I am a hair-frizz veteran. Long have I fought this war against my recalcitrant tresses. This has involved frustrated lock-chopping, ample shampoo shopping, right down to sneaky gel topping and frequent diet hopping. In this process, I have suffered the inventions of almost every misleadingly miracle-touting hair care brand. I have learnt that oftentimes, a difference in hair quality is attributable to the effect of changing to a new product rather than the effect of the new product itself. I have discovered that hair is often vicious in nature, and simply cannot be reasoned with or relied upon for consistency. A product that works wonders for days will mysteriously fail on the day you're counting upon it the MOST to work. I have started thinking of daily flat-ironing as being akin to shallow frying bit by bit for days till you simply have to stop on the penalty of irreversible destruction of the charred remains. Eggs have been cracked on my skull, and yogurt has been fed to the head. I have journeyed far and wide on the slippery world of hair oils. I have acquired a superhuman product resistance by jumping from bandwagon to bandwagon at breakneck speeds.
I have since progressed from bandwagons to self-piloted units, whereupon I sometimes deign to take true believers on guided tours to what I consider to be the most optimal route to the state of well-behaved-hair-ness. My answer is hardly original, but some of the lessons learnt and wisdom gained deserve to be put out there. It's the simplest, most obvious answer. Japanese re-bonding aka Thermal Reconditioning.
Fears:
Japanese Rebonding often gets a bad rap due to the purported hair loss, damage and dryness associated with it. I believe that a well-done procedure carried out by an experienced stylist with trusted products will do far less damage than daily flat ironing. And let's face it, us frizz-haters are irresistibly drawn to flat irons. (Yes, like magnets to regular iron.) Moreover, I have realized that the effort I put into taking care of my hair after rebonding puts my regular hair care regime to shame - in terms of choice of products, minimizing rough handling, increased deep conditioning, zero blow drying and maintenance including regular trims, keratin treatments and hydrating masques. While I understand that this might sound like the irrational babbling of an obsessed female mind, I believe this works for me.
Pros:
No more ironing, no frizz, no kinks, no fuss, no muss. Need I say more?
I have since progressed from bandwagons to self-piloted units, whereupon I sometimes deign to take true believers on guided tours to what I consider to be the most optimal route to the state of well-behaved-hair-ness. My answer is hardly original, but some of the lessons learnt and wisdom gained deserve to be put out there. It's the simplest, most obvious answer. Japanese re-bonding aka Thermal Reconditioning.
Fears:
Japanese Rebonding often gets a bad rap due to the purported hair loss, damage and dryness associated with it. I believe that a well-done procedure carried out by an experienced stylist with trusted products will do far less damage than daily flat ironing. And let's face it, us frizz-haters are irresistibly drawn to flat irons. (Yes, like magnets to regular iron.) Moreover, I have realized that the effort I put into taking care of my hair after rebonding puts my regular hair care regime to shame - in terms of choice of products, minimizing rough handling, increased deep conditioning, zero blow drying and maintenance including regular trims, keratin treatments and hydrating masques. While I understand that this might sound like the irrational babbling of an obsessed female mind, I believe this works for me.
Pros:
No more ironing, no frizz, no kinks, no fuss, no muss. Need I say more?
The Process:
1) Hair is washed with a clarifying shampoo to remove any product build-up
2) Application of the relaxer breaks disulfide bonds between certain animo acids
3) Relaxer is washed out, and hair is painstakingly flat ironed
4) A neutralizer is applied to re-form the disulfide bonds in the new, "straight" state
5) The neutralizer is washed out and usually, a conditioner is applied
Magic Straight, Liscio or Yuko?
I have only had a Magic Straight treatment, so though I hate to say it, I really don't know. From what I've read, the Liscio treatment provides additional heat protection and conditioning compared to the other two. All three have a pretty good reputation, so the focus should be on hunting for the right hair stylist rather than tormenting yourself over the brand.
2) Application of the relaxer breaks disulfide bonds between certain animo acids
3) Relaxer is washed out, and hair is painstakingly flat ironed
4) A neutralizer is applied to re-form the disulfide bonds in the new, "straight" state
5) The neutralizer is washed out and usually, a conditioner is applied
Magic Straight, Liscio or Yuko?
I have only had a Magic Straight treatment, so though I hate to say it, I really don't know. From what I've read, the Liscio treatment provides additional heat protection and conditioning compared to the other two. All three have a pretty good reputation, so the focus should be on hunting for the right hair stylist rather than tormenting yourself over the brand.
Tips:
I believe that the skill and experience level of your stylist matters a lot more than the product used. One formula does not fit all. Adjustments have to be made on the fly depending on how the client's hair responds to the treatment. For example, the stylist should check in often to test strand tension. As the product works, strands expand in length. So less tension means the product has pretty much finished doing its job. If left on for too long after this threshold has been crossed, the over-exposure may weaken or damage hair. The stylist should ensure that pre-treated hair is not re-treated. Pre-s and re-s with the same relaxer are bad enough, but mixing different types of relaxers (sodium hydroxide treatment followed by ammonium thioglycolate for instance) could lead to disaster. So make sure you go to a salon reputed for its Hair Rebonding services.
I believe that the skill and experience level of your stylist matters a lot more than the product used. One formula does not fit all. Adjustments have to be made on the fly depending on how the client's hair responds to the treatment. For example, the stylist should check in often to test strand tension. As the product works, strands expand in length. So less tension means the product has pretty much finished doing its job. If left on for too long after this threshold has been crossed, the over-exposure may weaken or damage hair. The stylist should ensure that pre-treated hair is not re-treated. Pre-s and re-s with the same relaxer are bad enough, but mixing different types of relaxers (sodium hydroxide treatment followed by ammonium thioglycolate for instance) could lead to disaster. So make sure you go to a salon reputed for its Hair Rebonding services.
Post-treatment Care:
Now that the beast is tamed, unleash it. Leaving your hair unbound will put less physical stress on it. Use sulfate-free shampoos and hydrating conditioners. Try not to wash your hair with hot water. Install a shower filter for additional protection. Drink a ton of water, and eat healthy.
I personally back the following products:
Now that the beast is tamed, unleash it. Leaving your hair unbound will put less physical stress on it. Use sulfate-free shampoos and hydrating conditioners. Try not to wash your hair with hot water. Install a shower filter for additional protection. Drink a ton of water, and eat healthy.
I personally back the following products:
Regular Shampoo:
Chi Intense Nourish Hydrating Silk Bath (By far the best shampoo I have ever used. I could swear that it's made out of nano-particles that are taught to hug and pamper human hair. )
Sulfate Free Clarifying Shampoo:
Giovanni Tea Tree Triple Treat Shampoo
Conditioners:
Chi Nourish Intense Silk Hair Masque
JKS Smoothing Conditioner with Keratin
Cadiveu Brasil Cacau Anti Frizz Conditioner (This transforms my hair into the airbrushed perfection and glory of commercials. Worth every one of the 3500 pennies you'd have to spend on it.)
DIY Keratin Treatments:
Organix Ever Straight Brazilian Keratin Therapy 30 Day Smoothing Treatment
Unrealistic Expectations:
Do not expect to walk out with a bouncy, luscious, voluminous mane. I usually come out looking like my head has swollen up to twice its size, with a black silk cloth (my hair obviously, flattened to perfection) taped onto it. This subtle torture lasts for 48 hours, until the hallowed first wash.
Conclusion:
Available data and experience biases my opinion in favor of Japanese Rebonding with absolutely no statistical significance or support. This is a purely subjective and qualitative assessment :)
Do not expect to walk out with a bouncy, luscious, voluminous mane. I usually come out looking like my head has swollen up to twice its size, with a black silk cloth (my hair obviously, flattened to perfection) taped onto it. This subtle torture lasts for 48 hours, until the hallowed first wash.
Conclusion:
Available data and experience biases my opinion in favor of Japanese Rebonding with absolutely no statistical significance or support. This is a purely subjective and qualitative assessment :)
