Straight hair is back in vogue again! For many, it never went out of fashion! Straight sophistication is a look that never really goes out of style. For those used to battling their unruly hair in humid weather, having straight hair is hard, and often unrewarding, work!
If your hair is frizzy, curly or wavy, you might be considering smoothening treatments that hide behind the exotic names like Brazilian blowout, Japanese or Keratin treatment. You might have also heard of rebonding – what is that? And how all these treatments differ from straightening?
Straightening involves using harsh chemicals and intense heat in order to change your natural hair. Of course, that spells a certain amount of damage to the hair that has been treated. Straightening treatments work by breaking apart the bonds in your hair, and then putting them back together in such a way to create a new, sleek pattern. If you’re going after the pin-straight look, straightening is probably your best option! And it may be the only option if you have very curly hair.
Rebonding is another word for permanent hair straightening. The term refers to chemical changes made in the bonds of the hair to break the natural curl. The results last until the hair grows out.
Japanese straightening involves chemically relaxing your hair in order to change its natural structure and create a “blowout look”. This is a permanent method that will leave your hair perfectly straight, but it can cause damage.
Smoothening will improve the texture and look of your hair, making it softer and more manageable. The effects of smoothening are better when it is done on thin hair. If you have thick curls, you can expect to end up with at best gentle waves in your hair, but no amount of smoothening can make your hair straight.
Smoothening treatments begin with washing your hair with a deep-cleansing shampoo, and applying a straightening solution. The hair is then blow-dried straight and flat ironed at a high temperature to create a waterproof seal, which ensures that the new shape holds for three to six months and cuts the duration of subsequent blow-drying.
Brazilian blowout involves applying a smoothening solution on the hair which is then blow-dried and ironed in order to activate the proteins in the product and make them bond with hair cuticles. Keratin treatment is different in a respect that the gaps in the bonds of the hair are filled with keratin. Both treatments promise to leave you with frizz-free, naturally straight, smooth, shiny and manageable hair.
