Frizz-free
Keratin Straightening Treatment Review 
Le Salon Chinois

There are many things that keep me from wanting to fix my hair, but the two primary reasons? 1.) I'm a busy gal and 2.) I'm constantly in a battle over frizzies- the dryness of winter or the humidity of summer, the frizzies are there to ruin all the hard work I put into my hair. My lovely locks are usually confined to buns, pony tails, and hats. So when I was offered the opportunity to try a Keratin straightening treatment at Le Salon Chinois by Yan, I chomped at the bit. The ability to have straight, frizz free hair in just a fraction of styling time? I'd believe it when I saw it.

Chinois's master stylist Yan briefly explained the procedure; Keratin Straightening, also known as Brazilian Straightening, is a softer, gentler, and temporary straightening of the hair. Where Japanese Straightening treatments enter the hair chemically and permanently change the structure of the hair, Keratin Treatments actually cover the shaft without penetrating it, coating the hair like a laminating machine covers paper. The effect? Smooth, no fly-aways, and it washes out in about 50 shampoos. If you are a math genius, that is about 2 months if you wash your hair daily. If you wash your hair less frequently, the treatment can last even longer.

The entire procedure took about 2 hours, start to finish. It begins with a deep clarifying shampoo to make sure there is absolutely no residue on the hair shaft. The Keratin is applied to the hair with brushes and bare hands. The stylists didn't wear gloves to show how gentle the keratin was. There was a low chemical odor that wasn't completely terrible - much better than the home perms I used to get from mom. The Keratin sits on the hair for thirty minutes, during which time one could opt for another service offered up stairs at Spa Chinois - maybe a manicure or pedicure. After the thirty minute timer dinged, the stylist blew out my hair (no rinsing!) and gently flat ironed the hair. The heat further seals in the Keratin.

Yan then gave me a laundry list of not to do's. I was not to use any sort of clips or pony tail holders, no hats, and I couldn't wash my hair for four days. Wait. Four days? As an avid workout enthusiast, I relished a nice hot shower at the end of the day. Ugh. The only thing he didn't tell me to do was not feed it after midnight. Who knows what would have happened then?

The four days went by relatively smoothly, but by the fourth day I had never wanted to wash my hair more in my life. I had scheduled my shampoo with Le Salon Chinois the day I had had my procedure, and was anxious to return and see the results of all my hard work. The Keratin Treatment actually comes with special, sulfate free shampoo and conditioner that lengthens the amount of time the treatment stays on the hair. If a regular shampoo is used, the treament's life is cut in half, lasting only about 25 shampoos.

The stylist washed my hair, no conditioner, and blew me out, just using her fingers and no brush. The result? My hair dried in less than five minutes (I have very long hair, down to my mid back) and was smooth, shiny, and completely straight without the use of a flat iron. I couldn't believe it!

The treatment is great for those with very damaged, processed hair. In fact, the stylists said the more damaged the hair, the better the keratin would work. It comes in two different strengths, based on how straight one wants their hair to be. If you have curly or wavy hair (I do), the curl can come through if your hair is air dried, but the curl falls out if you comb or brush through it. So if you desire to keep any of your curl, this procedure is not for you.

The treatment is also a little pricy ($400 for the procedure, the two appointments, and the shampoo and conditioner) for the average gal, but it is less expensive than Japanese Straightening and good for your hair. And with the recession keeping women at their jobs even longer hours, wouldn't it be nice to have beautiful hair that takes less than five minutes to fix? I definitely recommend the treatment- I love it and have gotten a ton of compliments on how smooth and shiny it is. And it's nice not having a pony tail every day.

And now Le Salon Chinois can give you curls with their Keratin Treatment! And again no harsh chemicals to damage your hair like a regular perm. So what are you waiting for?

Alison Renee Foster
Beauty Editor
www.spa-nyc.com 

learn more about Le Salon Chinois

Tips for a visit to Le Salon Chinois:
- While you are waiting for the treatment to set, head up to Spa Chinois for a Pedicure or Manicure. Spa/Salon multitasking!
- If you’re happy with this, or any other salon service, tip at least 15-20%.
- Don't forget to tell them spa-nyc.com sent you.