Smoothing Treatments for Frizzy Hair FAQs and What Actually Works
A San Francisco Stylist’s Guide
Smoothing Treatments for Frizzy Hair, Honestly
If you’ve made it to this post, your hair has probably misbehaved at least once today. Possibly while you were trying to look like a person who has it together.
I’m Rachel. I own Makers Make Parlor, a private salon in San Francisco, and I’ve been doing hair for over twenty years. The single most common question I get, by a wide margin, is some version of “can you fix this without ruining my hair.” Yes. I can. Read on.
Also, I’m taking new clients right now if you want to skip the reading and just come in.
The Real Questions People Actually Ask
Will it ruin my hair?
This is the first question almost every client asks and it’s the right one. Honest answer: some smoothing treatments will absolutely wreck your hair. Others won’t. The variable is the chemistry, not the category. The harsh stuff (formaldehyde, formaldehyde releasers, basically anything that fills the room with that “burning permanent” smell) damages hair the way you’d expect harsh chemistry to damage anything. The non-toxic stuff, which is what I use, actually conditions and strengthens hair while it smooths it. So no, the right one won’t ruin your hair. The wrong one absolutely will, and I’ve watched it happen to people, and it’s a bad day for everyone involved.
Will I look like I got a perm in 1997?
No. And nobody should do that to themselves on purpose. Smoothing treatments are not chemical straighteners. A good treatment softens frizz and calms texture without flattening you into a helmet, so if you have curls or waves, you keep them, they’re just more defined and less mad at you.
What if I hate it?
You won’t, but I get the fear. Modern smoothing treatments fade gradually over three to five months, so even in the worst case scenario where you somehow loathe smoother, easier hair, you wait it out and you’re back to where you started. They are not permanent. You are not stuck with anything forever. You will probably love it though. People generally do.
You will probably love it. People generally do.
How much does this cost?
The Smooth and Stretch at Makers starts at $425 and goes up depending on length and density. I know that sounds like a lot. Here’s the math that changes minds:
The actual cost of not getting a smoothing treatment
Plus a much better mood every morning, which is honestly priceless
How long does it last?
Three to five months on average, depending on your hair type, how often you wash it, what shampoo you use, and how often you go swimming. People with finer hair sometimes get a little less. People who are really good about aftercare often get more. We will talk about aftercare shortly because it matters more than people want to hear.
Will I be able to wash my hair right after?
Yes. Some treatments make you wait three days before washing, sleeping on a special pillow, no ponytails, no sweat, basically you have to live like a Victorian ghost for half a week. Cezanne is not like that. You can shower the same day. You can work out. You can put your hair in a ponytail. Real life can continue.
Is it safe? Like actually?
This is a great question and I’ll tell you the truth, which is that “safe” depends entirely on which treatment you’re getting and what’s in it. Brazilian Blowouts and many traditional keratin treatments contain formaldehyde or formaldehyde releasers, which are classified as known human carcinogens, and which produce fumes hot enough to make stylists wear masks and run fume extractors during the service. The fact that this is even a thing in the beauty industry is, in my opinion, completely insane.
Cezanne is the option I went with after years of refusing to perform Brazilian Blowouts. It’s been independently safety tested in Oregon and South Korea, two of the strictest cosmetic regulatory markets in the world, and passed both. No formaldehyde, no formaldehyde releasers, no fumes that make your eyes water. I can perform the service all day without a mask and you can sit in the chair without feeling like you’re being chemically attacked, which is a low bar that the beauty industry has been failing for decades.
Side by Side
How the four main smoothing treatments actually compare
| Cezanne | Brazilian Blowout | Keratin Treatment | Japanese Straightening | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Formaldehyde-Free | ✓ Yes | ✗ No | ~ Sometimes | ✗ No (harsh chemistry) |
| Keeps Curl/Wave | ✓ Yes | ✗ Flattens | ✗ Flattens | ✗ Permanently straight |
| Wash Same Day | ✓ Yes | ✗ Wait days | ✗ Wait days | ✗ Wait days |
| Lasts | 3 to 5 months | 3 to 4 months | 2 to 4 months | Permanent |
| Independently Safety Tested | ✓ Oregon + Korea | ✗ Banned in some countries | ~ Varies by brand | ✗ Permanent chemistry |
| Stylist Wears a Mask? | No mask needed | Yes, often required | Yes, often required | Yes, often required |
★ Cezanne is what’s used at Makers Make Parlor
Can I still wear my hair curly after?
Yes. This is a thing people don’t believe until they see it. The treatment smooths the frizz around your curl pattern, it doesn’t flatten the curl pattern itself. A lot of my curly clients come in nervous they’ll lose their curls and leave with curls that are actually more defined than before, because the frizz that was hiding the pattern is gone. If your goal is to keep your curls but lose the halo of fluff that surrounds them, this treatment was made for you.
Will it work in San Francisco humidity?
Yes, and this is the question that should really be at the top of this list because if you live here you already know that fog hits different. It is not the wet-blanket humidity of the South. It is the gray, creeping, you-just-got-here-from-Mission-Bay-and-now-your-hair-is-twice-as-big variety. Smoothing treatments are specifically designed to fight this, by sealing the cuticle so the moisture can’t get in and puff your hair up. Most of my clients tell me their first real test of the treatment is the foggy walk from the BART station and the fact that they arrive looking like a person and not a Muppet.
You arrive looking like a person and not a Muppet.
Can I color my hair?
Yes, but the timing matters. If you’re getting color, do it before the smoothing treatment, ideally on the same day or within a couple weeks. The smoothing treatment seals the cuticle, which means new color has a harder time getting in, so doing color first lets you take advantage of the more porous hair. Permanent and demi-permanent color both work fine. Semi-permanent will fade faster after a smoothing treatment than it would otherwise, just so you know.
What kind of products do I need to use?
Two non-negotiables and one nice-to-have. The non-negotiables: a sulfate-free shampoo and a sulfate-free conditioner. Salt is the enemy here. Treatments sit on the outside of the hair like a clear coat on a car, and salt physically scrubs that coating off. Cezanne’s Perfect Moisture line is what I send most clients home with because it’s specifically formulated to extend the treatment results. The nice-to-have: a weekly deep conditioning mask, like Olaplex No. 8, which keeps your hair feeling like silk between treatments. A few drops of Moroccanoil before blow drying is also great for heat protection and shine.
What if I just want frizz control without the commitment?
Sometimes the answer to the smoothing treatment question is “you don’t actually need a smoothing treatment.” If your hair is mostly fine and you just want a little extra help on humid days, a good leave-in conditioner and a haircut that works with your texture might solve the problem at a fraction of the cost. I’d rather tell you the truth than upsell you a service you don’t need. Come in for a consultation and we’ll talk it through.
How long does the appointment take?
Plan for two to three hours, depending on length and density. Bring your laptop or your phone and something to drink. There’s no waiting around with foil on your head, but it’s also not a quick service. The good news is you only need to do it a few times a year. Here’s how the time actually breaks down:
Your appointment, start to finish
Are you taking new clients?
Yes. New clients are welcome and there’s a New Client Guide on the site that walks you through what to expect. The Smooth and Stretch is one of three signature experiences at Makers, and it’s probably the one that gets the most “I literally cried in your chair” reviews, which I take as a compliment because they were happy tears. (I think.)
A real client
Meet Julia
Theory is one thing. Photos help. So here is one of my actual clients, with permission and a story.
Julia walked in with the kind of hair that has its own atmosphere and a personal weather system. Curly, thick, frizzy, coarse, and highlighted, which is the difficulty setting equivalent of expert mode. The fog had been winning the daily fight for a while. We did a Cezanne, plus a curly cut, plus a refresh on her highlights, all in one visit.
Left photo, day of, before we did anything. Top right, Julia weeks later with a light blowout. Bottom right, Julia fully air dried, no styling tools, no products beyond what comes with her morning routine.
The air dried photo is the one I would ask you to look at twice, because that one is the real test. A smoothing treatment either holds up when you let your hair do its own thing, or it doesn’t. This one does.
Julia left a Yelp review a few weeks later. Here it is in her words, lightly cleaned up for punctuation and otherwise untouched:
“Rachel is INCREDIBLE. I have curly, thick, frizzy, coarse hair, and it’s highlighted. Maintaining it and taming it has always been a labor and time-intensive undertaking. But not anymore. Rachel provides me with the hair trifecta. Beautiful natural blond highlights, a curly cut, and Cezanne (non-toxic) hair smoothing treatment. Now my hair looks great whether it’s curly or straight, my highlights grow out in a much more natural way, and styling my hair is effortless. My hair has never been this healthy or manageable. On top of all that, she’s super easy going and she’s conveniently located in downtown. I’m grateful I found her.”
That is the best case. Now for the part of this guide most salons won’t write.
When you probably shouldn’t book one
- Your hair is severely damaged or actively breaking. We need to fix the breakage first, then we can talk about smoothing. Putting a smoothing treatment on broken hair is like painting over rotted wood. It looks fine for about a week.
- You’re newly pregnant or breastfeeding. Even with the cleanest formulas, most stylists (myself included) recommend waiting. Better safe than sorry.
- You actually love your natural texture and just want frizz control. A good leave-in conditioner and a better haircut might do the trick. Let’s do a consult first.
- You’re not willing to use the right shampoo afterward. The treatment without proper aftercare is wasted money and I will not lie to you about this. If you’re not ready to swap your shampoo, this isn’t the right move yet.
A few words about formaldehyde, because somebody has to say it
The hair industry in the United States is largely unregulated. Whatever your stylist puts on your hair is between them and you, and there is very little oversight. Formaldehyde and its chemical cousins (methylene glycol, formalin, methanal, methylene oxide) are classified as known human carcinogens by the International Agency for Research on Cancer, and they show up in some smoothing treatments, some keratin treatments, and even some everyday hair products that are sitting on store shelves right now. The fumes are dangerous to inhale repeatedly, both for the client receiving the service and the stylist performing it, which is why hair stylists statistically have higher rates of certain respiratory and reproductive conditions than the general population. Just one of those fun beauty industry facts you don’t see on the salon brochure.
If a hair product or service makes your eyes water, your throat tickle, or fills the room with a chemical smell that requires open windows? That’s information your body is giving you. Listen to it.
The way I see it, your stylist’s commitment to your safety is the only safety net you have. Choose the person, not just the service. Ask what’s in the products they use. If they can’t answer, find someone who can.
Ready when you are
Book the Smooth + Stretch
Private studio in San Francisco. No fumes, no masks, no chemistry-class hazmat situation. Just hair that finally cooperates. Starting at $425.
Book Your Appointment →New here? Start with the New Client Guide.
