The complete guide to Paul Edmonds London’s straightening services
Chemical straightening is the ultimate solution for long-lasting smoothness and shine.
At Paul Edmonds, we offer three luxury straightening services to take your tresses from frizzy to fabulous – relaxer, Extenzo and Signature Smooth – and our salon experts are equipped with the knowledge to help you decide which is best for you.
But first of all, how does chemical straightening work?
“You apply the treatment and what it does is break the bonds down within the curly hair and straightens the hair,” says senior colourist Steven Kamara.
“Relaxers and Extenso are permanent hair straightening treatments, whereas Signature Smooth is temporary. It will softly fade out of the hair so the curl and the volume will come back.”
To decide which of the three is most suitable, a thorough consultation is a must, so your stylist can assess your hair type and condition.
“Relaxer is generally more for afro hair or anything from a 3C curl and up, while Extenso is aimed more at caucasian hair,” says stylist and afro specialist Charlotte Humes.
“A client who chooses relaxer or Extenso probably wants to wear their hair straight 90% of the time and not have too much volume, whereas somebody who has Signature Smooth might still want a big, bouncy blow dry.” That latter is “more of a defrizzer,” she adds.
When opting for a permanent treatment, one thing’s for sure, Steven says: “The hair has to be strong. You can do it on tinted hair, but not bleached. Once you've had it bleached your hair is sensitised and we use quite strong chemicals for straightening so the hair would likely break.”
If, after an elasticity test at your consultation, your stylist deems your hair too weak, they may recommend the Signature Smooth, which is an effective but less intensive option.
The other important factor to consider is the commitment required for permanent straightening.
“It lasts about six to eight weeks, maybe a bit more,” Charlotte explains. “As your hair grows you'll start to see the curl and the natural hair texture changing.” That’s when you know it’s time for a root touch-up to treat the regrowth area.
Now, to help you decide which straightening service is the right one for your curls or coils, here the team describe the step-by-step process, pros and cons for relaxers, Extenso and Signature Smooth.
RELAXERS
“The main advantage of using a relaxer is that your styling time is cut down massively,” Charlotte says. “Your hair looks more moisturised, smoother and shinier. The only cons are the upkeep, because you have to do it quite frequently, and the risk of hair breakage.”
However, it’s possible to minimise damage by tailoring the strength of the relaxing solution and how long it stays on, she explains: “You have to be quite time sensitive with relaxers and be mindful of the sensitivity of the scalp, because if you leave the relaxer on too long it can actually burn the scalp, but sometimes it's better for the hair to go stronger with the solution and leave it on for less time.”
The process takes around 45 minutes and starts, ideally, with hair that hasn’t been washed for at least a couple of days. An oil is applied to protect the scalp then the straightening solution is applied with a brush, being careful to avoid touching the skin.
“That stays on for about seven to 10 minutes, then the hair is rinsed for about five minutes,” Charlotte continues. “Next, we apply a normalising conditioner for five minutes which locks the bonds back into the hair and restores the moisture that's been lost, followed by a neutralising shampoo to bring the pH back to neutral.”
Once the suds of the shampoo turn from pink to white that means all the product has been rinsed out. The last step is a hair mask for a final dose of hydration.
EXTENSO
Intended to defrizz and smooth curly or coily hair, Extenso is a less intensive kind of chemical straightening service than a relaxer that results in more manageable locks.
“Extenso will reduce volume and puffiness, so if your hair is very curly or afro texture, it's going to make it more of a wave rather than making it poker straight,” Charlotte says.
There are two different options with Extenso: the regular treatment or a version using straightening irons to create an extra smoothing effect similar to a relaxer.
Steven explains how the regular 45-minute treatment process works: “We shampoo the hair then apply the straightening product, allow it to develop for about 15 minutes, then rinse for five minutes. We apply the neutraliser with a sponge to set the hair, which is left on for 10 minutes, then rinsed again for five minutes.”
There’s no shampooing after the treatment, only a conditioning mask to restore moisture, and the process is slightly different when heated straighteners are used: “Instead of neutralising, we just rinse the product off, dry the hair completely and and run the straighteners through small sections from the roots to the ends.”
SIGNATURE SMOOTH
Paul Edmonds London’s Signature Smooth is a client favourite treatment using nano technology so defrizz hair without any of the harsh chemicals needed for relaxers or Extenso.
“The Signature Smooth product penetrates inside the hair and sits where the colour pigment would normally sit, which is why you can't have colour done for two weeks either side,” says director Matilda Marshall.
The luxurious treatment takes around three and a half hours, depending on the length of your hair, with the results lasting up to three months.
“We cleanse the hair first, dry it off, then apply the product, and leave it on for anything from 40 to 90 minutes, depending on how strong the curl and frizz is, combing it through every 15 minutes or so,” Matilda explains. “Next, we part-rinse the treatment, dry the hair, straighten it, and then finally we wash and blow dry the hair.”
There’s also the Signature Express treatment, which is the same process but the formula stays on for around 20 minutes: “It's a milder formulation. It's basically a debulker and lasts six to eight weeks, so it's good for somebody who doesn't need intensive smoothing, but their hair gets a bit fluffy or frizzy.”
While Siganture Smooth produces long-lasting results, it’s important to look after your hair following the treatment, Matilda says: “I always advise my clients not to use heat on their hair, such as straighteners or tongs, for 24 hours, to make sure the cuticle stays shut and lets the treatment settle.”
Straightening services after-care
Looking after your hair following a straightening service is similar to post-colour care, meaning hydration is your number one priority.
“I love the riche and superior ingredients in the Shu Uemura range of products as a general rule, but I especially love other products like Oribe's Moisture and Control range for post straightening or the Supershine range, they provide hydration and shine for the hair” Steven says.
“I would do a masque once a week at home and use Essence Absolue oil for styling. It’s also a good idea to come back into the salon in between straightening appointments to have a moisturising treatment.”
Straight ahead
Now you know the key differences between the three straightening services we offer at Paul Edmonds London and how they work on curly or coily hair.
Whether you want to cut down on styling time, reduce frizz, debulk your locks, or all of the above, we’ve got a treatment that will deliver your smoothest strands ever.
Can’t decide which straightening service to choose? Book a consultation to get exert advice from a stylist at Paul Edmonds London.
