Is the Kérastase caviar hair treatment really worth it?

When was the last time you spoiled your hair? I’m not talking a fancy haircut, I mean a full-blown treatment, no cuts, no perms, no dyes. For me, the answer is never. Which is probably a mistake, considering the stresses I put on my tresses. My now blue-grey, previously purple-pink, curly hair has been bleached and dyed so many times I don’t even remember its natural colour.

My hair, in a word, is damaged. Like many living in this city, I am punished daily by the tropical climate which is anything but forgiving. Frizz, dullness, dry scalp and breakage are common, and no amount of Moroccan oil or masques seems to fix it. In desperation, I headed across the harbour to see if Kérastase could salvage my brittle locks at their salon in the Mira.

The salon, Kérastase Hair Spa By La Vie, is one of only two in the city, and they specialise in ultra-luxe Kérastase-specific treatments. Before you book, it’s worth noting that the treatment area is a small private room that would be difficult for those with mobility limitations to access. Additionally, if you’re not versed in Cantonese there will be occasional language barriers, but not much.

I went in for the Chronologiste hair ritual that took about three hours from start to finish, including a blow-dry. The treatment starts with a photo of the scalp and hair shafts. My results were not cute: redness, irritation, dryness and very brittle hair. But that’s why I came! After that was a quick scalp scrub on my dry hair, and a wash with Bain Chronologiste shampoo.  

As the cleansing shampoo was doing its work, I enjoyed a head and shoulder massage for five minutes. It was, quite possibly, the most incredible head massage I’ve ever had. Hands down, worth the trip over. Seriously. The massage is intended to open up the hair follicles and stimulate blood flow to the scalp, but also, it just felt really really good. With their products, daily washing will actually benefit the health of your hair, something I was surprised to hear after a lifetime of warnings against over-stripping the hair.

Next up was the super-hyped caviar treatment. Lauded as the finest haircare product ever created by the brand, it claims to hydrate, strengthen and repair while adding shine, volume and UV protection. The tiny pearls contain a super potent, vitamin E-rich regeneration mask, and are applied from root to tip, massaged into each strand for optimal absorption. The whole process took about ten minutes to apply. Once on, I was put under an inflated dryer for 10 minutes (it will leave you looking a bit like Toad from Super Mario, which is no bad thing per say) and then my hair was re-washed and styled.

The effects of the full treatment were immediate, but sadly short-lived. When I left the salon, my hair was smoother and softer than it has been in years, and for the first time in months my scalp didn’t feel dry. The after-photos showed reflected this as well, the images were much less daunting to look at! However, after two regular showers, most of the improvements faded. The one long-lasting result is the strength of my hair, which has definitely improved. I’m sure with regular at-home usage I’d continue seeing results, but for I’ll just lay off the bleaching for a while…

… just kidding! Check back soon for a review of O2 Salon!

Kérastase Hair Spa By La Vie, Mira Place 2, Shop 271, 118 Nathan Road, Tsim Sha Tsui 2692 2081
www.kerastase.com.hk