Hair care after keratin straightening: rules and expert advice

• September 6, 2018
• Care
• Katerina Belokon

Today, professional beauty salons offer many different procedures for hair transformation. But in order to achieve the most long-lasting effect, you must follow all the recommendations of hairdressers. It is especially important to consider the rules of hair care after keratin straightening.

Procedure

Since keratin is a natural protein that is necessary for the hair structure to restore beauty and health, this procedure is popular among girls all over the world. It consists in the fact that a special composition is applied along the entire length from roots to tips, it is sealed inside using high temperatures.

The salon procedure takes place in several stages:

• thorough combing;
• washing your hair with a special deep cleansing shampoo to lift the scales;
• preparing the composition for straightening;
• applying it in a generous layer from roots to ends;
• drying with a hairdryer for deep penetration;
• sealing the composition in the structure using an iron at the highest possible temperature;
• Recommendations for hair care after keratin straightening.

This procedure takes about 3 hours, depending on the professionalism of the specialist. It is incredibly popular due to the fact that it quickly transforms hair and gives it a spectacular shine. Keratin straightening has many benefits:

• facilitates the combing process;
• gives smoothness and shine;
• restores structure;
• seals split ends;
• protects against ultraviolet radiation and other external factors;
• suitable for any hair type;
• facilitates styling and prolongs its durability;
• nourishes them with healthy vitamins and minerals;
• has a long-term effect;
• relatively inexpensive cost.

With a highly qualified specialist and a high-quality composition of the drug, the procedure will not damage the structure and will only bring benefits. But it is very important to follow all the recommendations on how to care for your hair after keratin straightening. If you ignore the advice of a specialist, the composition will quickly wash off and their condition may worsen.

And now about the harm

Keratin is harmful for those with oily hair. Excess protein in this case will only weigh down the hair and make it even greasy. Constant use of products with keratin is also harmful. If, for example, you used only keratin shampoo for a year and then suddenly abandoned it, your hair will quickly deteriorate. Therefore, such means should be used sparingly, alternating with others.

If the condition of your hair leaves much to be desired, read our manual: From straw to silk: 5 proven ways to quickly restore hair.

Features of care in the first days

Professional masters in beauty salons must provide instructions on subsequent manipulations with hair. They claim that the first 2-4 days are the most important, since the composition needs some time to fully establish itself in the structure. Hair becomes smooth, soft and manageable, and this effect must be maintained at home.

Hair care after keratin hair straightening in the first days consists of the following rules:

1. They must be protected from water and moisture. It is forbidden to visit the bathhouse, sauna and swimming pool for 72 hours; you should wear a cap while taking a bath and shower. If your hair gets wet for any reason, you should immediately straighten it with a curling iron using high temperature.
2. To prevent your scalp from sweating and secreting sebum while you sleep, you need to wear a pillowcase made of natural material and ventilate the room.
3. The use of a straightener is only permitted when the hair gets wet. In the first days, it is forbidden to use a hairdryer, curling irons or other thermal devices on them.
4. The number of touches should be reduced, since hands can damage the structure and there is a risk of causing length fragility. Also, in the first few days you should stop using hairpins, elastic bands and various hairstyles. Hair should be loose and loose.
5. When caring for hair after straightening with a special composition, you cannot apply various styling products. The components enter into chemical reactions with keratin and can lead to the opposite effect.
6. When combing, you must use tools made of soft natural bristles, which do not cause damage and carefully care for the length.
7. After the first 72 hours, you can use special shampoos recommended by professionals and apply additional care products.

If you follow all the rules and advice, keratin will be fixed in the hair structure, and its durability will be maximized.

The first days of straightened curls

After a cosmetic procedure, it is very important to provide the straightened strands with proper care. The first 3 days after keratin straightening are the most important and decisive. If you follow all the basics of proper hair care, the salon procedure can last up to 6 months.

What is important to know?

1. Do not wet or wash your curls. For the first 3 days after keratin straightening, it is recommended to refrain from visiting the pool or sauna. You cannot go to the bathhouse or swim in the sea. It is important to avoid getting your strands wet in any way, be it rain or washing your hair. This precaution is important because the keratin has not yet been completely absorbed into the hair structure, so any moisture can cause the curls to become wavy again. If unintentional moistening of the strands occurs, it is necessary to immediately straighten them using a hair straightener.
2. It is important to avoid sweat on your head while you sleep. This means that you need to take care of ventilating the room before going to bed, as well as using natural pillowcase materials that will definitely not cause increased sweating in a person.
3. At first, you should not expose your curls to thermal heating using appropriate devices - a curling iron, hair dryer or straightening iron.
4. You cannot touch the strands for the first 3 days. Since keratin has not yet been completely “introduced” into the structure of the hairs, it can break with any physical touch; accordingly, the hair also becomes fragile and breaks easily.
5. You cannot do your hair, pin up strands, or make a ponytail. It is ideal if the curls are loose for the first 3 days.
6. It is strictly forbidden to use varnishes, foams, or mousses to style hair. The chemical components of styling products can react with keratin, and the result of such interaction can be completely unexpected and unusual.
7. If a girl wants to change the color of her strands, then she needs to dye her curls a week before straightening with keratin. Hair coloring is allowed 2 weeks after the salon procedure. In both cases, it is important to use hair dye that does not contain ammonia.
8. Cutting curls is also prohibited. This can be done 3 days after keratin straightening.
9. To prolong the healing effect, it is recommended to use medicinal balms, masks, and shampoos. Of course, the procedure for healing strands must begin only 3 days after straightening with keratin.

Tips on how to properly care for your hair after keratin straightening:

Aftercare

After three days, the hair can already be subjected to some manipulation, but you should still take into account the recommendations of professionals. Follow-up care after keratin should consist of certain cosmetic products that will not contribute to its premature rinsing from the structure. At this stage, your hair can already be washed, but when visiting the pool and sauna you need to use a special cap for protection.

Recommendations from professionals at this stage:

• use shampoo without harsh cleansers and parabens;
• to maintain maximum results, apply caring masks and balms;
• It is advisable to avoid tight and high ponytails, styling products and hard combs;
• minimize the impact of hair dryers, curling irons and other thermal devices.

It is very important to purchase the appropriate shampoo, conditioner and other care products that are designed to care for hair after keratin hair straightening. They are sold in any cosmetic stores, they are gentle on the structure and do not contribute to the premature leaching of beneficial components.

What does keratin hair straightening give: the effect of the procedure

What does keratin hair straightening give to girls who repeat it again and again, doing three to four sessions a year for a prolonged effect? A description of the final result and how the strands look for several weeks after the procedure is the answer.

Let's go over the main advantages again to understand how keratization simplifies life:

• hair looks as thick as possible ( dense , but not voluminous), smooth, shiny and flows beautifully;
• smoothed and soft straight strands do not tangle or form knots, they are easy to comb even when wet ;
• after the procedure, the curls become obedient and very pliable to any styling;
• keratin works as an antistatic agent: hair stops becoming frizzy and electrified;
• invisible keratin film protects hair from the negative effects of hair dryers and stylers, ultraviolet radiation, chlorinated and sea water.

Shampoos

To cleanse hair, it is necessary to use caring cosmetics that do not contain harsh ingredients, silicones and parabens, as they contribute to the premature removal of beneficial substances from the structure. Hairdressers, in their advice on how to care for keratin hair, claim that you can find several suitable shampoos on the cosmetic market:

• Estel Aqua Otium. This product is in great demand among professional stylists in beauty salons. Its composition does not contain sulfates, its action is aimed at intense moisturizing and softening. Girls claim that it is excellent as hair care after keratin treatment, has an incredibly pleasant aroma and is gentle on both the length and scalp.

• Bio shampoo "Natura Siberika" for hair growth. It contains many useful natural ingredients: extracts of musk, ginseng, yarrow, St. John's wort, licorice root, bamboo, rose hips, chestnut, ginger, pine nut oil, vitamin B5 and wheat proteins. There are no harsh cleansing ingredients in the ingredient list. It gently cleanses the scalp and hair, does not cause itching or irritation, and is excellent for care after keratin straightening.
• "Karal" for damaged hair. This product is aimed at deep nutrition and protection of the structure from the effects of various factors. Stylists note that it does not contain harsh components and can be used after a keratin straightening procedure. After use, incredible shine appears, hair becomes more hydrated and soft.

Balm

This care product should be used after cleansing with shampoo to smooth out flakes and soften hair. Recommendations from professionals about care after keratin straightening show that the balm should also not contain sulfates, parabens and other harmful components. In their opinion, there are several products that are suitable for use during this period:

1. “Natura Siberika” for all hair types. It is aimed at protecting the structure from moisture loss and exposure to various external factors. After application, the product smoothes out the scales, gives the hair softness and smoothness. Balm after keratin straightening should not weigh down the hair, which this care product completely copes with. It contains a large number of useful components, herbal and plant extracts, as well as oils for intense hydration.

2. "Schwarzkopf". Stylists and buyers note that this is an excellent hair balm after keratin straightening. According to the manufacturer, it is aimed at nourishing and moisturizing, gives a mirror shine and makes combing easier. With constant use, it does not contribute to the premature removal of keratin from the structure.

How does keratin work on hair?

Keratin is a type of protein that is highly durable and contains large amounts of the amino acid cystine. Amino acids give hair elasticity and beauty. It is a biopolymer material and the main building protein of human hair. The structure of the hair is 90% keratin. Under the influence of external factors - the environment, hard water, dyeing or chemical procedures, the substance is destroyed, and the hair columns lose their elasticity, strength and shine.

The protein molecule is small enough that it can easily penetrate the cuticle, restoring their structure, as well as restoring natural beauty. Keratin fills the resulting voids and glues the scales together.

Modern industry offers a unique procedure using keratin. A professional procedure for saturating hair with this component takes care of strands, helps restore weak hair, and also provides a protective barrier.

Despite the therapeutic effect, the procedure is not recommended for pregnant and lactating women. Keratinization of hair also involves temporary straightening of its structure due to a special component - formaldehyde. The substance can have a negative effect on the body of women who are expecting a baby.

Masks

Constant use of intensively caring cosmetic products helps restore, nourish and prevent breakage. Hair care after keratin straightening should include moisturizing masks that prolong the durability of the effect of this procedure. Experts recommend reading the composition before purchasing; it should contain keratin.

The cosmetic market offers a wide range of products, from which the best can be selected:

1. Keratin mask "Estelle".
2. "Loreal" with pro-keratin.
3. "Selective".
4. "Schwarzkopf" for damaged and bleached hair.

These products are popular among girls and are suitable for hair care after keratin straightening. They have many functions, intensively care for length, protect the structure from moisture loss and prevent fragility and split ends.

How to choose a skincare product

However, even the highest quality formulations are still recommended to be maintained with proper daily care. And first of all, this concerns the selection of the right shampoo. What basic rules should you follow when choosing a hair detergent for regular use?

The first and fundamental point is that you need to carefully study the shampoo label before purchasing - its composition should not include sulfates. The most active and mercilessly washing out both natural and artificial keratin from hair is Sodium Lauryl Sulfate. It is this component that is included in most detergents and cleansers, and it is this component that gives such rich and fluffy foam when soaping. But is it worth it? The three letters SLS should immediately make you put the bottle back on display. The use of such shampoos will lead to a rapid disappearance of the straightening effect, and the hair will begin to fluff again, and prematurely.

The second point is that the absence of parabens in the shampoo should be compensated for by natural substitutes. For example, if you read on the label the names of components such as sulfosuccinate, acyl glutamate, sarcosinate, cocoglucoside, lauryl glucoside, cocosulfate, you can safely purchase the product and not be afraid that it will shorten the duration of the effect of the procedure.

Folk remedies

Many girls prefer to use homemade masks and rinses in hair care. After the straightening procedure, hairdressers recommend using them in combination with purchased products to obtain maximum effect. The most suitable recipes for use at home:

1. Rinse with tea. It is aimed at enveloping the strands with a protective film that is absolutely not felt on the hair and does not reduce the effect of the procedure. To prepare, you need to brew strong natural tea, leave to cool to room temperature, rinse clean, washed hair, leave for 5-7 minutes and rinse with cool water. This product is recommended for hair care after straightening to protect against the harmful effects of external factors.

2. Oil mask. Lightly heat 2 tablespoons of burdock, olive and coconut oils in a water bath, add a teaspoon of liquid honey and mix thoroughly. Apply a thick layer to the length, put on a plastic cap and leave for 30 minutes. Then rinse with water and sulfate-free shampoo. Useful components penetrate deeply into the structure, nourish and protect keratin from destruction.

Home Recipes

The keratin straightening procedure involves the destruction of some elements in the hair structure, and then its restoration with the help of natural building protein.

Most women are very worried about caring for their curls after keratin straightening. After all, you want to do everything so that the strands are not damaged, and the hairstyle retains its newfound smoothness and shine for as long as possible. But it is either not possible to use store-bought skincare products, or there is a fear of buying a low-quality fake.

Fortunately, good hair nourishing formulas can be made at home yourself. The ingredients for their preparation are available to almost everyone.

Homemade masks

Homemade masks are usually prepared from ordinary products. The best main ingredients are chicken eggs, low-fat milk, food gelatin, and onions. The main condition is that they need to be used, like store-bought ones, only once a week.

Rinse aids

An important point: after keratin straightening, you should never rinse your hair with vinegar, fresh lemon juice or diluted citric acid. These ingredients dry out hair and damage keratin.

Making a homemade mouthwash is not at all difficult. Here are a couple of the most popular recipes:

• Kefir. Add burdock oil and cinnamon (half a teaspoon each) to low-fat kefir (required volume - 0.5 cups). Apply the resulting product to the entire length of your hair without touching the scalp. Exposure time – from 3 to 5 minutes. Wash your hair well under running water.
• Cognac-floral. Make a decoction of chamomile flowers (1 tbsp) and dissolve cognac in it (1 tbsp). Wash your hair and rinse your curls with the prepared product. Allow the rinse aid to drain. There is no need to rinse off.

Styling

In the first days of hair care after keratin straightening, it is necessary to avoid using various tools to create hairstyles. After some time, the hair can be collected in a bun or ponytail, but for a short period of time. It is very important that the elastic is made of a soft material, does not tangle the hair, and does not create creases that contribute to breakage.

10 days after the procedure, you can use thermal devices: hair dryer, straightener and curling iron, but you should not do this every day. The maximum allowable amount is 1 time every 4-5 days. This will protect the hair from drying out, dullness and damage, and the beneficial components will not be prematurely destroyed and washed out of the structure. During care after keratin straightening, you need to use protective agents or sprays before exposure to thermal devices. To maintain the effect, these cosmetic products must contain various moisturizing and restorative components.

Recommendations from professionals

After completing the procedure, a highly qualified master gives many recommendations and answers all client questions. This ensures prolongation of the straightening effect and protects against improper care after keratin straightening. Hairdressers say it is very important to follow all recommendations to prevent hair damage after the procedure.

Pro tips on how to prolong the straightening effect:

• Salt has a detrimental effect on the keratin composition. Therefore, when swimming in the sea, you should avoid getting water on your hair. If this cannot be avoided, they must be immediately rinsed with clean water to prevent the salt from drying out.
• Use only mild shampoos and keratin hair masks, avoid deep cleansing products.
• Minimize or completely eliminate the use of thermal appliances.
• If you ignore the recommendations, you can not only disrupt the keratin inside the hair, but also aggravate its condition, which will lead to fragility and dullness after the end of the effect of the procedure.
• If after some time (less than 2 months) the hair begins to fluff and curl, this indicates a low qualification of the specialist or improper hair care after keratin straightening.

The essence of keratin straightening

To understand the needs of hair after the procedure, you need to know what its essence is. The mechanism for achieving the effect of curls “like from an advertisement” depends on the composition used. Most often it happens like this:

1. The master washes the client's hair with a special shampoo that provides deep cleansing and reveals the hair scales.
2. The curls are dried with a towel, and then each strand is treated with a special composition containing formaldehyde, which destroys the disulfide bonds of the hair, and keratin (or silicone), which fills the resulting voids.
3. The curls are dried with a hairdryer in the direction of growth.
4. Each strand of hair is ironed with a hot iron.

Girls who dream of smooth hair, but do not want to use a straightener every day, choose keratin straightening

Many inexpensive formulations contain 2-8% keratin, which manufacturers add only as a conditioning additive and in order to call the product a “keratin straightening product.” Experts note that this amount of substance is not enough to improve hair health, and the effect is achieved only due to the action of formaldehyde and silicones. In high-quality formulations, the percentage of keratin should be 40–50%.

Products labeled Formaldehyde Free have appeared on the market. This only means that there is no formaldehyde in the composition, but when exposed to heat or when combined with water, it is formed and ensures the penetration of keratin or silicone into the hair structure. There are compositions that act without destroying the disulfide bonds of the hair based on glyoxylic acid or its derivatives, but such products are more expensive, and the effect of their use is not so lasting.