I am going abroad in a couple of weeks and want to ask if itÕs better to have my hair balayaged before or after a keratin treatment?

Hi,

I am going abroad in a couple of weeks and want to ask if it’s better to have my hair balayaged before or after a keratin treatment?

I need my roots done too so I am nervous of the balayage stripping my colour if I dye it before. But at the same time if I do the dye before surely the keratin would be good for the bleached ends?

Help, I’m a little confused and I only have two weeks!  :-)

Anon, UK

Hi!

A keratin treatment would be better applied before your roots or balayage colour. That way the treatment will seal the cuticles of your hair, which helps lock-in moisture and protect the condition, giving you a smoother, shinier finish.

Alice Gazagnes, Stylist & Colourist at Simon Webster Hair, Brighton

If you are going in the sun then I would say have your colour done a week before your keratin blow-dry. The exfoliating shampoo that is used before the keratin treatment will slightly lift the colour but not that drastically that you will notice a huge change.

Remember to take care of your hair in the sun and protect it with a hat or heat defence product. Also remember that salts from the sea and pool water will drastically reduce the effectiveness of a keratin treatment so be sure to look after it with the appropriate shampoo and conditioner.

John Clark, Head of Colour at Brooks+Brooks, London

Hi there,

I invented Hair painting in the late sixties; someone changed it to Balayage! It is a quick and easy technique which can be used for different colours not just blondes, it’s a great way to cover white (grey) hair without having to colour the whole head and look natural, or be outrageous and have pinks and violets, whatever the colour it’s hair painting.

First option, If your hair condition is good to very good it is better for you to have your colour (Balayaged) first and then immediately after have the Keratin Treatment applied.

Second option, If your hair is very dry or porous then the alternative is you have your Keratin Treatment now and two weeks later just before you go on holiday have it Balayaged, just make sure your stylist is careful with the bleach if you decide to have it very light.

If your hair is in any way chemically damaged I would suggest to wait with the Keratin treatment and have your colour done before you leave on Holiday, instead of the Keratin treatment take with you a deep penetrating hair treatment which you can apply on holiday sit on a beach with and enjoy the sun. By the time you get back your hair should be in better condition and ready for a Keratin Treatment.

I always recommend that the condition of the hair must be in tip top condition before applying colour and/or any sort of relaxing treatments.

Enjoy your holiday and your hair,

Pierre Alexandre of Pierre Alexandre, Manchester