About two months ago, I took the plunge and spent the $350 on a Keratin Hair Treatment that would only last up to 3 months. Crazy, you say? Perhaps, but those of you out there with super kiny hair understand why this was necessary to try out.
Before I had it done, I saw via twitter that some of these products have formaldehyde in them. I scoured salons in my area to make sure they were safe before booking my appointment, and made sure to find a formaldehyde free treatment because I tend to like my hair to stay ON my head.
I opted for the Simply Smooth Keratin Treatment.
Now, this is not for the faint of hair. The process took about 3.5 hours and I was close to losing my marbles about 17 times.
First, they wash the hair like 5 times to get the cuticle open (so it feels rough and gross). Next they comb through your newly, cuticle opened, conditioner-free, brittle hair (which took one entire hour for mine because I have kick your ass curls and a ton of them). Then the product is applied in tiny sections and combed through and blow-dried in. This isn’t a regular blow out. It is a slow, tedious, mind-numbing blow out that makes you want to scream. But, after it is over, your hair is super smooth. You still have the product in so it is heavy, and you can’t wash your hair for 4 of the longest days of your life .Seriously.
It has now been almost 2 months since my treatment and here are my results:
Positives; Less curl, smoother hair, easier styling, smoother blow-outs, shinier, healthy looking locks, color popped more because of the shine.
Negatives; Expensive, time consuming, washes don’t last as long (needed to shampoo more often), lasts 3 months, not washing my hair for the 4 days was torture.
In the end, it smoothed my hair a lot. I would say it was about 20% less curly and definitely easier to style. Would I get it done again? Yes. Is it for everyone? Probably not.
If you already have smooth hair, do not waste your time. I would say it is good for anyone with annoyingly frizzy or curly hair, or anyone who could use some extra weight on their hair to pull waves/curls down.
I’m sorry for the poor quality of before photos. I rarely ever leave the house without my hair styled, let alone let anyone take my picture.
