If you made a New Year’s Resolution this year, whether it be to go to the gym more often, bill more hours, or spend more time with friends and family, odds are it will require you to put aside some time in your life. In that vein, these next two editions of Style Counsel will be dedicated to cutting down the time that you may be spending blowing out your hair.
There are a number of permanent or semi-permanent hair straightening treatments on the market right now, the most popular being Japanese Hair Straightening and the Brazilian Blowout. Each has its costs and benefits, and this week we will explore Japanese Hair Straightening.
Japanese Hair Straightening uses chemicals to break down the hair’s bonds before sealing them back via flat iron to permanently straighten hair. It is similar to a perm except the goal is to straighten, rather than curl. This treatment has been falling out of favour in recent years because of the damage that can be done when applied to the wrong hair type or by an inexperienced stylist. However, when applied to strong, healthy hair by a skilled stylist, the results can be incredible.
It permanently leaves hair pin straight and silky looking, with no need to flat iron or even blow dry to achieve these results. The treatment takes 4-6 hours and costs $450 and up, but lasts six months to a year depending on the length of your hair; the treatment is permanent and grows out with the hair; longer hair weighs down the new growth, keeping it straight for longer.
Some words of caution: Japanese Hair Straightening should only be performed on relatively strong and healthy hair. If you repeatedly dye your hair a lighter colour, this treatment will probably be too harsh for you. Seek out a stylist who has been using the treatment for at least a few years, and is familiar with Japanese hair treatments in general (and preferably trained in Japan, where the treatment was developed and is much more common than here). Also, make sure the stylist has dealt with your hair type in the past.
A number of upscale downtown Toronto salons have begun offering this service. I would advise against this route, however; it is a very delicate process and you do not want to be a novice’s guinea pig. Your best bet is to find a place out in the suburbs that has been using the method for years. You may have to go without your Aveda tea and hand massage, but you will save at least $500 (downtown salons charge up to $1200 and prices in the suburbs start around $450) and leave 
with better results. If you are on the West Coast, there are a number of Vancouver salons that have offered the service for many years.
To keep your hair healthy post-treatment, I recommend any gentle shampoo followed by L’Oréal Professional Vitamino Colour Conditioner ($40, salons), followed by L’Oréal Kerastase Elixir Ultime as a leave-in treatment ($50, salons). 
Once a week, Phyto’s Phytocitrus Restructuring Mask ($38, Sephora) works wonders.
If your hair is already dry or damaged, Japanese Hair Straightening is not for you. Stay tuned for the next edition of Style Counsel where I will introduce you to the Brazilian Blowout, which actually works best on damaged hair and improves its condition. I will also explain how to ensure you pick a brand of Brazilian Blowout that meets Health Canada’s requirements in light of recent findings that some products on the market were non-complying.
Donna Wilson is a Toronto-based commercial litigator at Affleck Greene McMurtry LLP. Her style and beauty column appears every second Wednesday.