This Hair Smoothing Treatment Could Cut Your Styling Time in Half

Considering a hair smoothing treatment? If you spend hours taming frizz – only for it to spring back again – a salon service might be the silky hair savior you've been searching for. It’s the secret to a manageable mane that’s quicker and easier to style in the morning. And with results that last up to three months, it’s easy to see why these treatments are gaining serious TikTok traction right now.

But if you’re still unsure what hair smoothing treatments actually do, you’re not alone. Thousands of people search for “what is a hair smoothing treatment?” every month, showing just how much curiosity (and confusion) surrounds this frizz-fighting service.

So, let’s break down everything you need to know before booking your salon visit – from how a treatment like SmoothFiller™ works, to what kind of post-care maintenance you can expect...

What is a Smoothing Hair Treatment?

A hair smoothing treatment is a professional service that, quite simply, chemically smooths your hair. It reduces frizz, seals in shine, and leaves strands feeling soft and silky far beyond your salon visit. There are a range of smoothing hair treatments available, offering varying levels of smoothness to suit your needs. So, whether you want semi-permanent straightening or a frizz-fighting solution that retains your natural texture, there are options for all hair types and needs.

What is the Best Treatment for Smoothing Hair?

If you want a demi-permanent smoothing treatment that respects and retains your natural hair texture – minus the frizz! – SmoothFiller™ will transform the look, feel and overall manageability of your hair. Straight hair appears silkier, waves look softly tousled, and curly hair appears bouncy and defined. It's a unique treatment that serves up benefits for all hair types prone to frizz.

But how does it work? SmoothFiller™ has a unique active ingredient that restructures your hair, filling the gaps in the hair cuticle that so often lead to frizz and flyaways. The formula's Smart Delivery System ensures the ingredient goes all the way to the cortex, where it builds new bonds inside the hair to give you inside-out smoothness. It's the 'no-makeup makeup' of the hair world – a 'your texture but better' treatment, revealing the natural beauty of your hair, while making styling stress-free.

What are the Benefits of Hair Smoothing Treatments?

Smoothness is the main goal of a SmoothFiller™ service, but that silky finish comes with extra benefits. Here's what you can expect:

• A reduction in frizz and flyaways for humidity-proof hair.
• Quicker, easier, more manageable styling.
• Fast processing time. SmoothFiller™ takes just 20 minutes to work.
• Healthy-looking shine.
• Up to three months of smoothness without altering your natural hair texture.
• Low-fume formula that’s dermatologically tested.
• Gradual fading for the softest regrowth.
• Suitable for all hair types that are frizzy or difficult to style, from straight to curly.

How Long Do Hair Smoothing Treatments Last?

How long your hair smoothing treatment lasts depends on the service you book. If you choose SmoothFiller™, the kind-to-hair process keeps your hair smooth for up to three months. Over this time – and unlike with keratin treatments – the effects will gradually fade, so you don't end up with harsh demarcation lines as new hair grows through.

What Should You Not Do After a Hair Smoothing Treatment?

Many keratin treatments come with post-care restrictions on how and when you can wash your hair. But SmoothFiller™ is different; you can wash and style your hair as usual after the service. This means you don't have to use a sulfate-free shampoo – you can keep washing with your favorite formula – and you can lather up as soon as you want, instead of having to leave hair untouched and unwashed for days.

In fact, you can even have your hair coloured straight after your SmoothFiller™ service. A fresh coat of demi-permanent Color Touch will give your newly smoothed hair a dose of vibrancy and shine. With 90+ shades available – from blondes to brunettes to reds to show-stopping bolds – you can leave the salon with a colour and care upgrade. Think of it as your one-stop glow-up.

How to Smooth Your Hair at Home

Professional salon services, like SmoothFiller™, deliver the longest-lasting results, so if you want visible smoothness that goes the distance, it's time to head to your nearest Wella salon. But you can also achieve temporary results at home with the right routine. Here are the products and steps that give you silky smoothness that lasts up to 3 days¹...

Step 1: Apply a Pre-Shampoo Hair Oil

Kick off your at-home smoothing session with a pre-shampoo hair oil serum. Wet your hair first, then apply ULTIMATE SMOOTH Miracle Oil Serum to the mid-lengths and ends. This is going to give your hair extra nourishment and protection while you wash – ideal if your lengths feel dry, stressed and frizzy.

Step 2: Washing with a Smoothing Shampoo

With the oil still in your hair, start massaging in ULTIMATE SMOOTH Shampoo. Focus it at the roots and let the lather run through the lengths for a gentle yet effective cleanse. The luxurious formula removes dulling impurities for healthier-looking results. It even features Metal Purifier technology, which detoxes hair from the metals in the water you wash with.

Step 3: Indulge in an Intense Hair Mask

After rinsing the shampoo, lightly squeeze excess water out of your hair. You want strands to be damp – not wet – so your hair mask can be deeply absorbed. Then, get a scoopful of ULTIMATE SMOOTH Mask in the palm of your hand, and add a drop or two of ULTIMATE SMOOTH Miracle Oil Serum to enrich the formula. The mask is creamy, rich, concentrated, and even more nourishing with the oil added to it. Apply to mid-lengths and ends, let it get to work for five minutes, then rinse thoroughly for hair that feels silky even when wet.

Step 4: Apply a Damage-Defying Treatment

Damage is one of the (many) causes of frizz, so prevent and repair stress by adding a leave-in treatment to your wash day routine. ULTIMATE REPAIR Miracle Hair Rescue is a scientific breakthrough, with a blend of AHA and Omega-9 to help repair the inner cortex and recreate the outer cuticle layer. The result: damage repair in 90 seconds², 99% less breakage³ and 12x smoother hair⁴. And all you have to do is mist it through clean, towel-dried hair.

Step 5: Finish with This Miracle Oil Serum

After letting ULTIMATE REPAIR Miracle Hair Rescue absorb for 90 seconds, reach once again for ULTIMATE SMOOTH Miracle Oil Serum. (It's a serious multitasker.) Pump the oil into the palms of hands, then lightly glide your hands through the mid-lengths and ends of your hair. Focus a little extra through any particularly frizzy areas for speedy taming. Not only does the oil add glossy shine that keeps flyaways at bay, but it also protects your hair while heat styling, whether you're blow-drying, curling or flat ironing. Plus, you can use it on dry hair in between washes to add a healthy sheen. The luxurious elixir nourishes in 30 seconds for smoothness that lasts up to 3 days¹.

Looking for more hair care advice? Get a virtual consultation by taking our short hair quiz. In minutes, you'll have a ready-to-go regimen tailored to your needs.

¹ If unwashed for 3 days, vs. untreated.

² When using ULTIMATE REPAIR Miracle Hair Rescue.

³ When using ULTIMATE REPAIR Miracle Hair Rescue instrumental test vs. non-conditioning Shampoo.

⁴ Vs. non-conditioning shampoo.