I got the Simply Smooth Brazilian Keratin Treatment from Peggy Loughlin, Master Hair Designer & Colorist, at Cassandra Salon and Spa in Nashua, NH on February 24th, 2010 (my birthday!).
Now here I am, a little over 21/2 months later to give you a follow-up about the treatment and how it’s working out for me.
I had a perm in November 2009 which was gorgeous and I loved. But then, I became pregnant only a few weeks later (obviously a surprise!) and then was unable to get my hair re-permed due to the unknown effects of the chemicals. My hair grew out so quickly in the first 2 months, that I was left with completely straight hair on the top of my head and a massive amount of curls below. Quite unbecoming and totally unmanageable. So I looked into a few different options and settled on getting the Simply Smooth Brazilian Keratin Treatment because it had the least amount of chmicals and was deemed the most safe procedure to have done while pregnant. (Although you should always consult with your doctor/midwife, salon and research this heavily online before making the decision if you are pregnant!!)
Below are the before and after pictures of my hair…
Weeks Before Treatment
Immediately After Treatment
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Two Months After Treatment
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My Daily Hair Care Regime
I wash my hair with the Simply Smooth Shampoo ($25) very gently and then condition it with the Simply Smooth Conditioner ($25). I only wash my hair 2-3 times a week in an effort to make the treatment last as long as possible. The last thing you want to do is strip the treatment off your hair!!
After I get out of the shower, I towel dry it for 20-30 minutes to cut down on time with the blow dryer. When I take it out of the towel, I immediately apply a few squirts of Shu Uemura Essence Absolue Oil. It’s absolutely the most devine hair product I’ve ever used and I have no idea what I would do without it. (Essence Absolue intensely hydrates, adds shine without making hair greasy, and makes hair healthier overall. It’s like a magic elixir and I highly recommend it, if you can afford it! Get it on shuuemuraartofhair-usa.com for $65.) I comb the product through, making sure I avoid the top of my head and get it mostly on the ends of my hair where it’s really frizzy and dry.
If it’s a warm day and I have extra time, I let my hair air dry. If I’m in a hurry, I blow dry it straight with a big brush. Then I usually take at least 5-10 minutes to finish off my look with a flat iron just to get out any unruly and persistent curls and make everything look uniform. I don’t usually super straighten it because I still want it to look natural and not like I spent an hour in my bathroom with a flat iron! I spent around 10 minutes with the flat iron for the 2 month post-treatment pics above.
I personally prefer wider flat irons for my hair. Each individual hair is fine, but I have a LOT of hair. I find that the Infiniti by Conair Ceramic Styler Straightener works the best for me.
Overall, my hair is SO much easier to deal with after the treatment. Long before I had a perm or this straightening treatment, I could spend an HOUR or TWO in front of the mirror trying to flat iron my hair and within a couple hours my hair would be wavy again. Then by the end of the day, it would be poofy and start to curl and not in a pretty way… When I think of curls, I think of gorgeous hair and my “curls” were anything but that…. Think kinky, poofy, frizzy, unmanageable, chronic bad hair day from hell. It took me hours to get my hair to look anything close to what it does now and it wouldn’t stay that way for more than a few hours, TOPS.
Now, I spend under a half an hour doing my hair and it will stay straight, silky and smooth even if I sleep on it! And *GASP* I can get up the next morning, do nothing more than brush my hair and have it actually look good… That, my friends, is a miracle.
Brazilian Keratin Treatment worth it? YES YES YES!
