Wednesday, August 14, 2013

To Keratin or Not to Keratin?...

That was the question every summer... 

Every summer it’s always the same- my hair goes from quiet and collective to wild, crazy and frizzy, I never know how to control it.  I feel like each summer is getting worse, this summer being no exception. Since June, I've been curling my hair and try and hide the frizzy, unapologetic, ‘hey, the 80’s called, they want your hair back’, from the general public. Up until a few weeks ago, it was working rather well with all the curling products weighing my hair down and keeping it rather frizz free. Then July rolled around with its unforgiving dog days of summer with weeks of 90°+ heat, my hair couldn't take it anymore- it gave up with the curls and just turned into some sort of  Farrah Fawcett meets the Lion King sort of hair mane…it was at this point, it was time for a drastic change.



I had many friends who got the Keratin treatment done on their hair with much success; their own crazy, unmanageable hair seemed to magically turn straight, smooth and silky. I myself tried the Keratin Express last September with the hopes of obtaining the same results. I did some research online and found a place in Quincy who had sale going on- $50 for the Keratin Express, lasts 4-6 weeks. I figured I had nothing to lose so I gave it a shot. Well, needless to say, I got the Express done with very poor results. First, the $50 price tag didn't include the sulfate free shampoo & conditioner I just ‘had to have’, I couldn't buy the L’Oreal brand at CVS, and it had to be this expensive salon brand shampoo. Second, what was this 4-6 week business, my hair stayed relatively straight for about 4 days, before it frizzed up again, perfect timing for my cousin’s wedding which just happened to be a bit drizzly that day.

Although reluctant, I decided to give the Keratin Express a second chance. Through a friend of a friend, who works at Pini Swissa salon on Newbury St. she had informed me of a summer sale of the Keratin Express for $100. Okay- it’s on Newbury Street and I trust the girl working on my hair, so I booked an appointment for Express Part 2.

Unlike the first Express treatment, (which consisted of the girl spraying my hair like hairspray, brushing my hair and using a straightener), Sophia, my hair stylist, took her time and painted (she looked like she was using a paintbrush for hair), the Keratin all over my hair so that every inch was covered. After she had brushed and painted on any missed spots, she began the process of carefully straightening every inch of hair and made sure no one fly away, well, fly away.

Although it felt a little greasy, my hair looked so much better- shiny and straight, not one frizzy piece to be scene! However, the real test was to begin and see how my hair lasted outside in the 88°, extra humid and a good chance of a thunderstorm… then we’d see how this Keratin worked. From the moment I left the salon to when I got home, my hair lasted great, not one frizz and not one bit of sweat on my hair. If felt so good to finally have straight hair that I could actually maintain during the hot summer months.



Since it couldn't get wet or kinked for almost 48 hours, I was extra careful during that time to not get it wet or sweater or kinked… that’s an awful lot asking form one person. By day 2, it was finally time to wash my hair and see how well the treatment came out. Like it was told, I could easily blow dry and straighten my hair in a matter of 20 minutes or so- and not one piece of frizz came out… I was psyched!

That is of course… until my real first test of rain came. It was an absolute monsoon that Tuesday morning and extra busy on the T to work during rush hour. Needless to say, between the rain, humidity, other people squished against me, my hair got a beating… and failed the test. By the time I got to work, I had a broken umbrella, rain soaked clothes…and frizzy hair once again.

I really don’t know if it just happened to be a very rainy, humid day that did it or just my type of hair in general, but I’m a little skeptical about getting a Keratin Express again or recommending it to anyone else. Although my hair is shiny looking and soft to the touch, the frizz was always my #1 concern. I really don’t know if the more expensive one is worth it and my wallet is too scared to try, so until then, I’ll have to see what other people recommend and see if the real deal is really worth it.




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