Every week someone asks us for "a keratin to make my hair straight", or for "a Japanese straightening that won't damage my hair". Both requests mix up two completely different services. One is a perm. The other is a treatment. They do different things to the hair, they feel different, and they are chosen for different reasons. This page explains the difference plainly, so you can book the right one.
A Japanese straight perm is a perm. Not a conditioning service, not a care service — a perm, in the same family as a curly perm, only in the opposite direction. In some countries it is sold under names that make it sound like a care service. The name does not change the chemistry. Whatever it is called, it is a perm, and it puts a heavy load on the hair.
This is how it works, in three steps:
Straight-permed hair looks shiny and smooth. It is important to understand why. Straight hair reflects light evenly, so it looks glossy — that look comes from the straight shape, not from the hair being in better condition. Underneath, the hair has been through a strong chemical process and the stress on it is real. This is also why we check every head carefully first, and why we may decline heavily bleached or already damaged hair.
What it is for: wavy, curly or frizzy hair that you want straight. Nothing else does this. If your goal is to remove the wave, a straight perm is the only route.
A keratin treatment is exactly what the name says: a treatment. Kerasilk contains no ingredient that breaks the bonds inside the hair, and no ingredient that can pull a wave or a curl straight. It does not open up the internal structure of the hair. It works on the surface and the outer layers, smoothing the cuticle, reducing frizz and puffiness, and adding softness and shine.
Because nothing inside the hair is broken or re-formed, the keratin treatment does not straighten at all. A wave stays a wave. A curl stays a curl. What changes is how the hair behaves: it lies flatter, it is less affected by Bangkok's humidity, it dries faster, and it feels smoother to the touch. The effect fades gradually over weeks and washes out; nothing is permanent.
What it is for: hair that is frizzy, puffy or hard to manage, where you want support against the frizz while keeping your natural shape. It is also the gentle choice for coloured or bleached hair that could not take a perm.
| Japanese straight perm | Kerasilk keratin treatment | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | A perm | A treatment |
| Inside the hair | Breaks the bonds with the first lotion, re-forms them with the second | Nothing inside the hair is broken or changed |
| Straightens waves / curls? | Yes — this is the only service that does | No — not at all |
| Frizz and volume | Gone, because the hair is straight | Reduced and controlled; natural movement stays |
| Shine | High — straight hair reflects light evenly | High — the smoothed surface reflects light |
| Load on the hair | Heavy. Strong chemical process | Light. No bond-breaking chemistry |
| How long it lasts | Permanent on that hair; regrowth comes in with your natural wave | Several weeks; fades gradually with washing |
| Bleached or damaged hair | Often declined to avoid breakage | Usually fine; often the better choice |
| Time at the salon | About 3 hours | About 2 hours |
| Price at Ciel | ฿3,990–6,500 | ฿3,990–6,000 |
Prices depend on hair length, volume and condition, and are confirmed at your counselling. If you would like to know the final price in advance, ask your stylist before we start.
No. A Japanese straight perm is a perm. It breaks the bonds inside the hair with a first lotion, pulls the hair straight with a flat iron, and locks the new shape with a second lotion. Whatever name it is sold under in your country, chemically it is a perm, and it puts real stress on the hair. Looking shiny afterwards does not mean the hair is in better condition.
No. Kerasilk contains no ingredient that breaks the bonds inside the hair, so it cannot straighten waves or curls at all. It smooths the surface, reduces frizz and volume, and adds shine. The wave stays.
Only a straight perm can make wavy or curly hair straight. If you want the waves or curls removed, a Japanese straight perm is the only option. If you only want frizz and puffiness under control while keeping your natural movement, choose the Kerasilk keratin treatment.
Because the hair is straight, light reflects off it evenly, so it looks shiny and smooth. That look is the result of the straight shape, not of the hair being healthier. The chemical process of a straight perm puts a heavy load on the hair.
Japanese straight perm from ฿3,990 to ฿6,500 and Kerasilk keratin treatment from ฿3,990 to ฿6,000, depending on hair length, volume and condition. The final price is confirmed at your counselling.