The sensation of summer heat, unintelligible conversations from families a distance away, the glistening from ocean water or the neighborhood pool – the season’s hallmarks. These hotter days means we are drawn closer to water and tend to spend our off days with friends and family, soaking up the sun, and enjoying life. The Ippodaro Team is no different, catch us enjoying the outdoors, eating homemade Bar-B-Que, and making the best of our time. However, we also enjoy educating our guests about common issues we see during the summertime.

Our previous blog walked you through the issues that can come from sunny days, buildup, and chlorine with the simple solution of adding the Malibu Crystal Gel Treatment to your hair-care regime. Our Instagram and Tik-Tok pages have a fun one-minute video of the whole service. To fully explain the benefits of the service, we wanted to walk our guests through the whole process and break down each step

Step 1: Fully Wet the Hair

Ensure the hair is completely drenched and fully saturated.

Step 2: Clarify the Hair (Malibu Un-Do-Goo)

We use the vegan Malibu Un-Do-Goo as a clarifying shampoo to ensure the hair and scalp is free of as much build-up as possible. This shampoo is available as a take-home product that our guests can use as a once-a-week cleanser that rids the scalp of all natural and product buildup. Link to our Store.

Step 3: Rinse Hair Thoroughly

We rinse the hair thoroughly so that the treatment has no barrier between it and the solution.

Step 4: Apply Malibu Crystal Gel Treatment

The Malibu Crystal Gel Treatment ingredients are: Sodium Gluconate, Ascorbic Acid, Disodium EDTA, and Xanthan Gum. These ingredients are vegan and clean as they are products of vegetables, fruits via fermentation or extraction.

• Sodium gluconate is derived from aerobically fermenting the sugar in beets or corn which creates gluconic acid. After neutralization, it turns into sodium gluconate and acts as a heavy metal stabilizer, which allows for a deeper penetration and exfoliation of any chemical buildup. 
• Ascorbic acid, commonly known as Vitamin C, is derived from citrus fruits or peppers, which can be extracted and filtered into a pure substance. When added into hair, it helps promote collagen production, helping hair strength (i.e. preventing hair falling out and strengthening the cuticle). 
• Disodium ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA) is a chelator that binds to metal ions to deactivate them. This opens the epidermis and cuticle to allow ingredient absorption and exfoliation. 
• Xanthan gum is derived from glucose or corn syrup and is used as a skin conditioning treatment for the scalp and is concentrated enough that it nourishes the hands of the stylist washing (these are the benefits added to the scalp!).

Step 5: Section Hair While Applying Malibu Crystal Gel Treatment

From roots to ends, the stylist works the treatment into the scalp and hair. We utilize the palm-to-palm rubbing technique where we sandwich a section of hair in-between our hands and allow the solution to penetrate every inch of the head.

Step 6: Work Into Hair and Scalp

The solution is completely safe for skin and helps strengthen the hair roots, so our stylists massage the solution into the scalp to complete the effects of the treatment.

Step 7: Clip the Hair & Wrap the Head with Saran Wrap

To ensure the heat is trapped onto the head while under the dryer, we twist and clip your hair up and wrap the head completely in Saran Wrap.

Step 8: Dryer Time (10-45 Minutes)

Guests are set under the dryer for a period of time depending on the severity of damage or buildup of the individual. The heat activates the solution and helps the chelators penetrate the cuticles and allow for the vitamin C and Xanthan gum to nourish the hair shaft.

Step 9: Rework the Crystal Gel Treatment Into Hair and Scalp

Once dryer time is up, the guests is redirected to the shampoo bowl and the stylists reworks some the treatment into the scalp and pulls it through to the ends again.

Step 10: Rinse Shampoo Head and Rinse

We rinse the hair thoroughly and allow for the water to rinse out the treatment and the buildup/chemicals. Then we shampoo the hair with an O-Way shampoo – the type of shampoo depending on the individual’s needs. Again, we then rinse the hair thoroughly.

Step 11: Condition Ends of Hair and Rinse

Lastly, we apply an O-Way hair mask to the ends of the guest’s hair to lock in moisture and promote the hair’s health.

The Malibu Crystal Gel Treatment is recommended for our clients who come in for any keratins, color services, perms, or thermal straighteners, as this treatment increases the longevity effects of their services (i.e. their keratin lasts longer or their color is vivified). The treatment can also help tone out the greenish tint that develops after a dip in a chlorine-treated pool or remove medication build-up from your scalp, which allows for color to deposit into the cuticles better. The service requires anywhere from an hour to and hour and thirty minutes and only costs $30!

We wanted to bring awareness to this service because the treatment not only benefits hair health but can also save a guest money in the long run when coming in for separate services. Enjoy the sun, enjoy the pool, the beach, and most of all feel confidence with your hair. Treating it right – promoting its health – can in turn help you feel your best self.