Routine for Keratin-Treated Hair

Routine · Chemical Services

After your keratin treatment, here’s the routine.

A keratin smoothing service typically lasts 3–6 months. With the right aftercare, you’ll be at the longer end of that range. The wrong products in the first 48–72 hours can ruin the treatment before it sets.

Service Lifespan
3–6 months (longer with right routine)
First 72 Hours
No product. No water. No bending.
First 3 Weeks
Skip Pure Detox + AquaLush
Between Services
12 weeks minimum
01 · The basics

What keratin smoothing services do

A keratin smoothing service (sometimes branded as Brazilian Blowout, smoothing treatment, or keratin treatment) is an in-salon chemical service that uses a glyoxylic acid–based formula (or similar) plus high-heat flat-ironing to temporarily restructure the hair fiber.

The result is reduced frizz, increased smoothness, and faster styling for 3–6 months.

The aftercare protocol matters more than for almost any other service. The wrong products in the first 48–72 hours can ruin the treatment before it sets.

02 · Critical window

The 48–72 hour rule

Do not put any product on your hair for 48–72 hours post-service — including Oli G. Your stylist will give you a specific window based on the formula used. Follow it.

During this window:

  • No shampoo, conditioner, oils, or styling products.
  • No water exposure (no swimming, no rain — wear a hat).
  • No tying back, clipping, or putting hair into any pattern that creates a crease.
  • No sleeping with hair tied back.

Hair should hang loose, dry, and undisturbed. The keratin chemistry is still setting.

03 · Day 4 onward

After the 72-hour window

You can wash. Now the routine matters.

What to use

  • Total Refresh pH Balancing Shampoo — sulfate-free, pH 5.0–5.5. Color-safe and keratin-safe.
  • Total Refresh Conditioner — acidic at pH 3.5–4.5, closes the cuticle around the treatment.
  • Atomic Leave-In on damp hair — peptide deposit doesn’t interfere with keratin.
  • Renew oil on damp ends — shine and seal.
  • Chemical Addiction before heat styling.

What to skip for the first 3 weeks

  • Pure Detox Clarifying Shampoo — clarifying shampoos accelerate keratin treatment wear-off. Wait until week 4.
  • AquaLush Peptide Fiber Mask — alkaline pH (7.0–8.0) accelerates wear-off. Skip for 3 weeks, then once a week.
04 · Steady state

The weekly maintenance routine

After the first 3 weeks, your routine looks like this:

Every wash

  1. Total Refresh Shampoo
  2. Total Refresh Conditioner
  3. Atomic Leave-In on damp hair
  4. Renew oil on ends
  5. Chemical Addiction before heat

Once a week

AquaLush in place of conditioner (one wash per week only).

Every 2–3 weeks

Pure Detox in place of Total Refresh Shampoo (one wash only).

05 · Make it last

Six tactics for the long end of 6 months

  1. Sulfate-free shampoo every wash. Total Refresh is.
  2. Close the cuticle with acidic conditioner. Total Refresh Conditioner is pH 3.5–4.5.
  3. Clarify minimally. Twice a month at most after week 3.
  4. Limit chlorine and saltwater. Wet hair in fresh water before pool/ocean, then apply Renew oil.
  5. Sleep on a silk pillowcase. Reduces friction wear at the surface.
  6. Use Chemical Addiction before any heat. Lower iron/dryer 20 degrees from pre-service.
06 · Timeline

What to expect

Days 3–7
Hair behaves smooth, blow-dries quickly. Atomic and Renew settle in.
Week 2
Routine locked in. Hair feels healthy and shiny without the service freshness.
Week 6–8
First slight return of texture/frizz, often hidden by styling. Atomic keeps depositing peptides underneath.
Week 12–16
Frizz returning more visibly. Time to plan the next service.

Wait at least 12 weeks between services. The hair fiber needs recovery time even from a relatively gentle keratin protocol.

07 · Don’t

What to avoid

  • Sulfate shampoos for the duration of the service. Strip the keratin fast.
  • Clarifying before week 4 post-service.
  • AquaLush before week 4 post-service.
  • Hot water washing. Lukewarm only.
  • Tying hair back wet in the first 72 hours. Crease can set permanently.
  • Layering chemical services. No bleach, color, or relaxer within 4 weeks before or after.
08 · Edge case

If you also have color or bleach

Keratin treatments are compatible with color-treated and bleached hair, but the recovery profile changes:

  • Chemical services together accelerate keratin wear-off.
  • Skip Pure Detox and AquaLush for 4 weeks instead of 3.
  • Extend the standard maintenance routine without modification.

If planning fresh color while on a keratin treatment, talk to your stylist — typically color is applied 2 weeks before or 2 weeks after the keratin service, not during.

Build the keratin-safe routine. Make it last.

Sulfate-free wash. Acidic-pH conditioner. Peptide deposit. The four products that don’t strip the treatment.

Shop Atomic →Read the pH cycle →