Smoothing Treatment

Smoother, shinier, easier hair. You choose how sleek.

Frizz-free hair in half the styling time. Keep every curl, or go longer and more polished. Smoothing treatments in Capitola and Santa Cruz, matched to your texture, your color history, and the look you want.


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Choose your finish

Ultra-Smooth Keratin Treatment

Our sleekest, most polished finish and strongest frizz control, even in humid weather. It softens and slightly lengthens your curl. Powered by Keratin Complex.

Best for the smoothest finish,

Curls - Softens and elongates

Finish - Sleek, Polished, reduced frizz and styling time

Highlights - a week after treatment

Color - can color right after service

Volume - most reduced

Part of hair only - no

Up to 3 months

Curl-Preserving Smoothing

Less frizz, more definition, and still unmistakably curly or wavy. Powered by Sweet Professional, it works inside the hair cuticle instead of coating the outside, so it softens frizz without flattening your pattern. Best for wavy and curly hair, and highlighted or color-treated clients. 

Best for keeping your curl

Curls - stays the same

Finish - soft and defined and reduced frizz

Highlights - yes a week after treatment

Color - can color right after service

Volume -reduced

Part of hair only - no

Up to 3 months

Repair Smoothing

Highlights, lightener, and heat leave hair dry and frizzy. This treatment adds smoothness and strength from the inside, without the heavy coating of a traditional keratin. Your first visit focuses on hydration and rebuilding, and your second shows the full shine and softness.

Best for highlighted or compromised hair

Curls - stays the same

Finish - soft, healthy, shiny,

Highlights - yes a week after treatment

Color - can color right after service

Volume -reduced

Part of hair only - no

Up to 3 months

Brazilian Blowout Free

A glossy, frizz-free finish with a formaldehyde-free formula, made for virgin hair only (no color or highlights). It softens and slightly lengthens curl.

Best for virgin hair

Curls - elongates curl

Finish - soft, reduced frizz and styling time

Highlights - week after treatment

Color -week after treatment

Volume -reduced

Part of hair only - no

Up to 3 months

Express Keratin Smoothing

A shorter treatment for smoother, shinier hair that keeps your curl pattern. A good first try, or a touch-up between full treatments.

Best for - a quick refresh, try me, bangs

Curls - stays the same

Finish - soft, slightly reduced frizz and styling time

Highlights - week after treatment

Color -week after treatment

Volume -least reduced

Part of hair only - yes

Up to 6 weeks

Customize it to your hair

You don't have to treat all of your hair. Tell us what you want and we'll build the treatment around it.

Just your bangs

Express Keratin Smoothing is the right fit for a quick, targeted refresh.

Smooth on top, volume underneath

We treat only your hairline and part, so you keep maximum volume and the frizz that shows on top stays polished. We suggest Express Keratin Smoothing or the Ultra-Smooth Keratin Treatment.

Full smoothing

Treat all of your hair for the most frizz control.

Not sure? Start with your goal.

I love my curl, I just want less frizz. Curl-Preserving Smoothing

My highlights feel dry or damaged. Repair Smoothing

I want my hair as smooth as possible. Ultra-Smooth Keratin Treatment

I want to try it first, or need a touch-up. Express Keratin Smoothing

My hair has never been colored or lightened. Brazilian Blowout Free or Ultra-Smooth Keratin Treatment

A note on volume

Every smoothing treatment can reduce volume, especially in fine hair. Frizz adds puff, so once it's gone your hair sits closer and looks less full. The result is smoother and shinier, not flat, but it will look different from how it looks now.

If you have fine hair and want to keep as much volume as possible, we suggest Express Keratin Smoothing or Repair Smoothing

Looking for Brazilian Blowout Original?

We hear this a lot. The original Brazilian Blowout contained formaldehyde, which is what gave it such sleek, locked-in results. Unfortunately we can not offer formaldehyde treatments in California any longer. Formaldehyde-free treatments work differently, so they won't match that result, and we'd rather tell you now than have you disappointed later.

Our closest option is the Ultra-Smooth Keratin Treatment. It won't lock your hair into one shape the way the original did, but it's the best choice for maximum smoothness without formaldehyde.

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Make your results last

Our treatments are gentler than older formulas, so harsh water, chemicals, and heat wear them down faster. Your daily routine decides how long they last.

Start with a shower filter

Water in Capitola and across the Santa Cruz area is hard to very hard, and mineral-heavy water, chlorine, and well water make treatments fade sooner. We recommend an AquaHomeGroup shower filter, and they make a separate filter built for well water. Replace the filter every 1 to 2 months.

  • Use professional-grade, sulfate-free shampoo and conditioner

  • Limit pools, ocean, saunas, and hot yoga, or rinse and condition first

  • Wash 2 to 3 times a week if you can

  • Use a heat protectant

FAQs

  • They all reduce frizz, speed up your blow-dry, last up to three months (Express lasts up to six weeks), and need no downtime. The difference is how they work and what they do to your texture. Some keep your curl as it is, some soften and lengthen it slightly, and some are better for highlighted hair. Tell us your goal and we'll recommend one.

  • You choose. Some treatments keep your texture exactly as it is. Others relax your curl and stretch it slightly, so hair looks longer and sleeker while keeping natural movement. None of our treatments lock hair into a fixed shape, and the effect fades gradually. Tell us the look you want and we'll recommend one.

  • No, smoothing treatments are designed to reduce frizz and improve manageability, not necessarily make your hair completely straight. Your natural texture will look softer, shinier, and easier to style. Depending on the technique used, the treatment can slightly elongate your curl pattern or make the hair appear straighter than it naturally is. Many clients also find it cuts their blow-drying and styling time in half.

  • To maintain your results, we recommend:

    • Using a sulfate-free shampoo and conditioner designed for smoothing treatments.

    • Limiting saltwater, chlorine, and harsh styling products when possible.

    • Following your stylist’s at-home care plan, which may include a leave-in treatment or heat protectant.

    • Avoiding excessive washing aim for 2–3 washes per week to extend longevity.

    • Being mindful that hot yoga and high-heat workouts may cause the treatment to fade more quickly due to excess sweat and heat exposure.

    With the right care, your results will stay smoother, longer, and healthier.

  • If you’re struggling with frizz, dryness, or humidity especially in the Santa Cruz coastal climate smoothing treatments are an excellent option. They work on most hair types, from wavy to curly to straight, and can be customized depending on whether you want to keep your natural texture softer or go for a more polished, sleek look.

  • Yes. Curl-Preserving Smoothing, Ultra Smooth and Repair Smoothing are made for highlighted and lightened hair. Brazilian Blowout Free is for virgin hair only.

  • Yes, in fact, smoothing treatments can be especially beneficial for damaged hair. We recommend starting with our RepairSmoothing which works by penetrating the cuticle and healing from the inside out.

    • Your first treatment will focus on hydration, repair, and rebuilding your hair’s strength.

    • By your second treatment, you’ll notice even more frizz reduction, smoothness, and shine with healthier hair as the foundation.

    This approach ensures your hair is restored and protected before achieving the full frizz-free, long-lasting results.

  • It fades gradually, with no harsh line or sudden change. Your hair slowly returns to its natural texture.

  • No. Every treatment we offer is formaldehyde-free. California also doesn't allow cosmetic products with added formaldehyde to be sold in the state, which is why the original Brazilian Blowout formula is no longer available here.

  • It depends on the treatment and on your hair's length and thickness. IYou can see our pricing here, and your stylist will confirm the exact price at your consultation. Range $150 -$450

  • The Co-Artist Studio is a boutique salon in Capitola, inside The 41st Salon Studios on 41st Avenue, a short drive from Santa Cruz, Soquel, Live Oak, and Aptos. Clients come from all over Santa Cruz County for curl-friendly smoothing and smoothing for highlighted hair.

  • Our stylist Geselle does all our smoothing treatment Monday, Thursday, Friday or Saturday

Ready for hair that works with you?

Book a consultation and we'll find the right match. Every treatment is customized to your hair type and goals.

Pricing depends on your hair length and thickness. See our pricing, or book a consultation and we'll give you an exact quote.

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