Keratin hair treatments have caught on like wildfire. Women rave about having smooth hair without the hefty price tag of permanent hair damage, and Keratin Complex by Coppola is one brand that leads the pack in this breakthrough hair treatment. The ability to choose between frizz free natural curls and straight hair is a breakthrough in the hair care game. The Smoothing Treatment is a salon treatment that should be applied by a professional. While many salon keratin treatments contain small amounts of formaldehyde, Keratin Complex Smoothing Treatment does NOT. The results can last from 3 to a whopping 6 to 8 months, and will gradually fade from the hair without creating demarcation between new growth and treated hair.
It was founded by Peter Coppola, a renowned professional stylist, and the line features many wonderful hair care products. There are a couple of standouts designed to aid the longevity of the salon treatment. They contain high amounts of keratin, and some women find that they work so well, they are able to achieve the texture they want at home.
Keratin Complex Intense Rx is a high protein, ionic restructuring serum that is packed with more than 25% pure keratin. Smooth this into the hair prior to blow out for remarkable improvement in the elasticity and strength of the hair. It is not loaded with silicones that weigh the hair down – there are only two lightweight “cones”. Leave the serum in for 15 minutes, preferably with heat from a hooded dryer or Hair Therapy Wrap, and then style.
Keratin Complex Infusion Keratin Replenisher is designed to extend the life of the salon treatment. It infuses keratin proteins and emollients into the hair, and seals the cuticle with the heat of the blow dryer. It can be used alone or with Intense Rx.
Your beauty basket runneth over. Some of that stuff you bought because you needed it (or at least you really thought so). Some of it wooed you with great advertising. Some of it was just too gosh darn cute.
The good news is, many products are a lot more than just a one trick pony. They morph into a multi-use affair with the addition of common ingredients found around the house, or even as they are.
Conditioner
A good daily use conditioner is a necessary staple, especially for those who need to wash their hair often. It has to get the job done without being too heavy or creating build up. Paul Mitchell’s The Conditioner is an excellent buy that has stood the test of time. It was part of the original three products that launched the line back in the 80′s and it still garners praise from the industry.
Double Duty: If your hair tends to be dry, or if you are a curly, you could really stand to skip the shampoo step all together and do a conditioner-only wash. These products have enough mild surfactants to cleanse without the stripping and tangling. For a clarifying wash, add a bit of baking soda to your conditioner. This will help get rid of any product build up and freshen the scalp.
Get this – you can also use conditioner in place of shaving cream!
Mild Facial Cleansers
A gentle, emollient, water soluble (easily rinsed) cleanser is a good idea for all skin types. Even if you have oily skin, deep cleansing products aren’t necessary every time you wash your face. You want to retain moisture balance without stripping the skin. At night, when you want to remove your makeup and get rid of impurities from the day, Dermalogica UltraCalming Cleanser is a gel-cream that will sooth the skin and effectively remove cosmetic products and dirt.
Double Duty: A mixture of equal parts baking soda and gentle cleanser make a great exfoliating scrub. As you age, the skin does not slough away dead cells on its own as easily as younger skin. Exfoliating boosts cell turnover, gets rid of flaking skin, and leaves you with a healthy glow.
Moisture-Rich Conditioners
Especially if you are coarse or curly, your hair constantly craves moisture. Thick, rich conditioners are needed to tame your tresses and keep things manageable. Moroccanoil Moisture Repair Conditioner reconstructs the hair with keratin and argan oil. ISH Rescue Ionic Conditioner is an awesome detangler and protects the hair from heat styling.
Double Duty: Turn your conditioner into a luxury hair treatment with hot oil. Take a spoonful each of olive oil and castor oil. Castor oil is an excellent humectant and it’s also great for sealing the hair cuticle. You can also use your other favorite oils like jojoba oil and coconut oil. Heat them in the microwave for 30 seconds and mix them into 1/4 cup of conditioner. Apply to the hair and let it sit for about 10 minutes. It will work best with heat, and Hair Therapy Wrap will keep your hair warm for up to 30 minutes. Your hair will be super hydrated and the oils will give your hair a lovely sheen.
You’ve gotten the 411 on Professional Hair Straightening Treatments. For many women that’s the way to go. Hey – you’re a busy lady, you want what you want when it comes to your hair, and all that study and research on better hair care is best left to people who get paid for it.
But for many women, enslavement to expensive salon regimens is not something they want in their life. You are tired of always paying to have your hair look good, and you are ready to take back your hair. Perhaps you are one of the many women who have abused your hair with store-bought relaxer kits, and you know good and well that your hair is brittle and unhealthy as a result. Does your hair pass the strand test? Pull a strand and stretch it. If it quickly snaps, the answer is NO.
No matter what your hair type, there are three keys to healthy straight hair that is shiny and has body and movement. They are:
Moisture, conditioning, and a smooth hair cuticle
A skillful blowout with an ionic hair dryer
Sealing the cuticle tightly
Many women could achieve the straight hair they want with a minimum of products but don’t know it, because they are neglecting to address one or more of these key elements. Many women layer one bad hair habit on top of another and ruin their hair because they don’t understand their hair (or their products) and are guessing instead of educating themselves on proper care. Lets try to break the cycle of bad DIY relaxers, frying with heat, and hair that may be straight, but – let’s be honest – doesn’t really look good AT ALL.
#1 – Moisture, Conditioning, and a Smooth Hair Cuticle
If you were running a race, would you run BEHIND the finish line and then try to catch up later? Many women’s approach to hair care is just that senseless. Somewhere we were taught that lather=clean. We scrub and scrub our hair until we get that lather! Well… now we can’t comb it so we need two or three applications of conditioner and a jar of hair grease. Lo and behold, the grease makes our hair greasy and limp. We are convinced that we need a touch-up on our relaxer. It never occurs to many of us that if a product leaves our hair tangled and breaking off, then it is NOT GOOD for our hair.
Break the shampoo habit. All that shampooing roughs up the hair cuticle and raises it, thus making it much harder to straighten. Occasional clarifying is fine to get rid of build up, but you can be gentle and your hair will be healthier. Look for a sulfate-free cleanser that will not strip your hair of the natural oils it needs.
#2 – A Skillful Blowout With an Ionic Hair Dryer
It’s been discussed at length and in detail on this blog, but in case you missed it…
This is why keratin hair products are all the rage. Coarse and curly hair tends to be very porous, and that is THE major difference from straighter hair types. Keratin hair products really fill in those holes! Silicone based products are also a major help, even though many people don’t like the buildup that they can create – moderate use is key. Silicone based products provide a protective coating that repels humidity and keeps the cuticle from swelling. After all that work getting the cuticle smooth, the last thing you want is swelling!
This step is crucial to the longevity of your style. It keeps you from running back to your flat iron and abusing this wonderful tool. Ceramic flat irons actually help with this, because they are ionic and help to neutralize the hair.
There is no magic bullet product for effortless self-styled hair that looks like you just stepped out of the salon. If you slap some expensive product on dry, brittle hair that is not well conditioned, and follow this with faulty styling, don’t expect a miracle. However!
Some products will really help you achieve optimum style. Straightening balms can be a great help for hair that is less coarse. One product that’s gotten great reviews is Liquid Keratin. This breakthrough product is an answer to those expensive salon keratin treatments. They recently came out with Liquid Keratin Bold for Dark Hair, but many women with African American hair have used the original formula with great results.
Keratin Complex by Coppola Intense Rx is another great product. The Coppola salon treatment is a very popular version of the Brazilian Keratin Treatment, and this product is meant for at-home use to extend the life of that treatment. It is deep penetrating and infuses Keratin into the hair. It is 25% pure keratin and only contains a couple of very lightweight silicones. Many women use it as a DIY substitute for what you would get at the salon.
Perhaps you have never thought about it, but hair products containing collagen and keratin can be the solution to your hair problems. Women love to have fun with the possibilities of coloring and straightening their hair. If you love Gweneth Paltrow’s straight, blonde locks, but your hair is actually curly and brown, then chemical hair treatments are one way to alter nature. The only problem is that frequent chemical treatments and styling can damage the cellular structure of your hair resulting in dry, frizzy, lifeless and damaged locks. Now that is definitely no fun.
If you have ever wondered why your hair feels coarse and why it lacks the shine, luster and body it once had the answer is this: chemical treatments and thermal heat damage the collagen and keratin in your hair. You see collagen and keratin are naturally occurring proteins in hair and they make up the cellular structure of hair. Damaged hair is the result of these damaged proteins. When your hair is coarse, dry and lifeless it is the damaged proteins talking. They are saying “help we need some nourishment.” They are yearning for some long overdue TLC to make them feel better.
Beautiful, healthy hair is what all women want and this can be achieved with the right damaged hair product.
Yuko System Bella Treatment
Hair products like the Yuko System Phiten Bella Treatmentcontain collagen and keratin that are especially formulated to help moisturize and repair dry, coarse and damaged hair. The ingredients work together to transform your hair from frizzy to silky. Just leave the product on for 5 to 10 minutes before rinsing it off. With consistent use, you will notice that your hair feels softer, silkier and more manageable. Your hair will love you for it and you will love the way your hair looks when it is once again healthy, shiny, bouncy and beautiful.
