'I treated my hair with liquid gold and I will never look back'

‘You might dandruff gold flakes in the coming week’, Features Editor Jenny Proudfoot was told.

You may have heard of Keratin hair treatments, Brazilian blowouts and the NanoSmooth Pure, but the latest taming trend to take the capital by storm is the liquid gold smooth treatment.

As someone who struggles with thick frizzy hair and unruly curls, I have tried every de-frizz treatment imaginable, and so I was eager to find out how liquid gold compared, and if in fact it helped me in any way.

Seeing as it usually takes me over two hours to straighten my whole head of hair, it seemed worth a shot, if only to give me a bit more time each day. And with my hair usually erupting into ringlets at the slightest drop of rain, it seemed necessary to test it out.

I headed to Knightsbridge’s luxurious Neville’s salon, a celebrity favourite, and had my hair treated with liquid gold last year, just to see what all the fuss was about.

My verdict - this has to be one of the bougiest hair treatments ever - but judging by my own results, worth every penny.

It's hardly surprising therefore that I have since been back for more.

Here is everything I can tell you about my experience…

What is the liquid gold treatment?

This is a protein-based smoothing treatment, combining natural ingredients (even extract from cocoa trees) with pure keratin and 24 carat gold. Similar to the Brazilian Blowout and NanoSmooth, this treatment not only smoothes locks, but also revitalises and rejuvenates hair.

As the Neville's site says, 'It restructures and renews your hair with its major component keratin, bringing back the appearance of strong healthy hair with no long-term damage to your hair.'

What does the liquid gold treatment involve?

The liquid gold treatment was easy for me - I sat taking selfies over a cup of tea - but for my incredible hair stylist Afroditi, it was hard work.

First the hair is washed and combed, before the liquid gold is applied meticulously section by section. In my case, it was in heavy doses - something that was made apparent when both my and Afroditi's eyes started streaming - a common theme with my hair and smoothing treatments. After leaving the liquid gold to sit in the locks for 20 minutes, the hair is simply blow-dried and straightened, with the heat locking the treatment in. Then you're done.

You just need to wash your hair two of three days later, and hair will be noticeably smoother.

It's also important to note that this service requires a patch test 48 hours before.

How long does the liquid gold treatment take?

The liquid gold treatment takes on average an hour and a half. For me that was a huge improvement from the four or five hours that I have previously spent undergoing Keratin treatments.

What were the results?

The results were instant, with my hair being visibly smooth and sleek.

It’s not a straightening treatment, so after a wash my hair is still curly, but unlike before there is very little frizz, making it much easier to style and giving it a glossy shine. Plus, unlike other treatments, I have found that it shortens my hair straightening time.

Before photograph:

After photograph:

How does the liquid gold treatment differ from the keratin treatment?

The liquid gold treatment is more gentle than the keratin treatment, plus unlike my past experience with keratin treatments, my hair hasn't been left greasy or limp after the first few washes - it still has a lot of volume which is key for me. Plus, as said before, it takes a lot less time - an hour and a half compared to the usual four or five hours. The liquid gold unlike the keratin treatments doesn't require the hair to be washed immediately after it has been locked in with the hair straightening, saving a whole extra stage of washing and final straightening.

What are the side effects of the liquid gold treatment?

I was warned of one side effect, and it made the treatment so much more luxe and bougie. Afroditi warned me that I might have gold flakes as dandruff inbetween the treatment being applied and later being washed off. I didn't personally experience the gold flakes but for the sake of the luxe-factor, I almost wish I had.

How much does the liquid gold treatment cost?

The liquid gold treatment costs £250 - a pretty standard price for a high-end smoothing treatment.

Where can you go for a liquid gold treatment?

I went to Neville's in Knightsbridge and was styled by the wonderful Afroditi Koutsouki.

5 Pont St, Belgravia, London SW1X 9EJ 020 7235 3654

Will I be going back? I already have, and I will definitely be making a habit of it.