So we’ve all heard about the Keratin Blowdry, also known as Brazilian straightening, but what about using Keratin for the hair in a more imaginative, less straightening kind of way.

What I’m talking about is the huge number of new hair products, coming out of Brazil, which go way beyond the original Keratin Blowout to offer a fabulous range of exciting possibilities for anyone with hair in need of a boost.

Well first off, perhaps it’s a good idea to say a bit more about Keratin and how it works on your hair, so let me start by saying that Keratin is a naturally occurring substance that is present in your hair.

More than just straightening with Keratin for the hair

The higher the natural presence of Keratin is, the shinier it will look, as well as being less prone to frizz, dryness and breaking. We all start out with relatively high levels of Keratin in our hair as kids.

But exposure to the unavoidable stresses of daily life, stuff like excessive sunlight, salt water or pollution, along with washing, dyeing, bleaching and ironing, all take their toll on your hair, leaching out the Keratin and other essential amino acids, which are responsible for naturally healthy looking hair.

That’s why any product with Keratin for the Hair will work in some way, to improve the look, elasticity, shine and strength of your hair.

Straightening treatments that use Keratin for the hair

The advent of the Brazilian Blowdry has been a life enhancing experience for countless women all over the world. Not having to go through the daily rigours of washing, drying and straightening for a start, means you get to sleep longer in the mornings, not get stressed by rain or humidity and generally spend less time worrying about what your hair looks like and more time just living.

Brazilian straightening products work by essentially over-conditioning your hair with a massive and easily absorbed dose of Keratin. This works by effectively ‘filling’ and sealing the tiny cracks in your hair, which gradually build up over time, to cause frizz.

The results are amazing, as you probably know, because I’m guessing you only found this post after searching out more information about Keratin for the Hair and how it works.

A quick look at a few more Keratin treatments you may not know about

Keratin Shampoos for use before a Brazilian Blowout

As well cleansing your hair, pre Blowout shampoos often contain a small amount of Keratin along with things like Vitamin B5 and pomegranate, which open up your hair and make it more absorbent to treatment.

This also means a Keratin enriched shampoo is good to use before other hair straightening procedures like perming and relaxing.

Keratin Shampoos for Blowout Maintenance

These fall into 2 main categories, those made for adding extra protection in the initial week or so after a Blowout, and those intended for regular maintenance.

The first set, known in Brazil as Pos shampoos, work by adding to the protective seal created by Keratin treatments, while the second are known as Hydrating shampoos, and have been developed to literally maintain results for as long as possible.

These hydrating shampoos, work exceptionally well when used alongside Keratin conditioners which we’ll move on to now.

Conditioners with Keratin for the Hair

The first thing to say is that Keratin conditioning should not be confused with Keratin straightening, although they both work to smooth your hair and obviously, condition it too.

But while a Brazilian straightening treatment lasts between 3 and 4 months, don’t expect such great results from conditioners, which do help frizz control and are great for repairing damaged hair.

They’ll even help keep your hair straight, but for nowhere near as long as Keratin straightening treatments, like Zene Progress.

Keratin for Hair Repair

This is one of the areas that companies are really focussing on at the moment and the market for a system known in Brazil as Cauterazação has become immense over the last year or so.

If you haven’t heard about this system yet, let me explain a little more. Cauterazação is a Brazilian developed (again) treatment which radically improves the condition of damaged or very dry hair that’s in dire need of help.

The system repairs existing damage by filling in the cracks and breaks which are the result of constant abuse from things like daily straightening, perms and bleaching.

Think of it as an SOS hair treatment to be used when all else fails.

I know the word Cauterazação sounds a little brutal, but treatment only involves the systematic application of 4 or 5 products, which typically include a pre treatment shampoo, a reconstructing ‘balm’ (which usually contains Keratin along with other essential amino acids vital for healthy hair), followed by a Finalising Serum and finally an invisible shine enhancer and protective sealant, to prevent further damage and give a truly glossy finish.

• A treatment is usually concluded with a quick trim to remove any dead ends, which may cause further breakage.

Deep Keratin Conditioners and Leave Ins

- Keratin Conditioners

The final product type I’ll be covering that uses Keratin for the hair, is by utilising the capacity of amino acids to repair and restore ‘broken’, or damaged hair.
These treatments come as leave-in conditioners, which as the name suggest, are left in the hair for between 20 minutes and several hours, to daily rub throughs and creams, which are intended for more regular use.

Leave in conditioners like those produced by NovEx, are perfect for a weekly deep hydration treatment on all kind types of hair, including damaged hair, weak or brittle hair, excessively flat hair or hair just needs a little loving care and attention.

Essentially these conditioners are like a makeover for hair, adding nourishment and hydration, leaving your hair softer, easier to manage, more resilient and with a greater natural shine.

Rub Throughs and Keratin Leave Ins

A more practical method of applying Keratin for the hair is to use one of the daily rub-throughs now becoming popular. These work by adding a tiny dose of Keratin, usually applied after washing and drying, which work through the day to prevent frizz, and add shine.

Using one of these daily leave-ins means hair frizz free for up to 14 hours, as they prevent the effects of humidity, sweat and pollution to dry your hair out . Easy to apply, just take a pea sized amount in your hand prior to brushing and work through your hair, distributing evenly.

Final Thoughts

OK, thanks for sticking with the post. I really wasn’t expecting it to last this long when I started out, but I hope it’s been useful and answers at least some of the questions we’ve been receiving here at the site recently, after adding the new products.

If you have any questions, relating to the use of Keratin for the hair, I’m always on hand to answer them here, so do please fire away.