“The cost of never having to straighten your hair in the morning is a whopping $300. But if you’ve come this far you know that beauty is a commitment, right?”

~ Catzie Vilayphonh

By Catzie Vilayphonh  |  Send to Friend

When I got the email that Giovanni & Pilleggi was offering a new hair treatment, I got excited about giving myself a makeover. The words “deep-conditioning," “restore” and “natural” got me so revved up, I neglected to read the details: Specifically, that this Keratin Complex Hair Therapy was really a straightening treatment. As I take no small amount of pride in being a “curly Asian," I opted against doing it myself, but instead recruited my intern Christina to give it a shot. After all, that’s what they’re for, right?

On the day of the appointment, our hair stylist, Aja, fabulously dressed in a blue maxi and platform heels, was gracious enough to also let me take photos of the three-hour straightening process. She also explained what made this Keratin Complex treatment so much better than a standard straightener or perm. For starters, it didn’t smell harsh and fumey, although Christina noted that it did make her eyes water a couple times. Instead of petro chemicals and diesel fuel, it smelled pleasantly of tanning lotion. This was due, according to Aja, to the purely organic ingredients which, naturally, make the process healthier for your hair. This was especially crucial because it turned out this three-hour stint was only the first step of a much longer process: The actual full length of the “therapy” was three days.

After the usual blow dry and flat-iron at the salon, the Keratin treatment stays in your hair for three more days for maximum effectiveness, nourishing your hair while it restructures the follicles. The reason has to do with basic beauty physics: The straighter the hair, the less frizz and fly-aways with which you have to contend.

So, this kind of wonderfulness doesn't come cheap, as you can imagine. The cost of never having to straighten your hair in the morning is a whopping $300, with a recommended follow up appointment every three to five months thereafter. But if you’ve come this far you know that beauty is a commitment, right?

Below is Christina’s own description of the process, accompanied by my pictures.

DAY 1
The morning of the Keratin Treatment, I rolled in with wavy, somewhat frizzy hair. It started with a hair wash -- shampoo only -- then blow-drying before the application of Keratin throughout my head. The serum then had to dry for about 20 minutes with Saran Wrap covering it. The whole treatment took quite a bit of time, only midway through it I started getting antsy. Finally, my hairdresser straightened it first with a brush and blow dryer, then finished with hot irons, even giving me a trim to even out the ends of my now bone-straight hair.

In the midst of everything, she remembered to make sure she went over the "rules" of proper care, followed with a printed list: I could not wash my hair for three days, let alone get it wet. Luckily I had no plans of swimming. I was also told not to place my hair in a clip or ponytail, tuck it behind the ears nor push it back with sunglasses. If my hair got the tiniest bit wet I had to immediately blow-dry and straighten it again. This meant I pretty much had to take a sponge bath for the next few nights. After the three days were over, she assured me, I would then be able to wash it using a non-sulfur shampoo and style normally. The so-called benefits supposedly included a much-quicker prep time, but I wasn't entirely convinced. Still, I left the salon with quite the opposite style of hair as I had walked in with -- straight as a pin, looking sleeker and feeling smoother.

As I went on with my day, I noticed it was getting a bit stiff, as if it were too dry. Mind you, I had been walking around outside for a few hours. Once I combed it back out though, it seemed okay though it was a pain in the ass to eat with this stiff blanket of hair around my face – but hey there's always something you have to deal with right?

DAY 2
I slept mainly in one position in order to keep my hair intact. I did straighten some of the ends that morning before I left for work. Overall, I was starting to really dig it. It was nice not having to do much in the morning. Periodically, I combed it out to make sure it wasn't getting stiff again but there were no problems, other than the fact that I couldn't throw it behind my ears or get it out of my face. 

DAY 3
I was extremely surprised to see there were no dents or creases in my hair with the way I tossed and turned throughout the night. Again, I combed and straightened it very quickly and it still looked the way it did when I left the salon. I was mostly walking everywhere, so my hair was always blowing every which way, but at no time did it get too frizzy or had many like normal. The biggest test would be after I washed it the first time, to see how it blow-dries and how long I would have to sit and straighten it. Oh and I was very curious to see how it held up with the humidity because my hair ALWAYS curls up.

Day 7
I haven’t washed my hair for a week, mainly because it held up nicely enough, but also because I kept forgetting to pick up the sulfate-free shampoo I needed. I finally managed to buy some at a salon next to where I work -- for freaking $24 might I add -- but I assumed it would cost extra. I also picked up a paddle brush to get a straighter effect since I normally used a round one. I tested the shampoo out. It didn’t have a strong scent to it, nor did it weigh my hair down. It was pretty light. I rinsed and used my regular conditioner. I don’t towel dry or anything, just comb it out and get right to it. Blow-drying it, my hair came out much flatter and straighter. I was surprised it only needed a little straightening. Of course it wasn’t salon straight -- how it first turned out -- but it definitely knocked off a lot of prep time, which is bonus since lately I've been a little lazy. If necessary, I could really just get away with straight blow-drying. It also doesn'[t require much product, sometimes a little anti-frizz crème. Hopefully, the treatment will last for a while, I may consider getting it again.

To check out the Keratin Straightening Complex yourself, hit up the Giovanni & Pileggi Salon at (215) 568-3040 and ask for Aja.