Fashion

Hair Smoothing Vs. Hair Straightening: What’s The Difference?

Whether it’s pin-straight hair or smooth texture, it is almost impossible to achieve it without getting a treatment done by a stylist in a keratin treatment salon. See, not everyone is lucky enough to have amazing hair by birth. So, here is everything you need to know about hair smoothing and straightening.

Comparing Hair Smoothing And Hair Straightening

The Procedure

Before getting to know how each technique works, you need to know how a procedure is done to achieve the desired treatment. This is important because you want to know exactly what is done and what is different to achieve the results you are looking for.

Hair Smoothing

When it comes to a hair smoothing or smoothening treatment, the procedure is very straightforward (no pun intended). In a hair smoothing process, a special treatment is applied to tame curly hair.

If your hair is wavy and frizzy, then you can make the texture smooth by opting for a hair smoothening treatment.

It will give you the best results in the end. It is applied for a bit of time on the hair and then removed by washing it, then the mane is blow-dried in the end.

Hair Straightening

As for hair straightening, there are a lot of techniques to make your hair silky smooth and straight. It can either be done with a straightener, or it can be done with the help of a treatment that breaks down the bonds of the hair and makes it very straight and frizz-free.

Sometimes, a combination of a treatment and a flat iron is used to achieve the pin-straight look on the mane.

The Results

The next thing to go over is the actual results when it comes to both treatments.

Hair Smoothing

As far as hair smoothing or smoothening is concerned, you will not achieve straight hair with the treatment. That is not what this treatment does. It is applied to the hair to make sure that frizz isn’t a problem. It makes the hair texture smooth and not necessarily straight.

If you have wavy hair, then it won’t straighten it, but it will lead to a more smoother and relaxed finish. That is all what hair smoothening is about.

Hair Straightening

Hair straightening is designed to give you straight hair. It is the type of treatment that can combat almost all types of hair and make it look straight and sleek. Even if you have the curliest of hair, it will make it look straight.

You might need more rigorous treatments for it, but it will give you the same results in the end, and that is straight and sleek hair with no frizz, and the best part? It will be permanent too, depending on the type of treatment you go for.

Types

Speaking of types, there are also different classifications of treatments. Some are permanent, some are temporary, some are nourishing and some are very damaging to the mane.

Hair Smoothing

When it comes to hair smoothening treatment, it is only of a single type. It is a singular treatment that is done to make your hair look smooth and free from frizz. Speaking of permanency, it is something temporary and you can’t expect it to last forever.

Hair smoothening will make your hair look and feel smooth – hence the name. So, you won’t have any frizz or that weird hair texture that makes you look like you just rolled out of bed.

Hair Straightening

There are several types of the hair straightening treatment. There is thermal hair straightening, which is also known as Japanese hair straightening and it is done to permanently make your hair straight and sleek and it uses a very potent treatment. Then, there is hair rebonding and it is done to make even the curliest of hair sleek and straight.

It is also a permanent hair straightening technique. Then, there is also keratin treatment and that is a semi-permanent hair straightening treatment that is used to get rid of frizz and gently straighten the hair without making it look too sleek.

If you wear temporary hair extensions, you will need to remove them before the treatment. However, if you got permanent extensions from salons that do hair extensions Potomac, you can get the treatment without removing them. Still, ask your stylist about it.

Damage

This is something that a lot of people are concerned with. The damage and extent of recovery after each treatment is something that people factor in when they’re getting treatments like these done on their mane.

Hair Smoothing

When it comes to hair smoothening treatment, it is not as damaging as compared to other more potent hair treatments. Yes, the treatment does leave the hair feeling a bit brittle, but it’s nothing that can’t be fixed with a few restoration techniques and haircare routine.

Hair Straightening

When it comes to hair straightening treatments, the same can’t be said about them. They are very potent and rigorous treatments. They are done to change the texture of your hair completely and that is done with protein-breaking treatments. Then, if that wasn’t enough, a straightening tool is also used on a high heat setting, and that can put your hair through the worst possible damage.

Basically, after these treatments, you will need to take care of your hair, because if you don’t, well then you won’t like what damage has in store for you. It will leave your hair very dry, weak, and brittle.

Maintenance

The next thing to go over is the maintenance of the treatment. No matter what you do, you want the treatment to last long.

Hair Smoothing

Well, as far as hair smoothening treatment is concerned, it is not designed to last long, but you can still stretch it if you’re careful and don’t wash your hair too regularly.

You also want to say goodbye to heating tools for a bit because using them will only make your hair look brittle and very damaged. Your hair is already smooth, so you won’t need any other type of treatment or tool to style it.

Hair Straightening

For a hair straightening treatment, you need to take special care of it once your hair is treated. You need to take a break from washing your hair for about 3 to 4 days after the treatment. This will allow the treatment to settle in. You also want to opt for loose and flowy hairstyles, because it will prevent the formation of waves in your hair.

While you’re at it, you also want to put the heating tools away, because you won’t be needing them, unless you want to put your hair through tons of damage again.

Which Is Better For Which?

You want to know which treatment is better for which hair type.

Hair Smoothing

Since hair smoothing is something that doesn’t straighten your hair, you can get it done on either straight or wavy hair. It will tame it and make it look super smooth.

Hair Straightening

The perfect candidate for this treatment is someone with very coiled and frizzy hair and they want to achieve a straight and sleek look on their mane, whether it’s permanent or temporary. So, you’re the judge of what you want, at the end of the day.

Conclusion

Hair straightening and smoothing are a set of two different techniques to achieve an amazing texture, but they each have their own merits and demerits. Visit a Brazilian blowout salon Potomac to get a hair smoothing or straightening treatment.