Keratin Express vs Keratin Treatment – The Differences Explained
Written by Shehnaz Shirazi
Updated on
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Keratin express vs keratin treatment. Which one is better?
Which one is more suitable for your hair type?
I’ve been asked this question many times, and after trying both on numerous occasions, I’m going to share my experience with you in this post.
While both treatments are equally good at toning down the frizzies and transforming dull and damaged hair into sleek, smooth, and shiny strands …
The only difference between them is your time and commitment.
A full keratin treatment is much more expensive, which can cost $300+ per session. A keratin express hair treatment, on the other hand, is cheaper, easier to do at home and an excellent option for quick spot treatments for your bangs and problem areas.
You can use it to:
- Instantly fix frizzy hair
- Protect your hair from humidity
- Make your curls smooth and more defined
- Add shine and vibrancy to your hair color
- Protect your hair against heat stylers
All of these, in less than 35 minutes for less than half the price of a regular keratin treatment.
To put it simply:
A keratin express treatment is the fastest, simplest, and most affordable solution for shiny, smooth, and frizz-free hair without the long term commitment.
Keratin Complex Express Blowout Smoothing System
Want to find out more?
Keep reading and I’ll explain in more details why you need a keratin express in your hair care routine.
Table of Contents
What is a Keratin Express Treatment?
Keratin express treatment for hair is a lighter version of the full Brazilian keratin treatment.
I call it Keratin lite.
Or even better: The perfect keratin treatment for newbies.
For commitment-phobes who are reluctant to dive in with both feet into a full Brazilian, this is for you.
Keratin express is a better alternative for people on the go who don’t have the time and budget for frequent salon visits.
I personally use keratin express treatments in between my full keratin treatments to top it up and make the results last longer.
And it keeps my treatment fresh like it was just done yesterday!
With powerful ingredients such as:
- Hydrolyzed keratin
- Collagen
- And Amino acids
… these treatments rapidly deliver the nourishing blend of nano keratin and other essential healing ingredients to boost your hair and make it look luxuriously silky in no time.
Keratin express vs full keratin treatment
Express infuses a high quality of micronized keratin into your hair in the shortest amount of time.
To make it even better …
Express keratin treatments help your hair block out humidity which, seriously helps to fight frizz and flyaways.
A keratin express treatment revitalizes and rejuvenates your hair so that it becomes more manageable and easy to style.
All thanks to its progressive alignment of the strands and the intense smoothing formula which also helps to:
- Repair uneven hair porosity
- Repair bleaching and chemical damage
- Seal split ends
- And lock your hair color to look more vibrant
Unlike traditional keratin treatments, you don’t need to wait 72 hours (3 days) to wash your hair or endure weeks of daunting maintenance.
You can wash your hair on the same day. After 8 hours!
And if that’s not enough …
An express keratin treatment costs less than half the price of the full treatment!
So if you want the full benefits of a keratin treatment without all the hassle, the express blowout is your ultimate wash and go that will give you Kardashian waves to flaunt for the next 6 weeks.
Check out: Keratin express hair treatment reviews on Amazon »
Yes, in terms of results, you get the same benefits of a full keratin. But at a cheaper price point, there are a few things you need to know about.
Let me explain the key differences between a keratin express and a keratin treatment.
Keratin Express vs Keratin Treatments – The Complete Low Down
A keratin express treatment is what a semi-permanent color is to permanent hair color.
You don’t have to commit to it fully, but yet, you can enjoy the immediate benefits of a full keratin.
You get the same conditioning and smoothing results, but the lifespan of an express keratin treatment is much shorter.
And the aftercare is much easier too.
Here’s how the keratin express compares to full keratin treatments:
| Keratin Express | Keratin Treatment |
|---|---|
| Cost: $100 | Cost: $300+ |
| Application Time: 35 minutes | Application Time: 2-3 hrs |
| Lasts up to: 6 weeks | Lasts up to: 4 months |
| Washing time: After 8 hours | Washing Time: After 72 hours |
| Aftercare: Easy | Aftercare: Requires more effort |
Results:
|
Results:
|
| Ease of use: Can do at home | Ease of use: May require hairstylist |
Reasons to Try A Keratin Express Treatment
Usually, full keratin treatments require a lot of heat and an intense 3 hour+ session.
Not to mention the high cost of the treatment and the meticulous aftercare routine.
Plus, there’s also the risk of being exposed to strong chemicals like Formaldehyde in Brazilian blowouts, which completely relaxes the hair.
If you don’t want permanent pin-straight looking hair, express blowouts are better alternatives.
Express treatments work like same-day smoothers by reinforcing the hair to make the texture silky and easy to manage.
An important thing to note here:
Because the treatment does not sit long in your hair, it won’t dramatically change the texture of your hair.
So if your hair is wavy, it will go slightly straight.
If your hair is curly, you will get smoother curls with a better definition.
If your hair is frizzy and damaged – it will even out the porosity and rough areas to make it smooth all over.
The added benefit to this treatment is its ability to make your hair dry much faster, thus cutting down significantly on your blow-drying time and a lesser need to use a hair straightener.
To recap:
Compared to full Brazilian blowouts, a keratin express treatment:
- Doesn’t change the texture of your hair
- Requires less heat to seal the treatment
- Doesn’t emit chemical gases like Formaldehyde
- Doesn’t cause permanent change to your hair
The Best Selling Keratin Express Products To Try
Keratin Express Blowout
The keratin express blowout treatment is by far the most popular product in this range, offering excellent all-round conditioning that leaves your hair with a perfect finish.
Also known as the pure Brazilian express blowout, the treatment combines nano keratin and collagen to add strength and flexibility to your hair while leaving it soft to the touch.
Here are the products I recommend:
Keratin Complex Express Blowout Smoothing Treatment
The express keratin complex blowout treatment requires a 1-hour application in salon or at home to do, and the results also last up to 6 weeks.
The downtime is also 8 hours, which you have to wait before washing your hair.
But:
The results are so good, you won’t believe it’s a semi-permanent keratin treatment.
Here are some of the benefits of using the keratin complex express treatment:
- Eliminates frizz
- Makes hair resistant to humidity
- Cuts down styling time
- Makes your hair blow dry faster
- Reduces curl up to 3 levels
- Up to 6 weeks of fuss-free styling
Check out the keratin express treatment before and after photos from keratin complex »
If you want to do your keratin express treatment at home, here’s a video on how to do it:
Keratin Complex Express Blowout Smoothing System
Please note:
For this treatment, you’ll also need to get:
And like any other keratin treatments, you’ll need the following tools handy:
- A non-metallic mixing bowl
- An applicator brush
- A few hair clips
- A pair of gloves
- A microfiber towel
- A blow dryer
- And a hair straightener
Try it out and unleash your inner hairstylist at home.
Keratin Salon Direct Smoothing Treatment
The Keratin Salon Direct smoothing treatment works on all hair types and lasts for a few months.
The treatment infuses a rich blend of micro keratin, amino acids, and other botanical extracts that make it a safer alternative to Formaldehyde-based smoothing treatments.
Check it out:
Keratin Salon Direct Smoothing Treatment
Peter Coppola Express Keratin Treatment
This heat-activated blowout leave-in spray instantly hydrates your hair and leaves it with a perfect silky finish, and texture to make your hair styling a breeze.
Packed with keratin, Ceramides, and essential vitamins, the Peter Coppola keratin express blowout can be used to:
- Top up your keratin treatment
- Add blaze to your blondes and highlights
- Brighten up your hair color
- Or give your curls more va va voom
And it’s so simple to use, you’ll be done in minutes!
- Spray it over wet or dry hair
- Use a round brush to blow dry it
And voila!
Coppola Express Blowout
Alfaparf Milano Keratin Therapy Lisse Design Express
The express therapy from Alfaparf is an intense smoothing and restructuring treatment that is Formaldehyde-free and works on all types of hair.
If you have heat damaged or chemically processed hair, the keratin lisse express treatment will repair and fortify the cuticle layer with one application.
Bonus point:
It also adds a glossy finish and comes with all necessary before and after shampoos.
Alfaparf Milano Keratin Therapy Lisse Express
Keratherapy Express Keratin Treatments
The Keratherapy express treatment works best for thick and resistant hair by offering maximum volume and curl reduction.
What I also love about this Keratin therapy express treatment is its list of safe, natural ingredients, and zero Formaldehyde.
This treatment will drastically improve tough tresses with its new and holistic approach to fast keratin smoothing.
You can also check out Keratherapy’s new line of Express Renewal Plus products.
I haven’t tried it yet, but I can’t wait to review this next.
Watch the space!
Keratin Express Blowout or Keratin Treatment?
A full keratin treatment doesn’t always work for everyone’s hair type and lifestyle.
Sometimes, you may only want to experience the results for a short period or for a momentous occasion.
That’s where a keratin express works out better than a full keratin treatment.
So keratin express vs keratin treatment is not like comparing apples with apples. Each of them has their own unique set of benefits and drawbacks.
It just depends on what suits your hair and commitment levels.
If you don’t like paying over the odds for a quick hair makeover, an express treatment will be just fine.
If you like keeping up with the Kardashians and love to have smooth, sleek, and Instagram-worthy hair all the time, then a full keratin treatment is for you.
Keratin Complex Express Blowout Smoothing System
About the Author
Shehnaz ShiraziShehnaz Shirazi has been writing in the beauty and cosmetics industry for over 8 years, sharing her expansive hair care and beauty knowledge. Shehnaz researches and tests new hair care trends and publishes her insights here.