Keratin and Color: Get It Right
Kaylie Babajan • November 18, 2024
Mastering Keratin Treatments: Balancing Hair Health and Color
When it comes to achieving beautiful and healthy hair, Smooth is your expert in keratin treatments. We specialize in keratin because we believe in focusing on what we do best without trying to juggle other services. If you love coloring your hair, it's crucial to align your keratin treatments with your coloring schedule. Timing is the magic word here! Whether you’re going darker with your hair color or adding those striking highlights, knowing the right order and timing can make a world of difference. Let's explore how you can smartly balance keratin with hair color to keep your strands in top shape.
Which Comes First?
Getting the most out of both your color and keratin treatments is all about timing. Here's how to keep it simple:
- Darker Hair Colors: If you're dyeing your hair a darker shade, make sure to color it before you get your keratin treatment. You can even do both on the same day if you like.
- Highlights: Things are a bit different when you're planning for highlights. You should allow two to three weeks between getting highlights and your keratin treatment. Why? Because it prevents damage from the high heat used in the keratin process on fresh highlights.
In simpler terms, coloring your hair darker is okay close to your keratin session, but if you’re bleaching or highlighting, it’s best to have a waiting period in between.
The Science Behind the Sequence
Why is the order so important? Well, a keratin treatment uses a 450-degree flat iron to lock the treatment into your hair. Yes, that's super hot! If this hot tool is applied to freshly bleached hair, it could cause a lot of damage. One of our experts explains it best: “We do not like to use a 450-degree flat iron on freshly bleached hair.”
Improper timing can affect not just the look of your hair but also its health. Bleaching temporarily weakens hair, so it needs time to bounce back before facing more heat or new chemical treatments. By waiting, you give your hair time to recover and prevent the toner in highlights from fading during a keratin application.
Taking Care Post-Treatment
If you need to color your hair after a keratin treatment, hold off for at least two weeks. This wait ensures the keratin fully settles into your hair cuticles, so it stays strong and smooth. Our seasoned professionals advise, “If you're gonna do it after, wait two weeks.”
For those who bleach regularly, it’s best to wait until your keratin treatment is mostly faded after four to six weeks. This way, the protective benefits of keratin are fully utilized, keeping your hair healthy and resilient.
Why Keratin Matters
Adding keratin treatments to your hair care routine isn't just about how your hair looks—it’s also about improving its health. Over time, actions like coloring, especially bleaching or highlighting, can cause breakage and slow down hair growth. But keratin treatments can help counter these effects.
"Keratin needs to be a part of your hair routine. It will change your life," one of our experts emphasizes. It helps your hair grow longer and stay strong, especially if you’ve struggled with breakage from highlights in the past.
The Smooth Experience
At Smooth, we believe in delivering outstanding keratin treatments rather than trying to do it all. This specialization means we can offer our clients informed and expert guidance to prevent any potential damage from wrong treatment choices.
Our expertise allows us to give you trustworthy advice, steering you clear of misinformation from non-specialized sources. Our team asserts, “If your stylist says they can bleach your hair and give you a keratin treatment on the same day, they are wrong.”
There’s a lot of beauty information out there—some of it good and some not so much. That’s why it’s crucial to rely on true experts. Think of us as your guide to a more scientific and effective approach to hair care.
Putting It All Together
Here's a quick recap of the best routine:
- For darker hair color, dye it right before a keratin treatment.
- If you’re adding highlights, wait two to three weeks before getting your keratin.
- Avoid coloring immediately after keratin—give it at least two weeks for the best results.
If you follow this guidance, not only will you help prevent damage, but you’ll also enjoy fabulous results from your keratin treatment. Keeping your hair healthy isn’t just about using the right products; it’s about following advice from specialists who know how to balance these treatments with your coloring choices.
So, what’s your next step in your hair care journey? Plan your treatments wisely for the most stunning and healthy locks you’ve ever had. Trust Smooth to help you find that perfect balance.




