· By Briana Dunning
What Are Amino Acids for Hair? Benefits, How to Use & Expert Insights
You’re living your best life. You’re active, maybe doing some hot yoga, running, or hiking, or just sweating it out at the gym, but you’re CONSTANTLY battling hair damage. I'm talking frizz, breakage, and ends drier than the Sahara desert. You might have tried every conditioner under the sun, or you might think that washing your hair more often is the answer. But the truth is, washing your hair TOO much will strip it of all its natural oils, leaving your strands dry and putting you right back to square one. Nightmare!
Girl, I get it. I'm Briana, a celebrity hairstylist who’s coming up to my 30th year of doing hair - so trust me when I say, I've seen it ALL. And what I've found is that amino acids play a HUGE role in your hair health, stopping the ends from breaking off, improving your scalp health, and taking your locks from lifeless and limp to bouncy and beautiful. Here's how.
My Top Takeaways
- Amino acids are great for hair strength, making your strands stronger from the inside out.
- Amino acids for hair are different (and better) than traditional serums, because they don't just coat the hair.
- We use amino acids in our Sweaty Hair Refresher to restyle and strengthen textured hair.
What Are Amino Acids?
Let's get nerdy for a second. Amino acids are the building blocks of protein. Our human bodies need amino acids to keep our bodily functions working as they should and improve our overall health. And that includes our hair health, too. This is why so many haircare products, including OUR products, feature amino acids as one of their star ingredients.
At Unsubscribe, the amino acids we use in our own products mimic the exact hair structure. But why is this important? Think of it this way: our hair is CONSTANTLY under attack from all sorts of different things, including environmental factors, heat, sweat, and hair treatments and bleach (you know who you are!) All these things damage your hair cuticle and cortex, which means the structure of your hair strands starts to break down.
Amino Acids Vs Oils and Serums
Hair products like traditional oils and serums are marketed for healthy hair growth and shine, but a lot of the time, that isn't the case. They sit on the outside of your hair shaft. This means that they just coat the hair and, instead of giving you the beautiful, healthy locks you want, your hair ends up looking heavy, greasy, or stringy, which is NOT a vibe.
Amino acids for hair are different. They absorb directly into the hair strands, so they can get to work restoring and repairing your locks and giving you stronger hair.
What Do Amino Acids Do?
I consider amino acids to be microscopic miracle workers.
Because they mimic the structure of your hair, this means they help fill in the cuticle, which IMMEDIATELY makes your hair stronger. They integrate into your hair strands, making your hair much more resilient to daily stressors and environmental factors.
You get a gorgeous mane you can be proud of. That means no brittle hair or split ends. Just beautiful, shiny hair that looks and feels good.
Amino Acids in Action: What The Tests Found
When we were developing our formula for the Sweaty Hair Refresher and looking for ingredients to make your hair healthy, the amino acids made ALL the difference – and they were really put to the test. The developers who created these amino acids used them on hair that was intentionally damaged. This hair was giving SERIOUS breakage, like overcooked pasta. They performed stretch tests, elasticity tests, and even measured hair shine.
The results were ASTONISHING. They only had to dip the damaged hair into the amino acids three times before it was restored to its original state in terms of elasticity and shine.
THAT'S the true power of amino acids for hair structure.
Are Amino Acids Good for Hair? The Benefits
- They protect your hair, stopping split ends and damage.
- They're moisturizing and nourishing for your hair, giving you the shine you need.
- They give you beautiful, much thicker hair. You'll find amino acids in hair thickening products for this very reason.
- They provide a keratin boost. The protein called keratin makes up as much as 95 percent of our hair shaft.
How to Add Amino Acids into Your Hair Routine
Using my no-rinse hair wash is the best way to add amino acids for hair into your routine. If you have textured hair, from wavy to type 3C curls, then The Sweaty Hair Refresher is PERFECT for you. It's also great if you're a busy girly who doesn't have time to wash her hair - or who wants to cut down on how much you DO wash your hair. (See my guide on how often to wash hair for a full breakdown.)
- Soothing Scalp Benefits: Our formula contains green tea and chamomile, which will soothe your scalp and calm inflammation. This makes it perfect if you're prone to irritation or get scalp breakouts after sweating. I always put the product directly on the spot where I get breakouts.
- Safe For Color-Treated Hair: Use my formula on highlighted, colored, or keratin-treated hair worry-free. The Sweaty Hair Refresher contains active ingredients that can even assist with color retention.
- Clean Formula: We've made our formula to soothe and strengthen instead of strip. It's free from harsh chemicals (you know the drill - sulfates, parabens, aluminum, and other nasty chemicals).
- Neutralize Smells: The Sweaty Hair Refresher contains deodorizing enzymes, which neutralize perspiration, smoke, and food smells. You'll never skip a gym sesh again.
- The Right Dose: We use a safe, diluted amount of the amino acids, so you don't need to worry about "over-proteinizing" your hair with this treatment.
KEEP IN MIND: The Sweaty Hair Refresher IS what it says - it's a REFRESHER and NOT an absorber. It's not a dry shampoo, so it won't absorb grease or make your hair less oily. Use it to refresh and restyle in general for curly and textured hair - even if you’re not actively sweating. If you DO want to get rid of greasy hair, I recommend Skip Day. This spray will absorb oil without all the nastiness that comes with traditional dry shampoos.
How to Use the Sweaty Hair Refresher:
The Sweaty Hair Refresher is a lightweight foam. Use it on the days you skip shampoo, and especially after you've been sweating it out at the gym.
- Roots and Scalp: Pump the foam into your hand (I typically use about three pumps) and massage it directly into your scalp and hair where the sweat is heaviest - usually the nape and sides of your neck.
- Ends and Definition: Use another pump for the ends of your hair. TIP: Use flat hands (a prayer motion) to rub the amino acids into the ends. This will give you definition and strength.
- Restyle: The Sweaty Hair Refresher isn't a wet product, so it takes about a minute to dry. TIP: Smooth flyaways or finger-twist specific pieces if you want a more put-together look.
Then, you're all done. Let those essential amino acids work their magic and feel the difference in your hair.
Get the Sweaty Hair Refresher today.
Amino Acids for Hair Growth: What’s the Deal?
Yes, amino acids can encourage healthy hair growth! The reason for this is simple: amino acids strengthen hair and prevent breakage, which means as your hair grows, it won't break off. This will make it so much easier to achieve your growth goals.
CALLING ALL TEXTURED HAIR GIRLS: Textured hair tends to be drier and more fragile, which is why strengthening treatments with amino acids are non-negotiable.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Amino Acids are Good for Hair?
Certain amino acids are great for hair, and they include arginine, aspartic acid, alanine, serine, valine, proline, threonine, isoleucine, cysteine, methionine, lysine, glycine, and tyrosine.
The amino acids found in our Sweaty Hair Refresher are fantastic for your hair. They're formulated to mimic the EXACT structure and makeup of human hair, filling in the hair cuticle, and giving you stronger strands.
Is Amino Acid Treatment Good For Your Hair?
Amino acid treatments strengthen the hair, protecting it from external aggressors. They absorb directly into the hair and fill in damaged gaps, rather than coating it like serums. When we tested what an amino acid treatment can TRULY do for your hair, we found that it restored strands that looked like overcooked pasta, giving the hair back its shine and elasticity.
Can a Lack of Amino Acids Cause Hair Loss?
There are several studies that suggest a lack of amino acids can cause hair loss. One study on Nutritional Deficiencies in Hair Loss found that deficiencies in amino acids such as histidine, leucine, valine, and cysteine were common among participants with various types of alopecia. This suggests that correcting amino acid deficiencies might actually help with hair loss. So if you have thin, fine hair or you're worried about hair loss, check if you have any deficiencies.
What Are the Side Effects of Amino Acids for Hair?
Amino acids are considered generally safe for hair, which means they don't have a lot of side effects. If you take too many amino acid supplements, side effects can include nausea and fatigue, but haircare products are generally considered safe.
The amino acids we use in our Sweaty Hair Refresher are diluted and safe, which means they won't "over-proteinize" your hair.
Should I Take Amino Acid Supplements?
You can take amino acid supplements if you have a deficiency. Threonine, isoleucine, and other amino acids can also be obtained through a balanced diet rich in minerals, vitamins, and proteins. (And we all know that our diet can impact our hair too!)
If you want amino acids for hair, try using a hair care product with amino acids, like the Sweaty Hair Refresher.
Wrapping Up – The Truth About Amino Acids
Our hair is fragile. That's just the truth. And if you have textured hair, your locks are even more fragile, which is why you need products that are going to keep up with you and your lifestyle. Amino acids play an essential role in your hair health. Many serums, leave-in treatments, and moisturizers will coat the hair, but amino acids make a REAL difference, absorbing into the hair shaft and strengthening your strands.
So if you haven't added amino acids for hair into your routine, don't wait. Start today.
References
- Gowda D, Premalatha V, Imtiyaz DB. (2017). Prevalence of Nutritional Deficiencies in Hair Loss among Indian Participants: Results of a Cross-sectional Study. Int J Trichology.