The 6 Best At-Home Keratin Treatments Your Colored Hair Needs Today.

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If you’re looking to intensify your colored hair, at-home keratin treatment products or kits can work wonders on your hair.

Not only will they restore and replenish your color treated tresses, they can lock the color in – giving it a strong protective layer that prevents color pigments from escaping when you wash it.

Keratin treatments have become an increasingly popular hair treatment due to their ability to improve hair health and enhance color durability.

But with so many keratin treatments on the market, it can be hard to know which one is right for you.

That’s why we’re here to help you discover the top 6 keratin treatments for colored hair to keep your locks looking healthy, bouncy, and beautiful!

Let’s go!

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TOP PICK!

Cocochoco Professional Gold Premium Keratin Hair Treatment

Cocochoco Professional Gold Premium Keratin Hair Treatment, 250 ml

Best For: Brighter and more vibrant hair color

This one of the best keratin treatment products for us in terms of value for money and results. Our color just seemed to pop more after use and our hair had a glossy sheen that lasted even after the first wash.

We didn’t have to be so thorough with our flat irons again. For how long it lasts, this is the best keratin treatment on the list for us. And we love the Cocochoco brand!

Pros

  • Easy application
  • True to description color
  • Leaves hair feeling soft and silky
  • Color lasts for a long time
  • Easy to use
  • Smells great
  • Almost black on dark brown, dyed hair

Cons

  • Messy application

What is keratin?

Keratin is a natural protein that makes up the main structure of your hair and skin.

It acts as a protective shield against heat, humidity and frizz.

Over time, your hair loses keratin from doing fun things like dyeing and straightening your hair, but also from exposure to the sun and weather and life. 

What is a keratin treatment?

Keratin treatments are a rising trend and a way of putting the keratin goodness back into your hair. 

Also known as Brazilian hair treatments, they’re a semi-permanent, hair-smoothing, curl-softening professional chemical treatment that make hair straighter, shinier and look healthier.

This type of treatment will cost you big bucks in the salon!

But there are at-home kits, products and remedies that do the job almost as well.

Are keratin treatments safe for colored hair?

Keratin contains amino acids that are perfectly safe to use on colored hair and a long-lasting way to lock the color and shine in.

The treatments used to be made up of a chemical like formaldehyde (which creates the long-lasting smoothing effect), deep conditioners, and keratin.

But there was a point not long ago where people got scared of the amount of chemicals in keratin treatments.

But now there are a lot more at-home keratin products available that aren’t so harsh on colored hair (of course, they’re on this list!).

Here are the top 6 keratin treatments we recommend for your colored hair right now!

Best keratin treatments at a glance.

Keratin ProductLooks likeBest forRatingBuy now
Brazilian Straight

The Real BRAZILIAN STRAIGHT Keratin Hair Straightening Treatment Kit Professional Results With Keratin Proteins Moroccan Argan, Collagen Amino Acids for Sleek Smooth Natural Beauty & Shine Luxury Salon Results that Lasts for month. for all hair types thicknesses and colors (4oz kit)

Coarse, thick, frizzy hair. four star icon Edited
Vitamins Hair Serum

Vitamins Keratin Protein Hair Serum - Biotin Anti Frizz Control Repair Treatment with Castor Oil for Frizzy Dry Damaged Hair - Straight or Curly Hair Products - Heat Protectant for Shine and Gloss

Every day quick fix.three star icon Edited 1
CocoChoco Gold

Cocochoco Professional Gold Premium Keratin Hair Treatment, 250 ml

Brighter and more vibrant hair color.five star icon Edited 1
Natural World Keratin Oil

Organic World 100ml Brazilian Keratin Smoothing Therapy Hair Treatment Oil

Lots of uses. four star icon Edited
GK Hair The Best Hair Smoothing Keratin Treatment

GK HAIR Global Keratin The Best (3.4 Fl Oz/100ml) Smoothing Keratin Hair Treatment - Professional Brazilian Complex Blowout Straightening For Silky Smooth & Frizz Free Hair

Hard to tame, coloured locks.five star icon Edited 1
Olaplex No.3 Hair Perfector

Olaplex Hair Perfector No 3 Repairing Treatment

Restoring and nourishing.five star icon Edited 1

#1. Brazilian Straight, Keratin Home Use Treatment Kit

The Real BRAZILIAN STRAIGHT Keratin Hair Straightening Treatment Kit Professional Results With Keratin Proteins Moroccan Argan, Collagen Amino Acids for Sleek Smooth Natural Beauty & Shine Luxury Salon Results that Lasts for month. for all hair types thicknesses and colors (4oz kit)

Features & ingredients:

  • Their specially formulated keratin treatment will give you straighter, smoother and silkier hair that can be managed and styled with ease.
  • It also provides added heat protection against using your hair dryer and hot irons.
  • Brazilian Straight claim the effects of the keratin treatment typically lasting up to 3 months if you look after it. 
  • Suitable for any type of hair, including colored, highlighted, dry, normal or greasy. 

Reviewers say:

“I chose this keratin treatment as it contains no formaldehyde and it’s brilliant stuff. It is a bit of a faff to put it on and you have to set aside half a day, but the benefits are so worth it.”

“This is good value IMO even for easy-to-style hair. My hair is medium-length and fine and I dye it occasionally so it’s frizz-prone. These Keratin kits made it feel like actual, normal hair, soft and swishy.”

“I have thick hair just past shoulder length. I got some help as my arms were aching but the result was amazing. It really restored my hair.”

Our experience:

The application process for this one was pretty straightforward.

You wash your hair with a special shampoo and let it dry thoroughly before applying the keratin treatment.

It’s a bit toxic smelling! Despite not containing any formaldehyde. So you need to apply it in a well-ventilated room. 

You comb it through your hair and leave to dry thoroughly (we got on with some housework!).

Once it’s dry you need to straighten small sections of hair with flat irons – use our favourite, ghd Gold Styler Professional Straighteners. Check our ghd gold styler review here.

Take time over the straightening part. It says to go over each section up to 7 times! This is a lot!

One reviewer recommended getting a heat resistant glove to protect your hands from holding the straightener for so long!

The results? Totally shiny smooth and silky hair. It was well worth the effort you have to put in. You can’t wash your hair for three days afterwards so plan that in too.

Brazilian Straight can tame even the most coarse, thick, frizzy hair. Overall, this is a best-seller for a reason – great results that last.

Best for: Coarse, thick, frizzy hair.

#2. Vitamins Hair Serum Keratin Treatment Moisturiser 

Vitamins Keratin Protein Hair Serum - Biotin Anti Frizz Control Repair Treatment with Castor Oil for Frizzy Dry Damaged Hair - Straight or Curly Hair Products - Heat Protectant for Shine and Gloss

Features & ingredients:

  • This is a ‘Keratin Protein Hair Repair Aqua Anti Frizz Serum.’ 
  • It contains Moroccan Argan Oil for dry and damaged Hair.
  • Suitable for colored, curly, afro, wavy or straight Hair. 
  • Rejuvenates hair damaged by sun and styling heat products.
  • It’s great as it contains no nasties – being paraben free, Sulphate & SLS free and alcohol free.

Reviewers say:

“I was fed up with my hair which is severely damaged after years of coloring and highlighting. My hair is down to  my shoulder and breaking off and falling out. I am thrilled with the results. My hair feels so much stronger.”

“I’ve used this and my hair is so so so soft and looks so much healthier. I saw the results straight away. The smell is great as well.”

“Even my hairdresser noticed a difference when I started using this regularly! Very happy with this purchase.”

Our experience:

This keratin treatment is a leave-in serum that you apply on damp hair from root to tip.

We didn’t expect it to work wonders compared to other, more robust chemical treatments. But it definitely made our hair feel softer and silkier.

If you’re looking for an everyday quick fix that will nourish your hair, this is a really good buy.

Best for: An everyday, quick fix.

#3. Cocochoco Professional Gold Premium Keratin Hair Treatment

Cocochoco Professional Gold Premium Keratin Hair Treatment, 250 ml

Features & ingredients:

  • Cocochoco’s Gold Hair Treatment is a premium keratin hair treatment and one of a big range that will give your hair a smooth, straight, and glossy look. 
  • Helps your colored hair to be restored back to its original healthy-looking state without the need to be conditioned continuously. 
  • This one doesn’t change the texture of your hair, just helps it look its best. 

Reviewers say:

“I started using this product for the first time six months ago. Now I can’t live without it! I can now wash blow dry and straighten my hair in no time and my hair feels incredible.

“I was wary about trying a Keratin treatment for the first time, and doing it myself, but the reviews for the Cocochoco products were great so I gave it a go! I’m so glad it did. I cannot rate it enough.

“My hair has never looked and felt in such good condition. My hair is so glossy now! I’m hooked.”

Our experience:

Applying the treatment is simple and can be done to all hair types, including already chemically treated hair like ours.

Like other treatments, you use their shampoo to cleanse your hair, leave it to dry thoroughly and then apply the keratin treatment.

All keratin treatments will make your eyes water because of the chemicals in the keratin treatment that make your hair so glossy and straight – so don’t let the reviews put you off.

We could feel it working straight away. You comb it straight, then blow dry and use flat irons then leave it for 3 days before washing.

This one of the best keratin treatment products for us in terms of value for money and results.

Our color just seemed to pop more after use and our hair had a glossy sheen that lasted even after the first wash. We didn’t have to be so thorough with our flat irons again.

For how long it lasts, this is the best keratin treatment on the list for us. And we love the Cocochoco brand!

Best For: Brighter and more vibrant hair color


#4. Natural World Brazilian Keratin Smoothing Therapy Hair Treatment Oil

Organic World 100ml Brazilian Keratin Smoothing Therapy Hair Treatment Oil

Features & ingredients: 

  • 95% naturally derived ingredients. 
  • Vegan and cruelty free.
  • Smooths and soothes hair.
  • Eliminates frizz.

Reviewers say:

“I‘m a hairdresser and I can safely say that this is the best keratin treatment oil I’ve ever used.”

“I had the full keratin treatment done and it was starting to wear off after a few weeks so I looked for something that could restore it. I found this oil worked better than the actual salon treatment! And so much easier to apply. I’ll be getting this regularly now for sure.”

Our experience:

This is a little power pump that glosses up your locks and smoothes your hair shaft to get a glorious shine.

You simply apply to clean, towel dried hair, concentrating on the lengths and ends and dry and style as usual. 

This keratin treatment is so versatile and that’s why it’s on our best buys.

You can use it in the shower, before shampooing or by mixing it with your conditioner as well as before and after blow drying.

It’s great to have to keep your colour looking sleek and smooth in between salon trips.

Best for: Keeping hair smooth and sleek.

#5. GKhair The Best Hair Smoothing Keratin Relaxer Straightening Treatment.

GK HAIR Global Keratin The Best (3.4 Fl Oz/100ml) Smoothing Keratin Hair Treatment - Professional Brazilian Complex Blowout Straightening For Silky Smooth & Frizz Free Hair

Features & ingredients:

  • The Best Keratin Treatment product to smooth and improve the softness of your hair.
  • Reduces friction to prevent fly away frizz for up to 5 months.
  • It is formulated to reduce stiffness in the hair and restore it’s natural elasticity so it feels softer.
  • It strengthens your hair to better withstand heat and helps make hair less prone to breakage.Your hair becomes smooth and manageable with fewer tangles.

Reviewers say:

 “I watched a lot of online tutorials about the best keratin treatment products and how to do keratin treatments before I bought this one. I must say I love it! The application process is really easy in comparison with other treatments.”

“I followed the instructions exactly and was so pleased with the result. I was worried about using it on color treated hair, but clearly, my hair needed this as it’s never looked better!”

“I have wavy hair that goes completely frizzy in the damp. After using this, I can go out in the dampest weather and no frizz, my hair is always smooth.” 

Our experience:

This keratin treatment is a game-changer for those with hard to tame, colored locks.

After a shampoo and rough-dry, the smoothing solution was brushed on our hair in small sections. After 15 minutes, we dried it again, then straightened it in sections. 

This is definitely one of the best keratin treatment products out there. Our wavy colored hair got noticeably bouncier, and much much easier to style. It was also smoother, but not as straight as we expected.

We didn’t use red hot flat irons as we were worried about burning the color! The results have lasted 6 weeks so far…this is well worth the hefty price tag.

Best for: Hard to tame, colored locks.

#6. Olaplex, No 3 Hair Perfector

Olaplex Hair Perfector No 3 Repairing Treatment

Features & ingredients:

  • Olaplex contains a patented active ingredient that works on a molecular level.
  • It repairs and restores the broken bonds caused by coloring and heat styling.
  • Strengthens and repairs damage to boost color, shine and smoothness.

Reviewers say:

“Olaplex is a brilliant product for people who color their hair.  I actually took mine to my colorist and have used it for my last three sets of highlights!”

“I use it 2-3 times a week on damp hair and leave it in for as long as possible. No more struggling with dry, brittle hair after colorings.”

“Amazing. There’s no going back now. This has worked wonders for my color treated hair. This is up there with the best keratin treatment products. They say it’s a cult, and it’s true!”

Our experience:

This little bottle will change your hair forever.

Previously only available in salons, this is a colored hair restoring treatment that Kim Kardashian swears by. (Hey, if it’s good enough for KK…).

It’s a keratin treatment product that’s made our list because it does the same job of repairing the hair bonds that are destroyed by coloring and heat as a full on keratin treatment.

It’s a once-a-week at home treatment that transformed our exhausted hair bonds overnight.

Our hair was noticeably softer, smoother and straighter. It feels like medicine for your hair. It’s full of goodness and you can use as a leave-in, overnight treatment or as a luxe 10-minute pre-wash treatment. Or all of the above.

Best for: Hard to tame, colored locks.


TOP PICK!

Cocochoco Professional Gold Premium Keratin Hair Treatment

Cocochoco Professional Gold Premium Keratin Hair Treatment, 250 ml

This one of the best keratin treatment products for us in terms of value for money and results.

Our color just seemed to pop more after use and our hair had a glossy sheen that lasted even after the first wash.

We didn’t have to be so thorough with our flat irons again. For how long it lasts, this is the best keratin treatment on the list for us. And we love the Cocochoco brand!

Frequently Asked Questions

Does A Keratin Treatment Make Hair Color Fade?

One common concern about keratin treatments is that they can make hair color fade faster.

The truth is, any chemical treatment can affect hair color, and keratin is no exception.

It’s not the keratin itself that causes color fading but the chemicals used in the treatment process.

Many keratin treatments contain formaldehyde, a harsh chemical that can strip color molecules from the hair.

That’s why it’s crucial to choose a keratin treatment that is free of formaldehyde and other damaging ingredients.

Should I Color My Hair Before or After Keratin Treatment?

Another question that many people ask is whether they should color their hair before or after getting a keratin treatment.

The answer depends on the type of color you want and the condition of your hair.

If you plan to bleach or highlight your hair, it’s best to do it before keratin treatment, as bleaching can weaken the hair and make it more prone to damage.

If you’re just getting a single-process color or a semi-permanent dye, you can do it before or after keratin, as long as you wait for a week in between.

If you’re not sure, have a chat with your stylist or colorist beforehand to determine the best approach for your hair type and color.

Why Did My Hair Turn Yellow After Keratin Treatment?

Yellowing or brassy hair is a common issue that can occur after getting a keratin treatment, especially if you have blonde or light-colored hair.

The yellowing is caused by the use of heat during the keratin treatment, which can oxidize light pigments and create a brassy yellowish or orange tint.

To avoid yellowing, you should choose a keratin treatment that uses low heat or infrared technology and ask your stylist to use a toning shampoo or conditioner after the treatment.

You can follow up with a color-depositing hair mask or treatment to enhance your hair color and prevent brassiness.

Why Did My Hair Color Change After Keratin Treatment?

In some cases, clients report that their hair color changed or turned darker after getting a keratin treatment.

This can happen if the keratin treatment contains a high concentration of glyoxylic acid, a chemical that can alter the hair’s natural pigment.

To prevent significant changes in hair color that you don’t want, choose a keratin treatment that does not contain glyoxylic acid or to do a patch test beforehand.

Keep in mind that some minor color shifts are totally normal and can be corrected with a toner or color adjustment.

How should I sleep after a keratin treatment?

So, you’ve just had a keratin treatment and your hair is looking fabulous, but you may be wondering how to sleep after a keratin treatment without ruining your locks.

Fear not, my fellow gorgeous-haired friend!

Firstly, invest in a silk pillowcase. Not only will it make you feel boujee as heck, but it also reduces friction on your hair and helps prevent frizz and tangles.

Secondly, avoid ponytails or any tight hairstyles that could put pressure on your hair or cause dents.

Instead, sleep with your hair down or loosely braid it.

And lastly, sweet dreams! You’ll wake up feeling like a queen with silky, smooth locks that will turn heads all day long.

Parting words

Looking after your colored hair is essential to keep it looking healthy and radiant.

With the right keratin treatment product, you can strengthen and protect your colored hair while still retaining its vibrancy.

Keratin is also a great way to give your hair a boost of nutrients that will make it look healthier and fill it with volume.

Investing in a quality Keratin product is worth its weight in gold – so get yourself a good one and make sure your color treated hair stays bright, glossy, and rejuvenated!

This article was written by:

  • Nicola Freeman, Creative Director & Content Lead
    Creative Director & Content Lead

    With over two decades of passionate hair dyeing experience, I've experimented with nearly every shade imaginable. My journey began long before blogging; as an award-winning copywriter in London and New York, I shaped narratives for iconic brands. However, when friends sought advice during lockdown for at-home hair dyeing, I realized my true calling. Beyond being your hair color expert, I'm a mom of two girls, wife to artist Tony, and an avid soccer player!