Keratin treatment. Bond treatment. Olaplex. K18. If you've tried to research hair treatments recently, you've probably run into all of these terms and walked away more confused than when you started. They sound similar, they're often recommended for similar concerns, and plenty of salons use them interchangeably — but they're doing very different things to your hair.
Here's a plain-language breakdown of what each one actually does, and how to know which one you need.
What a Keratin Treatment Does
Keratin is a protein that makes up the structure of your hair. A keratin treatment floods the hair with additional keratin and then seals it in using heat, which smooths the cuticle and reduces frizz, volume, and curl pattern. The result is smoother, shinier, more manageable hair.
The key thing to understand about keratin treatments: they change the texture and behavior of your hair. They're designed to relax the frizz and reduce curl. If that's your goal — more smoothness, easier blow-dries, less humidity-related puffiness — a keratin treatment is built for that.
Results typically last two to four months, depending on how often you wash your hair and what products you use. Most keratin treatments require sulfate-free shampoo to extend their life.
What keratin treatments don't do: repair damage at the structural level. They coat and smooth the outside of the hair shaft, but they're not rebuilding anything that's been broken inside.
What a Bond Treatment Does
Bond treatments — like Olaplex, K18, or the Oribe Signature Moisture Masque — work differently. Instead of coating the outside of the hair, they work inside the hair shaft to repair broken disulfide bonds. These bonds are what give hair its strength and elasticity. Chemical services like color, bleach, and relaxers break these bonds. Heat damage breaks them too. Bond treatments rebuild them.
If your hair feels weak, breaks easily, feels mushy when wet, or has lost its elasticity, that's bond damage. Bond treatments are designed to address exactly that.
Unlike keratin treatments, bond treatments don't dramatically change your hair's texture or curl pattern. They make your hair stronger and healthier so it can do what it's supposed to do — hold color better, handle heat better, behave more consistently.
Which One Do You Need?
The short answer: it depends on what's going on with your hair.
- If your hair is frizzy, voluminous, or hard to manage and you want smoother, straighter-behaving hair, a keratin treatment is what you're looking for.
- If your hair feels damaged, weak, or is breaking — especially if you've had color, bleach, or chemical services — a bond treatment addresses the underlying structural issue.
- If both are true, you might need both, though not necessarily at the same time. Bond treatments are often done before or during a color service; keratin treatments are typically a standalone appointment.
Can You Do Both?
Yes, but timing matters. A bond treatment is often recommended before a keratin treatment if your hair is significantly damaged, since the keratin service uses high heat and you want your hair in a stronger position before that. Talk to your stylist about where your hair is and what order makes sense.
What We Use at Park & Eve
We offer bond treatments using Olaplex and K18, and we carry Oribe treatments for conditioning and smoothing. As an Oribe exclusive salon, we use their products across our services — their formulas are among the best available for color-treated and chemically processed hair.
If you're not sure what your hair needs, start with a consultation. We'd rather take ten minutes to understand your hair than sell you a service that doesn't address the actual problem.
Book a Treatment in Downtown LA
Park & Eve is located at 527 W. 7th Street, Suite 600 in Downtown Los Angeles. Open Tuesday through Saturday. Book online or call 213.992.9365.