Simply Smooth is a brand of hair keratin treatment that contains no formaldehyde. Instead, they use natural keratin, moisturizers and vitamins to straighten, nourish and protect hair. Instead of the controversy-ridden formaldehyde, vanillin, a derivative of vanilla pods, holds together keratin molecules. This creates a formidable hair treatment formula that keeps hair healthy for up to six weeks. There are several types of Simply Smooth Keratin Treatment since everyone has different hair texture. These include:
Simply Smooth–Touch of Keratin
This is a spray on, blow dry formula botanically blended to give your hair natural shine for thirty days or more. Unlike other keratin hair treatments, you can clean hair with shampoo only a day after the treatment. You can also apply the product by yourself from home.
Simply Smooth–Mini Xpress Keratin
Mini Xpress keratin is also made completely from natural ingredients. It gives hair new life and vitality, by eliminating frizz that develops due to high humidity. The treatment process is also quite simple to perform. Simply clean hair thoroughly, rinse it and dry well. Then, spray mini Xpress and distribute evenly by massaging it on your head. Afterwards, the hair is blow-dried and simply smooth hair straightener is applied to seal in the keratin. The process takes about an hour to perform.
Simply Smooth–Xtend Replenishing After Color Lock Keratin
This is the best product for individuals with color treatment on their hair already. The blend of keratin, collagen and vanillin helps to straighten hair while reducing color fade. At the same time, it eliminates fizz and magnifies the appearance of colored hair.
Keratin hair treatment is all the rage especially among professional women who have little time to visit salons often. Synthetic keratin based products contain different amounts of formaldehyde. Since the chemical is potentially harmful especially in high concentrations, it is advisable to go for natural products. This includes the Simply Smooth range of keratin treatments.
What is Keratin?
Today, most of the popular hair straighteners in the market are keratin based. Keratin is a form of protein that exists in hair. Thus, keratin hair treatment entails the use of special products to fill in the gaps in broken, damaged and cracked hair cuticles. Most of these products contain a mixture of formaldehyde, keratin and other chemicals. Formaldehyde holds keratin molecules together, in order to straighten hair strands and keep them firm. After application, stylists usually seal the treatment using hot flat iron.
Typically, the treatment process takes close to two hours depending on the length of your hair. Afterwards, you must not wash hair for three days, to allow the treatment to take effect. This particular requirement does not please every client, but is a small sacrifice to make, in order to look great afterwards. Keratin makes your hair soft, silky and wavy for almost three months before your the follow up treatment. It is advisable to color hair before getting the treatment (highlights or low lights), to seal in the color as well.
Effects Of Formaldehyde
The presence of formaldehyde, a potential carcinogen, on these treatments raises the red flag among medical experts. They point out that the pungent colorless chemical is potentially harmful to your body. Exposure to its pure form usually leads to sore throat, runny nose, eye irritation, itchiness and depression. Product makers on the other hand argue that the percentage of formaldehyde on their products is safe. Chemical quantities normally differ among various brands of treatment.
Estimates show that less than 2 percent formaldehyde is not effective for keratin treatment. Therefore, many products contain higher percentages of the chemical. In fact, the FDA issued a warning to one company that their hair treatment contains hazardous levels of the chemical. Subsequently, they were asked to reduce these levels or risk having their products pulled from the shelves.
Some companies claim that their products contain no formaldehyde while in reality; they use unsafe derivatives of the chemical. Avoid any hair care products with 6 percent or higher quantities of formaldehyde. Such products usually have side effects that may include headaches, eye nose and throat irritation, difficulty in breathing and hair loss.
Is Keratin Safe?
A clinical dermatologist at Weill Cornell Medical College insists that there is little danger in using keratin. Instead, he avers that the hot iron sealing process is where trouble lies. Anytime you apply heat on hair, it puts tension on the shafts leading to breakages and potential permanent damage.
So is the treatment safe to use? According to the doctor, keratin is safe for people who live and work in humid regions, where hair control can be a nightmare. However, individuals with naturally coarse or tight hair should avoid keratin treatment.