A Brazilian Keratin Treatment is a great way to get straighter hair without exposing your hair to direct heat on a daily basis. The keratin in the treatment smoothens and softens the hair.
After the treatment has been applied to your freshly washed hair, your hair is dried and straightened. Even after your hair has been washed it will remain straight. This is brilliant for people who don’t like the prospect of straightening their hair every day or several times a week. However, in order for the effect of the treatment to last – which is smooth, straighter hair, you may have to change some of your hair care products. Your hair has more or less been coated and filled with keratin – hair’s natural protein, and without proper care you may inadvertently remove this keratin layer than has been applied to your hair with the hair products you currently use.
First things first, take a close look at your current shampoo
The type of shampoo you wash your hair with after the treatment will determine how long the treatment will last. Using a shampoo that contains sodium laureth sulphate is a big no no. Sodium laureth sulphate is a harsh chemical that strips oil, dirt and grease off your hair, skin or whatever product it is applied to. You’d be surprised at how many of the products you regularly use contain Sodium Laureth Sulfate. It is used in toothpaste, face washes, bubble bath, and shower gels just to name a few items. It is actually quite drying but obliterates dirt and makes great bubbles, that’s why it is so popular in cosmetics.
If you’ve had a keratin treatment, then it will strip off the keratin that has been used to seal your hair strands to make them straighter and smoother. You must use a salt free shampoo after you’ve had a Keratin straightening treatment. A salt free shampoo is a sodium laureth sulphate free or SLS free shampoo. Aim for a salt free shampoo that contains hydrolysed protein. This is important because should any of the keratin from the keratin treatment chip off, the hydrolysed keratin from the shampoo will easily and quickly repair any cracks or chips. Think of the keratin treatment as a protective coating for your hair.
Do you know the PH level of your hair products?
Keratin treatments work and make your hair smoother by keeping your hair cuticles lying flat. Hair care products with a high pH level actually open up your cuticles and cause your hair to become dry and in cases of severe damage, brittle too. Products like hair colouring, perms and relaxers are highly alkaline which means they have a high pH value. Any number over 7 is considered alkaline.
If the hair products regularly used on your hair are highly alkaline then you will reduce the shelf life of your treatment. The more acidic the hair product the better the product is for your hair. It is important that your shampoo, conditioner and deep conditioning hair masks or treatments have low pH levels or values to keep your cuticles lying flat and keep them sealed.
Keratin blow dry treatments aren’t cheap. Although they only need to be done several times a year and certainly less frequently then you’d have to colour your hair, they still are an expensive and time consuming treatment. If you’re going to go to the expense of getting the treatment done, then ensure you look after it properly. Making little changes to the hair care products you use will go a long way to helping you enjoy your luscious straight hair for much longer before a touch up is required.