There has been a lot of buzz surrounding the keratin companies and their treatments, which are offered across the country and around the world. And as with any new procedure or treatment, there will be some adverse reactions to this sensitive topic. I know we all had flashbacks to hair-melting straightening processes and breakage when we first heard there was yet another treatment out there for curlies, and just like any other hair trend, we here at NaturallyCurly take it upon ourselves to find out the fact and fiction behind a new method or treatment.
Some people are reacting to keratin treatments as a betrayal of their curls and say that this is just another method of straightening. But another way to look at it is that keratin treatments just provide another option for curlies who might be ready for a change. Most keratin companies will tell you right away that this is not a process to straighten out a curl, but that it will eliminate your frizz and will loosen your curl. If you are a wavy-haired person and actually want your hair straight, you are probably going to end up with straight hair. However, for many other curlies, the keratin treatments merely soften the curl and reduce frizz.
Many in the natural hair community, for example, are reluctant to try a curl-relaxing product, given they probably fought long and hard to transition to their beautiful natural hair. However, Type 4s should know that a keratin treatment is not the equivalent of a harsh “relaxer”—a Type 4 should expect frizz-reduction and softening.
So why are people turning to this treatment if they are curl-friendly individuals? Options. Everyone would like to make their curls look their best at all times, and if a treatment can help you achieve your own personal hair bliss, then why not? Michelle Breyer, president and co-founder of NaturallyCurly.com, gave this insight on the controversial topic: “I love my curls. But the unpredictability, especially during the summer, drives me crazy. I feel like the keratin treatments have made my life easier because my hair is so much easier. And I’m still very much a curly. And I get more compliments. People just think I must be using a different styling product.”
I gained even more insight on the topic of keratin companies when I attended the Braziliante educational training seminar in Austin this weekend. The instructor was explaining to the stylists that the product will not change the hair like a perm or a relaxer would; it is simply coating the hair with protein, which will weigh the hair down a bit, which in turn, loosens the curl and eliminates most frizz. The stylists who attended were largely curl-embracing stylists with whom we work on a regular basis, and they soon embraced this idea as an option for some of their clients who struggle on a daily basis with their hair.
So where do we go from here? There are so many curlies out there who will never need one of these treatments done, because they love their hair exactly how it is and they wouldn’t change it for the world. There are also going to be a lot of curlies who, no matter what product they use, will have unmanageable frizz due to genetics or climate, and they will have the treatment done. Either way, we are all living in this curly world, and exploring your options seems like a very reasonable thing to do when it comes to being and staying true to yourself, as well as presenting the best possible version of yourself. In the end, we all do what makes us happy, and that is all that matters.
