KIKU Salon Creative Director Hiro Kudo explains why it could offer salons a long-lasting alternative to daily heat styling.
Published:Hair trends are constantly evolving, and after years of embracing natural texture and effortless movement, the influence of the early 2000s is beginning to make its way back into the salon.
However, today’s version of sleek hair is less about repeatedly running straighteners through the hair and more about achieving smooth, polished results with movement, shine and longevity.
According to Hiro Kudo, Creative Director of KIKU Salon, this is where Japanese Hair Straightening can play an important role in the modern salon.
Originally developed in Japan, Japanese Hair Straightening is a chemical restructuring service that permanently restructures the treated hair. Unlike temporary smoothing treatments, the results remain in the treated lengths until new hair growth appears.
For clients, Kudo says the appeal goes beyond simply having straight hair. The service can reduce the amount of time spent styling each morning, help hair resist humidity and frizz, and deliver a consistently polished finish.
It can also reduce the need for regular heated styling, while providing the long-lasting, low-maintenance results that many clients are looking for.
“For many clients, it completely changes their relationship with their hair,”
– Kudo.
At KIKU, Japanese Hair Straightening is viewed as more than another treatment to add to the salon price list. Kudo believes the service reflects the precision, technical expertise and consultation-led approach that underpin the salon’s Japanese philosophy.
While temporary smoothing services are widely available, permanent thermal straightening requires a high level of technical knowledge and careful assessment of the hair.
For salons considering introducing the service, this is an important distinction. Japanese Hair Straightening requires detailed hair analysis, thorough planning and confidence in assessing whether a client’s hair is suitable.
The technical demands can also make it an opportunity for salons to develop a specialist service and demonstrate their expertise.
Japanese Hair Straightening is not suitable for every client, and Kudo stresses that it should never be treated as a one-size-fits-all service.
Professional education and product-specific training are essential before introducing the treatment. A detailed consultation should consider the condition of the hair, its previous chemical history, natural texture and elasticity, as well as the client’s desired result.
At KIKU, a comprehensive consultation takes place before the service is booked, allowing the team to establish whether the treatment is appropriate and whether the client’s expectations can realistically be achieved.
“For us, it’s just as important to know when not to perform the service as knowing how to perform it,”
– Kudo.
This consultation-led approach is particularly important with chemical restructuring services, where the condition and history of the hair can have a significant impact on suitability.
As straight, polished hair begins to re-emerge as a desired aesthetic, salons have an opportunity to consider how they can deliver the look while also addressing clients’ desire for convenience.
Rather than relying on daily heat styling to achieve straight, smooth hair, Japanese Hair Straightening offers a longer-term approach for suitable clients. The aim is to make hair more manageable and reduce the time and effort required to style it.
For salons, the service can therefore sit within the growing demand for low-maintenance, personalised haircare and styling solutions.
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Introducing Japanese Hair Straightening requires investment in education, technical training and consultation. It is not a service that should be added to a menu without the appropriate expertise and processes in place.
For salons prepared to make that investment, however, Kudo believes it can become a valuable specialist offering.
“Japanese Hair Straightening remains one of the most rewarding specialist services available… not simply because of the results it creates, but because of the confidence it gives clients every single day”.
As clients continue to seek hair that looks polished without requiring hours of daily styling, Japanese Hair Straightening could provide salons with another way to meet that demand combining specialist technical skills with a long-lasting approach to smooth, manageable hair.
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Online: kikusalon
Instagram: @kiku_salon
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