Joonbug Chicago

Thursday, December 8, 2011

Kerastaste Chronologiste

Your hair will thank you

Are your split ends and dry brittle hair are cramping your winter style? Take off your wool hat and get thee to Maxine Salon, where glamorous stylist Dani Hauflaire (she models for the salon too!) will fix your winter hair woes with Kerastase's Chronologiste treatment.

Chronologiste is a luxurious treatment that lasts about thirty minutes, complete with a soothing scalp massage. I was amazed that this over-achieving treatment was suitable for all hair types and could simultaneously strengthen, moisturize and volumize hair. Caviar pearls keep nutrients (like vitamins A and E) fresh, and the pearls are mashed into a smooth velvety cream, before being liberally applied from roots to ends. I'll admit I'm not entirely sure what gluco-lipids, squalene and ceramides are, but I don't have to have a science PhD to tell the difference in my hair after using Chronologiste.

I tend to have finer, thinner hair, so I'm always looking for products and treatments that thicken and volumize. Although my hair didn't feel any thicker after Chronologiste, I definitely had more body and shine. My hair felt softer and smoother and had such a nice bounce that it put a bounce in my step as I walked down Michigan Avenue, my hair revitalized and ready to brave the winter winds. At $60, Chronologiste might seem pricey, but when I considered how much the masques and serums I sometimes use are, it seems like a more efficient path to healthy hair.

"It will help keep hair balanced and nourished in even the harshest conditions," Hauflaire says. She recommends getting the treatment once every month or two and touching up in between with Kerastase's in-salon express treatments. These touch-ups are $40 and consist of a quick spritz on your wet hair after a shampoo, cut or color. "Your stylist will pick what's right for you," she assures me. "It's all about rebuilding your hair structure."

A take-home version of the Chronologiste treatment is available for $145, and Hauflaire says that depending on hair length and thickness, the kit lasts for 10 to 12 treatments. Crushing caviar pearls yourself might not be back-breaking labor, but it also isn't quite as indulgent as being waited on in the salon. When this treatment wears off, I think treating myself to an occasional Chronologiste treatment in the salon will be money well spent.

For general winter upkeep, Hauflaire also recommends brushing hair thoroughly at night and runing oil through the ends, like Kerastase's Elixir Ultime. Personally, I love Morrocan Oil too.