out your protein treatments to avoid ending up with straw-like hair.
Double-check the list of ingredients on hair products you want to buy.
If your hair is generally healthy and hasn’t suffered any kind of damage in the recent past, you may want to steer clear of protein-rich ingredients like keratin, wheat, soy, quinoa, and amino acids.
Benefits Of Using Moisturizing Deep Conditioners On Low Porosity Hair
Because it’s tricky to moisturize low porosity hair, it’s prone to dryness and dullness.
But it isn’t all bad news.
Yes, it’s difficult for moisture to get into the cuticle.
But once moisture does penetrate the hair, it retains it quite well.
That’s why the key to deep conditioning low porosity hair is looking for ingredients with penetrative properties and sink deep into the hair.
These gorgeous ingredients include coconut oil, argan oil, and shea butter – all known to penetrate the hair strands and nourish them from the inside out.
Always make sure the deep conditioner has water as one of the key ingredients.
Another thing you can do to help deep conditioners penetrate the hair is to add heat.
Heat opens up the cuticle, so using a hooded steamer during your hair mask session will give you a leg up.
Using ultra-moisturizing deep conditioners promotes hair elasticity and bounciness, giving your mane more life and movement.
Properly moisturized hair is healthily flexible and is able to stretch without snapping.
The right deep conditioner will also give the hair the luster and shine it needs to glow naturally, without looking greasy.
Moisture will also make the hair smooth and silky soft to the touch.
Top Protein-Free Deep Conditioner For Low Porosity Hair
Let’s look at some of the best deep conditioners in the market that are protein-free.
TGIN Honey Miracle Hair Mask Deep Conditioner With Raw Honey & Olive Oil
The secret to optimal moisture is to get a deep conditioner with a humectant, which draws hydration into the hair, and rich, beautiful oils to lock all that goodness in.
And that’s exactly what this honey and olive oil mask does for dry, damaged hair.
Raw honey is a humectant and is known to hydrate the hair immensely.
It makes the hair shiny without ever leaving it greasy or waxy.
On the other hand, jojoba and olive oils moisturize the hair and lock all that hydration in.
These nourishing oils also heal significantly damaged hair.
I’m in love with the great texture of this mask – it’s thick yet buttery.
It controls frizz too, so styling your hair is a breeze.
Pros
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- Raw honey adds hydration and makes hair shiny
- Jojoba and olive oils lock in moisture and heal damaged hair
- An awesome texture that is thick and creamy
- Repairs overly processed hair
- Smoothens out the hair to control frizz
- Doesn’t contain parabens, sulfates, or lanolin
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Cons
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- Contains silicones, which can build up and dry out the hair
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Curl Junkie Curl Rehab Moisturizing Hair Treatment
Another option for curly girls is this line of deep conditioners by Curl Junkie.
It’s made from natural shea and cocoa butters and jojoba oil to deeply nourish the hair.
It also has aloe leaf juice and other gorgeous herbs to strengthen the hair and give it shine and softness.
Although it’s an ultra-hydrating mask, it’s still lightweight in texture, so it doesn’t weigh the hair down.
In fact, it’s versatile enough to be used as a leave-in conditioner during the day as well!
My favorite part about this line of super moisturizing hair treatments is that it comes in a range of sweet and decadent scents.
If you love gourmand scents, go for the strawberry ice cream one.
And if you like fresh, tropical aromas, there’s a gardenia and coconut variant too!
Pros
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- Rich oils and butters deeply nourish the hair
- Aloe juice and herbs hydrate the hair
- Nourishing yet lightweight texture
- Restores and maintains curl definition
- Versatile enough to be used as a leave-in moisturizer
- Gives the hair great slip
- A little goes a long way
- Has a range of fresh, sweet scents
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Cons
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- Not very moisturizing for some hair types
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Jessicurl Deep Conditioning Treatment
This is another protein-free deep conditioner for low porosity hair that will leave your tresses thoroughly hydrated.
Curly – and especially coily – hair is very prone to dryness, and coupled with the predicament of being low in porosity, it becomes a tougher challenge to hydrate it.
If this sounds like a problem of yours, Jessicurl’s deep conditioning treatment is made just for you.
This mask combines rich and ultra-moisturizing shea and cocoa butters with the very moisturizing avocado oil to give you the intense hydration that your curly hair needs to be restored.
These ingredients are able to penetrate deep into the hair shaft to provide hydration from the inside.
The texture is very thick, which is perfect for your hair that needs a lot more moisture than the average low porosity girl.
It also contains aloe vera, a humectant that draws even more hydration into your curls.
Pros
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- Provides intense hydration for extremely dry hair
- Rich and thick – perfect for curly, coily hair
- Contains shea and cocoa butter for deep penetration
- Aloe vera soothes the scalp and hydrates hair
- Comes in a hygienic, mess-free tube
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Cons
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- If a lot of it is used, the hair may feel a bit weighed down because of the heavy oils
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As I Am Hydration Elation Intensive Conditioner
Replenishing moisture in coils and curls is one thing, but it’s another to make them bouncy, springy, and vivacious.
This intensive conditioner from As I Am does that perfectly.
The deep conditioner is made from a combination of coconut oil and shea butter, along with other natural ingredients, to deeply nourish the hair to make it soft and smooth.
It also has vitamin E that fortifies the hair, making it strong and resilient to damage and breakage.
Herbal botanicals like green tea, apple, and lemon stimulate the scalp and the hair roots to promote hair growth.
They also give this conditioner a sweet, refreshing, lightly fruity scent that is to die for.
Pros
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- It leaves the hair soft and manageable
- Coconut oil and shea butter deeply nourish the hair
- Vitamin E fortifies the hair to keep it strong and resilient
- Herbal botanicals stimulate the scalp and roots
- Detangles hair for easier combing and styling
- Makes coily and curly hair bouncy and springy
- Has a sweet and refreshing scent
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Cons
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- It doesn’t deeply moisturize some hair types
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Mixed Chicks Deep Conditioner
If you’re looking for a protein-free deep conditioner for low porosity hair that also acts as a great detangler, this Mixed Chicks deep conditioner will do the job.
It’s infused with safflower oil, which penetrates the hair shaft and reconstructs damaged areas.
This oil is rich in vitamin E, which strengthens the hair, prevents free radical damage, and hydrates the scalp – that means no more dandruff issues too!
It’s amazing at detangling the hair, which is why I recommend it for coily and curly hair patterns that are prone to having tangles.
It leaves the hair soft and easy to maintain, without an overdose of oils that leave you feeling sticky.
Pros
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- Safflower oil penetrates hair to repair damage
- Vitamin E hydrates the scalp and prevents free radical damage
- Great for detangling knotted hair
- Leaves hair soft and moisturized
- Controls frizz to make it more manageable
- It has good slip
- Doesn’t weigh your hair down
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Cons
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- The moisturizing power may not be that intensive for some curly/coily hair types
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Obia Naturals Babassu Deep Conditioner
Protein isn’t the only thing that can strengthen and reconstruct hair.
If you look hard enough, you’ll find a moisturizing oil that does that too. Babassu oil is one of them.
This deep conditioner by Obia Naturals is strand-strengthening and, at the same time, locks in hydration with a blend of gorgeous natural oils.
These include avocado and rosemary essential oils.
It also contains rice bran oil that protects the hair from free radicals that can damage it.
This mask provides the two things that dry, low porosity hair needs – fortification without the risk of protein overload and healthy elasticity for shiny hair.
And while it’s not as slippery as other masks, the soft and silky feel after rinse-out is more than worth it!
Pros
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- Babassu oil strengthens strands while nourishing them too
- Has a moisturizing blend of oils to lock in more hydration
- Rice bran oil fights free radicals to protect the hair
- Repairs and fortifies curly hair without protein
- Promotes elasticity and shine in hair
- It has great slip
- Hair feels exceptionally soft and manageable
- Acts as a great detangler
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Cons
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- Some users don’t find the scent appealing
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Alikay Naturals Avocado Cream Moisture Repairing Hair Mask
Just because you have to avoid protein, it doesn’t mean you can’t take steps to nourish and repair your hair at the same time!
This hair mask by Alikay Naturals contains avocado, peppermint oil, and burdock root to hydrate the hair while keeping it strong and healthy.
The mask’s star ingredient is avocado, which is high in beta-carotene and essential fats that are incredibly moisturizing.
This adds a natural shine to the hair as well, for a pretty glow.
Avocado is also rich in Vitamin E, a tried and tested nutrient for hair repair.
This reduces breakage and makes the hair more resilient.
Peppermint oil and burdock root work hand in hand to stimulate the scalp, therefore promoting hair growth.
Pros
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- Provides deep nourishment from root to tip
- Avocado has essential fats and vitamins for moisture and shine
- Rich in Vitamin E for hair repair
- Peppermint oil stimulates the scalp, promoting hair growth
- Reduces hair breakage and snapping
- Safe for color-treated hair
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Cons
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- Can leave an oily residue on the hair if left on for too long
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Eden BodyWorks Jojoba Monoi Deep Conditioner
Sometimes, all dry and damaged hair needs is a fuss-free yet intensely hydrating deep conditioner made with the finest oils to restore its health.
Eden BodyWorks has a great jojoba oil-based hair mask that does exactly that!
This mask is made with a combination of organic oils that replenish the hair’s moisture levels and boost overall hair strength.
These include coconut and sweet almond oils – both known to penetrate deep into low porosity hair – as well as jojoba, monoi, and castor oils for added nourishment.
Like any good deep conditioner, this mask tames frizz to make the hair more manageable for styling.
It keeps the hair soft and shiny for days, making it an easy fave for low porosity hair.
Pros
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- Coconut, jojoba, and monoi oils replenish moisture in the hair
- The combination of ingredients boosts hair strength
- Tames frizz and makes hair more manageable
- Turns hair from dull to shiny and healthy
- Perfectly defines your curls
- Restores heat and color-damaged hair
- Leaves the hair very soft after rinsing
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Cons
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- Doesn’t have great slip
- Has a strong jojoba scent that not everyone may like
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Conclusion
Low porosity hair is like that one friend who always clams up and doesn’t let anyone in.
But when you give it warmth and know what ingredients it will respond to, it’s going to love you back, and make you look fabulous with shiny, bouncy, healthy hair in the process!
If you’ve been looking for a protein-free deep conditioner for low porosity hair, I hope you’ll find this review useful.