Below are links to a variety or resources on Brazilian Keratin Treatment.

Keratin Treatment Treatment FAQs

This covers most questions, including which shampoo, how long does the treatment last, and how much does it cost.

Video showing Brazilian Keratin formaldehyde free treatment

This video shows hair being treated, with BKT, in North London.

US News story on the subject

CBS news article on BKT

Below is a more detailed article on the straightening treatment.

Having spent years with naturally curly hair, I decided that this summer, I would have straight hair. It was a choice driven by the fact that I am incredibly busy with work and having my hair straight is simply easier to manage. I’ve had my hair blown dried straight many times for special occasions, but in the UK, it’s just a bit frivolous, as it normally only lasts a few days. Any rain or humidity and my hair is ruined in a mass of dry frizz.

I continued to keep a sharp eye on the options available, regularly reading about the Yuko or X-tenso systems and recently noticed the rise of something called Brazilian keratin straightening also known as “escova progressiva”. It allegedly puts your hair in better condition than before and wears out over a period of three months. Even better you can use it with coloured hair. Bingo, this is what I needed, is actually good for my hair and no life time commitment like Yuko. I really do like having curly hair, so something like Yuko was never a consideration for me.

The next problem was the deluge of frightening articles on the product being carcinogenic. This is because it contains formaldehyde, a dangerous chemical in strong doses (lets not forget it’s in nail varnish). In independent tests, Allure magazines October 2007 issue discovered that US salons were using products up to 10 times over the recommended levels. Time Out New York also reported on their concerns, titling their research ‘Scared straight‘.

Having waded through, I eventually discovered one salon, yes one, that did a formaldehyde free version in the London area. The Joshua Altback salon in St Johns Wood, do provide this service, but it was a pain to go into town for just a consultation and then booking the time for the treatment was proving problematic. An elusive reference to a salon in Surrey through some forums, meant after much searching I discovered Mickael and Ludovik in Warlingham Surrey. The website certainly looked stylish and they were very helpful on the telephone. One week later and I was walking in to have my test. Mickael took a sample of my hair, talked me through the treatment and answered my numerous questions. So far, so good. I dutifully went to get my hair coloured from my usual salon (they couldn’t fit me in at the time in M&L) and I returned on the 12th of July.

On the day, I arrived at 2pm and was quickly whisked to the sinks to have my hair shampood (in a special soap) which was left on for 10 minutes. Now this is no ordinary salon, M&L is beautiful, with stylish decor and a backwash like no other. The lights are low, each sink is separated by a curtain, there is a water feature to look at whilst lying in the sink plus, they play lovely ambient music (think chilled Ibiza rather than tinkly lift). I visibly relaxed (I was irritated having arrived late to the appointment), and really appreciated the quiet for ten minutes. Completely different to lots of salons where they wash your hair in the bright lights and you have to pull your top down just in case you’re showing flesh. Not to mention the teenagers that ask you monotonously if you’re going anywhere ‘nice’, then having dispensed with the formalities continuing their discussion with their friend next to them. Sigh, I wish salons would give their juniors better customer service training.

Next I had the chemicals combed through,  my hair was rough dried with a hairdryer and then blow dried straight in small sections.  During this process my eyes did start to sting, and I eventually had to go outside for a minute, despite the fan being pointed at both myself and Mikael throughout. When the blow dry was finished, my hair was then ’sealed’ with straightening irons, again in small sections. The whole thing took 3 and a half hours, but I have to say it was actually enjoyable. The salon was really laid back, Mickael was lovely company, and we had moments of great conversation and companionable silence . The whole process cost £200, plus the sulfate-free shampoo I needed to purchase for £20. I also had an additional cut just to neaten the ends and make my hair fall right when straight, total cost was £248, plus the tip for Mickaels hard work.

These are the recommended guidelines which I dutifully followed. Mickael said I could wash my hair after three days, but I waited for four, following the guidelines I had pulled of the internet below;

Things You Can Do The First 4 Days. Initially there are some precautionary steps to take to ensure the best straightening possible.

• You do want to wear your hair down for at least 4 days to allow the product to settle in your hair.
• Do use a blow dryer or flat iron as needed, (in case hair gets wet during the first four days.)
• Do wear a silk scarf to pull your hair away from your face.
• Do use a shampoo without Sodium-Chloride (Sulfate-Free) on your hair at all times.

Things Not To Do For The First 4 Days

• Don’t wash your hair for the first time.
• Do not tie your hair into a ponytail.
• Do not use hair clips.
• Do not place your hair behind your ears.
• Do not exercise or sweat.
• Do not use hair bands.
• Do not use your glasses to hold your hair back.
• Do not use sprays, gel or mousses.

My hair looked great when it was finished. The problem was on days two, three and four when it just looked lank and lifeless. You can’t resuscitate this by tieing it back either, and it was really hard not to tuck it behind my ears. I actually looked like ‘Violet’ from Pixars ‘The Incredibles’.

Do not have this done if you are wanting to impress anyone for the four days after. Be warned.
I also coloured it again as it was too light, using just a chemist bought slowly fading dye. My curly hair always has products in it and when straight, the colour was too washed out for my skin tone.

The condition of my hair was great though,  I have to say that the shampoo I bought at M&L not only smelt beautiful but left my hair really soft.

Now it is fair to say that I had visions of my hair looking like it does when it is blow dried, once washed. I had read and had been told, I would only need to wash and go, the treatment is that good, gradually getting curlier as the three months went by.  So, on the afternoon of day four I washed my hair, sprayed it with some leave in conditioner and went off to a networking meeting with slightly damp hair.

OH MY GOD. It dried like straight frizz and it was incredibly embarrassing to have such bad hair when promoting a image consultancy business. I also didn’t take anything to tie it back with, wanting to rock my loose hair with a summery maxi dress. Not clever.

The reality a month on is that I now have slightly less curly hair which is a bit shinier. This is not bad at all, it means my hair is longer, doesn’t get frizzy as quickly and when I blow dry it properly (by I, I mean at a hair salon of course!) it lasts a whole week, on the proviso it doesn’t get wet. I didn’t hanker after poker straight locks, but have always wanted a slightly looser curl, trying perms with varying degrees of success to achieve this. The before and after photographs are impressive, but these are taken after blow drying and using ceramic irons. My hair looks like that before the treatment after a blow dry and ironing. I will get this done again in three months and am told that it gets straighter the more you do it. For me it has simply reduced my drying time, which has been a real bonus when time limited.

Overall I would recommend this treatment if you are looking for a looser curl. Make sure that you colour your hair darker than usual and be prepared to have to do some work to make it look good. More than anything though I would recommend the M&L salon, which has proven to be an absolute find. The service was great, the surroundings beautiful and the experience was really enjoyable.

Chameleon Fridays

Here are the best and worst from this month……………….

A tale of two premieres;

Christian Bale seen here wearing a French navy Prada suit. He compliments this with a slightly lighter shade shirt to really make his eyes go ‘pop’. Overall we can see, sharp tailoring, which for a man made up of angular features = a sharp look. One could argue that most men can’t go wrong with a Prada suit, but it is the subtleties, such as the perfect shade of shirt that take this from an expensive suit on a man, to a man really wearing an expensive suit. He wears it well, top marks.

Sarah Dunn (Hollyoaks) – On the surface this is a great outfit, nice colour, dressy enough for a premiere and yet not trying too hard, (a rarity for the cast members of this soap). Problem here is the huge faux pas, firmly relegating her celebrity status to the Z list. Consider this a life coaching point. Everyone, who was important enough, got the memo that they were all wearing black, out of respect for the death of Heath Ledger. Sarah didn’t get the memo and certainly got the photographers attention as she stood out in a sea of black. It made her look insensitive at worst and blundering at best. Also missing out on the memo was Gary Linekers wife who wore canary yellow.

David Duchovney does the exact opposite of Christian Bale. Dark of features and yet wearing light colours next to his face, he simply looks drained. The colour of the suit is sometimes enhanced as ‘Mushroom’, however it really can be a tricky colour to wear. It’s just so non-descript, bland and boring. Here he looks like the suit is wearing him, it’s far more noticeable than his face, drawing the eye away. Bad choice, he looks much better in a darker jacket.

Gillian Anderson looked lovely at the London premiere, with her patterned and flowing dress but absolutely ‘nails’ it at the Los Angeles premiere, in navy blue Moschino. The blue is warm enough to compliment her pale skin and red hair and the colour makes her eyes look beautiful. The sleeves are pretty, the neckline is sexy without being over the top and the stitched in waistband fits perfectly.

Chameleon Fridays

Here are the best and worst from this month………………..

Cheryl Cole manages to achieve a great smart/casual look so many people find hard to pull off. The jeans are flatteringly straight, the widening horizontal lines are under the block colour of the blazer. And how perfect is that blazer? Fresh and bang on the nautical trend, great navy piping, but most importantly, look at the slightly diagonal stripes, further accentuating the waist. Cheryl manages to look stylish and feminine without trying too hard.

Great to see Sir Stuart Rose from Marks and Spencers making a statement in Esquires top 10 best dressed men. Most of the men on the list spend their featured time in bespoke suits, and to be fair a well cut suit transforms any man from zero to hero. What is exceptional about Stuart is his ability to still look great when regularly wearing off the peg suits from his own store. Here we can see him wearing cool colours next to his face to suit his colouring and makes the impact with a featured item of clothing, here being the tie. He has also ensured that any patterns are not fighting for attention, by keeping the tie and suit plain against the checked shirt. Top marks.

Oooooh Kim, not a good look for her. Despite having both an amazing figure and a beautiful face, it just goes to show how important dressing for your individual shape is. Kim has managed to look chunky of thigh, as her dress cuts at her widest leg point. The belt is just a bit too wide, so that rather than pulling the eye into the narrowest point it makes her waist look larger than it is. The horizontal banding adds even more width to the too tight dress and the shoes cut her off at the ankle further accentuating her thigh. Unfortunately, Kim looks trashy rather than sexy, with everything just too much.

“Here is Robert Cavalli, he is a designer so can do what he wants” - Esquire.
His status and cash may afford him anonymous blondes for photographs, but the style crimes are many. Firstly he has tucked in the shirt too tightly drawing attention to his bulging waist, the belt buckle drawing the eye to this even more. The collar is both shortening his neck and looks too tight. He’s managed to mix a gold shirt button with a silver buckle, it’s very hard to mix metals and look stylish (every so often it becomes fashionable though). The shirt is shiny making the vast expanse of his stomach even more attention grabbing, which incidentaly also highlights his man boobs to perfection.
DO NOT follow his lead.

Chameleon Friday’s