Beauty Ideas That Save Time, Money, and Sanity

Ingenious beauty treatments that will banish bad hair days and other woes—for good.

The Issue: Frizz

The Solution: A Keratin Treatment

If your hair is on the curly side, your mood probably dips along with the barometric pressure. A keratin treatment can be a game changer, rendering you frizzproof and free to go about your life despite inclement weather.

How it works: A stylist seals keratin, a conditioning protein, into each strand with a flat iron. “The keratin weightlessly coats the hair, blocking moisture, which is what triggers the chain reaction that leads to frizz,” explains Philadelphia-based stylist Alan Gold.

Where and how much: The treatment is available at salons nationwide. It can cost $150 or more, depending on whether you treat just one area (bangs, for instance) or your whole head.

Results last: Eight to twelve weeks, provided you don’t wash your hair for up to four days following the treatment. You’ll also need to steer clear of shampoos and conditioners with sodium chloride (a.k.a. salt), which breaks the keratin bonds.

A word to the wise: The treatment can release chemical fumes when it’s steamed into the hair, so you and your stylist should wear masks. But fear not, says celebrity stylist Paul Labrecque: “Masks looks scary, but this is actually just safe practice.”

Try this at home: The next generation of frizz fighters are long-lasting serums with special polymers that keep hair smooth through a shampoo or two. They may even help decrease frizz overall the longer you use them. Try Avon Advance Techniques Frizz Control Lotus Shield ($12, avon.com) or John Frieda Frizz Ease 3-Day Straight ($10 at drugstores).