Contact

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Foreword

• Everything written here concerns the different types of hair straightening treatments practiced around the world, to help clients better understand this field. Some clients have completely mistaken ideas, either because of previous experiences with hairdressers who were never trained in straightening techniques, because they research the subject themselves online, where no truly comprehensive information is available, or because they consult artificial intelligence tools such as ChatGPT, which confuse different straightening techniques. We have already tested an AI tool ourselves, and it gave us very risky instructions for a tannin straightening treatment. In fact, it provided the steps for a chemical relaxer instead of those for tannin straightening, because it confused the different types of treatments.
• The aim is for you to take the time to understand all this information properly, once and for all, so that you can continue getting your straightening treatments done correctly in the future.
• The most important thing is communication. If we simply say, “Hello, please take a seat,” and start the treatment without discussing anything with the client, we are essentially carrying out a treatment at random, without even knowing what their hair has been through before. The result is therefore likely to be less than optimal.

1. Services

• The treatment is carried out at your home by a male professional who has been trained and certified in hair straightening in Brussels. He trained at the best academy in Belgium, which even attracts more French hairdressers than Belgian ones.
• Why is it important to emphasise that the professional has been trained in straightening techniques? Because in Belgium, a hairdresser is not required to complete specific straightening training to offer these treatments. Being qualified in hairdressing, particularly cutting and colouring, is enough to be allowed to offer straightening services. As a result, some hairdressers simply follow overly general and vague product instructions without truly mastering straightening techniques, which can lead to numerous mistakes.
• Each treatment takes 4 to 6 hours, depending on the thickness, length and, above all, condition of your hair. If your hair has a lot of knots, detangling it will take a considerable amount of time.
• It is possible to carry out treatments in 1 to 2 hours, but the result will be less than optimal. The rushed treatments previously performed in 1 to 2 hours involved prohibited formaldehyde-based smoothing treatments. Anyone performing new-generation straightening treatments in just 1 to 2 hours simply lacks proper training in hair straightening, because it is impossible to perform them properly in such a short time.
• Do you want long-lasting results, around 6 months? Then the treatment needs to take 4 to 5 hours. Straightening treatments previously carried out in 1 to 2 hours sometimes did not even last a month.

2. What is hair straightening for?

• Some people have a limited view of hair straightening, believing that its only purpose is to make hair straight. However, most people choose it to save time when styling their hair (5 minutes instead of an hour). There are other benefits as well: shinier, silkier, softer and more polished-looking hair, etc.

3. Prices

• Here, the price is around €200, using the highest-quality products and investing a great deal of time to ensure long-lasting results.
• If someone performs a rushed straightening treatment in one hour, simply following instructions without understanding straightening techniques and using products bought from anywhere, of poor quality, extremely cheap or expired, then of course the treatment can cost less. Some straightening products cost €30 per litre, while others cost €200 per litre, making them many times more expensive.
• If the same treatment were carried out in a salon, generally in a mid-range to high-end establishment, the price would be around €400 to €500, or approximately €100 per hour.

4. Different types of hair straightening

• There are only three types worldwide, one of which is prohibited and another of which is highly chemical.
• Of course, you can use a flat iron every day without any products. However, the result only lasts one day, it takes up time and damages the hair in the long term.
• 1. Brazilian smoothing, also known as keratin smoothing, containing formaldehyde: prohibited because of the health risks. There are also products that are not prohibited because they do not contain formaldehyde, but release it when exposed to heat, which makes no sense. We do not use them because, even if these products are allowed on the market, they release formaldehyde when heated. We do not want to risk damaging our lungs or being short of breath for several days, as though we had been working in a mine.
• 2. Japanese, Korean and Luxter relaxers: these are chemical relaxing treatments that cannot be performed on every hair type because they are very aggressive. They can cause breakage, regrowth is too noticeable, and hair becomes too flat and lacks volume. Some of our clients have even told us that they experienced hair loss, including bald patches, following badly performed relaxer treatments.
• 3. Acid-based straightening treatments: tannin, protein, Indian, French and around fifty other names. They are all based on the same principle: straightening with acids extracted from fruit. The main reason there are so many names is that brands sometimes add unnecessary ingredients to their formulas for marketing purposes.
• Formaldehyde-based Brazilian smoothing, also called keratin smoothing, which is now prohibited, could be performed in 1 to 2 hours, even without much technical expertise. It was so easy to carry out that even a child could supposedly have achieved a result that was 80% satisfactory. This is why so many salons used to offer it: it took little time and required no specific training. In contrast, if a new-generation straightening treatment is performed incorrectly, the result can be even worse than the hair's natural condition.

5. Results

• Shine depends partly on hair colour. Black hair generally appears shinier than blonde hair because it reflects light more visibly.
• Some of our clients have straightening results that last 4 months, others 6 months, and some even up to a year. We therefore provide no guarantee regarding how long the results will last, as hair is organic material that reacts differently from person to person. If your hair grows very quickly and the regrowth bothers you, you may need to repeat the treatment after 3 to 4 months. For others, regrowth is less of a concern and their hair grows more slowly, so the result may remain satisfactory for up to 6 to 8 months.
• As for the straightening effect, it is impossible to guarantee that tightly coiled, Afro-textured or curly hair will become perfectly straight after a single treatment. We simply explain that the hair will become more relaxed. In general, getting very tightly coiled hair perfectly straight in one treatment can be difficult. It may require 2 to 3 treatments initially, followed by just one maintenance treatment, as with other hair types.
• It is also possible to adapt the technique and carry out a less intensive treatment to preserve some of the natural curls or volume without making the hair too straight. However, we cannot guarantee the degree of straightening achieved, whether 100% or 50%. It is impossible to predict precisely. We can only provide an estimate, as every person's hair reacts differently depending on its condition, unique characteristics and previous treatments.

6. Which treatment should you choose?

• I want straight hair = straightening treatment.
• I want slightly straightened, healthier-looking hair = straightening botox. (This is not the Botox used in cosmetic procedures involving injections. It is called "botox" because it gives the hair a rejuvenated appearance. This is simply a figure of speech and has nothing to do with Botox injections.)
• What is a straightening hair botox treatment? It is a less concentrated acid-based straightening treatment (so it straightens less), but it also contains nourishing and repairing ingredients that conventional straightening treatments do not necessarily have. A conventional straightening treatment does not repair the hair; it simply gives it a healthier-looking appearance.
• If your hair is already more or less straight, bleached, highlighted with balayage, fragile or damaged, a highly concentrated acid-based straightening treatment may damage it further. A straightening hair botox treatment may therefore be more than sufficient and better suited to your hair.
• PS: There are also non-straightening hair botox treatments, some of whose formulas may release formaldehyde when heated. We do not offer these treatments because we want to avoid breathing in this substance. Furthermore, some of these treatments only take an hour, and we do not travel for such a short appointment. They take very little time because there is almost no processing time and no use of a flat iron.
• Example 1: Very resistant, thick, tightly coiled hair: a straightening hair botox treatment will struggle to relax it. A straightening treatment is therefore preferable.
• Example 2: Bleached, damaged or fragile hair: a straightening treatment may cause further damage. It is therefore preferable to choose a straightening hair botox treatment, which may straighten it sufficiently while being gentler on the hair.
• In practice, some of our clients who regularly had straightening treatments have tried straightening hair botox and now prefer it. Conversely, others initially wanted straightening hair botox but now prefer regular straightening. Ultimately, it is a matter of individual taste and personal preference, which we cannot determine or guarantee without trying both treatments. We can only estimate which one would be best suited to your hair and expectations.

7. Products

• The products we use are purchased from an authorised Belgian distributor, "Sabelle Cosmetics", which is regularly inspected by the Belgian Federal Public Service for Public Health to ensure product quality and compliance in Belgium. We therefore do not use products containing harmful or prohibited substances in Belgium or Europe.

8. Pregnant or breastfeeding women

• Even though our products are suitable for pregnant and breastfeeding women, you must follow medical advice only, as it always takes precedence over claims made by brands and manufacturers. If this applies to you, please provide your doctor with the ingredient list before booking an appointment (available on request).

9. Allergy test

• An allergy test is not mandatory but is recommended, as the manufacturer does not require it (European Cosmetics Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009). If you would like one, you must explicitly request it before booking an appointment. If you choose not to take the test despite having allergies, claim to have taken it when you have not, or fail to carry it out correctly according to our instructions and experience an allergic reaction during the treatment, we will not accept responsibility.

10. Warnings

• If your hair is in very poor condition, for example if it is stretchy or breaks easily (this should be tested on a section of hair when both dry and wet, not just on a single strand), you will first need to carry out an SOS repair treatment yourself, such as K18 (a highly restorative mask), available from "all-keratin.com".
• If you have any scalp problems (wounds, irritation, implants, etc.), you should consult a doctor first.
• The result of a straightening treatment may be less than optimal on henna-coloured hair (except henna without metallic salts), during certain hormonal periods or due to certain medications.
• The ends are the oldest part of the hair. It is preferable to trim damaged ends before or after the treatment to avoid spoiling the result with split ends. This also helps reduce breakage and retain more length as the hair grows.
• All straightening treatments can affect artificial hair colour. The choice is yours: if this concerns you, we can perform a less intensive treatment, potentially achieving a less optimal straightening result, to preserve as much of your colour as possible.

11. Invoicing for professionals

• Professionals who require an invoice must provide their company name and VAT number before booking an appointment. No changes can be made afterwards.

12. Refunds

• No refunds will be granted once the treatment has been completed. The service provider cannot be held responsible if the instructions and recommendations are not followed.