What is hair lamination? The Dh55 quick fix that will keep your hair glossy and protected

Experts explain the latest trend in haircare, which promises Kim Kardashian-approved locks in eight seconds

Before and after hair lamination at Sisters Beauty Lounge 

Anyone who follows beauty influencers on Instagram may have noticed hair lamination appearing frequently on feeds. While many social media stars are quick to show off the glossy locks that result from lamination, they don’t always explain what exactly the hair treatment – billed as the next big trend in haircare – is.

“It’s like make-up for hair,” says Nadia Rahpaima from UAE salon chain Sisters Beauty Lounge. “It is an instant treatment that's applied after you have had your hair shampooed and conditioned. The result is incredible instant gloss and shine, imagine Kim Kardashian-style super glossy locks, which are often seen on red carpets.”

Sisters salons started offering the heat-activated treatment in January. Rahpaima adds that it results in hair that is eight times more hydrated, five times more nourished and four times softer. The treatment can be added onto blow-dry appointments and costs Dh55.

The relative low cost aside, the treatment is also quick-working, taking just eight seconds, Natalie Kasses, creative director at Pastels Salon claims.

The results should make it particularly popular for women living in the UAE or other hot climes, as it “protects the hair against loss of moisture caused by sunlight, toxins, and over-washing”, Kasses adds.

“Environmental factors can damage our hair, and it is important to cleanse and hydrate to reduce the damage and ensure healthy, shiny locks, while preserving hair colour,” she explains. “It is a remedy for dull, damaged, frizzy hair – locking water in … Your hair will be thicker-looking and less tangled, with a velvety softness.”

Kasses adds of the science behind hair lamination: “[It] is a cosmetic treatment that works on the exterior of your hair. Salon experts coat your hair with a thin layer of laminate, which is made up of active ingredients such as gelatine, keratin or oils, to leave you with hair that is softer to the touch and with an intensified shine.

“Heat-activated and applied at the backwash, the treatment creates a protective layer over each strand of hair, to close cuticle scales and restore the proteins that play a large part in the hair-repair process. Improving the quality of the hair fibres will prevent frizz and split ends, without weighing your hair down.” The Pastels team recommends it should be repeated monthly for maximum benefit.

Is hair lamination the same as eyebrow lamination?

Eyebrow lamination has been on offer for a little longer. Like hair lamination, brow lamination works to maintain permanent sleek, uniform hairs. The brows are redirected and brushed upwards, creating the appearance of a much fuller brow, in line with the current eyebrow trend – think Huda Kattan, Cara  Delevingne and Emily Ratajkowski.

Like hair lamination, a chemical treatment is applied that keeps the brow in place.

Tips and Toes’s Rianca Hepburn explains: “Brow Lamination is suitable for costumers of all ages and gender, with different hair types. The relocation of brow hairs in an upward direction gives an immediate uplifting effect to the eyes and face, resulting in a more youthful appearance.”

The treatment takes an hour, and lasts between six and eight weeks, after which natural brow regrowth occurs. It costs Dh250 and includes tinting and threading, making it a cheaper and less invasive alternative to microblading, which typically costs around Dh2,000.