At Aru, we receive A LOT of inquiries for Japanese Straightening vs. Keratin Smoothing. AKA – “Brazilian” … no, not that kind of Brazilian!).
Our guests are usually inquiring about the differences between the two, so I have decided to break it down for you.
If you google “Japanese Straightening” you will notice that Aru Spa and Salon pops up at the top of the list and there is good reason for that.
Our team of stylists have all been trained on our various straightening and smoothing systems. We have stylists who have mastered the art of Japanese Straightening.
Before we proceed with any sort of straightening or smoothing service, it is a requirement that our guests come into our hair salon for a complimentary consultation that is thorough and in-depth.
Our stylists will analyze your hair’s elasticity, porosity, texture, density, curl pattern in various areas and overall health of your hair before recommending which smoothing system is best.
Still unsure about the little details of Japanese Straightening vs. Keratin Smoothing? Let me break down each of the services.
Have you had your hair done at Aru Before? Learn how you can save up to 50% off your first hair salon visit at Aru.
Japanese Straightening
Let’s start with Japanese Permanent Straightening: well, it’s permanent!
The outcome of a Japanese Straightening aims to give you silky, frizz free hair, with a glossy shine that will make you look like you’re ready to shoot a commercial for a conditioner!
Because this is a permanent application, you will have to commit to coming in every 6-8 weeks (depending on how quickly your hair grows) for maintenance of your re-growth. This process also changes the texture of your hair for good, up until the hair is fully grown out.
With this process you must ask yourself: Are you ready for the commitment? Are you ready to only have straight hair all the time? Are you ready to commit to coming in every couple of months for a touch up?
If you missed our last post you can find it here. Moroccanoil Colour Depositing Masks.
Keratin Smoothing
And then we have the Keratin Smoothing option – also known as Brazilian Smoothing.
This system is SEMI-permanent and should last anywhere from 3-6 months depending on how often you are shampooing and what products you are using at home.
A Brazilian Smoothing will eventually fade away and the texture of your hair will remain somewhat soft, but you will still have a lot of your natural texture.
This process seals the hair cuticle with a coating of protein that eliminates frizz and adds softness and shine. The smoothing treatment does not claim to straighten!
It makes the hair smooth and more manageable. It’s even great after a color service, as it will seal in your color and add incredible shine.
A Keratin Smoothing can help with unruly hair, helping to cut styling time in half. If you have coarse and frizzy hair, I highly recommend a Brazilian Smoothing, as it’ll eliminate frizz and soften hair for easier styling.
If you’re someone who doesn’t like their curl, or blows their hair out smooth on the daily, I would highly recommend this process. It will cut your blow dry time by more than half and it also makes air drying your hair possible!
When it comes down to choosing between Japanese Straightening vs. Keratin Smoothing hair treatments it really depends if you want something permanent or a straightening treatment that is temporary.
Whether you choose to go Japanese or Brazilian (as in Smoothing), you will need to use a Sulphate Free Shampoo, which we carry at Aru. I highly recommend, Shu Uemura – Color Lustre Line to help make your newly straightened hair stay healthy.
You can learn more about our Hair Straightening services here.
Call us for your free consultation today! Contact Us
