Whether we like to admit it or not, we do things to our hair that aren’t very good for it. If it could talk, it would have some not so nice things to say about it all (the word “torture” comes to mind).
The fact is, even regular brushing can damage the hair and cause it to lose protein, not to mention what bleaching, dying, and ironing does to it! Luckily, keratin treatments are an increasingly popular way for us to set things right with our hair, so that it can, in turn, make us look even prettier.
Keratin is one of the principal proteins that hair loses over time, but it can be replenished with the use of some good products easily available online. However, with so many options on the market, how do you know which keratin treatment is the best choice for your hair?
To help you find the best at-home keratin treatment, we’ve rounded up the top products on the market. Our favorite recommendations are sure to leave your hair frizz-free and silky smooth! Plus, we made sure that none of our recommendations contain formaldehyde, a chemical that’s often found in cosmetics and considered to be harmful. We also made sure that our picks include products for every budget, so no matter how much cash you’re able to spend on hair care, you’re sure to find an affordable, high-quality option right here.
Don’t leave this page without reading the handy buying guide at the end of the article, where we’ll go over the main factors you should consider when choosing the best keratin treatment for your hair!
Picture Product Oil Used Price
L'ANZA Keratin Healing Oil Hair Treatment Abyssinian Flower Oil , Acai Fruit Oil , Coffee Seed Oil , Babassu Kernal Oil $$
Keratin Express Daily Keratin Hair Treatment Argana Spinosa Kernel (Arganl Oil), Glycine Soja (Soybean) Oil $
ArtNaturals Argan Hair Mask Conditioner With Keratin coconut oil $
Table of Contents
Best Keratin Treatments Reviews
1. L’ANZA Keratin Healing Oil Hair Treatment: Best Overall
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This treatment contains a number of nourishing oils that will condition the hair, making it soft and flexible.
Our pick for the best overall keratin treatment is the L’ANZA Healing Oil Hair Treatment. This treatment contains a number of nourishing oils that will condition the hair, making it soft and flexible. The gentle formula doesn’t include harsh chemicals, so it’s a great choice for sensitive skin that’s prone to irritation. This treatment also provides UV protection, and you’ll especially find it useful if you live in a sunny climate. The L’ANZA is suitable for all hair types.
Pros:
The gentle formula of the L’ANZA brought this keratin treatment to the top of our list. This healing keratin treatment is infused with Abyssinian flower oil, acai fruit oil, babassu kernel oil, and coffee seed oil, which improve the strength, flexibility, and volume of the hair.
The L’ANZA doesn’t contain any sulfates, parabens, gluten and sodium chloride, which makes it perfect for sensitive skin. Plus, this product is certified cruelty-free, so you’ll be happy knowing that your beauty didn’t come at the cost of animal suffering.
If you have dry and brittle hair, you’ll witness how this nourishing formula will add shine to your hair and strengthen it.
We love the effects that this keratin treatment has on the hair. Although it’s oily, it doesn’t weigh down the hair. Rather, it rehydrates it, making it bouncy and silky smooth once more. If you have dry and brittle hair, you’ll witness how this nourishing formula will add shine to your hair and strengthen it. This is also an ideal choice if you have very fine or curly hair, as the L’ANZA is one of the few keratin treatments that will moisturize the hair and take out the frizz without making it heavy or flat-looking.
The L’ANZA also has some practical properties that will make your life easier. It shortens the drying time, so you won’t have to burn your hair with the hair dryer as much as you usually do. Plus, it features UV protection, which is great if you’re are frequently exposed to the sun.
Cons:
The L’ANZA is the priciest keratin treatment on our list.
2. Keratin Express Daily Keratin Hair Treatment: Best For Daily Use
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In more extreme cases, you can also use the Keratin Express as a supplement to another keratin treatment.
The Keratin Express Daily Keratin Hair Treatment is our top pick for daily use. If your hair is a bit damaged and you feel that it needs regular care, you can safely use this product daily. In more extreme cases, you can also use the Keratin Express as a supplement to another keratin treatment. The formula is infused with argan oil, which strengthens and smoothens the hair.
Pros:
The Keratin Express offers versatile use. The gentle, formaldehyde-free formula allows for both daily use and supplementary use to a stronger keratin treatment.
You’ll love the effects that the Keratin Express will have on your hair. It makes the hair soft and smooth, controls frizz, and repels humidity. If you live in a humid climate (read: Florida) and your hair tends to turn into an 80’s disco ‘fro – and that’s not exactly the look you’re going for – this keratin treatment will tame the mane, making your curls more defined and manageable.
The gentle, formaldehyde-free formula allows for both daily use and supplementary use to a stronger keratin treatment.
This product also locks in the color of your hair, regardless if it’s natural or dyed, making it shiny and silky smooth. Plus, the Keratin Express shortens the drying time like the L’ANZA, so you can be off to that disco in no time (wait, wasn’t that the 80’s again?).
Although the Keratin Express isn’t very cheap, it offers great value for your money. You would generally only need to apply a dime-size portion of the product and comb it through your hair for even distribution. If you’re lucky and have lots of hair, however, you may need to add a bit more. In any case, the tube is sure to last you quite a while!
Cons:
One issue is that if you use too much of this product, it will weigh down your hair.
3. ArtNaturals Argan Hair Mask Conditioner With Keratin: Best On A Budget
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The ArtNaturals gives shine and strength to damaged hair, and works great with all hair types.
The ArtNaturals Mask Conditioner With Keratin is our top budget-friendly option. Not only is this product very affordable, but it’s composed of natural, organic, and gentle ingredients that make it suitable for all skin types, especially for those with sensitive skin. The ArtNaturals gives shine and strength to damaged hair and works great with all hair types, too. We especially recommend the ArtNaturals if you have curly hair and want it to remain curly without the frizz.
Pros:
For the sake of consistency, let’s start with the ingredients.
The ArtNaturals has natural, organic compounds that will feed and hydrate your hair and scalp. The formula combines argan oil, which is known to restore and strengthen hair while increasing its growth, with aloe vera, coconut oil, keratin, botanical extracts, and vitamins. This restorative formula will repair brittle hair damaged from, well, all that stuff we mentioned above. This product is free of sulfates and parabens, which makes it suitable for sensitive skin.
An added bonus to the product is that it’s cruelty-free, vegan, and ethically sourced. Knowing that a producer cares about the environment is always a plus!
We recommend the ArtNaturals if you have curly hair, as it will make it silky and easy to style without flattening the curls.
No matter what type of hair you have, you’ll love the effects of the ArtNaturals. It provides shine, health, and volume to the hair, and protects the color at the same time. We especially recommend this keratin treatment for thin and dry hair, as it will make it lustrous and give you control in styling. We also recommend the ArtNaturals if you have curly hair, as it will make it silky and easy to style without flattening the curls.
The ArtNaturals also provides excellent protection to the hair. It will keep your hair safe from UV rays, and reverse previous UV ray damage. Plus, it protects the hair from coloring, blow-drying, and swimming in chlorinated pools.
Cons:
As this product is a bit oily, using too much will weigh your hair down.
Another thing to keep in mind is that due to the organic ingredients, the ArtNaturals may begin to smell after about two months – but the smell doesn’t affect its quality or linger in the hair long after application.
Conclusion
The overall best keratin treatment is the L’ANZA Healing Oil Hair Treatment, as its formula is designed to nourish every type of hair without weighing it down. While many other keratin treatments contain argan oil, the L’ANZA avoids it as it can be too heavy for fine hair. The gentle formula will add volume to your hair and strengthen it, as well as protect it from the sun.
The Keratin Express is our favorite product for daily use. You can use this keratin treatment on its own, or as a supplement to another keratin treatment in the case of overly damaged hair. As this oil can be applied on a daily basis, it’s a great choice for people with frizzy hair that live in humid climates, as they’ll be able to always, always, contain the frizz.
The best budget-friendly keratin treatment is the ArtNaturals Mask Conditioner. The ArtNaturals doesn’t sacrifice quality for a low price – in fact, it’s made with high-quality, natural ingredients and without harsh chemicals, making it a perfect choice for sensitive skin. The ArtNaturals is a great choice for people with curly hair, as it will make it more manageable without flattening it.
Choosing The Best Keratin Treatment For Your Hair
OK, so now you know the best keratin treatments on the market in general, so the remaining question is, which one is best for you, in particular? To get the right answer, read over the main factors you should consider when choosing.
Straight Or Curly?
While most keratin treatments work on all hair types, they don’t all have the same effect on straight and curly hair. For instance, argan oil-based products may weigh down straight, fine hair if you apply more than the bare minimum.
While most keratin treatments work on all hair types, they don’t all have the same effect on straight and curly hair.
If you have curly hair, on the other hand, an important thing to ask yourself is whether you want to reduce the curl, or just make it more defined and manageable. Formaldehyde-free options (i.e. all of our recommendations) will offer the latter – they will add beauty to your curls. However, if your aim is to reduce, or flatten the curl, you’ll need to consider a keratin treatment that does include formaldehyde, as it’s more effective in this respect (1).
Ingredients
For those of you with sensitive skin, it’s not enough to avoid formaldehyde. You should also avoid products that contain sulfates and parabens, as they can inflame and irritate the scalp.
FAQ
Q: Can keratin treatment damage your hair?
A: Keratin treatment can’t damage your hair if you stay wary of the ingredients. That bad guy we keep referring to, formaldehyde, is one such culprit. It’s been shown that frequent exposure to formaldehyde can lead to skin irritation, respiratory system problems, and even cancer (2). To be fair, most products that do include it, do so in a regulated manner.
Q: Does keratin treatment make your hair grow faster?
A: Whether keratin treatment will make your hair grow faster is not certain, as there are no studies as of yet to confirm or deny that. It will, however, make your hair look thicker and smoother.
Q: Can keratin treatments cause hair loss?
A: Whether keratin treatments can cause hair loss depends on your hair and the way you apply them. Most keratin treatments require blow-drying and ironing the hair, which, if not done right, can cause hair loss and breakage.
What’s Next?
We hope that you found our reviews and buying advice useful in your search for the best keratin treatment for your hair. For more information about each recommended product, follow their title links! In the meantime, make sure to find out how to have healthier hair!
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