I have a good friend who has been transitioning for almost 2 years now with straight styles. A couple of months ago, she told me about this blue heat protectant that she uses that works great, Kay Vel Creme Press. I’d never heard of it in my life and was immediately intrigued, of course! So, I looked it up and was pleasantly surprised at the ingredient list. I mean, I do love me some Herbal Essences Hello Hydration, but blue-colored hair products aren’t generally an indicator of quality ingredients ;).
“SMOKELESS AND GREASELESS”
The original and World’s Finest “Creme Press” is a light, natural creamy, blend of soybean, cottonseed and essential botanical oils. Designed to coat and protect the hair from the damaging effects of excessive heat from the Flat Iron, Blow Dryer, Pressing Comb and over processed hair. It is concentrated with natural essential oils and can be used as a daily hair dressing. It will not stain or discolor gray or color-treated hair.
Ingredients: Soybean and cottonseed active components derived from plants, Rapeseed, sunflower, other essential natural plants, color, fragrance
Sounds really good, right? So, I asked my friend if she would bring a little in for me to try. Well, she never did, but yesterday, I reminded her given my recent flat-iron job. But, I decided to do a little more research on the product too.
The first thing that caught my eye upon a Google search was a “testimonial” about the creme press on MyLongHairJourney entitled: Kay Vel Creme Press Vamps Up Your Heat Training. Hol’ up. Who says what now?!? Yeah … see … “heat training” is just a euphemism for “heat damage” in my world. So, I read the article and looked at the pics and it wasn’t quite clear to me if her hair was relaxed from the Creme Press since the comparison pics were of dry and wet hair.
So next, I hit up YouTube and found this three part series demonstrating the Kay Vel Creme Press on transitioning hair and comparing the results to “untreated” hair. (Note: I just skimmed these videos as I don’t have much patience to sit through 6-7 min. of footage, let alone 30 minutes. But, 6:30 on Part 3 is very interesting.)
After watching scanning these videos, I took a look at the Kay Vel products brochure on the company site and honed in on this information about the Creme Press:
SOFT OR FINE HAIR: With soft or fine hair you should only PARTIALLY STRAIGHTEN when using KAY-VEL. The curling or waving process will give the hair the NATURAL straight appearance desired. This method will also make your hairstyle LAST LONGER. In many instances after several uses of KAY VEL on soft or fine hair , the stylist finds that just brushing while drying is all the straightening it may need. REMEMBER KAY-VEL is FOR PEOPLE WHO WANT NATURAL SOFT LOOKING HAIR.
Ummmm … “In many instances after several uses of KAY VEL on soft or fine hair, the stylist finds that just brushing while drying is all the straightening it may need.” What the frick? Brushing while drying is all the straightening hair may need?!?!? Awwwww, heck naw!! So, you know I’m sitting here trying to figure out what is missing from this picture. I keep looking at the ingredients and Kay Vel’s claims that its products are all natural and botanically derived … and something just isn’t adding up!!
Then, I looked at the claimed “benefits”:
- THE ONLY ALL NATURAL PRODUCT FOR SILKING
- Leaves hair Greaseless, soft & silky.
- Used as a Transitioning Creme. (from relaxer to natural).
- Softens the new growth to make it softer and more manageable.
- After using Kay Vel Creme Press for a period of time, hair becomes easier to manage.
- Protects hair from becoming dry, dull, and brittle.
- Extends the time between Relaxers
- Conditions hair while enhancing a natural-looking sheen.
- Leaves coarse hard to manage hair softer and easier to style.
- Protects hair from thermal heat damage.
- Smokeless when Flat Ironing and Pressing
- Use with medium heat flat iron, pressing comb or blow dryer.
Finally, I went back to the brochure and noticed the claim on the cove page: “You can get the same results as a relaxer except you can wash it out and go back to natural styles.” Really? Really, really?!?!
So, you know that I’m still intrigued. Now y’all know that I have soft, fine strands and don’t want anything loosening my curls. Shoot, how long has it taken me to transition out the loosening caused by excessive henna treatments. But, I’m wondering if I can apply a “real” heat protectant first, like the Aveda Damage Control that I used this past week, and then layer a teeny, weeny, tiny, itsy, bitsy amount of the Kay Vel Creme Press onto to my dry hair, will it provide a nice finish with one pass of the flat iron? Of course, the real question is will my hair revert after the experiment?
This is my dilemma!! Should I just dismiss the Kay Vel Creme Press out of hand or give it a whirl? Hmmmm, maybe I should do a “strand” test on some shed hair?
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What do you guys think? Yea or Nay?
If any of you use/have used Kay Vel Creme Press, please chime in and let us know your experience with it (please describe your hair — soft, fine, medium, thick, coarse, wavy, curly, coily, kinky, etc.)! Does it loosen/permanently relax your curls? Does your hair revert when washed? Inquiring minds want to know!!
hairscapades 
.Shelli, I would do a strand test first.
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I agree TerrifficLady1…good idea 🙂
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This sounds so interesting! I wish I knew about it when I was blow drying/flat ironing my daughters hair. I must agree with the comment above. Do a strand test waay at the back .
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I know the product junkie in you is saying let me try it. I dont know about this one Shelli.
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nay
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Wow, I am definitely hunting this down! I’ve never heard of it either, and what’s weirder, one of my own products uses rapeseed oil too but people always ask if that’s a typo! I was beginning to think I was the only one who knew what rapeseed oil was!
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LOL!! I was thinking the SAME thing when I read that “Brushing while styling…….” Only I was like WTH? LOL! I’ll pass
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Something is rubbing me wrong about this I would say no pass on it. From what the product claims it almost seems like there is some ingredients in the product they are not listing
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Agreed…something in this product is a gentle permanent straightener.
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There are no chemicals in the product!
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I would have karate chopped her coming at me with a spray bottle like that hahaha DEFINITELY interesting, but her hair looks pretty damn straight even before the blow out? I’m intrigued, enough to try it on a small section of hair if I find it.
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something is a little fishy lol! and im mad i just sat here and watched this!
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Now don’t shoot me..lol…but I get similar results with Crisco. I am 100% natural. I have a lot of hair but each strand is fine. I use crisco, and get little to no reversion. I live in Georgia, and you know the summer heat is nothing to be played with. I dont sweat anything out, and my hair reverts back after washing. My hair isn’t exactly blowing in the wind, but it works for how I like my hair.
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Use shed hair
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Just watched the videos. Funny all that work to wet it! Oh no! This really does sound too good to be true. Ever consider doing a roller set to stretch n give volume?
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Don’t do it girl!!! I don’t know…something just doesn’t seem right about this to me.
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Um….please don’t do it! That last video had my face so frowned up! If plain old water won’t revert your curls then WHAT WILL???? That looks permanent. Or something where only their shampoo can remove.
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I recognize that jar. My stylist used this product on me! I thought it was just grease! He just uses a little bit -probably a fingertip worth -after blow drying. I’m transitioning but my hair has reverted after washing. I haven’t noticed any issues.
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Really Shelli? I believe you know my answer already!
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Remember that informmercial ab the relaxer that was safe enough to eat. Don’t do it 😑.
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Okay ladies, I stepped away from the blue jar!!! My friend brought it into work for me today and I told her what I learned. She said, “My hair is softer and the comb just glides though it.” Then she said that she might stop using it now that she knows this. I decided to give the product to another natural at work who is always seeking softer hair. She is just going to use it on her natural … no pressing, flat-ironing, blow drying, etc. to see if it softens her coils. I’ll keep you updated!! She only has a little to play with, so hopefully I’ll learn if her hair was softer after using it as a moisturizer a few times.
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This is kind of crazy. I did get excited because I would like to wear my hair straightened sometimes and I’m convinced that it puffs up almost immediately after using the flat iron because I’m not using the right heat protectant, but I can’t risk losing my curls over this mess. Come on now.
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Totally agree! I was like you, excited, then like, “Awwww helllll naw!” LOL!! In regard to your hair puffing, I used to have the same problem and I now think it has to do with porosity and protein. Do you use protein treatments and/or conditioners periodically? I found that they give my hair a firmness that I didn’t have in the past and allow flat-ironed hair to last longer.
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Nay, nay, nay. Sounds donkey-ish. Lol!
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Agreed!!!
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So when i used to press my hair, I used this stuff. It was so hard to find tho. My hairstylist at the time used it on my hair. She would put a lil on before blow drying. It made it easier and faster to blow dry. I have very fine hair, so I had to be careful not to use too much. That was the key for me. Using to much will weight fine hair down. When pressing, I used less heat & I always got excellent results. I’m so shocked that someone is asking about this product. I started using it in 2006/7. I no longer press my hair or use any heat. This post just made me think that if I do press my hair, I have this great product to use. I recommend this product, but if you are a bit weary then a strand test is the way to go. On a side note-I was confused about what they said about using it with fine hair. I was like, “What the what?” I almost felt a lil slow cuz I couldn’t follow along. lol But in all seriousness, I’ve only used it to press my hair & it worked wonders.
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N4L, when you used it in the past, were you natural then too? So, you didn’t have any problems with your curls reverting when you washed? That’s what I’m afraid of, that I’ll press it, it’ll look great, but when I wash it, I’ll have straight or loosened sections and my curls are already looser than I would want in certain sections (like my right side and nape, the nape is almost straight! Ughh!).
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Hi Ladies. I’m new here and have been transitioning for 1 year 9 months. I’m doing this on my own with some help from some friends and websites. I might have about an inch or less of perm on my hair but it should all be gone by my next trim. I’ve been trying to find a product to use to flat iron or press my hair as my ends were a mess when I tried the 2 previous times and once I go outside it reverts to its natural state. I am interested to find out what your friend says about this product as well. Other than that I suggest a strand test or not at all.
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I decided not to use it at all:). If your relaxed ends are a mess, your final trim will probably deal with that. The friend that I gave this to is only using this on her natural hair, not to press it. But, my friend who gave it to me, it worked great for her!! So, if you can find it and you prefer to wear your natural hair straight, you might want to give it a go! Good luck and congrats on almost being at the end of your transition!! 1 year and 9 months is a long time and that takes so much patience and perseverance!!
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I used this product on my daughter’s natural hair to flat iron it; She has very thick, curly hair; I only used a small amount on each section and didn’t have to use much heat; It only took one pass and it was very straight and did not revert quickly; When I washed her hair, the curls came right back; Of course, I don’t flat iron her hair often so for those who use it excessively or frequently, I don’t know what the outcome could become; but with the low heat and infrequent use it didn’t loosen her curls.
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It works! I used the product years ago and thought it no longer existed. Periodically, I think about it and ask if anyone has heard of it. Glad to find it lives … Thank God for the Web! I’m ordering me some today! By the way, I was living in a very damp Seattle, San Francisco type climate when I was introduced to Kay-Vel that was roughly thirty years ago.
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I bought kayvel from a beauty supply store here in Atlanta, August of this year and finally used it last night. I applied it before blowdrying and flatironing. My hair is silky smooth ! I love it ! I have coarse 4b natural hair. I also love that the ingredients are natural.
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Hey y’all I use this product all the time, it works wonders for my hair. I’ve been natural for about 8yrs, 3rd time around, but this time I know I can keep it up because of this product. My hair stylist used it on my hair but, she would not tell me what it was so I went to the store and sniffed every pressing creme they had until I found the right one. No two cremes smell the same. Thank you Kay Vel for this wonderful prduct. 🙂
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I have been using it for about 3 months. I have all fine natural hair, with super soft texture at the front, and kinky at the back. I use it to flat iron my hair. What I notice is that my hair has been breaking in the back. So I am here trying to figure out why my hair is breaking. I have lost two to three inches from breakage. I am not using anything else, so I am here looking for the missing ingrediient. something is missing based on the directions. I have not permed my hair in 8 yrs so now I suspect there is some unknown chemical that is causing my hair to break. I am going to go back to one of my other pressing creams for the next 6 months, I will sign back in in a few months.
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I ordered the cream press a year or so ago and I haven’t ordered any more, because it’s not the original formula that I grew up with a used in my salon for years.
I understand that in today’s economy we have to be wise, but when you have a formula that has worked and sold itself for many years, why go cheap and change it?
It was the smell that drew me and this new cream press was a disappointment for me.
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I love the product . I’ve been going natural over a year and it really softens my natural hair. It works for me.
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I’m 58. My friend’s mom did our hair in high school using this product. That’s 40 yrs ago. So glad it’s still around. Will purchase for my daughter.
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My grandmother, mother, and myself used K-Val on my hair, and it’s a product that is hard to fine. I give it a million. I can only say for me and my household as a child and now.
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I first used this product when my daughter was in high school. She is 37 yrs. old now. She and I were always asked if we had a perm. But no, our hair was natural. I wondered where it went when it disappeared from the beauty supply shelves. I found it recently on the web, even sent some out of state to my sister. I love that i can use half the heat and sweep the flat iron through my hair one time. My hair is fairly soft and very fine. I don’t like a hard press. The soft press works perfectly for me. Sometimes I do two corn roll braids; other times I roller set. I love both. Its light and curly when i roll it; its not frizzy when i braid. I love this product. And yes, my hair reverts to its natural curls when I wash my hair.
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