To kick off this KeraGreen review: everyone who doesn’t have curly hair thinks it’s the world’s biggest blessing. On the contrary, curls are the bane of our existence for many of us poofy heads. While I’ve embraced my thick messy hair for most of my short years on this planet, there comes a time when you need to change things up, so naturally, I committed hair rebellion: I started flat ironing my mane. Although, every time I straightened my hair at home, I’d end up spending WAY too much time in my oven of a bathroom, pulling at my curls with a scalding iron till my arms gave up and said “I don’t even care that it looks kind of ratchet, I’m over it”.
Years later, after finally getting a big girl job and having more than $100 in the bank, I decided to check out professional keratin treatments to tame the beast of curls. After reading about how most of these relaxers are full of formaldehyde, you know the stuff they embalm dead bodies with, I was pretty convinced I’d have only two hair options forever: crazy curls and fried frizzies. Until one day I did some internet sleuthing (I’m really good, FYI) and found KeraGreen; the company claims to be 100% formaldehyde free, organic, and actually beneficial to hair–all while keeping frizz and hair straightening time.
Apparently there’s some controversy that the treatment may contain a very small amount of formaldehyde from a disgruntled KeraGreen review I read, but this is the internet, so you’re bound to hear something unflattering about everything. I’m sure there are more of these sorts of products out there, I just decided to opt for this one, to play it safe. Okay, so it’s not like my hair will magically be straightened by this product, but if it was easier to straighten, it might be worth my while, right?
The Application:
Late January 2012: I dyed my hair and got my dead ends trimmed before the treatment. The lady washed my hair twice with the special shampoo, sat me in the chair, and applied the keratin treatment just like getting a dye job. After I was all smothered in this weird smelling white goop, I had to sit there for a while to let it sink in–it was getting pretty warm at this point. The lady then came back and started blow-drying my hair with a brush, and it was smoking! No, really, they had to open the door, this stuff makes your hair smoke, but it doesn’t really smell that bad, it’s a weird fruity pebbles scent, not horrible.
After she was done I was told to not put it in a ponytail or style it in any way, just leave it pin straight like that for a few days, then wash it wish special shampoo. The salon I went to was kind of a bust, they didn’t have the KeraGreen shampoo for sale for some reason so they have me some other keratin infused set of shampoo and conditioner, which I ended up not really liking. Anyway, after a sad departure with my hard-earned money, I was really stoked on how silky my hair felt, it was like someone else had traded hairs with me.
Post-Treatment:
I washed my hair about four days after the treatment, and I could feel curls again; although they weren’t as voluminous as per usual, even in the shower. After I got out it took me about twenty minutes tops to straighten my hair, and it wasn’t nearly as pooftastic as it usually is. PRAISE GAGA.
I was told that the treatment lasts for about 2-5 months depending on your hair–of course the lady lifted her nose at me and said mine would probably not last long, whatever–anyway, it’s now mid-April 2013 and I still feel like it’s working. Albeit not nearly as strong, I still feel like it’s still easier to straighten than my pre-treatment hair; but it’s probably getting time for another treatment.
Verdict:
I really liked how KeraGreen made my hair shiny, frizz-free, and easy to straighten. For someone who’s not living on a baller budget, the price is a little daunting, but if I can squeeze four months out of a treatment which gives me more free time and sanity–then it might be worth it to shell out the dough. A+, would buy again.
