Office party, family dinner, New Year’s Eve photos: December is when you want your hair at its best, and it is also when cold air and indoor heating make it dry, frizzy and full of static. Should you book a keratin, a hair botox or a nanoplastia before the holidays, and when? Here is a simple plan, plus how to keep the result all winter.
The short answer: which treatment, and when to book
| Your goal for the holidays | Treatment usually suggested | When to book |
|---|---|---|
| Less frizz and more shine, keeping volume or curls | Hair botox | 1 to 2 weeks before the event |
| Smoother hair that is easier to style all winter | Keratin | about 2 weeks before |
| Hair as straight as possible | Nanoplastia | 2 to 3 weeks before |
| A gentle smoothing for fine or coloured hair | Bixyplastia or a gentle keratin | about 2 weeks before |
| Very damaged hair that breaks | A reconstruction first, smoothing later if the hair allows it | 3 to 4 weeks before |
These are planning tips, not product rules. The idea is to leave time for the first washes, for you to get used to styling your new hair, and for a small adjustment if needed. Your stylist has the final word after looking at your hair. Not sure which line is yours? Try our which hair treatment quiz.
Why hair gets dry and frizzy in winter
In a Canadian winter, the air outside is cold and dry, and indoor heating dries the air inside too. Hair that loses moisture looks dull, and the lengths frizz as soon as you step into a humid room or a snowy street. Wool hats and scarves rub the lengths and add static. Hot tools used every morning to tame all this add even more stress.
A smoothing treatment does not change the weather, but it makes hair easier to manage: less frizz, more shine, faster blow-drying. How much it smooths depends on the treatment. Our guide to the differences between keratin, hair botox, bixyplastia and nanoplastia explains each one.
How long each treatment lasts through the season
- Hair botox: about 2 to 4 months for most professional products, sometimes up to 5. Done in mid-November, it usually covers the holidays and part of January. Details in our guide to hair botox in Montreal.
- Keratin: about 3 to 6 months depending on the product, so it can carry you to spring. A coffee keratin is one variant: what a coffee keratin treatment is.
- Nanoplastia: about 3 to 6 months, and the straightest result. See nanoplasty in Montreal.
Comparing budgets? Our page on keratin, hair botox and nanoplastia prices in Canada lists salon price ranges by city and the cost per month of each treatment.
Timing: what to do, and what to avoid right before
- Do not book the day before the event. Give yourself at least a week, so you can wash and style your hair a few times.
- Plan colour first. The product and the heat of the flat iron can slightly change the colour, so colour is usually done before the treatment or about two weeks after. Ask your salon for the right order.
- Ask about the first wash. When you can wash, tie or clip your hair depends on the product: ask your stylist rather than guessing.
- Book early. Salons get busier before the holidays, and a nanoplastia on long hair can take several hours.
- Very damaged hair? Start with a reconstruction a few weeks before. A smoothing treatment can come later, if the hair handles heat.
Already had your treatment? Make it last all winter
Home care makes the biggest difference: a sulfate-free routine with a conditioner and a weekly mask, no clarifying shampoo at home, and a heat protectant before the flat iron or the blow-dryer. Dry your hair fully before going out in the cold.
A simple kit made to maintain smoothing treatments: the Prohall Burix Care shampoo, conditioner and repair and shine mask. Home care products can be bought without a professional account. More tips on our page about maintenance after keratin, botox and nanoplastia.
In Montreal: book before the rush
Sensavie Beauty Salon, 6140 Sherbrooke Street West, Montreal (Notre-Dame-de-Grâce), near Vendôme metro. Open Tuesday to Friday 10 a.m.–6 p.m. and Saturday 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Phone: (514) 508-7367.
Sensavie offers keratin, hair botox (including shorter express versions) and nanoplasty. For prices and availability, check with the salon. Full disclosure: Sensavie is at the same address as Naturalook, the company behind this site.
Elsewhere in Canada? See our page Find a salon.
For stylists: the holiday season in your salon
November and December are a good time to talk about smoothing with your clients, because many of them have an event coming. A few ideas:
- Plan backwards from the date. Use the table above at the consultation: event date, goal, then the right treatment and booking date.
- Offer a “treatment + home care” package. The client leaves with the products that make the result last, and you sell retail. Home care products can be resold to your clients.
- Price it with real numbers. Our salon treatment calculator gives your product cost per treatment and your margin for keratin, hair botox, nanoplastia and bixyplastia.
- Add a treatment to your menu. Learn about the format and sign up at Naturalook Academy (online), or see the in-person courses in Montreal.
What to use now in Canada
Honma Tokyo is no longer distributed in Canada by Naturalook. The closest professional equivalents we stock: Felps Brazilian Nuts XBTX for hair botox, Felps Brazilian Nuts Keratin Duo for keratin and Felps Açaí Oil Nanoplastia for nanoplastia. For dry, porous and frizzy hair at the backbar, the Felps Marula Hyper-Nutrition mask is a good partner.
Professional treatments are sold to licensed professionals with a professional account. Code HONMA10 takes 10% off your first professional order, and shipping is free from $300.
Frequently asked questions
How long before a party should I get a keratin?
About two weeks is a comfortable margin. You will have time for the first washes and to learn how to style your hair, and your stylist can adjust if needed.
Is hair botox a good idea in winter?
It can be, if your hair is dry and frizzy and you want to keep volume: it smooths and adds shine. Most professional products last about 2 to 4 months.
Can I colour my hair before the holidays too?
Yes, but plan the order. Colour is usually done before the smoothing treatment or about two weeks after, because the product and the heat can slightly change the colour.
My hair is very damaged. Can I still do something before the holidays?
Start with a reconstruction a few weeks ahead. A smoothing treatment can come later if your hair handles heat; your stylist will tell you.
How do I keep the result with indoor heating and hats?
Use a sulfate-free shampoo, a conditioner and a weekly mask, skip clarifying shampoos at home, protect your hair from heat and dry it fully before going out.
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