Keratin smoothing is one of the few salon services where the price genuinely cannot be quoted accurately until someone has their hands in your hair. That is frustrating when you are trying to budget, and it is also why so few salons publish a number at all.
Here is ours, and an honest explanation of what moves it.
The short answer
At Kija Hair Salon in Irvine, keratin smoothing starts at $180. That is a starting price, not a flat rate. Where you land above it depends on your hair, and the only way to get an exact figure is an in-person consultation.
What actually moves the price
Length
The single biggest factor. A treatment is priced substantially on how much product it takes and how long the application and flat-iron sealing take. Hair past the shoulder blades can take well over twice the product of a bob.
Density
Two people with identical length can need very different amounts of product. Thick, dense hair takes longer to section, saturate and seal.
Coarseness and curl pattern
Coarse or tightly curled hair generally needs more product and more passes to reach the same smoothness as fine, wavy hair.
Condition and chemical history
Previously lightened, bleached or chemically straightened hair needs a more careful approach. Sometimes it needs repair work before a smoothing service is appropriate at all. A good stylist will tell you that rather than take your money and hand you a bad result.
Why nobody can quote you properly over text
You can send three photographs and still get the number wrong, because density and coarseness are things you assess by touch. A quote given sight-unseen is a guess, and guesses get revised on the day, which is how people end up feeling ambushed at the till.
We would rather look at your hair, tell you the real figure, and let you decide. A consultation costs you nothing but the trip.
Is it the right service for you?
Keratin smoothing and permanent straightening are not the same thing, and the difference matters more than the price does. One coats and smooths the cuticle and fades gradually; the other restructures the bonds inside the hair and grows out rather than fading.
If you want pin-straight hair permanently, a smoothing treatment will disappoint you. If you want your own texture to behave — less frizz, faster blow-dries, hair that survives a humid day — smoothing is usually what you actually want.
We wrote a full comparison of the two, including the formaldehyde question worth asking before you book anywhere: Keratin Treatment vs Japanese Hair Straightening.
How long it lasts, and what decides that
Our keratin smoothing is a five-month treatment, but that figure assumes aftercare. Nothing shortens a smoothing treatment faster than harsh cleansing. The result fades with every wash, so what you wash with genuinely determines whether you get the full run or three months.
Ask your stylist what to use on your specific hair at the end of the appointment, while they can still see the result. If you want to look before then, our product finder narrows things down by hair type, and the treatments collection is where most post-smoothing care lives.
Where this sits against our other services
For context when you are planning a visit, a few of our starting prices:
| Service | Starting price |
|---|---|
| Keratin smoothing / permanent straightening | $180 |
| Ombré / balayage | $200 |
| Full highlights | $200 |
| Corrective color | $150 |
| Full hair color | $85 |
| Women's haircut | $60 |
| Shampoo, blowout & style | $30 |
All of these are starting prices and vary with length, density and how complex the service turns out to be. The full list is on our services and pricing page.
Booking a consultation
Every professional at Kija is independent and keeps their own book, so you book directly with the stylist rather than through a front desk. Salda has specialized in keratin smoothing for over fifteen years and is the person most of our smoothing clients see.
You will find each stylist's own contact details on Meet Our Team. If you would prefer to put your question in writing first, send us a message and we will reply in writing.
We are at 13925 Yale Ave, Suite 150, Irvine, CA 92620, open Tuesday to Saturday, 9am to 5pm.