Having always had slightly dragged-through-a-hedge looking hair, I was curious to explore something to help make my mane more manageable. Keratin straightening services are increasingly popular among those who want to save time on their morning blow dry.
My usual routine is to wash my hair before work and untangle the knots with my coffee-free hand as I walk up Holywell Hill in St Albans. I wanted to see if I was beyond help or if this was really something worth investing in.
I stepped into Sanrizz, The Maltings, to learn all about KeraStraight treatments and see if they were any good. The salon is bright and airy with smiling staff and a clean, fresh feel. My hair is being done by Sharon Cox, educational director for Sanrizz, so I feel like I am in safe hands - job title alone.
We have a quick chat about what I am hoping for and Sharon says she wants to 'manage my expectations'.
I must admit this makes me a little nervous. (It reminds me of the worst supply teaching experience in my former career when the head showed me to the classroom of 34 kids, three of whom were stabbing each other with pencils... but I digress.)
Sharon explains that gone are the days where straightening involves formaldehyde - which is thought to potentially cause cancer - and so the poker-straight look isn't so easily attainable. However, apparently hair with 'movement' is more fashionable these days...and something about festival hair...
My expectations have been suitably managed and, to be honest, I quite like the waves in my hair- just not the frizz and knots.
I am served the nicest coffee I have ever had in my life with those little moreish biscuits wrapped in clear and red plastic. Sharon explains that she is going to apply a pre-wash substance, wash it off and then put on the actual protein product - KeraStraight - and leave it on for 45 minutes. I am handed about six glossy, up-to-date magazines and am brought a fresh coffee.
Fully caffeinated, now seemed to be a good time to ask more questions about the treatment. Am I allowed to wash it afterwards? Is it good for the hair?
Unlike the previous type - the one with the formaldehyde - this stuff can be washed off straight away, but Sharon said that my hair would probably look great all weekend and wouldn't need me to do anything. She wasn't wrong, but more on that later.
The keratin smooths the cuticle of the hair and is excellent for conditioning damaged or dry hair and suitable for any hair at all, she tells me, describing it as 'Botox for hair'.
So, what is it? Hair is made up of mainly Keratin, a protein containing five separate elements and multiple amino acids.
KeraStraight contains different proteins and hydrolyzed wheat which diffuse rapidly into the cuticle to react with the hair. They help restructure and strengthen hair, making it less prone to breakage and therefore feel healthier.
Forty five minutes have passed and I am taken over to the basin to have it rinsed off. The chair reclines, allows me to lift my legs up - there are candles lit and I wonder why I haven't spent a morning at work like this before.
The KeraStraight is then blow-dried into my hair and another lady does my nails for me, just because. This is not part of the treatment though it can be added on when booking. It definitely adds to the feeling of being polished.
Hair straighteners are then run over my hair to seal in the KeraStraight.
The verdict? It instantly looks like a perfect blow-dry and I hope it will stay like this forever. I have celebrity hair. Same face, sadly, but she isn't a miracle worker.
I have washed it myself twice since and the slightly strange smell is now going. It can have a very slight smell for a few days, but it is just the goodness in the product and it is easily gone. My hair is left far easier to style after washing and with a quick blast of hair dryer, I am ready to go - a definite time-saver.
There is no doubt that the finish gives a more youthful look and there are no knots like there would usually be. Once hair has had the KeraStraight treatment, it is best to use a sulphate-free shampoo and conditioner to have longer-lasting results. As part of the package I received a shampoo and conditioner and some Alternative Hair Golden Oil. The oil is from a sister company of Sanrizz that raises money for charity. It is light and smells divine. So far so good. I am a big fan.
Prices start from £250.
To book visit www.sanrizz.co.uk/st-albans.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here