My hair has seen some action, not all of it good and most of it self-inflicted. It started early: as a teenager, I experimented with cheap dyes, then progressed to the full spectrum of showy shades. Add in decades of blowdrying and straightening, even the odd perm and I'm now in a never-ending battle with unmanageable frizz and dry ends. My crowning glory is anything but. Serious measures were called for. I needed the deepest conditioning treatment imaginable: the Keratin Complex Smoothing Therapy, similar to the famous Brazilian BlowDry.
Originally developed in Brazil, the Keratin Complex Smoothing Therapy promises to revive and restore bleached, coloured, permed or highlighted hair and protects it from heat and water damage. The statistics are certainly impressive: it promises to reduce frizz by 95 per cent and blowdrying time by 40 per cent, and results last for four months. It all sounds amazing... and a bit too good to be true. I can't help thinking, 'What's the catch?' Well there's a hefty price tag of £300. But plenty of celebrities — including Nicole Richie and Liz Hurley — swear by it. So in the interests of research, I selflessly surrender my locks to the challenge. If the Keratin Complex Smoothing Therapy can salvage my hair it is indeed a miracle cure.
I head off to London's Covent Garden for the Andrew Barton Salon (yes he from TV's 10 Years Younger), where the keratin treatment has had a 'monstrous success rate' with brisk repeat business. I am placed in the very competent hands of stylist Matt, who after examining my hair, says it's perfect for this treatment. Which I think is his diplomatic way of saying it's in desperate need for it. First he explains that keratin is a fibrous protein - the substance that exists naturally in nails, skin and hair — so the process is nourishing not harmful, and reassures me that it is completely formaldehyde-free. So how does it work? The keratin infuses deep into the hair cuticle and encases the follicle to encourage healing and prevent environment toxins from entering. It's the only treatment that doesn't damage the hair (just the bank balance) and actually improves your locks with regular use.
First my hair is washed with a cleansing shampoo to clarify and remove impurities that might create a barrier to the treatment. Then it's blast-dried before being painted with the keratin and ironed straight to lock the treatment in. As I look in the mirror, I feel slightly alarmed as my normally wavy hair is now ironing board straight but my hair does look silky smooth and not, as I feared, a greasy mass. I'm told to leave the treatment on for three days and given instructions not to get it wet (in case the keratin is diluted) or tie it up or even put it behind my ears in case (to avoid creating a dent in my hair which would last for four months).
After three long days — even simple tasks such as brushing my teeth, washing my face and even eating are testing — I'm back at the salon to have my hair rinsed with a sulphate-free shampoo (anything else would shorten the lifespan of the keratin). After a super-quick blowdry — instead of the usual 30 minutes - my hair is transformed. Indeed I feel like a contestant on 10 Years Younger when Matt reveals my new look. Reader: I almost married him — except I'm already almost married. My hair is lighter — I feel as if a huge weight has been lifted — and the evidence of decades of chemical abuse has vanished. It's silky smooth, and although straighter than usual it's not too severe and frames my face nicely.
The next day at work my hair receives a million compliments — one colleague said it looked 'expensive' (too right!) while another couldn't stop stroking it. At home, styling is a breeze and even my normally pathetic attempt produces a pretty good result. I say goodbye to all my special serums, intensive conditioners and straightening irons but most of all to bad hair days, and embrace my new low-maintenance lifestyle. When I factor in how much time I'll save blowdrying and conditioning, the steep price tag actually seems quite reasonable.
The Keratin Complex Smoothing Therapy costs about £300 depending on hair length and includes a bottle each of the sulphate-free shampoo and conditioner. Andrew Barton Covent Garden Salon, 25 Henrietta Street, London WC2 (+44 (0)20 7112 5998, andrewbarton.tv)
