The Keratin Complex Treatment

By . - Thursday, March 14, 2013


JBentley Studio and Spa
Lately, whenever people tell me my hair looks nice, I’ve got three words for them: Keratin Complex Treatment.
Have you heard of it? I hadn’t until a few months ago.
As I’ve written about in the past, I’m in the midst of the long, grueling process of growing out my relaxer. It’s been about two years now, so my relaxer is mostly gone. I still like to wear my hair straight though, and I was having a tough time getting it as straight as I like. When I told Taira Harris, a stylist at J.Bentley Studio & Spa (an official CW Columbus sponsor), about my struggles she offered to put a Keratin in my hair.

What’s “a Keratin”? Well, according to my research:
The Keratin Complex Smoothing Therapy works differently from traditional chemical straightening systems–including Brazilian straighteners–and its competitors. Relaxers are designed primarily to straighten curly hair. The keratin treatment is designed primarily to restore health to damaged or abused hair. The result is straight hair.
Traditional straighteners (thio or lye based) change the chemical bonds of the hair.  Keratin Complex Smoothing Therapy does not alter the bonds.  Instead, this system conditions the hair while adding shine and increasing manageability by infusing natural keratin deep into the cuticle of the hair shaft.  As a result, each strand is keratin buffered by this unique, patent-pending process.  Natural keratin is restored and hair is rejuvenated.
“It leaves the hair smoother, silkier, straighter and shinier.  It eliminates up to 95% of unwanted frizz and reduces styling time in half.  It is also safe to use on all hair types, including color-treated hair.
In layman’s terms: It’s. Awesome.
The day, I went to get my Keratin treatment, I got highlights as well. Apparently, it’s best to get color immediately prior to receiving the treatment so the color will be sealed in. After the treatment, the hair has to wait 2 weeks before you can color it. (You can also get a Keratin on TOP of a relaxer!)
I already had red highlights that Mary Beth applied during the CW Star contest, so Steve Napier added lighter brown and blonde highlights to my hair.
All foiled up!
All foiled up!
I’ve always, always, always wanted to get several shades of highlights in my hair, but I didn’t want to get my hair colored while I still had a relaxer. Now, that my relaxer is mostly gone, I was super excited to finally get some variety! I didn’t expect it to come out this nice though. Steve is amazing!
After Steve put in the color and washed my hair, it was time to get the Keratin.
Kinky Curly
The application is much like a relaxer with the parting, applying, smoothing and letting it sit for 20 minutes. The major difference is that it’s not a chemical so I don’t get that painful burning sensation followed by those massive scalp scabs that I’d be pulling out my head for the next several weeks. The thought of that makes me shudder now, but it was commonplace for the 12 years I wore a relaxer in my head. (Hashtag: Never Again)
Keratin treatment
Anyway, after the Keratin was applied, Taira blowdryed my hair then flat ironed it.
Keratin Blowdry
"Steve Napier Color and Highlights"
This color is gorgeous! Thanks Steve!!!
I was finished for the day, but she instructed me to wear my hair bone straight for the next three days. No ponytails, no getting it wet, no curling the ends, no putting my hair behind my ears. Any of that could cause a permanent bend in my hair. I was only allowed to loosely wrap my hair at night as long as I alternated directions when wrapping.
When I left the salon, I was terrified that I was going to mess up the treatment and accidentally get caught in a rainstorm or a hurricane or be forced at gunpoint to put my hair in a ponytail or something.
Day 1
Day 1
Day 2
Day 2
Day 3
Day 3
These fears were unfounded, so on Monday, I went back to the salon where Taira washed and curled my hair.
Taira curled hair
Keratin Care Roots
Look at those roots!!
Keratin Complex Treatment
J Bentley Keratin Treatment
Keratin Complex Treatment
It looked and felt fantastic!! The highlights! The Keratin! I was in love!!!!…but still a little skeptical that it was the Keratin that got my hair straight and not just the fact that a professional washed and flat-ironed it.
Two weeks later, I attempted to do my own hair to really test out this Keratin and see if it’s all it’s cracked up to be. After washing my hair, it normally it takes me about 45 minutes to blowdry it. I part it in sections and use the comb attachment on my blowdryer yet still look like Simba when it’s dry (yes Simba from Lion King!).
JBentley sells the Keratin shampoo and conditioner and which helps extend the life of the Keratin and keeps you from washing it out immediately.
Keratin_Complex_Color_Care_Shampoo___Conditioner_13_5_oz_ea_
Remember the earlier picture of my hair wet pre-Keratin? This is hair wet post-Keratin. A lot less kinky curly!
Remember the earlier picture of my hair wet pre-Keratin? This is hair wet post-Keratin. A lot less kinky curly!
So, I washed my hair with those products, parted it and blowdried it in sections like I normally do and it only took 15 minutes to dry! Annnnd it blow-dried straight!
IMG_5979
Ignore my messing dressing room haha
No more Simba! Even when I had a relaxer, my hair didn’t blowdry this straight. I still flat ironed it but it was barely necessary!
So, yeah this Keratin treatment is the truth! Beyond making my hair easier to manage, it makes it megasoft and so silky straight, that it’s hard to wrap it sometimes!
The Keratin isn’t permanent, it just gradually washes out after about three to six months if you don’t get it reapplied. I’ll definitely be getting it reapplied though. This is one of the best decisions I’ve made for my hair since quitting relaxers two years ago.
If you’re thinking about getting the treatment, I say do it!!!!
Unfortunately, this isn’t something your cousin KeKe can throw in your hair in her “kitchen salon” while she fries chicken and babysits her neighbor’s kids. They do have the Keratin product you can buy in the store, but if you want the real deal, you have to go to a professional.
In fact, the Keratin Complex people require every salon and stylist administering the treatment be trained and accredited prior to use. Taira Harris is actually a certified Keratin Complex trainer, so she definitely knows what she’s doing. And for a fairly new (and pretty costly) treatment like this one, you want to go to someone who is qualified.
So, that’s my hair update!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
If any of you guys know a place in Cape Town or Johannesburg that provides this Keratin process, kindly let me know where in the comment section below?
Have you had the Keratin Treatment done on your hair? Let us know what your experience was in the comment section below.
Have a Good Hair Day and remember to Love Your Hair!!!

  • Share:

You Might Also Like

3 comments

  1. No I haven't had it done. I discussed it with my hairdresser who was considering getting trained--I think by a different company--but when she learned of some of the steps she backed off and encouraged me to save the cash lol. The product she was looking at was kind of toxic. They encouraged the stylists to wear a mask while applying and blow drying/flat ironing their client's hair. However, client was never protected--that bothered both of us. They were also saying each treatment should run in the 200 to 300 USD range depending on hair length because the product itself was so expensive to purchase. The hair always looks amazing but I've heard hit or miss reviews with it. I think it may depend on the overall health of your hair before you get it done. Some folks had major hair shedding and breakage within the first month or so.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks for the comment, Southern Girl. We really need more people to comment on the process and their experience. I believe there is good and bad for most things, so a well rounded a opinion is definitely needed.

      Delete
  2. I ve done Brazilian Blowout several Times' and l l o v e it! If you know the technique to Blow dry hair straight, you can do it at home. I bought a huge bottle of the solution With My friend and we do it on each other. It is less risky Than relax as there is no time stress. It can never be over processed. With brazilian bliwout you dont need to wait 3 days. You Wash the hair straight after you flat ironed it. The important thing is that you need to be able to Blow dry the hair straight, even the roots. Before flat iron.

    ReplyDelete

Leave a comment and show some love!