Why a Keratin Treatment Might Be Your Ticket To Sleeker Strands

Frizz is a natural feature of many hair types, but if you’re after a sleeker, more polished look, a keratin treatment may be the answer. This salon treatment helps tame frizz and smooth the hair, with results lasting for months with proper maintenance and care.

Although there are at-home kits on the market, keratin treatments are best done by a professional for optimal application and results. Ahead, we’ll cover everything you need to know before booking an appointment—from how long keratin treatments last to whether they’re good for your hair—as well as the most important step in maintaining your results: finding the best shampoo for keratin-treated hair. After all, the last thing you want is to wash away your investment.

Understanding Keratin and Its Role In Hair Health

According to the Cleveland Clinic, keratin is a natural protein found in your hair, skin, and nails. It’s the most abundant compound in human hair and is responsible for keeping your hair smooth, strong, and shiny. Though we produce keratin naturally, certain external factors—such as coloring, bleaching, and heat-styling—can damage your hair’s keratin, leaving your strands vulnerable to frizz, dryness, and breakage. Maintaining a balanced diet and minimizing your exposure to damaging external stressors can help protect your hair. However, if you’re already facing frizz and damage, a professional keratin treatment can temporarily restore your hair’s healthy appearance.

What Is a Keratin Treatment for Hair?

In haircare, keratin is often used as a smoothing agent to help reduce stubborn frizz, enhance shine, and improve the hair’s overall texture. A professional keratin treatment (sometimes referred to in salons as a Brazilian blowout) takes this a step further by coating the strands with a keratin-rich solution, then sealing the keratin in with heat. When done properly, the treatment smooths the cuticle, boosts shine, and transforms the hair’s texture from frizzy and poofy to smooth and sleek.

Benefits of keratin treatments

Scoring smoother hair is the biggest perk of getting a professional keratin treatment, but it’s far from the only one. Other benefits include:

• Minimizes styling time: By taming frizz and smoothing the hair, keratin treatments may reduce the need for daily styling. Instead of having to blow-dry and flat-iron your hair, you can usually just wash and go—no heat-styling needed.
• Boosts shine: A welcome bonus of keratin treatments is that they usually go hand-in-hand with shinier, glossier-looking hair.
• Long-lasting results: Depending on your hair type, texture, and aftercare routine, keratin treatments can last anywhere from three to six months, making them ideal for those looking for a long-lasting solution to frizz and dullness.

Potential drawbacks to consider

While keratin treatments are generally suitable for most hair types, there are a few things to consider before getting one. These include:

• May alter your curl pattern: Though keratin treatments aren’t explicitly designed to straighten your hair, straighter strands are often a result of the treatment. If you have wavy or curly hair and aren’t sure whether a treatment will affect your natural texture, it’s a good idea to chat with your stylist.
• Can be damaging if done incorrectly: Keratin treatments involve applying both chemicals and heat to your hair, so they can be damaging if done incorrectly. That’s why it’s so important to leave this treatment in the hands of a practiced professional.
• High price: Though the cost can vary depending on your location and stylist, keratin treatments typically cost around $300.

Who Should Get a Keratin Treatment?

​​A keratin treatment is best suited for anyone who wants to smooth frizz, boost shine, or make curly, wavy, or hard-to-manage hair easier to style. It’s especially beneficial for thick, frizzy, or damaged hair, delivering a sleek, polished finish that can last for months. That said, those with very fine or naturally straight hair may notice subtler results since their strands don’t typically need as much smoothing. And if you have a sensitive scalp or prefer to steer clear of chemical treatments, you’ll want to weigh whether this option aligns with your needs before booking an appointment.

What Does a Keratin Treatment Entail?

If you’re thinking about getting a keratin treatment, it helps to know what the process actually involves. Here’s a step-by-step look at what you can expect during your appointment.

Step 1: Deep clean to remove debris

When you get a keratin treatment at a salon, the process usually begins with a thorough wash using a clarifying shampoo to remove buildup, excess oil, and impurities. This step helps open the hair cuticle so the keratin solution can penetrate more effectively.

Step 2: Application of keratin solution

Next, your stylist will section your hair and begin applying the keratin solution to your strands, working section by section. This ensures the treatment is applied evenly and each strand is coated—a must for smooth, seamless results.

Step 3: Processing

Once your hair is saturated, you’ll need to sit tight for about two to four hours (the amount of time can vary depending on the solution used, your hair type and texture, and how long your hair is). Letting the solution sit allows the keratin to fully penetrate the hair cuticle.

Step 4: Drying

Next, your stylist will blow-dry your hair to help activate the keratin solution and smooth the outer cuticle of your hair. Often, they’ll blow-dry your hair straight with a round brush—this is likely why the treatment is sometimes referred to as a Brazilian blowout.

Step 5: Flat-ironing

After drying your hair, your hairstylist will straighten your hair with a (very hot) flat iron. They’ll pass over each section multiple times to help seal the keratin treatment into your hair fiber and create smooth, glossy-looking strands.

Step 6: Cooling and rinse (as needed)

Finally, your stylist will allow your hair time to cool down and set into shape. In some cases, they may complete the treatment by rinsing your hair with cool water, but that isn’t always the case.

How Long Do Keratin Treatments Last?

​An in-salon keratin treatment typically lasts between three and six months, though the exact timeline depends on several factors. How often you wash your hair plays a significant role in determining how long the treatment will last. In general, the less you lather up, the better (consider it a good time to break out your favorite dry shampoo). Certain lifestyle habits, such as regular heat styling or swimming in chlorinated water, can also affect how long the treatment lasts.

It also helps to be mindful of your styling habits: wear your hair down instead of using tight elastics that can leave dents, and sleep on a silk pillowcase or wrap your hair in silk to protect your hair while you sleep. With the right care, your keratin-treated hair will stay smoother, shinier, and salon-fresh for longer.

Our Best Shampoos for Keratin-Treated Hair

Proper aftercare is key to maintaining the sleek, smooth results of a keratin treatment. For the first three days, avoid washing your hair or exposing it to moisture so the treatment has time to fully set—this means steering clear of sweat, humidity, and even styling products.

Once that waiting period is over, you’ll want to switch to a gentle shampoo that can help remove oil and other impurities without stripping your hair. Below, we’re sharing a few of our favorite picks.

L’Oréal Paris Elvive Glycolic + Gloss Shine-Boosting Shampoo

If sleek, shiny hair is your goal—and, if you splurged on a keratin treatment, we’re willing to bet that it is—swap out your go-to shampoo for this shine-enhancing formula. The skincare-inspired formula gently cleanses away dirt and debris while leaving the hair with intense, mirror-like shine. To amplify your results, pair it with the L’Oréal Paris Elvive Glycolic + Gloss Conditioner and the L’Oréal Paris Elvive Glycolic + Gloss High Shine Leave-In Serum. When used as a system, this powerful trio leaves the hair up to 14 times smoother, for silky, shiny-looking strands.

L’Oréal Paris EverPure Sulfate-Free Bond Repair Shampoo

If your hair feels damaged due to repeated chemical treatments, consider ditching your go-to shampoo in favor of this strengthening formula. It’s specifically designed to help strengthen brittle, chemically-damaged strands from the inside out, leaving your hair stronger, smoother, and more resilient over time. To reap the full benefits of the bond-strengthening formula, we recommend pairing it with the L’Oréal Paris EverPure Sulfate-Free Bond Repair Conditioner and L’Oréal Paris EverPure Bond Strengthening Pre-Shampoo Treatment.

L’Oréal Paris EverPure Sulfate-Free Glossing Shampoo

Another favorite for amplifying shine, this sulfate-free shampoo is a must-try for anyone looking to preserve their keratin-treated hair. Formulated with glycolic acid, the gentle shampoo helps remove excess oil while sealing the hair cuticle, leaving your strands smooth and shiny. We suggest pairing it with the coordinating L’Oréal Paris EverPure Sulfate-Free Glossing Conditionerand L’Oréal Paris EverPure Sulfate-Free Glossing 5-Min Lamination Hair Mask for up to five days of glass-like shine.

Next Up: Why Is My Hair So Staticky? 11 Easy Fixes for Smooth Strands

Photo courtesy of L’Oréal Paris