It’s Official, This Pre-Wedding Hair Treatment Advice Falls Under “Must-Know”
Every part of your body needs a little TLC, which is why you moisturize your body when you get out of a shower to protect the microbiomes in your skin (or you don’t and this just got awkward…). Regardless, your hair needs some TLC, which is where hair treatments enter the equation. Because if there’s ever a day to have a good hair day, it’s your wedding day. That’s why we got with Alicia Igess Jones, CEO of Urban Tangles, to talk all things pre-wedding hair treatments.
Before you can go shopping for hair treatments (though it is *seriously* fun to shop!), the type of treatment you shop for depends on the type of hair you have and what you’re looking to get done. So here’s a quick breakdown for you.
Scalp Treatments
Scalp treatments are best for dry and itchy scalps. Jones recommends a treatment that includes a steam treatment, which uses moist heat to open the hair follicles to better hydrate and moisturize. If you have very dry hair, Jones recommends “steam treatments with a moisturizing mask for very dry hair.” She also recommends these treatments for someone who has a relaxer or uses thermal heat, like a curling or flat iron regularly.
Products that contain tea tree oil, zinc, menthol, or apple cider vinegar act as a basic scalp treatment that can address dry and itchy scalp, Jones also notes.
But, bottom line, people with this condition should “use the appropriate shampoos or ointments prescribed by their dermatologists.”
Treatment Recommendation from Jones
Jones recommends people who suffer with dry and itchy scalps consider using a Nioxin professional scalp treatment. Alternatively, Jones says, “Kerastase has a great scalp scrub.”
Moisture Masks and Heavy Conditioners
Alas, a treatment you can do up until the big day, depending on the type and texture of hair you have, of course. If you have curly hair that you’re looking to blow out, Jones recommends moisturizing masks up to the wedding day. However, she notes that if you have very fine hair, then putting anything in your hair that will weigh it down is probably not the best option.
Another reason you should use a moisturizing conditioner is if your hair feels hard from a protein treatment you may have gotten.
Keratin Treatments
Humidity-proofing you hair is no easy feat, especially if you live in a humid state during the summer months. We love summer more than the last person, but it can leave your hair frizzy and out of sorts and no one ways that. That’s where Keratin treatments come to the rescue, because keeping your hair looking glossy is the whole objective. Jones suggests getting this done a week before or the week of your wedding. Before using Keratin treatments, though, you should ensure you’re a candidate for it with your hair texture. You can ask your hair stylist or check with the product manufacturer. Generally, these treatments are recommended for coarse, thick, frizzy, or curly hair.
Nevertheless, if you happen to not be a candidate for Keratin treatments, then don’t stress, because an amino acid treatment might just do the trick. These treatments seal hair bonds, giving them that extra something without the harsh chemicals. Similar to Keratin treatments, you can get this done a week before or the week of your wedding.
Smoothening Treatments: Hair Botox vs Cysteine Treatment
These days it seems everyone is looking for the next big thing to ensure their tresses are smooth and silky. And if your natural hair isn’t like that (whose is with all of the environmental factors at play?) then turning to hair-smoothening treatments is an obvious answer. But people aren’t just turning to any smoothening treatments, but rather hair botox or cysteine for their rumored ability to add shine to your hair while also giving it a straight hair look. Let’s be real: when a celebrity or your BFF brings attention to their shiny hair, you want in on that action. After all, why shouldn’t your tresses be the talk of the town, too? That’s why we’re breaking down the differences between the two treatments that have garnered more than a little attention in recent years.
Hair Botox
Jones says that hair botox is “typically done on finer hair” and that it’s not supposed to be a permanent process. In fact, if your hair is color-treated, then the fact that the botox is anti-fading might be of interest to you. Nonetheless, as with most things there’s a risk factor to it and, as Jones notes, she has “seen people lose their hair texture after hair botox and need a haircut as a result.” So please proceed with caution.
Cysteine Treatment
Frizz-be-gone should literally be the slogan for cysteine treatments, because the process is intended to remove the frizz from your hair. But just for a few days, right? No, cysteine treatments are a permanent process, so the frizz, as Jones puts it, “is being removed from your hair permanently. Your texture is being altered and will not curl up after this treatment.” (So if you don’t like change, maybe don’t do this treatment… just a thought.)
Now that you know the difference between the two treatments, you should probably know the aftercare for these smoothening treatments. Jones says, “aftercare is maintaining a good balance of moisture in the hair. When hair is moisturized properly, it won’t be prone to breaking off.”
As you decide which one is right for you or whether either are at all, here’s something to remember, too: Some treatments have an at-home maintenance kit. Jones suggests “purchasing that and following the manufacturer’s instructions.” She also urges you to look at “amino acids first because they are milder, and it’s safer for someone who wants to attempt to keep most if not all of their texture during the process.” (See above for more on amino acids treatments.)
Glossing Treatment
Literally for a treatment for ALL hair types and textures — glossing treatment. (Just gonna pretend that there’s a huge round of applause after that statement, because there totally should be.) Move over other hair treatments, because this one adds shine and enhances the color of your hair. It gives you that long-lasting shine look celebrities have on red carpets.
This semi-permanent treatment is great for chemically-treated hair, but that’s not to say virgin hair couldn’t benefit from hair glossing, too. Hair gloss doesn’t need to have color, it can be clear. With this clear option, you won’t be coloring your hair, only adding the shine you want, as Jones explains, and getting that healthier look you crave.
Of course, you should consult with your hair stylist to see if hair glossing is right for you and how frequently you should get it done, but if it’s a go, then it can be done the week of your wedding, according to Jones.
Progenra Treatment
Progenra is a hair loss treatment intended to rejuvenate. It’s all about micro-surgical hair growth, taking cells from your scalp and helps stimulate rejuvenation in the areas with hair loss. If you’re interested in this treatment, then Jones recommends you “start at least a year to 18 months before [your] wedding to really see the results. Depending on how severe the hair loss is, [you] may want to start [two] years out from the wedding day.”
New to Hair Treatments
So you’re a hair treatment virgin? If you are, then Jones advises you choose something that isn’t permanent unless “you have a thorough consultation and do it far enough in advance [of your wedding] to determine if it’s something you want to do again right before the wedding.” Moreover, she says “conditioning treatments that include a dryer or steamer may be more ideal.”
Pre-Wedding Hair Treatments Timeline
As noted, there are different timelines for different treatments, but on a whole, Jones says, “hair treatments can be done [three] months out from the wedding. Some treatments are more effective if a person gets multiple applications. Some may need to have [two] treatments [six] weeks apart. [Again] It depends on the type of treatment [you get] in order to determine how far out. Once a consultation is done, [your] needs are understood better and suggestions are made then. Three months should give someone plenty of time to get the necessary treatments for their desired outcome.”
Hair Coloring
Every year there are new hair color trends, and if you’re into the biggest trends of the year, then you probably know that our friends at Cosmopolitan [https://www.cosmopolitan.com/hair-color-ideas/] have some of the best insights on color trends. And you want you’re hair color to be trending, right? Especially for your wedding, we’re sure. But remember it is not advisable to try any a new color close to your wedding day. In fact, Jones suggests you look to trying a new color three months in advance, giving you enough time to get used to the new color, as well as touch-up the roots the week of your wedding so it has the perfect look. And, if possible, you should use the same colorist you used before. But where that’s not an option, for whatever reason, Jones suggests you have your colorist give you the color formula and technique they utilized.
Before selecting a color, Jones takes us through the process she takes her clients through, and we think every stylist should do the same: “I ask the client a series of questions to understand what their vision is for their wedding day. I don’t suggest anyone do something unfamiliar or brand new the week of the wedding if they aren’t use to change. Trials are offered for them to rule out how they feel about the ‘something new,’” Jones notes.
Products
For anyone with color-treated hair, Jones recommends Olaplex. She also looks to “a variety of Malibu C products for swimmers, pre-color treatments and color removal, as well as pre-color and post-color treatments on all of [her] color clients.”
Jones does caution “people should avoid overusing products. For example, Olaplex is sold to consumers. [People] should not use these products every time they shampoo their hair. Protein treatments should not be used every time a person shampoos their hair.”
Friendly Tip: If you’re curious whether a beauty product, such as hair treatment products, are safe or not, there’s a solution: EWG. They are a boss when it comes to diving deep into the health hazards and risks that come with using certain products. And if you can’t find a product tested on their site, they enable you to make a custom report by putting in the list of ingredients from a product yourself. Pretty cool, right? Just some food for thought.
