12 Anti-Shedding Products To Keep in the Shower Post-Protective Style

My haircare routine, regardless of how short or extensive it is, has never been enjoyable. I don’t have a specific reason for this, except to say that I think face masks and the occasional lipstick are so much more fun to play with. For this reason, protective styles are non-negotiable. Whether it’s waist-length braids, extensions that match my natural curl pattern or straight-back cornrows, being able to tuck my natural strands away for weeks at a time is not only a time-saver but the easiest way to switch up my look with little effort. The only downside is dealing with breakage afterward, which always requires a fleet of anti-shedding products.

First, know that it’s completely normal for your hair to shed. In fact, we lose a couple hundred hairs per day, even when we’re not manipulating them into a style. However, when your real hair is braided or tucked away underneath a sewn-in weave, that daily shedding process is delayed for however long you choose to keep the style in place. So when your natural hair comes out of hiding, the amount of shedding can be especially overwhelming combined with the other effects of protective styling, such as build-up and breakage. In those days after removing a protective style, your hair is in need of extra TLC as it regains strength for whatever you plan to do next.

In this case, I’m talking repair masks, protein-rich shampoos, and hydrating conditioners that make detangling a breeze. Ahead, all of the top-rated options that deserve space in your shower.

Aveda.

Aveda Damage Remedy Intensive Restructuring Treatment

$38.41 at Amazon

Briogeo.

Briogeo Don’t Despair, Repair! Deep Conditioning Mask

$36 at Sephora

Bumble and bumble.

Bumble and bumble Bb. Full Potential Hair Preserving Shampoo

$31 at Sephora

Cantu.

Cantu Sulfate-Free Hydrating Cream Conditioner

$4.99 at Sally Beauty

Kiehl’s.

Kiehl’s Magic Elixir Hair Restructuring Concentrate

$20 at Nordstrom

Klorane.

Klorane Shampoo With Quinine and B Vitamins

$22 at Sephora

Not Your Mother’s.

Not Your Mother’s Way to Grow Long & Strong Shampoo

$5.99 at Ulta

SheaMoisture.

SheaMoisture Hydrate + Repair Protein Power Treatment

$11.49 at Ulta

TGIN.

TGIN Miracle Repairx Deep Hydrating Hair Masque

$17.99 at Sally Beauty

The Mane Choice.

The Mane Choice Anti-Shedding & Intense Volume Therapy Shampoo

$11.19 at Sally Beauty

The Ordinary.

The Ordinary Multi-Peptide Serum for Hair Density

$17.90 at Sephora

Rossano Ferretti.

Rossano Ferretti Prodigio Regenerating Treatment

$98 at Sephora

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