Keratin straightening treatments and brazilian blow-dries explained

Whether your clients have straight or curly hair, fighting frizz is a major battle. Humid weather, air conditioning and other environmental factors mean that most clients suffer from frizziness at some point.

Now, a new wave of services promises to eliminate the dreaded fluffiness and replace it with soft, smooth, defined hair. Offering these services in your salon can have a huge impact on business.

There are many names for these services - the Brazilian blow-dry, Keratin smoothing treatments and the permanent blow-dry - and there's also a host of myths surrounding what happens and how. We look at a selection of those myths and asks some of the distributors to dispel them.

Myth: Smoothing treatments can damage the hair.

Truth: Keratin-based smoothing treatment is exactly what the name suggests - a treatment. It is not a chemical service. The secondary benefit of this service is that it smoothes, softens and eliminates frizz and, as a result, provides fantastic hair manageability. In fact, the more treatments a client has, the better the condition of her hair because it will be fully infused with keratin, which repairs damaged areas with the actual protein of the hair.

Roger Snelling, national sales manager, La Brasiliana

Myth: The treatments contain harmful chemicals.

Truth: Some treatments do contain formaldehyde. However, European regulations state that it should not comprise more than .2% of the treatment. Many also contain urea, which, when heated, releases a form of aldehyde. A reputable distributor will be able to show you a breakdown of the ingredients, but if you're still not sure, ask to see the MSDS report, which means it has passed UK regulations.

Lorraine Rose, technical director, Global Keratin

Myth: Smoothing treatments will cause colour to fade.

Truth: Traditional straightening systems that were sodium hydroxide or thio-based generally caused some degree of colour fade. The new technology and science behind recently developed keratin systems has minimised this problem. While the biggest challenge in formaldehyde-based keratin systems is the formaldehyde, the second issue is the high level of heat needed to secure protein to the hair.

Chris Vieyra, managing director, Brocato Curl Interrupted

 

Myth: The Brazilian Keratin smoothing service is a permanent straightening treatment.

Truth: Brazilian blow-dry smoothing treatments are actually semi-permanent as they gradually fade over four months rather than growing out like chemical straightening systems. Keratin-based smoothing treatments enable you to re-treat the full head of hair over and over again to help build the keratin in it. With permanent straightening treatments, you will only focus on the root growth every few months.

Jez Barnett, managing director, Kerastraight

Myth: It's high maintenance.

Truth: It's exactly the opposite, providing you use the right aftercare products. Products with a keratin ingredient will work alongside the keratin in the treatment, so ensure shampoos contain a keratin element. Clients don't have to use conditioner for the first six to eight weeks as the keratin has already been applied to the hair and closed down the cuticles. In the summer, it can be left to dry naturally, and in the winter it needs only a quick blow-dry. If the right aftercare products are used, hair won't be left greasy and heavy, but will be soft and natural. 

Gary Green, director, Nanokeratin

Myth: Hair can't be washed after having the treatment.

Truth: Never washing your hair after a treatment is a big myth. Once a client has had a treatment, we recommend not washing your hair for two to three days to allow the hair to settle, and then wash it using a sodium chloride-free shampoo. This is a gentle shampoo and will help prolong the life of the treatment. Washing the hair before this time will not harm it; it simply reduces the effectiveness of the treatment.

Tony White, sales director, Keratin Complex