When you think of keratin treatments, you probably think of seriously straight hair that doesn’t require the high heat of a flat iron to keep it that way. But, times are changing. Keratin Complex is approaching keratin in a whole new way with the launch of its Keratin Complex Personalized Blow Out Same Day Keratin Treatment, and I got the chance to experience it to see just how it works.
Before the appointment was booked, I was filled with my preconceived notions of what keratin treatments do to the hair and I was curious/anxious about how my hair would react, so I drilled the brand with questions: I like to wear wavy most days, so will I still be able to curl it? I don’t have layers so my hair is kind of “heavy”—will this weigh it down even more? My friend said a keratin treatment she got in the past ruined the texture of her hair—will this happen to mine? You’d think I was prepping for plastic surgery, but hey, my hair is one thing I don’t mess around with.
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Turns out, what makes Keratin Complex’s new technology so innovative is that it can deliver different levels of frizz control (you can customize it based on your hair type and preferences) without removing your hair’s natural wave or curl pattern. Using a cocktail of ingredients the brand calls K-Juice—keratin, amino acids and botanicals such as aloe vera, lemongrass, chamomile, willow bark—the treatment is able to smooth the hair cuticle sans any harsh chemicals (no formaldehyde whatsoever!) so there’s no side effects like burning or itching. And did I mention the results last up to three months?
Plus, unlike other straightening or smoothing treatments, there’s no “waiting period” afterward where you can’t wash your hair for a certain amount of time. Not that you’d want to ruin a perfectly good blowout, but you could wash your hair right after you leave the salon and the treatment would still work.
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As far as the salon appointment itself (click here to find a salon near you that offers it; pricing starts around $200), plan for about two hours (it’s more like three if your hair is long like mine), as the process involves several steps. First you get shampooed with a clarifying formula to thoroughly remove any buildup that might be lingering on your scalp or strands, and then the keratin concoction gets applied by brush onto damp hair. Next, your hair gets put into a cap and you sit for about 40 minutes depending on the level of smoothing you’ve chosen. To activate the keratin, your stylist will blow-dry your hair with a round brush. Then, as crazy as it seems, you get washed again, a mask gets applied, and then you get another blowout.
The multistep method may seem laborious, but the results are so worth it! My hair was smooth as silk and shiny—my color even looked brighter—and there was a noticeable difference in how it responded to humidity. This week marks three months since my treatment, and I can honestly say my “good hair days” have never been better—when you live in muggy South Florida, that’s saying a lot.