Ladies, the time has finally come. After dozens and dozens of emails with questions regarding Brazilian Blowouts and/or Keratin Coppola Smoothing Treatments, Tera documented a a step-by-step Keratin Coppola Smoothing Treatment in hopes to help explain the concept and show the amazing results from the treatment.
If you have questions for Tera, please leave a comment and she’ll do her best to answer you!
Now, let’s get to it!
This is Cindy. She has very curly, unruly hair. It is sometimes cooperative, and this is a pretty good day. Our goal was to eliminate all of her frizz and make her curls more manageable. She also hopes that with the smoothing treatment , she will be able to blow her hair out straight, something she hasn’t yet been able to master.
Here is Cindy pre-treatment.
After retouching Cindy’s color, we shampooed her hair with the Keratin Complex Clarifying Shampoo to remove any color residue or oils that could prevent the treatment from adhering to her hair. I then quickly dried her hair so I could begin to apply the treatment. Immediately following color is the best time for a treatment as it seals the hair so color stays vibrant, shiny and lasts longer.
I sectioned Cindy’s hair into sections and begin applying the Keratin Complex Smoothing Treatment. It is applied to the entire head.
The entire head is covered with the treatment. Next it is covered with a plastic cap and she will sit for 30 minutes. In this time the treatment is finding it’s way into the open spaces in the cuticle.
When thirty minutes has passed, the hair is again quickly blown dry with the treatment in it.
The hair is then flat ironed with a 450 degree iron in very fine sections. This is when the magic happens! An activator in the treatment reacts with the heat of the iron sealing the treatment into the hair. The hair becomes extremely smooth, shiny and soft.
The finished product! Cindy will not shampoo her hair or get it wet at all for 3 days. When she shampoos it, her hair will be 100% frizz free and slightly less curly. Her own hair but only better!!!
Gorgeous.
What about three days later, after washing and air-drying?
Still great curls without any of the frizz!
And three weeks later…
Remember how Cindy couldn’t blow dry her hair straight before the treatment? This photo was taken after she dried it straight with her fingers. (She didn’t even use a brush!!) Pretty damn impressive…
And here’s a more specific comparison of her curls before and after the treatment.
Absolutely lovely. I have had several personal friends do the Coppola treatment and they can’t stop raving about it. (Literally. I GET IT, PEOPLE.)
If this process is something that would be perfect for your hair type and you live in Southern California, Tera is offering the process for 20% off! ($280 instead of $350.) Additionally, if you add another service (cut or color), she will give you 25% off. You can book your appointments with Tera at her website.
Thanks for taking the time to do this, Tera! Don’t forget to leave your questions for Tera in the comments.
Tera Stephens
March 30, 2010 at 9:41 am@Erika- I know Coppola is working with curling irons right now to tame and smooth crazy curls but not get such a straight look. If your stylist is experienced enough, I don’t see why not! The iron would just have to get hot enough, not all irons go as high as 450•.
barb
March 31, 2010 at 8:11 pmI had the keratin simply smooth brazilian treatment done 5 months ago. I would like to try and compare the coppola product. Any comments as to useing differant product 2nd time around? My new salon uses coppola.
Kanishka
April 7, 2010 at 12:50 pmI can’t believe how late I am to this party! I always thought this treatment would completely straighten my hair and I wouldn’t have any curl or body left. This sounds amazing. As it is, I get $100 Deva curl cuts, and spend 1.5 hours blow drying and flat ironing or air drying for hours for curly hair. I’m so intrigued by this option.
May
April 14, 2010 at 8:53 pmTera, have you tried using any other keratin products other than Coppola? My stylist uses QOD Gold, and I just don’t know if it’s going to give me as good of a result as this one.
Cher
April 17, 2010 at 5:30 pmHi all, I had the Coppola treatment done just a few days back……..absolutely fabulous and I wish I had done it earlier!!!! Question – I only ever wash my hair 2 x weekly as it is quite dry but still wet and condition it each day regardless. So I am wondering shouls I still wet and condition each time I shower or wear a cap and only wet/condish when I actually wash it twice a week?? Your thoughts?
Suzanne
April 18, 2010 at 1:44 pmcan you still use other hair products when you have this treatment done? (eg: hair spray, dream drops…how about heat protectors?)
Kirsten
April 21, 2010 at 1:57 pmHey everyone! Just wondering, does anyone know for sure what products you can’t use when you get the BKT? I got it about 3 weeks ago and I have the correct sodium free shampoo and conditioner so I’m good with that. But I have truly curly, puffy, frizzy hair the likes of which most people can’t imagine and the BKT just kind of tones it down but it still looks horrible if I don’t use products! I’m asking mostly because after my weekly wash last week I straightened my hair and a couple days later I curled it and used aerosol hair spray to make it hold. I checked the ingredients and there was nothing untoward in it… But 2 hours later my hair was verrrrry frizzy and the next day it actually began to curl up on its own (in the FL humidity) like the way it would if I tried to wear it straight before I got the BKT! So I did my weekly wash last night and my hair is back to being in such tight curls that it shrinks up to my shoulders even though it’s really long enough to touch my butt! Did I strip out the treatment with aerosol hairspray? I’ve never seen/heard anything saying not to use it…
Maria
April 23, 2010 at 12:46 pmI am considering doing the Keratin Coppola treatment; but, what should I do if my hair gets wet (not from washing it) and/or get wavy (overnight sleep)during the first 72 hours? Thank you.
Suzanne
April 26, 2010 at 8:32 pmKirsten: my stylist used hairspray in my hair right after she did the treatment, so I think it’s okay to use as long as there’s no sodium chloride in it (I personally haven’t been using any product with potassium, or chloride)
I was just wondering if anyone knows how perspiration will affect the treatment since the main component in sweat is sodium chloride. If i work out regularly will the treatment break down sooner?
Jennie
April 28, 2010 at 3:40 pmTera, I’ve learned about the keratin treatment from my stylist. I then did some research on the web and found a ton of horrible stories about hair being fried (which I get being that a flat iron is used and some may not have had proper training) and many others had their hair fall out to the point that they were practically bald. I read somewhere that the product can cause some chemical imbalance in the scalp which causes hair to fall out. I of course have also read amazing success stories and wich I could do this treatment with the certanty that my hair will not be fryed, fall out, or completely damaged beyond repaid. I don’t live too far from you and would be willig to drive even a couple of hours to ensure that my hair will not be damaged but the truth is IM SCARED!!! Do you know why hair might fall out after this treatment? I still really would like to get it done and be one of the success stories but at this point I’m scared to take that chance.
tera Stephens
April 29, 2010 at 8:48 am@Barb-Since these products are all temporary, I think it is perfectly fine to switch. I have a client who had a Brazilian Blowout at another salon before I did the treatment and we have since done the Coppola on her. She will be due for her next one soon!
@May-I only use the Keratin Complex. I’m actually not familiar with the QOD Gold.
@Cher-If you’re using shampoo and conditioner without sodium chloride, either would be fine whenever you get your hair wet! Another great product to try that works great with keratin treatments is Morrocan Oil. Try putting it in your hair before you blowdry. It is really moisturizing with out being oily and you may find that takes care of your dryness problem so you can throw a shower cap on the days you don’t shampoo!
@Suzanne-Most hair products that keep the hair dry when you apply them should be fine. Coppola makes several styling products that are great if you’re being super cautious! Again, I would try to avoid sodium chloride just to be on the safe side!
@Kirsten- I don’t use the BKT treatment so I can’t say for sure but hairspray really shouldn’t affect it… I’m kind of stumped on this one. I would talk to your stylist, she would want to know if you weren’t experiencing the result you both expected!
@Maria- I recommend my clients wear a shower cap for the few minutes it takes to wash your face or shower. If it gets wet, you should quickly blow it dry and if it is wavy or curly lightly flat iron it smooth again. Most people have been extremely cautious and it hasn’t been a problem!
@Suzanne- You’re right! Sweat is salt or sodium chloride. I have a client who was working out really hard on a daily basis and the treatment didn’t last nearly as long as it should have. I would say the best thing to do is rinse/wash your hair as soon as you finish working out. An even better solution, if possible, would be to wet your hair before you work out and even leave in a little conditioner in it to protect it. Another client is a surfer, she loves the result so much that she just does her treatments very frequently.
@Jennie- As we know the internet is a blessing and a curse, there is so much information available and sometimes it isn’t accurate! I have been doing several treatments a week for almost a year now and haven’t had any problems with hair loss. I called Coppola after an earlier post regarding this and they hadn’t either. They told me that products that contain formaldehyde have been known to cause hair loss. So my recommendation is to know what your stylist is using and see someone who has been properly trained and certified! Hope to see you soon!!! ;)
Valerie
May 4, 2010 at 1:30 pmI had the 6 week less permanent Keratin treatment.
Now I’m contemplating doing the Coppola Keratin Treatment before the summer. I’m happy with the results so far, but am still concerned if there is any formaldehyde or harsh chemicals in this product.
Has anyone had any side effects?
I have lots of hair,,,fine strands, but plenty of them…get’s frizzy in humidity, and curls when left to air dry.
keratin shampoo
May 6, 2010 at 8:58 ami have yet to try this brand even though its so accessible to me. i saw from the ad their range are suitable for asian hair..
StephersBahamas
May 10, 2010 at 6:44 pmThis has been a great website to review. I thoroughly enjoyed seeing Cindy’s before and after plus after/after photos. Most sites only show you when you are on the 72 hour holding pattern. I think her hair looks fantastic! I am scheduled to have mine done tomorrow morning and have immense reservations, and also huge excitement over the prospect of having a summer free of worrying about my hair, being able to let water from the pool splash on me instead of wearing a baseball hat in the pool with my 4 year old, and not battling the frizzies from 100 plus degree heat. I live in Arizona and it gets hot any my head sweats. My fears have all been mentioned in above threads…and it seems as if Tera has addressed most of them. My 3 big fears are 1. my hair will fall out, 2. it will leave my hair so stick straight that I will hate it (I have curly hair in the front and wavy/straight in the back but very thin and damaged), 3. my “regular hair” will never come back.
From my extensive research, it seems as if many of the negative comments (hair falls out, bad smell etc) have come from people who have used a keratin smoothing therary…not the Coppola one (Keratin Complex smoothing therapy by Coppola). Most before/after pictures I have viewed show the client to have such stick straight hair after the process it scares me. My hair is thin and trying to grow back in, but I don’t think the stick straight look will be great. However!!!! I think I will go ahead (be brave) and have the treatment done tmw morning (instead of chickening out and just doing a color) and hope for the best. What I HOPE to see as a result is 1. No more frizzies and fly-aways, 2. the ability to let it air dry, or just dry my bangs and let the rest go, 3. still maintain some curl (not like I ever let it go cury as it is reverse…curly curly in the front bangs and temples and wavy in the back) so I can have some body instead of stick straight hair, 4. a treatment that leaves my hair healthier (as it is coated with keratin) which in turn will allow it to grow and become healthy as I won’t be needing to use heated elements as much and finally and most importantly 5. NO HAIR LOSS!
If anyone has any comments to share I would be so appreciative!
Tera…does the 450 degree heat of the flat iron used during processing fry the hair if it is already damaged? My stylist told me I would see steam but it is part of the process to “lock in” the keratin.
Please…anyone write and help me so I am not up all night reading all the horror stories and I don’t go through with it. I PROMISE I will post my results and, hopefully, undying praise for the process. Am I right…it must be Coppola? Not the Brazilian or various other “keratin” treatments? Thanks…Stephanie
Sheree
May 11, 2010 at 7:29 amOk…….I have an appt for the treatment on Fri and I’m getting nervous. I have had my hair straightened every 4 months using the Chi system for several years now. In the beginning, it was soft and managable. It now is straight, but back to it’s original course nature, especially on the ends. I have it trimmed regularily. The last time I had it straightened was Jan. I now have enough regrowth to do again. I have an appt with an unknown stylist who does entire shop is certified in the Copolla keratin complex treatments and assured me that it would be ok. Has anyone else had a similar situation. Hurry, it’s Tues!