I have a love-hate relationship with my baby-fine hair. It’s cursed with cowlicks and random waves and often looks best crammed under a hat. In a town that covets all that's smooth and silky, I am a fuzzy-headed outlyer.

So, I'’ll admit I was a bit skeptical to try the Q Keratin treatment ($100) at the Salon by Maxime <http://thesalonbymaxime.com/>  in Beverly Hills. I always thought the magic of Keratin was reserved for the Kim Kardashians of the world, and not for people with quirky, “little-kid” hair like me. But, happily I was wrong. This gentle and super-hydrating treatment turns out to be a godsend for people with thinning and more fragile hair. It’s also great for pregnant ladies since its completely formaldehyde-free.

I'm new to L.A. and felt princess-like valet parking my car on North Rodeo Drive and breezing into The Salon by Maxime on a Saturday afternoon, that also just so happened to be my birthday. Despite it's not-so-easy-to-navigate website,  I immediately knew I was in good hands. The environment is beautiful and unpretentious and everyone was incredibly friendly. Maxime, the owner, introduced himself and I was quickly ushered into the chair of Rima Uranga, "“the straightening queen,"” who carefully surveyed my fine, frizzy mane with a slight frown. She explained how LiQWD <http://liqwd.com/> ’s Q Keratin treatment works (it can be applied at varied levels depending on the nature and condition of the hair) and that it relaxes, hydrates and smoothes frizz rather than straightens (the key ingredient is quinoa protein). My waves are one of the few things that I like about my hair, so I was definitely on board. Rima also mentioned that the results are cumulative, so the treatments work to strengthen and improve hair quality over time.

After a fabulous scalp massage, Rima got down to business. She applied the chemical-free solution and gently dried and flat-ironed my hair on a low setting. I felt very “Joan Jett” with my temporarily stick-straight do, but Rima assured me that my waves would be back in a few days, just shinier and frizz-free. I left armed with Maxime’'s “"Color Retention System"” shampoo and conditioner (both are sulfate- and sodium-chloride free and smell amazing) and “Restore,” a light, leave-in conditioner. (Love!) I also sampled LiQWD’s “Q-Keratin Longevity Serum” to help extend the life of my treatment and “The Perfect Wave” for days that I let my hair air-dry. I am officially a fan of the entire LiQWD line that's filled with high-quality ingredients and delivers impressive results.
More than a month later, my hair is still soft and shiny and worthy of leaving the house sans hat.

– Amelia Glynn

::  Amelia Glynn is a freelance writer and self-proclaimed beauty product whore. She loves putting the promise of each new lotion and potion to the test.

ameliaglynn.com