Illustration via Getty Images/Rachel Lee
Richmond’s humid summers are legendary, and I’m certain that local meteorologists could develop a humidity scale based on our fuzzy locks. Any native can attest to how summertime in Richmond means a complete overhaul of how you try to tame your hair. A trip to your hair salon may hold the answer.
Keratin is a protein that makes up hair, nails and skin. Keratin smoothing seals hair to eliminate frizz. The treatment has been around for several years, and there are two forms. An express version is faster and less intense. It’s great for most hair types, and it allows you to be in and out of the salon in about an hour; the stronger variety takes at least three hours.
Heather Duncan, owner and master stylist at Look Boutique Salon in Bon Air, is a fan of keratin smoothing, and she uses it herself. “It enhances shine, blocks the effects of humidity and eliminates frizz,” she says. Duncan says it may be used as a straightener or just for frizz control. The less curl you have before the treatment, the straighter your result. It reduces bulk and controls frizz for all hair textures.
“The halo of frizz that occurs in the Richmond humidity is really helped,” she says.
June Tatum, owner and master stylist at Serene inside Sola Swift Creek, says that keratin smoothing begins with a clarifying treatment followed by the application of an express lotion. Once the application is complete, it’s blown dry and flat ironed in to seal the product to the hair.
Tatum has been offering the treatment for eight years and describes it as a game-changer for people who struggle with fuzzy hair, no matter the season, but especially during high humidity. “It smooths the rough spots on the hair shaft and helps mend split-end damage,” she says.
Taking less time to dry and style hair sounds like a pipe dream, but those who receive the service report it takes half the time to dry their hair and that it is also easier to smooth. One of Duncan’s longtime clients, Karen Franks, has the treatment every three months, “It makes my hair more manageable, less frizzy and easier to style,” she says.
Express treatment allows people to blow-dry their hair in larger sections, so less time is spent getting the hair smooth. “It’s so much easier to get by,” Duncan says. “It’s functional when you want to work out in the morning because even if you wash after, the styling is so much faster.”
Tatum agrees. “You have less fuzz and a lot less work. Some clients even let their hair air dry.”
The first eight hours after a treatment are key to its durability. In that time period, you must avoid getting the hair wet. Also, no ponytails, headbands or sunglasses on top of your head, no tucking your hair behind your ears, no pinning the hair back, no perspiration and no hats until the product cures.
Afterward, only use sulfate-free and salt-free products, since sulfates affect the longevity of the treatment. Ask your stylist which shampoo, conditioner and styling products are safe.
Also, be aware if there’s a beach trip in your future: “Salt water will revert the product, and the treatment won’t last,” Duncan says.
Ask your stylist for a list of do’s and don’ts prior to receiving the treatment. Learn more about the express treatment at keratincomplex.com.
