Cezanne Scott J before/after
Shorts weather is right around the corner—and while we relish the feel of sunshine on bare skin, we’re less than enthralled by what heat and humidity do to hair. If you’re a curly girl, summer (aka the season of bad hair days) probably turns your hair into a poofy mess. Straight-haired individuals have to deal with frizz and flyaways. And if you have processed, damaged hair? Forget it.
Fortunately, here at Scott J, we’ve rolled out a cutting-edge smoothing treatment that leaves hair silkier, shinier and healthier than before. It’s called Cezanne, and it’s a great way to zap frizz and add luster to any hair type. Best of all, it doesn’t contain formaldehyde, a carcinogen found in many popular straightening treatments.
Master Stylist Richard Diorato weighs in on Cezanne smoothing treatments: How they work, what makes them so gentle, and why they’re the treatment for summer…and beyond.
So what exactly is Cezanne?
Pronounced ‘say zahn’, it’s a smoothing treatment that harnesses the power of keratin, B vitamins, botanicals, glycolic acid and sericin, a component of silk, to loosen curl and smooth hair. (Yes, it makes hair feel silky because it contains actual silk.)
“Glycolic acid gives very strong shine to the hair— a healthy glow,” Richard says. “Sericin is a byproduct of silkworm protein, and that strengthens the hair by creating a bond with the glycolic acid. It has B vitamins, which fortify the hair and fill the cuticle, along with lemon, apple and green tea extract. So if someone has fine fragile hair, you fill it with molecules of botanicals and keratin protein, which is found in the hair already. It builds up the wall of the hair even more.”
Cezanne is safe even for damaged hair. It’s the same pH as lemon juice, so it lifts the cuticle only a small amount, allowing nourishing ingredients to penetrate hair without incurring damage. In fact, Cezanne leaves hair in better condition than it was prior to the treatment.
“Other products lift it a tremendous amount and cause damage,” Richard says, who has trained more than 35 Scott J stylists in the technique. “This keeps hair in the best state. And if your hair is breaking, it strengthens it with botanicals, making it stronger and thicker so it can grow.”
Cezanne Scott J Smoothing Texture
Who benefits from Cezanne?
“Anybody that has any amount of frizz,” Richard says. “If a woman likes her curls and has no frizz, she is not a candidate. But anyone who has frizz or a strong curl that they want to loosen is ideal.”
Cezanne also strengthens thin, straight hair that breaks near the shoulders, allowing it to grow longer. And it doesn’t matter how many chemical processes you’ve had in the past—or what you’re planning in the near future. Cezanne is a good add-on for any salon service.
“You could perform a color service immediately afterwards. There is no downtime,” Richard says, adding that you can shampoo hair or put it into a ponytail right after Cezanne, which isn’t the case with other smoothing processes.
How long does the treatment take?
About as long as a color treatment does—anywhere from one and a half to two hours. “It’s not very time consuming,” Richard says. “You get shampooed, there’s a 30-minute application and a 30-minute processing time, then your hair is rinsed, blown dry and flat ironed.”
How long do results last?
A classic Cezanne treatment lasts for three to five months, and an express Cezanne treatment lasts four to six weeks. Results are best maintained with use of a sulfate-free shampoo, and they fade gradually over the course of weeks—without leaving a harsh line of demarcation. That makes Cezanne a good choice for women who are transitioning from chemical straightening to their natural texture.
“The hair gradually goes back to what it was like before,” Richard says. “Eventually, it washes out completely.”
And the more Cezanne treatments you get, the more your hair’s condition is restored.
“If you do it repetitively, it lasts a little longer each time and you get better results,” Richard says. “It strengthens your hair even more, creating less breakage and repairing any old chemical services that were done, like coloring, bleaching, relaxing or formaldehyde services.”
Richard’s favorite thing about Cezanne is the fact that it doesn’t contain ingredients that are harmful to clients or staffers. Cezanne doesn’t require the use of a mask or gloves—it’s that gentle.
“Every ingredient is actually good for you,” Richard says. “It’s refreshing to use a product on hair that’s good for you and that delivers results.”
Come try Cezanne for yourself
Cezanne treatments are available at all Scott J locations (and Richard has trained each Cezanne-certified stylist himself). Make an appointment and take a walk on the smooth side.