Professional Window Replacement Process

What to Expect the Day of Your Keratin Treatment at SMOOTHED

If you’re getting ready for your first keratin treatment at SMOOTHED, you might be wondering: What’s the appointment process like? Here’s exactly what to expect the day of your treatment, step by step!

Before You Arrive

We ask that you come in with your hair air dried, with no product and no heat styling.

This helps us see your natural texture clearly, which is crucial for customizing your treatment to your specific hair type and needs.

Consultation

Your appointment will start with a thorough consultation.

We’ll talk about:

  • Your hair goals
  • Where your frizz lives
  • What pain points you’re hoping to fix
  • How you typically wear and style your hair

Based on your needs, we’ll recommend the best keratin brand and formula for your hair. Then we’ll walk you through exactly what to expect during the treatment.

The Treatment Process

Once your consult is complete, we’ll get started. Here’s how it usually goes:

  1. Thorough Shampoo — We begin by cleansing your hair to remove any buildup and prep your strands for treatment.
  2. Product Application — We apply the keratin solution carefully to your hair.
  3. Processing Time — The product will sit on your hair for 20 to 60 minutes, depending on the brand and your hair’s needs.
  4. Rinse — After processing, we rinse the treatment back out.
  5. Blow-Dry — We fully blow-dry your hair.
  6. Flat Iron Activation — We use a flat iron to seal the treatment into your hair, activating the smoothing benefits.

Aftercare (Spoiler: It’s Easy!)

Unlike traditional treatments that require long waiting periods, our formaldehyde-free keratin treatments are fully activated when you leave the salon.

You can:

  • Wash your hair immediately if you choose (although many clients love their smooth results so much, they wait a few days!)
  • Style as normal with no downtime
  • Get back to your regular life without restrictions

How Long Will It Take?

Most treatments take between 2 to 2.5 hours.

If you have very thick, long, or textured hair, you might expect a little longer appointment — but we’ll let you know what to expect during your consultation!

At SMOOTHED, we’re here to make your keratin experience seamless, comfortable, and customized just for you.

Ready to start your smoothment? Book your appointment here!

How to Prep for Your Keratin Treatment Appointment

One of the most common questions we get at SMOOTHED is:

“How should I show up to my appointment?”

And we love that you ask—because the way you arrive can make a huge difference in the quality of your treatment.

Here’s exactly how to prep your hair for the best keratin results possible:

High-Quality Window Solutions

Come With Clean, Air-Dried, Natural Hair

The best way to show up is with hair that is:

  • Freshly washed
  • Air-dried
  • Free of product
  • Not heat-styled

We know that can feel vulnerable (hello, frizz!), but this is key to getting a customized treatment. When you come in with straightened or blow-dried hair, we can’t accurately see your natural curl, wave, frizz pattern, or texture. And we need to see your hair in its raw state to choose the right keratin product and technique for you.

Why This Matters:

  • Product Selection: The way your hair looks and feels naturally helps us choose which formula is best for you.
  • Application Technique: We customize how we apply the treatment based on your real hair pattern—not how it looks when styled.
  • Treatment Depth: The cleaner the surface of your hair, the deeper the keratin can penetrate. Dirty or heavily product-coated hair creates a barrier, and that means you may not get the best possible results.

We always say: keratin works best when it’s working on the inside of the outside of your hair. Clean, product-free hair allows it to do just that.

What If You Don’t Feel Comfortable Wearing It Down?

Totally fine.

If you’re not comfortable walking in with your hair down, a simple ponytail or loose bun is okay—just skip the styling tools and the product. We can still see your natural texture once it’s out.

Summary: How to Arrive for Your Appointment

  • Do:
    • Wash your hair the day or night before
    • Let it air-dry naturally
    • Avoid using any product
    • Skip the heat tools
  • Don’t:
    • Come in with blow-dried or flat-ironed hair
    • Load up on leave-ins, oils, or stylers
    • Show up with dirty or days-old hair (clean is key!)

We know this might be different from how you normally show up to the salon, but trust us—it makes all the difference. Let us see your hair in all its natural glory, and we’ll take care of the rest.

Have questions about prepping your hair?

Call or text us at (619) 674-4061, or book online at smoothedsalon.com. We’re here to guide you every step of the way.

You're booked. Now breathe.

Trying something new with your hair is nerve-wracking, and we understand the hesitation completely. Everything you need is on this page, and the rest will come to you before your appointment.

Texts & emails coming Come air-dried No downtime after

What happens next

Watch this first.

Kaylie made this for exactly the moment you're in — booked, a little nervous, and wondering what you've just signed up for.

Welcome · From Kaylie

Between now and your appointment you'll get texts and emails from us with parking details and how to prep your hair. There's nothing you need to do this second.

How to arrive

Come as your hair actually is.

We choose your formula by looking at your natural texture, so the less you do to it beforehand, the better we can customize. Four things, and that's the whole ask.

  • Wash it the day or the night before, and let it air-dry.
  • Leave the product and the heat tools alone — we want to see the raw texture.
  • Detangle before you come, and take out extensions or protective styles.
  • If wearing it down feels like a lot, a loose ponytail or bun is completely fine.

We know showing up frizzy feels vulnerable. It's the single most helpful thing you can do for your result, and nobody here is looking.

Before you're smoothed — full guide Where to park

If your hair is colour-treated

One more short video.

If you colour your hair, watch this before your appointment. It covers how colour and smoothing work together and how to time the two.

Colour-treated hair · Watch before your appointment

You're in good hands

Your curls have never been in more capable hands.

Our team has done more than 16,000 of these. Whatever your hair is doing, we've almost certainly met it before.

You're going to kick yourself for not booking sooner.

Questions

We've probably already answered it.

Almost everything we get asked lives on the FAQ page, and the search button in the footer will find it in a couple of seconds.

Read the FAQs Before you're smoothed

See you on the Smoothed side.