Care For Your Crowning Glory

It was very exciting to be chosen to review the nuNaat Brazilian Keratin hair care products. Why? I love my hair. No matter what my weight or my mood as long as my hair looks good I feel good. Some people may call me vain, but I think of it as not wanting to insult the people have who look at me. Plus it makes me feel good to look good. Thanks to my parents’ genetics I’ve always had thick, fast growing hair. For most of my life I’ve kept it longer than shoulder length.  When I became a teenager my hair’s texture changed. What used to be straight and easy to manage became wavy and curly and I became fast friends with my boar hair round brush and hair dryer. Ever since then straightening and keeping my hair straight has always been a challenge.

Frizz is the enemy of a sleek hairdo. With naturally curly hair now I can barely stand next to a sink of hot water without ending up looking like I just stuck my finger in a light socket. So when I got the chance to try the nuNaat Brazilian Keratin line of products I was more than just a little excited. I had heard that keratin reinforces the hair’s cuticle making it easier to hold a straight style while minimizing damage from heat styling tools and breakage from brushing. Now that I’m in my 30s I’ve noticed another change in the texture of my hair. It’s not as thick as it used to be and the ends seem to dry out a lot faster than I remember. Even with regular deep conditioning treatments the soft doesn’t stay as long. I wasn’t looking for a miracle, but at least a product that would help tame the crispy ends until I had time to get a hair cut. Well I got a lot more than that.

nuNaat Brazilian Keratin Product Line

Shampoo & Conditioner

I do not wash my hair every day. Yes, you may think this is gross, but since the length of my hair tends to be dry I try to maintain a style – straight or curly for a couple days before washing. The Brazilian Keratin Shampoo makes a fine dense lather that smells like baby shampoo. Since it is so dense it does require a little bit of work and a bit more water to allow it to work into the scalp and through the length of the hair. I made sure to repeat each time just to make sure that any styling residue was gone. Right away I noticed that even before conditioning my hair was already feeling soft and not rubbery or plasticky as it would when using Pantene Sleek & Shine.

At first when I put the Brazilian Keratin Conditioner on my hair I was skeptical how good it was going to work. I’m used to conditioners that are thick and have the consistency of a heavy cream or lotion and this was a bit thin. My skepticism flew out the window after I rinsed it out. Like I said, no plasticky feeling to my hair. The comb did glide through no problem.

What I appreciated about these products is the fragrance, the fact that they are sodium chloride free (table salt anyone? check your shampoo bottles) and they are safe for daily use. I haven’t colored my hair in a couple years and I’m hoping to not have to for a couple more but these products are also gentle enough for color treated hair. The keratin is supposed to strengthen weak hair.  Just a note, these products do contain sodium laureth sulfate as a surfactant.  Read more about this ingredient in this interesting article at TreeHugger.com.

Intensive Conditioning Treatment

This treatment was only used on my hair a couple of times in the course of my testing. It comes in a tub and is definitely thicker than the daily use conditioner. You put it on the hair thickly, roll up your hair, and then cover it with a shower cap or plastic bag to preserve the heat on your head. Leave it on for 15 minutes and then rinse out completely with warm water. OH WOW! Talk about baby soft hair.

Liquid Leave In Reconstructor & Serum Ultra Shine

In the past I’ve used reconstructors that are in a spray form so this runny liquid was new to me.  It didn’t feel sticky at first but once it was in the hair and started to dry a bit it gave a slight hold.  I was worried this would weigh down or make my hair feel gummy – as when trying to brush gel out of your hair.  The final result was much different than expected.  I was able to dry, style and flat iron my hair without a problem and it still felt silky smooth when I was done.  The fully activate the reconstructor, replete with keratin and amino acids, you have to use a flat iron on your hair.  The heat and pressure seals the cuticle further fusing the keratin to the hair shaft.  After I read the ingredients I felt like I wanted to rub it into my scalp to give it a nutritional boost!  Then I looked at the Shampoo and realized I’d already gotten a dose of those same amino-acids and nutrients when I washed my hair :-).

Even though the Serum Ultra Shine is in the keratin hair care line it does not have keratin in it at all.  It is used to help smooth frizz and keep flyaways down.  I used it on the ends of my hair while it was still damp after I put on the reconstructor before drying my hair and then if I needed it after I flattened my hair to help keep down the dry ends.  I was afraid it would weigh my hair down to much, but it was light enough – used sparingly- to give a nice sheen without making my hair too heavy or greasy looking.

[dropshadowbox align=”none” effect=”lifted-both” width=”100%” height=”” background_color=”#ffffff” border_width=”1″ border_color=”#dddddd” ]These are my before and after pictures. The first shows my hair’s natural curly texture. The second shows it after it’s been blown out with a round brush. The third is after being washed and conditioned with nuNaat and blown out. The last three are my after nuNaat products, styling and straightening with a flat iron pictures.[/dropshadowbox]

 

[dropshadowbox align=”center” effect=”lifted-both” width=”500px” height=”” background_color=”#ffffff” border_width=”1″ border_color=”#dddddd” ]

What is Green Keratin?

Direct from nuNaat’s website:

“Green Keratin An active ingredient derived from soybean, corn and wheat proteins that deeply adheres to hair fibers, promoting incredibly smooth hair through heat action. The result is strong, highly nourished hair that improves flexibility and shine.”

Unfortunately, I cannot recommend these products for anyone who has wheat allergies, gluten intolerance or celiac disease.  I did some quick searching and found that keratin is safe for consumption and topical use.  The caveat is, as noted above, the product very clearly states on the label it contains Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein. See this Safe List of Foods & Ingredients for a Gluten Free Diet from GlutenFreeGirl.com – keratin is on the safe side, wheat protein is not. My daughter is gluten intolerant and even has an allergy to topical gluten so finding out if Keratin was OK for her was important since it is derived from wheat as well as corn and soy.

I understand why it is used from 3 different plant sources because as in a balanced diet you need variety to ensure proper nutrition.[/dropshadowbox]

One thing I found interesting while using the Brazilian keratin products is that my hair actually had an easier time curling up.   If I allowed it to air dry my curls were more even and less frizzy than before.  Now don’t get me wrong it was easier to straighten and it kept the style for at least a day or two without frizzing out. What this told me is that the way this product is formulated doesn’t weigh down the hair with heavy dimethicones or silicones to make it lay flat. The Shine Serum does have silicone and dimethicones but it is very light and not as greasy feeling as some other brands I’ve used plus you use it at your own discretion.

Overall I was happy with the results of using these nuNaat products.  They are available for purchase at WalGreens and Sally Beauty Supply Stores as well as various stores online.  The prices were reasonable at around $6 each.  I’ve paid upwards of $20 for similar products at salons in the past (the very distant past ;-)).

 

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.