Being born with naturally curly hair is both a blessing and a curse. I can’t wake up and just walk out the door without putting significant effort into my hair if I want to wear it down. It dries out so easily and therefore gets frizzy, which leads me to putting it up anyway. When I have good hair days, it’s great! But I think they’re few and far between now that my hair is longer and I’ve dyed it so much throughout my life.
So instead of constantly straightening my hair every few days, I’ve decided to invest in a Keratin treatment to see what it will do to help me. And I thought I’d share the process with you guys in case anyone else is considering getting it done. They’re typically around $300, so it really is an investment, but it’s so worth it! I got my first one off Groupon and it was about $150. Side note, if you’re a student you get 20% off on Groupon if you verify it. Take advantage of that!!
My stylist gave me a rules sheet, so I made you a graphic to make it appealing:
WHAT IS IT?
Keratin itself is a protein that occurs naturally in your hair. The treatment fills in the porous areas of your hair. If your hair is too porous, that’s what causes it to be frizzy, get tangled easily, and break. My hair is a perfect example of all of the above.
The treatment puts the protein back into your hair that you lose over time. It is basically rebuilding the damaged areas which is what causes the results to be so great. After they put the treatment in, the stylist will use a very hot flatiron to seal it in with the heat.
PREPARING
The day before my treatment, my stylist told me to wash my hair twice but DO NOT condition it OR put any product in it. Your hair has to be clean in order for the treatment to have the best effect. Conditioner blocks the proteins from setting in right, so it’s very important not to use any at least 24 hours before.
AFTER-CARE
You can’t wash your hair for at least 48 hours after the treatment to allow it to full set in. My stylist recommended 3-4 days for the best results. You can’t style your hair or put it in a ponytail for those few days, either, or it could crease it. Dry shampoo is your best friend! Make sure your shampoo and conditioner are Sulfate-Free because otherwise they will shorten the longevity of the treatment. If you aren’t sure, ask your stylist about it. If you follow the instructions, the treatment should last for 8-12 weeks.
They recommend you only wash your hair with Keratin Complex Shampoo and Conditioner as they contain 40% keratin, whereas the other ‘keratin’ shampoos only have about 1-3%. It just helps your hair maintain the Keratin longer.
You can still color your hair if you want to, but you only want to color the roots to maintain the Keratin levels.
MY BEFORE
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| Sooo dry!! |
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| Kendra Scott Necklace // Monogram necklace // Paige V-Neck |
I tried to show my hair in different lighting. You can see that it kind of just hangs there. When it’s this long, the curls are loose and undefined. There’s a lot of frizz around the outside. It’s dry and brittle and needing some intense hydration!
MY AFTER
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| Lululemon 1/2 zip // Racerback |
Ahhh so much better! She cut about 1/4 inch off the bottom because after she straightened it, the ends were visibly needing it. Keratin helps heal your hair and your split ends, so now it looks much healthier and it feels so silky soft! I love it!
CURLS BEFORE
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| Sweater // Kendra Scott Necklace // Monogram necklace // Tassle necklace |
They were getting so loose and frizzy it’s hard to tell that my hair had any curl left! On a good hair day, my curls look like they do in my profile picture. Those days were getting fewer and farther between.
CURLS AFTER
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| Cowl Neck Sweater |
This is the curliest my hair will get now. If you’ve seen it normally, you’ll know this is definitely 3 levels down from what it used to be! Not a fan of how it looks, but thought I’d include it for reference.
Have you ever had a Keratin treatment? Thinking about getting one?
Share your thoughts, I’d love to hear from you!
XO,
Dani
