Design Essentials Strengthening Therapy: An Alternative to Keratin Treatments

Design Essentials has launched a new salon-exclusive treatment, that can serve as an alternative to Keratin Treatments for transitioning, relaxed, and natural hair. The new treatment, Strengthening Therapy System is a system that focuses on strengthening the hair while yielding straight, silky, smooth results without permanent chemical alteration.





"Stylists are seeing frustration in the chair from clients who are transitioning and want to avoid the 'Big Chop' due to multiple textures; clients who are natural and are seeking manageability and curl definition; and clients whose hair is weakened or chemically altered and are experiencing breakage," says Tracey Gibson, Design Essentials® Director of Marketing. "We can address each of these groups with a single solution in the form of Strengthening Therapy, which will straighten and smooth transitioning hair, enhance curl definition and maximize curl length and restore chemically treated, damaged or weakened hair." 

How is it done? The Transitioning Mousse or Elongation Mousse should be applied following the use of Cleansing Sulfate Free Shampoo. Pump the mousse on the root of the section of hair and comb through from root to end until entire head is complete and allowing to process for 15 minutes. The active amino-acids are activated by heat by blow-drying and then flat ironing at the lowest recommended heat setting in the industry (340°F - 400°F) to seal the cuticle. The client should be shampooed again with Cleansing Sulfate Free Shampoo and conditioned with Express Instant Moisturizing Conditioner then styled as usual. For relaxed or color treated clients, the Silkening Spray is a treatment and is applied after shampooing and left in the hair through the thermal styling process. The Silkening Spray can be applied weekly as needed.

What is the difference between the two types of mousse?  The Transitioning Mousse works by strengthening the hair at the line of demarcation (the point where relaxed and natural hair meet) to help deliver uniformity of the curl pattern.  The Elongation Mousse is for women who opt to wear their hair most in its naturally curly state, Elongation Mousse elongates waves, curls and kinks to ensure frizz free curl patterns with greater manageability, definition and maximum shine.


How will it strengthen my hair? Based on extensive research and development, Design Essentials® new Strengthening Therapy System delivers strengthening properties through an active ingredient known as Cystine amino-acid. These micro-fine amino-acids penetrate deep into the hair shaft to fill the hair fiber with protein and nutrients that helps to strengthen, tame and elongate each hair strand. Unlike keratin treatments, this protein is able to penetrate the hair shaft without the use of chemicals such as urea and formaldehyde. Additional fortifying ingredients such as sweet almond oil, honey rose hip oil and panthenol further nourish the hair.  


Interested in the process?  Visit a Design Essentials Salon near you.