By Briana Luca
The opinions expressed in this article are the author's own and do not reflect the views of Her Campus.
Ever since I was little, my hair was always a cause of stress and self-consciousness. For such a little girl I had huge, curly, and unruly hair—it was either super goofy and frizzy when it was straightened or just a nest of hair sitting on top of my head. I remember sitting in my bedroom as young as 7 years old and my mom behind me, brushing out and blowing my hair. I would cry from the pressure of the brush, and I’d be lying if I said one never broke in my hair. Blowing my hair out was a task for my mother and one that I never really got the hang of.
As I got older, I tried to embrace my curly hair and scrunch it with gel and mousse, but it still never was what I wanted. It would frizz and dry weird, always becoming large like a lion's mane. When I entered high school, I soon discovered how to straighten my own hair. It was a process that took more than two hours, and I’d be so afraid of having to do it again that I wouldn’t wash my hair for a week. Mind you, I never blew my hair out because I was incapable of blowing my hair straight. It would just frizz out like a bird’s nest and almost made it more troublesome.
That brings me to a couple years ago when I just couldn’t take it anymore. I had just graduated college and needed some serious hair help. I had been meaning to check out keratin treatments but wanted to go to a hair dresser I trusted and knew, so I waited until I returned to my hometown. A keratin treatment is a hair treatment that smooths and straightens your hair. Your hair is made up of keratin so the treatment restores the protein in your hair. The process takes about two to three hours to perform, after wish you have to wait at least 48 hours to wash your hair. My hairdressers have also told me not to put my hair up in a tight bun or ponytail because it can create a semi-permanent dent in your hair once the keratin is complete. You also must use a sulfate-free shampoo and conditioner to preserve the keratin, which isn’t a big deal because they’re ALL over the market these days!
I chose to get my keratin in June so I would get the most out of it during the summer months when it’s too hot to blow out or straighten your hair. The process was long but worth it; my hair was completely changed for the better. Since that fateful June day, I’ve gotten two more keratin treatments and am planning on getting one this summer.
There was no more styling my hair, no more worrying about my hair getting wet and drying weird; my hair was smooth, straight, and shiny as soon as I stepped out of the shower. The first time I washed my hair after the treatment, I almost cried tears of joy. I watched my hair dry straight with a few little waves and couldn’t believe it. I felt like a new person.
The author after her keratin treatment
There were a few minor cons to a treatment but the pros surely outweigh them. While getting the treatment, the smell of the product is very overpowering; most hair dressers will give you a face mask to keep on while they apply it to your locks, but your eyes water and it smells pretty bad. That smell will linger the first few washes but it’s not nearly as powerful.
Also, as I mentioned before, you can’t wash your hair for 48 hours, which can be troublesome for some. The treatment also caused my hair to be a little more on the oily side, and that side effect has stuck with me till this day. Like I said, those are not deal breakers for me because the payoff is that much better.
The cause of constant stress was finally lifted off my head. I will never regret getting a keratin treatment, because it gave me more confidence and helped me focus on other important things besides getting my hair in tip-top shape.
Subscribe to our Story Prompts listserv for a chance to be featured on Her Campus.