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Straightening, keratin, hair botox, relaxers: what actually differs

Six trade names for three mechanisms. The one question that settles it: does the product change the structure of the hair for good, or does it sit on top of it until it washes away?

Brazilian straightening, keratin, tanino, hair botox, protein, relaxer: six names on the same menu, for three different mechanisms. The vocabulary is commercial, so you have to ask the question that settles it: does the product change the structure of the hair permanently, or does it sit on the surface and wash away?

The relaxer: permanent

A chemical relaxer breaks the internal bonds of the hair to remove the curl. The effect does not fade: the treated part stays relaxed, and the hair grows back in its natural texture at the root. The line where the two textures meet is fragile, and that is where breakage shows up if it is not looked after.

A relaxer is not something to layer other treatments on lightly: declare any relaxer, however old, before a colour or a straightening treatment. Price recorded in October 2026 at a barber in Racine: 250 DH, and 350 DH in the VIP room.

Heat-sealed straightening: semi-permanent

Brazilian straightening, keratin, tanino, protein, collagen: the shared principle is a product laid on the hair and then sealed in with a high-temperature iron. The curl is not broken, it is held in check. The effect fades over several weeks to several months depending on the product, how often you wash and the quality of the shampoo you use afterwards.

<b>Hair botox</b> has nothing to do with botulinum toxin — it is a trade name for a filler treatment. It straightens little and coats a great deal, and it suits damaged hair that wants substance rather than straightness.

Prices recorded in October 2026 on two published Casablanca price lists:

• the Hôpitaux district: keratin treatment from 500 DH, protein treatment from 700 DH, hair botox from 800 DH
• Racine: keratin straightening 600 DH, Brazilian straightening 900 DH, tanino 900 DH, protein 1 000 DH, collagen botox 1 000 DH, and 1 200 to 1 400 DH on long hair

The long-hair surcharge is universal and rarely mentioned up front: on the same list, the same treatment goes from 900 to 1 400 DH. Ask for the price for <b>your</b> length.

The formaldehyde question

Some straightening products release formaldehyde when the iron heats the section. It irritates the airways and the eyes, for the client and for the staff who breathe it in all day long. Two reasonable requests: that you be shown the data sheet for the product being used, and that the room be genuinely ventilated while the iron is being worked through.

If you are pregnant, or if you have asthma, ask before you book, not on arrival. A serious salon will steer you towards a treatment that does not involve the iron.

Afterwards: what decides how long it lasts

This is the part salons explain quickly and clients forget.

• respect the no-washing period set by the product's protocol, commonly 48 to 72 hours
• a <b>sulphate-free</b> shampoo afterwards, otherwise the deposit is gone in a handful of washes
• no tight ponytail and no clips in the first few days: the mark sets in
• limit chlorine and sea water, which speed up the loss of effect
• a clarifying shampoo undoes part of the work: avoid it for as long as the straightening lasts

Choosing, by what you actually want

• <b>the curl gone for good</b>: that is a relaxer, with everything the new growth brings with it
• <b>hair that is easier to style, with no permanent commitment</b>: a heat-sealed straightening treatment, to be redone
• <b>damaged hair to be built back up</b>: a filler treatment, hair botox, without expecting it to straighten
• <b>nothing chemical</b>: a cut suited to the texture, and a routine; having the weight properly taken out changes daily life more than a badly maintained straightening treatment

The assessment that is often missing

Hair that has already been bleached, relaxed and straightened cannot take everything. Before adding a step, ask for a strand test, and accept being told to wait. A salon that offers you bleaching and straightening in the same appointment is selling you two services, not a result.

Also worth reading

• Looking after your hair in Casablanca: water, salt, sun
• Coily and curly hair: the routine, the braids, the cut
• Colour, balayage, highlights: what gets decided before the chair