Keratin treatment and products
Stretching the hair with keratin originally comes from Brazil, but has now also become a popular hair trend here. The treatment is supposed to make stressed hair soft, smooth and shiny again. But what is keratin actually and what is keratin smoothing all about? We briefly introduce the keratin treatment in the hairdressing salon and also reveal our favourite keratin products for home use.
What is keratin?
Keratin: the main component of our hair, skin and nails.
As a natural protein, keratin is formed by the body itself and consists of protein and amino acids. This fibrous protein encloses the cells of the hair nucleus with its filament-like structure and forms the cuticle layer lying closely around it. The hair is thus protected from foreign bodies and external influences such as high humidity, cold or heat.
Healthy hair thanks to keratin
Thanks to keratin, hair becomes elastic, supple and resilient. It also has more resilience, elasticity and bounce. Due to the improved structure, the hair can be bent, twisted and styled without damage. The smoother the hair surface, the more incident light is reflected and the shinier the hair becomes.
Natural keratin degradation
However, daily stress damages and breaks down the hair keratin in the long run, making the hair dull and porous and causing it to break off more quickly. Treatment with keratin-containing care products rebuilds the keratin layer of the hair.
Keratin treatment - healthy or harmful?
In the past: Unhealthy because of formaldehyde vapours
Just a few years ago, keratin straightening treatments often used products that contained chemicals such as formaldehyde or formaldehyde gas (methylene glycol) dissolved in water. Treatments were harmful to hair stylists and clients for 2 reasons:
- heating the hair released formaldehyde fumes that could cause allergies and irritation to the skin, eyes and respiratory tract.
- formaldehyde is also considered carcinogenic.
In the meantime, however, many manufacturers have dispensed with this ingredient and produce products without formaldehyde. Therefore, keratin treatments can usually be carried out without hesitation today.
Tip:
However, be sure to seek professional advice before treatment. If you are unsure, ask about the active ingredients of the products used. Good hairdressing salons often work with products without parabens or ammonia.
Today: the hair surface is repaired and sealed.
During keratin smoothing, the hair also receives important protein building blocks thanks to heat, which strengthen the hair from the inside out. The applied keratin penetrates the outermost cuticle layer and smoothes the hair structure by wrapping itself around the hair like a protective film. Brittle, protein-poor areas and cracks in the hair are thus replenished, leaving the hair surface smooth and soothed.
The result:
The damaged hair structure is sealed and repaired, the hair is supplied with nutrients and its resistance is rebuilt. However, a change in the hair structure as with chemical hair stretching does not take place.
Keratin smoothing
The duration and cost of the keratin treatment depends on the hair length and structure. For short hairstyles, the treatment takes about 2 to 3 hours, for long hair you should allow up to 4 hours. The thicker and denser your hair is, the more time is needed. The price of a hair treatment with keratin ranges between CHF 300 and 500, depending on the duration and length of the hair.
5 reasons for a keratin treatment
1. healthy, smooth and shiny hair.
Even curly heads have a smooth head of hair after a keratin straightening treatment. The treatment makes the hair softer, smoother and shinier than before and the hair colour comes out more intensively. Since the hair is also easier to comb, it breaks less quickly.
2. no more daily exposure of the hair to heat.
If you straighten your hair daily with a straightening iron, you should definitely consider a treatment with keratin. This is because your hair is constantly stressed and damaged by daily exposure to heat. After a keratin treatment, your hair will be straight as soon as it dries and will only need to be styled with a straightening iron very rarely to enhance the effect.
3. less time spent styling hair
Doing away with straighteners, round brushes and even blow dryers means you spend less time on the daily styling process. With better resistance to humidity, the anti-frizz effect is enhanced, so hair doesn't get frizzy or tousled even when air-dried. Moreover, without a straightening iron, the natural volume of your hair is not reduced.
4. curls look more beautiful than before
Even with straightened hair, you can still conjure up curls with a curling iron. Not only that: the smoother hair surface gives the hair a natural shine. Wavy hair or sweeping curls look even more beautiful.
5. long-lasting effect without annoying hairline.
Keratin hair straightening lasts up to 6 months or even longer. Unlike hair dyeing, however, there is no visible build-up. As the keratin enrichment in the hair gradually washes out, the hair simply slowly loses its smooth surface and becomes naturally frizzy again. However, the smoothing effect can be prolonged through targeted treatment with keratin-containing products.
Is a keratin treatment suitable for your hair?
Originally, the treatment was developed for unruly, naturally frizzy or difficult-to-tame hair. However, keratin straightening is suitable for all hair types, as keratin is naturally present in all hair. Even with coloured or chemically treated hair, the application is no problem.
Since the keratin treatment is carried out with a straightening iron and high heat, hair that is already heavily stressed should be treated with a hair care product beforehand.
Keratin treatment for home use
Whether you want to replace the already degraded keratin in your hair or intensively care for keratin-treated hair: There are also hair and styling products with keratin for use at home. We would now like to introduce our keratin favourites to you.
Keratin hairdryer
Keratin shampoo
Keratin conditioner
Keratin mask / treatment
Keratin hair oil & leave-in
Keratin spray
Our Keratin Tip
Keratin Complex - Infusion
With Keratin Complex - Infusion, straw-like, dull and dry hair is a thing of the past!
The concentrated keratin serum was specially developed for keratin treatment at home. After the first application, your hair will feel stronger, fuller and shinier. Let yourself be inspired by the Keratin Complex Infusion!