How to Know if a Keratin Treatment is Right for You

All of a sudden, summer is here! Along with the record breaking heat this week, some people are feeling quite frustrated with their hair- and that's all thanks to humidity. Read on to learn if a Keratin treatment could be your problem solver this summer.

Keratin treatments are one of my favorite services to provide in salon (seeing and feeling the results is quite gratifying) and they also happen to be surrounded with a lot of misconceptions! My goal here is to answer some of the common questions and leave you feeling informed- and with a better idea if a Keratin treatment may be right for you!

Q. Do I need a keratin treatment/would I like one?

A. If you have naturally wavy to curly hair and would like your hair to be less frizzy and faster to style with better styling results, you will probably love a Keratin treatment! The lovely lady pictured here would be a great candidate for a keratin treatment.

Q. Does a Keratin treatment make my hair straight?

A. No, a Keratin treatment will loosen your curl/wave pattern a bit. Where you will notice the big difference is in reduction of frizz (whether worn natural or blown out), and also drastically reduced styling time. For example, I know someone with thick hair that takes an hour and 10 minutes to blow dry and smooth with a flat iron. With a keratin treatment, we can blowout her hair in 45minutes and there's no need for a flat iron. That's a difference of 25 minutes each time.

Q. How do Keratin treatments work?

A. Simply put, Keratin protein is deposited into the hair shaft and sealed in with heat. Compared to a relaxer which breaks down the structure of the hair to change the curl pattern, the Keratin treatment works more like a super deep conditioning treatment.

Q. How long does the treatment last?

A. Unlike a relaxer, Keratin treatments gradually fade away over time. 3-5 months for the full Natural Keratin Smoothing Treatment, and 6-8 weeks for the Keratin Express Blowout. This means that you don't have to deal with a harsh grow-out line. Also, if you choose to not continue treatments, you will not be doomed to an awkward phase.

I am always happy to answer your specific questions regarding Keratin treatments! Feel free to message me directly if you think of something I haven't covered here.

Ann

All the Wedding Day Tips you Need to Know

When it comes to having a smooth wedding morning, there's some things many brides and party members just don't think of until they're in the moment. Here's our best tips to make the best of your wedding hair and makeup.

photo by Sean Cook Weddings

Before your beauty team arrives:

All party members should choose photos of their desired hair and makeup looks.

Party members should also be aware of their appointments and be prepared to follow the schedule. When people need to be tracked down, the whole schedule can end up getting behind.

Before your hair appointment:

Run any necessary errands. Once your hair (and makeup is done) it's best to avoid going outside or working up a sweat.

Steam your dress. Steaming creates humidity, so it's best to not expose your styled hair to this culprit.

Photo by Sean Cook Weddings

Before your makeup appointment:

Eat something & brush your teeth.

Put your contacts in.

Doing any of these things can mess up your makeup application- so it's best to plan ahead.

Before either appointment:

Use the restroom. I know it sounds obvious, but when a party member needs to take a break during their appointment there is less time for hair & makeup.

Photo by Sean Cook Weddings

What it's Really Like Working in Wedding Hair & Makeup

Just like many careers, there's a lot of common misconceptions about what it's like to be in wedding hair and makeup. That's why I thought it'd be fun to share some of the questions (and their answers) that I get asked often. Enjoy!

photo by Lauren Ashley Studios

Q. You must have a lot of crazy stories, right?

A. Actually, I don't. Our clients are no-drama and we plan ahead to make sure that the wedding day goes smoothly- so no wild tales to tell here.

Q. Since you specialize in weddings, do you just take the weekdays off?

A. This is one that always surprises me a little. Between communicating with brides inquiring about our services, planning for all our brides' trial run sessions and wedding days, and marketing to make sure we're constantly meeting newly engaged ladies, my weekdays are full (aside from Monday and Tuesday which I take as my "weekend").

photo by Nicole Morisco Photography

Q. Isn't it best to have dirty hair for an updo?

A. Not really. If your dirty hair means a little hairspray or dry shampoo build up, that's great. But If your hair is pretty oily (visibly oily on top) you're better off shampooing and starting fresh.

Q. How do you find new clients, is it all word of mouth?

A. We appreciate our clients and other vendors who send us their friends! How we stay busy all season is due to a combination of word of mouth, referral bonuses, Instagram, Facebook, Google my business, email marketing, the Knot, Wedding wire, and Zola (maybe I forgot one or two here).

photo by Sean Cook Weddings

Q. Do you offer any specials or discounts for weddings in the slow season?

A. Sorry, but we do not offer any specials. Our current pricing allows us to cover our expenses with just a modest profit. As Hair and Makeup artists, we are constantly investing in our kits, taking continued education, and ours is a field that doesn't come with the benefits (like health insurance & retirement plans) that are standard in other fields. While it may appear like we make a lot of money, much of that needs to be invested right back into the business. For these reasons, there isn't wiggle room.