At milk + honey, we offer two types of keratin treatments: a Keratin Express Blowout and a Keratin Complex Treatment. These treatments deliver nourishing proteins into your hair shaft to smooth and repair your hair cuticles. To understand the full benefits of a Keratin treatment, I detail my own jounrey with Keratin treatments and get the inside scoop from SALON by milk + honey Arboretum Market stylist, Kacie F.
The Cause(s) of Frizz.
The simple answer? A lack of moisture. Frizz occurs when the outer layer of your hair cuticle is raised. This blocks hydrating nutrients from penetrating your hair shaft, making it appear dry, coarse, and frizzy. When the weather changes and becomes humid, the inner layers of your hair cuticle starts to swell to attract moisture in the air. The result is brittle, dry, and frizzy locks.
What Is a Keratin Treatment?
milk + honey’s Keratin treatments are smoothing systems designed to eliminate frizz and can decrease overall styling time. Traditional straighteners or relaxers work by using toxic chemicals to break proteins, which cause your hair to lay straight. “Keratin Complex is made from sustainably sourced New Zealand sheep’s wool,” says Kacie. This treatment won’t break your hair strands, but instead, adds proteins to smooth and repair the damage.
How Does a Keratin Treatment Work?
“Keratin treatments are designed to seal the hair cuticle from the inside out. The keratin helps fill in any gaps or holes in the hair cuticle. By adding extra proteins into gaps and holes, it makes the hair smoother and more nourished,” describes Kacie.
The Keratin Treatment in Action
Full disclosure: since working at milk + honey, I’ve (Gina, the writer of this post) had several Keratin treatments and I can honestly say they’ve had a positive impact on my hair. Before having a Keratin treatment, my hair was frizzy and took forever to dry because of my tight curl pattern. Since starting this treatment, my hair is noticeably healthier, shinier, longer, and most importantly, has cut down on my drying and style time.
To start the Keratin treatment, Kacie first clarified my hair with a pretreatment solution. This solution removes excess buildup and lifts raised hair cuticles to allow the solution to penetrate the deepest layer of the hair shaft. After washing my hair, Kacie applies the treatment to my hair. During the application process, the Keratin proteins strengthen Keratin bonds, repair damage, and smooth my overall locks. After the treatment has been applied all over my hair, Kacie then begins to blow dry my hair. The heat from the styling tools — first, a blow dryer; then, a flat iron — helps smooth out the hair cuticle shape and create a humidity-resistant barrier.
Keratin Complex Treatment vs. Keratin Express Blowout
The Keratin Express Blowout will last for six to eigh weeks and can reduce your curl pattern two to three times. This one-and-a-half hour treatment is ideal for someone who is struggling with frizz, breakage, dull, damaged, or over-processed hair. A major difference between this Express and the Complex treatments is the wait time. After the express, you can wash your hair eight hours later. With the Complex treatment, you must wait three days before washing your locks.
The Keratin Complex Treatment will last for three to six months and can reduce the tightness of your curl pattern about five to six times. This three-hour treatment is designed for unmanageable texture, very coarse locks, a tight curl pattern, or frizzy, damaged, or over-processed hair.
Keratin Treatment Maintenance
After receiving my first Keratin treatment, I had to change my hair care routine. First up: swapping my shampoos and conditioners for Keratin-friendly ones. “It’s important after an intensive treatment to use products that are sulfate and paraben-free,” says Kacie. Products with sulfates in them will strip the keratin out of your hair and will diminish the smoothness and longevity of your treatment. “After your treatment, it’s also important to limit your exposure to chlorine, sunlight, and salt water which can break down your keratin treatment,” she advises.
{Photo credit: Keratin Treatment}
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