Growing up in South Florida, I never experienced white winters or even owned a coat, but thanks to the Sunshine State’s rain forest like weather, my hair was plagued with frizz almost year-round. Luckily, I was a pretty carefree teen and the beach was my second home, so I never paid much attention to the state of my hair. These days, I am all about a top knot when I visit my home state because trying to keep a blowout past exiting the salon is basically impossible, no matter how close to the front door you park your car. Maybe I’m being a little dramatic, but frizzy, untamed hair is just the worst.
Last month, right before taking off for Miami for the holidays, I decided to finally try out a hair smoothing keratin treatment in the hopes of giving the top knot a break this time around — and most importantly, cutting back on my daily styling time (I dream of #IWokeUpLikeThis hair, you know?). After doing my research, I settled on the Cezanne Perfect Finish Keratin Smoothing Treatment offered at Butterfly Studio in New York City.
The formaldehyde-free treatment uses the best of the best ingredients to deliver the results that are achieved from a traditional keratin smoothing treatment, but without the harmful chemicals. The proprietary blend that makes up the formula includes botanical extracts, vitamins and proteins, including keratin and sericin, which is a silk protein and a key ingredient exclusive to Cezanne. Sericin is produced by silkworms and protects hair bonds, so that strands get locked into a smoother and more straight shape. I was on my way to shinier, silkier and straighter hair! It’s important to note that if you have curly hair, expect lengthened curls without the bulk, frizz and dullness — not the same results as a relaxer or Japanese straightening treatment. Remember, it’s like a typical keratin treatment (think a more beautiful, straighter version of your natural hair).
At the salon, I was told the expected time from start to finish would be close to three hours (I have medium to long hair and lots of it!). My stylist, Jason Dougherty, was very meticulous and efficient throughout the entire process. My hair was washed and rough blowdried before the solution was applied and sat in my hair for 30 minutes (bonus; no weird, chemically fragrance). He then washed out most of the treatment, but left a small amount to ensure optimal results. Next, my hair was blown out to perfection; Jason dried small sections at a time and I felt really bad that I was born with a lush head of Colombian-Argentine hair at that moment. The same method followed when hair was flat ironed straight. “This part seals in the treatment and your hair will be pin straight until you wash your hair again — which you must do within the next 24 hours,” he explained.
My hair woke up like this!
It’s been a month and I’m hoping this love fest with my new healthy hair never ends — seriously. Maintenance is at an all-time low and my hair looks better than ever. All l have to do is rough blowdry my hair and use a round brush along my hairline for a total of five minutes of styling time for pretty amazing results. Like similar treatments, Cezanne will eventually wash out in a few months (it all depends on hair type and texture), and it’s crucial to use sulfate-free products to maintain results (Jason recommended Cezanne’s line of haircare products, which I’m loving so far). Oh, and my bun-less hair survived seven days of a very humid, non-white Florida Christmas.
Cezanne Perfect Finish Keratin Smoothing Treatment starts at $350, call Butterfly Studio at 212-253-2100 for more information.
