Keratin treatments are commonplace on hairdresser service menus today, but the price can vary massively- so is it worth spending high for this treatment or should we be tempted with the voucher web deals instead?
Being the self-pitying owner of some seriously frizzy and unruly hair, of course I have tried the keratin treatment (or Brazilian Blow Dry, as it’s often known) all with differing results and prices.
The first treatment I had, around 7 years ago was a gamechanger- I could not believe how much more manageable my hair was; instead of 30 minutes to blow dry my hair smooth, it was taking me just 10 minutes, and the blow dry stayed smooth until I washed my hair again. I absolutely loved it. Then came the bombshell; this particular formula contained formaldehyde and was subsequently being banned from the UK due to health fears. Great.
Hot on the heels of this ban, other formulations were created without formaldehyde, they weren’t all great but year on year, the treatments improved, and the choice of product became wider.
Having a choice of keratin product is very important for achieving your own personal hair goal; for me, I want my hair as smooth and straight as possible, for others, they may want to keep the wave in the hair but just smooth it a bit. Not all products deliver the same result.
Which takes me to the ‘bargain’ internet deals. You have to be 100% certain you know which product they are using and that the hairdresser is fully trained in the treatment. It is scary how insufficient the training can be for this at times. I have also heard of salons advertising a well-known formula but instead, sneakily use a cheaper product (or worse- the banned formaldehyde products) on the clients without their knowledge, and how are we to know which product is in the bowl? In the wrong hands, the keratin treatment can be a hazard to the hair and all of a sudden it doesn’t seem like a bargain anymore.
So, with my particularly crazy and fragile hair, I won’t take any risks. I recently went along to John Frieda, the frizz experts, for my Keratin treatment with the amazing Melanie- there is nothing this girl doesn’t know about hair repair! If you want to grow your hair, she is your girl. Mel went through a thorough consultation with me, then based on my hair condition and my hair wishes, she chose the right keratin product for me.
At the end of a Keratin treatment, your hair is straightened to within an inch of its life! It is poker straight and very flat, and you can’t wash the treatment out for a number of days (this varies depending on which product is used). When you do wash it, you should only use sulphate-free shampoo and conditioner, this will ensure the effects of the treatment last for as long as possible. I waited 4 days before washing my hair, and although it was extremely flat, it didn’t look as greasy as it has done with other keratin treatments. I could feel the difference in my hair immediately- my blow dry took 10 easy minutes with no aching arm or head-pulling! I am really happy with the results, my hair looks shiny and bouncy and most importantly, it doesn’t frizz up in damp weather! I had high expectations from John Frieda and they did not disappoint.
In fact, I have never been disappointed at John Frieda, they have the loveliest work environment which seems to attract brilliant and engaging hairdressers, and for those of you short on time (that’ll be most of us then) they have just opened a new salon on Margaret Street in the West End- perfect for pre/post work visits! These salons are an absolute pleasure to visit and bring back some much needed glam to hairdressing!
www.johnfrieda.com www.johnfriedasalons.com
John Frieda Aldford Street, Keratin Treatment from £150.00, 020 7491 0840
John Frieda Margaret Street, 020 7636 1401