They say nothing lasts forever and unfortunately, that includes a high-quality keratin or Brazilian straightening treatment. But there is a silver lining! There are tried and true ways to protect your investment and make it last a lot longer. A keratin treatment is not cheap, so if you don’t provide it with the proper aftercare, you can risk damaging or losing the effects of your treatment. So it's always a good idea to take preventative steps and follow these five essential rules to prolonging your keratin hair treatment.
RULE #1: THE RIGHT SHAMPOO AND CONDITIONER
One of the easiest ways to extend the time between salon visits is using the Damila Salt and Sulfate Free Shampoo and Nourishing Conditioner. The key label you’ll want to look for is “Salt & Sulfate-Free.” This is because after your treatment, your scalp is very sensitive and you’ll need a much gentler shampoo and conditioner to avoid irritation. Salt can be gritty and abrasive on hair and slowly erodes your keratin coating, thereby washing your lovely (and pricey) treatment down the drain.
You’ll also want products that contain micro keratin to continually enhance and replenish keratin that is lost from heat, UV rays, or just everyday wear and tear. In the end, it’s wise to use products that are tailor-made for keratin-treated hair.
RULE #2: WASH YOUR HAIR LESS
We know what you’re probably thinking, “but my hair gets so greasy!” Daily washing can increase the risk of depleting the scalp’s natural oils, thereby drying out the scalp and hair, and escalating keratin breakdown. So if you want to keep-up your keratin treatment as long as possible, you’re going to have to limit your washes a little. If you really hate how your hair looks when it’s not washed, it might be time to invest in a dry shampoo! Dry shampoo can be a perfect, multi-tasking styling product that can texturize, reduce oil, and add volume.
RULE #3: PROTECT YOUR HAIR WHEN STYLING
Use the Damila Leave In Conditioner to give your hair luscious moisture while protecting it against heat styling damage. It’s important to give your hair all the love you can after a keratin treatment, and leave-in conditioners are packed with ingredients that nourish, repair, and protect hair strands from everyday elements.
RULE #4: LIMIT HEAT IN MORE WAYS THAN ONE
A hot shower may be relaxing, but it can be extremely drying on your skin, hair, and literally, melt away your keratin treatment. If you’re looking to prolong the life of your salon treatment, keep your water temperature tepid and seal your hair cuticle with a cold rinse.
While we’re on the subject of heat, this goes for your heat styling tools as well. For fine to normal hair, keep your styling tools at or under 365° F and between 400° and 450° F for thick to coarse hair to avoid disintegrating your keratin. It’s also advised to use a thermal protecting spray if your leave-in conditioner doesn’t have it. You should always gently blow dry hair to be at least 80% dry before following with heat styling tools.
RULE #5: USE HAIR MASKS
Using the Damila Deep Treatment Mask will continue the smooth results of an in-salon keratin blowout with at-home maintenance. Your mask should contain healthy doses of amino acids, proteins, and keratin to support both your natural hair and your keratin treatment. A deep treatment mask benefits hair by penetrating the hair cuticle and sealing in moisture. Once a week, to every two weeks, using a keratin-specialized hair mask can help continually revive your keratin, help keep hair protected against breakage, and prolong the life of your keratin treatment.
We recommend Damila hair products for their Advanced Aftercare Collection. Each product is designed for keratin-treated hair with a blend of keratin, amino acids, plant proteins, and botanical extracts to extend the life of your keratin treatment.