I was very privileged to be invited back to
Eleven Hair to have the Brazilian Chocolate Keratin Straightening treatment that I'd been considering after my last visit. Having read more about the Brazilian blow dries and heard raves from friends I was very excited to see how I'd get on.
It was lovely to go back to the Salon and
Becky gave me such a warm welcome. I was there just after lunch on Friday and there was a great atmosphere. To get things started, as it can take a couple of hours from beginning to end, I was taken to the basins for the pre-cleansing wash. This shampoo has an amazing menthol scent and strips the hair completely of build up and conditioners which might interfere with the treatment. I don't think I've ever heard my hair squeak so much!
Next, my hair was brushed through with a tangle teaser. As you can appreciate after the cleansing shampoo my hair was a little knotty, I was really impressed with how well the tangle teaser handled it. I've often suffered with hair breakage from trying to brush it through when wet (yes, I know, such a silly thing to do) and I think I might be investing in one of these very soon.
Once my hair was fully prepped, the Chocolate Keratin solution was applied. The ingredients in the treatment include keratin, cocoa extracts, vitamins, collagen, poliquaternio and silicon. The solution is painted on to the hair in sections, leaving the hair immediately at the root bare. It is not necessary to apply to the roots as the hair is already quite smooth and application here can make the hair brittle and prone to breakage. When the hair is thoroughly coated with treatment, it is roughly dried with a hair dryer and paddle brush. Some people may find this stage a bit fume-y and a towel is provided if you feel you need to cover your face, I didn't experience this at all though I have to admit.
The final stage of the treatment involved ironing the hair with straighteners. Each section is ironed four times over and this seals the keratin into the hair cuticle. I was offered another tea and given a stack magazines to look so that I wouldn't be bored. Not that that was likely, Becky and I had good fun giggling at the some of the ridiculous pictures and articles in the celebrity tattle magazines. No details of course but I will just say, not everybody ought to do the Demi Moore naked bump shoots. If the styling is Rubenesque, this is a less than subtle way of telling you that you're more cherub than sylph! Anyway, I digress....
As I mentioned, the whole process can take around 2 - 2.5 hours obviously depending on your hair type and length. It also depends on the skill and experience of the stylist. Becky has done this treatment many times so I was finished in about an hour and half and she very kindly gave my hair a little snip to sharpen up the ends. My hair looked fabulous when she had finished, very smooth and shiny, even my rogue greys had been tamed!
The journey doesn't end at the salon with this treatment and there are a few crucial points to follow to get the best out of the process. To let the Chocolate Keratin solution take effect you must leave your hair untouched for 2-3 days. No washing, no styling and no tucking it behind your ears as this will cause kinks. This is a little tricky, especially for a serial tucker like me, but it's worth it for the end results. You should also switch to SLS free shampoo and conditioners to avoid stripping the keratin from the hair.
It was with much excitement and a little bit of trepidation that I washed my hair on Monday morning. I could feel the difference though as soon as I stepped out of the shower. My hair felt very smooth even when wet. I roughly dried with a hair dryer, no brush was necessary and this is how it looked...
It's incredible. My hair looked like I had "Just stepped out of the salon". It fell beautifully into place, no kinks or frizz and I think you can see how smooth and shiny it is from these pictures. I've since left it to dry naturally after washing and the results are just as impressive. With absolutely zero effort on my part my hair looks styled, just a quick brush and I'm ready to go. My hair feels so silky too, even Mr MB has commented on how amazing it looks. This is the perfect hair treatment for the
lazy short on time, I look groomed and styled when in actual fact I've done nothing. Even better news is that the treatment lasts around 3 months, so I'll be enjoying beautiful hair for some weeks to come! I've seen the future my friend and the future is Brazilian Chocolate Keratin blow dries!
If you're interested in the treatment you can find out more details on Eleven's website
here. Eleven Hair is on 11 Blenheim Street, just off Oxford Street, London. I'd like to say a big Thank you to Becky for making my hair look amazing. I'm going to be the talk of the school run next week and will be swishing like a good 'un!
Disclosure: I received this treatment without charge for review purposes.
