CREW · JOURNAL

Keratin treatment Queenstown: Cezanne smoothing, prices and how long it lasts

4 November 2026

Short answer: For a keratin treatment Queenstown clients book at Crew, we use Cezanne, a formaldehyde-free smoothing treatment. Cezanne Express is $220 (about 1 hr 30 min), the strong Cezanne keratin is $390 (about 3 hrs) and a fringe-only Cezanne is $90. It cuts frizz and blow-dry time while keeping movement. If you want hair permanently straight, that's chemical straightening ($495), a different service.

Updated November 2026. Service prices are from our live price list and are confirmed at your consultation.

Queenstown is hard on frizz. Dry alpine air, a lake swim in summer, snow and a beanie in winter, and hair that puffs up the minute you step outside. A keratin treatment is the most common fix people ask us about, and it's worth knowing what you're actually booking before you sit down for three hours.

What is a keratin smoothing treatment?

A keratin smoothing treatment coats and smooths the outside of the hair, then gets sealed in with heat from a flat iron. The result is hair that's softer, shinier, less frizzy and much quicker to blow-dry. It relaxes curl and wave a little, but it doesn't make curly hair poker straight, and it isn't meant to.

At Crew we use Cezanne. It's formaldehyde-free, which matters to a lot of people who've read about older smoothing systems. You'll smell some heat from the flat iron, but not the harsh fumes some people remember from salons years ago.

Cezanne keratin treatment: Express or strong?

We offer two strengths, plus a fringe-only option.

Cezanne Express is the quicker, lighter one. It's done in a single session of about an hour and a half, and Cezanne's own guide is that results typically last two to three months. It suits frizz-prone hair that's mostly straight or loosely wavy, and anyone wanting to try smoothing before committing to more.

Cezanne keratin, strong takes about three hours and is the one for thicker, coarser or curlier hair where you want more frizz control. Your stylist will tell you at the consultation what to expect from it on your hair.

Fringe only is exactly that: 45 minutes, for a fringe that won't sit flat no matter what you do with a round brush.

How much is a keratin treatment in NZ?

Prices vary a lot around the country, mainly by brand, strength and how much hair you have. These are ours, from our live price list. They're from prices, confirmed at your consultation.

Service	Best for	Time	Price
Cezanne Express	Frizz control, first-timers	1 hr 30 min	$220
Cezanne keratin, strong	Thick, coarse or curlier hair	3 hr	$390
Cezanne, fringe only	A fringe that won't behave	45 min	$90
Chemical straightening, full head	Permanently straight hair	4 hr	$495
Chemical straightening, fringe only	A permanently straight fringe	1 hr	$87

Keratin smoothing vs chemical straightening

These get mixed up all the time. Keratin smoothing (Cezanne) reduces frizz and softens curl while keeping movement in your hair, and it gradually washes out over the following months. Chemical straightening permanently changes the structure of the hair you treat. It stays straight until it's cut off, and the regrowth comes through in your natural texture.

If you love your waves and just hate the frizz, smoothing is the one. If you want hair that's straight with no styling at all and you're comfortable with a permanent change, chemical straightening is worth talking through. We'll tell you honestly at the consultation which suits your hair and its colour history.

Can you have a keratin treatment on coloured or blonde hair?

Usually, yes. Plenty of our smoothing clients have colour. Two things to know. First, we prefer to do colour before smoothing rather than straight after, so the smoothing doesn't get in the way of the colour taking. Second, very lightened or fragile blonde needs a look first. That's why every smoothing service at Crew starts with a short consultation, so we can check the condition of your hair before we put heat through it.

How to make a keratin treatment last

Your stylist will tell you when you can first wash and tie your hair back, because it differs between treatments. After that, a few habits make the biggest difference:

Wash with a sulphate-free shampoo. Pureology Smooth Perfection Shampoo ($58.08) is made for frizz-prone, colour-treated hair and is the one we'd point most smoothing clients to.
Follow with a conditioner every wash, like Smooth Perfection Conditioner ($58.08).
Use heat protection before you blow-dry or straighten. Kérastase Genesis Défense Thermique ($70.56) is a good everyday one.
Rinse after the lake or a pool. Chlorine and salt shorten the life of any smoothing treatment.

Which should you book?

Your hair is frizzy but fairly straight or wavy: Cezanne Express, $220.

Your hair is thick, coarse or curly and takes ages to blow-dry: the strong Cezanne, $390.

It's only your fringe: Cezanne fringe only, $90.

You want it straight, permanently: book a consultation about chemical straightening ($495) first.

For your shelf at home, two ways, choose by budget and need. Pureology Smooth Perfection shampoo and conditioner ($58.08 each) are sulphate-free and built for frizz. If your lengths are also dry or damaged, add Kérastase Nutritive Masquintense ($83.16) once a week, and a drop of Elixir Ultime L'Huile Originale ($105.00) through the ends.

What it costs, how long it takes and how to book

Cezanne Express $220 (1 hr 30 min), strong Cezanne $390 (3 hr), fringe $90 (45 min), chemical straightening $495 (4 hr). Smoothing needs a short consultation first, so book that before the treatment itself. The full menu, including perms, is on our smoothing page and the price list.

Book a smoothing consultation online or call 03 441 8555. We're upstairs at Level 1, 22 The Mall. Allow the full time, and bring something to read for the strong treatment.

Aftercare: what we'd send you home with

What we'd send you home with after a smoothing treatment.

Pureology Smooth Perfection Shampoo, $58.08
Pureology Smooth Perfection Conditioner, $58.08
Kérastase Genesis Defense Thermique 150ml, $70.56
Kérastase Nutritive Masquintense 200ml, $83.16
Kérastase Elixir Ultime L'Huile Originale 75ml, $105.00
Kérastase Nutritive Nectar Thermique 150ml, $65.52

Why book and buy with Crew

We're Queenstown stylists, upstairs at Level 1, 22 The Mall, and the haircare we sell is genuine salon stock bought direct from the brands' New Zealand distributors. Free NZ shipping on orders over $75. Book online any time, or call 03 441 8555.

Frequently asked questions

How much is a keratin treatment in Queenstown?

At Crew a strong Cezanne keratin treatment is $390, Cezanne Express is $220 and a fringe-only Cezanne is $90. Chemical straightening, a different service, is $495. These are from prices, confirmed at your consultation.

How long does a keratin treatment last?

For Cezanne Express, typical results last two to three months. How long any smoothing lasts depends on your hair, how often you wash it, the shampoo you use and how much time you spend in pools or the lake. Your stylist will give you a realistic idea for your hair at the consultation.

Is Cezanne formaldehyde-free?

Yes. Cezanne is a formaldehyde-free keratin smoothing treatment, which is one reason we chose it. The heat from the flat iron still gives off some steam and smell, but not the harsh fumes people remember from older systems.

Will a keratin treatment make my hair straight?

It makes hair smoother, shinier and less frizzy, and it softens curl and wave. It won't make very curly hair poker straight. If that's what you want, ask about chemical straightening, which permanently changes the hair structure.

Do I need a consultation before keratin smoothing?

Yes. Smoothing needs a short consultation first so we can check your hair's condition and colour history and recommend Express or strong. You can book it online, and it's the best time to ask about timing around any colour appointments.

What shampoo should I use after a keratin treatment?

A sulphate-free shampoo, every time. We'd point most people to Pureology Smooth Perfection Shampoo with its conditioner. Use heat protection before styling and rinse your hair after swimming.

Can I get a keratin treatment and colour on the same day?

Talk to us at the consultation. We usually prefer to colour first and smooth after, rather than the other way around, and on lightened hair we'll want to check its condition first. We'll plan the order and timing with you.