Say Goodbye to Frizz the Natural Way

We are never happy with the hair we were born with – if it is straight we long for curls and have everything from tongs to curlers to give it body. If our hair is curly, we wish we had straight locks and iron it within an inch of its life so that we can look respectable when we go out. However what we all wish for most of all is hair that you can wash and quickly dry and it looks like you have just stepped out of a salon. The Brazilian blowdry has really taken off in the UK as a semi-permanent way to provide super-shiny, poker straight hair that is frizz-free. However, if like me you are concerned about the chemicals in hair products (or the amount you are now using on your hair what with colouring as well), and would prefer some body and flexibility in your hair style then the Brazilian blowdry may not be the answer.

Luckily there is a new treatment in town – one for girls who don’t hate their curls, are concerned about chemicals but still long to be rid of the dreaded frizz without resorting to a load of serum that weighs down the hair and risks you looking like it needs a good wash!

Pioneers of permanent Japanese hair straightening, YUKO have launched a revolutionary anti-frizz treatment to eliminate frizz and make even the most troublesome of tresses more manageable without effecting the hairs natural body. Unlike other smoothing treatments such as Brazilian/Keratin treatments, the YUKO Anti-Frizz does not contain hazardous chemicals such as formaldehyde and formalin that release highly carcinogenic gas.

The unique formula of YUKO Anti-Frizz, which contains thioglycerin, silk, soy and meadow foam, is said to eliminate frizz, leaving hair smoother and more manageable without affecting the natural body and movement and lasts on average three months.

To try out this new treatment, we naturally turned to the best, Oliver Daminar at Urban Retreat, Harrods. Oliver is a leading expert in straightening treatments with over 16 years experience in YUKO permanent hair straightening and is clearly passionate about working with the best treatments. He firstly asks if I have ever had a Brazilian blowdry as he explains that nothing can match the shine you get from formaldehyde – well it is used to preserve dead bodies! Unfortunately for our love of shine, formaldehyde is also a proven carcinogen and while small amounts aren’t a problem, why add more to your life when there isn’t the need.

The process is quick and relatively simple. It requires the treatment being painted onto clean hair, left for about 20 minutes and then rinsed off. The worst thing about the whole process has to be the smell, it does smell a little like rotten eggs. A sealer is then painted on the hair, Oliver blowdries it to a mirror finish and you are set to go – looking naturally like you have just stepped out of a top salon.

Up keep after that is pretty simple too. No washing for 24 hours – and to be honest I didn’t do so for about four days as the blowdry looked great for that long – and then ensure you use sulfate free hair products so that the coating is not stripped off your hair. I can thoroughly recommend the gorgeous Rahua organic shampoo and conditioner (£27.50 each from Urban Retreat Beautique).

On first washing my hair after the treatment, I decided to use no product such as the silicon gels I normally use and just let it dry naturally to see what it was like. My curls were not as tight as they normally are but most importantly there was a lot less frizz meaning I had soft bouncy curls rather than my messy birds nest. Even more telling was after sleeping on it. The next morning my hair looked fabulous with even less frizz (I normally have more the next morning and I can’t leave the house without straightening or rewetting and scrunching it) and I would have been happy going out without even brushing it.

For those who want poker straight hair from washing it to going to bed and again the next day, this may disappoint but for natural hair with movement and body but without a halo of frizz it is perfect – I now just dread it finally wearing off, but then I will just have to make another appointment with the lovely Oliver!

The YUKO Anti-Frizz Treatment with Oliver at Urban Retreat at Harrods starts at £150 for short hair. To book call +44 (0)20 7893 8333.

[picture credits: Urban Retreat at Harrods]