courtesy of Rusk

For all 7x7ers, this month is full of Best Of madness. All hands are on deck to compile a hearty list of all the things we love—from outdoor activities, nightlife, food (of course), even beauty products and services. So when our uber-chic fashion editor Nerissa asked me to try out the Rusk Radical Anticurl for a potential nod in the Best Of issue I jumped at the chance to be a hair guinea pig. I have naturally wavy hair, so I figured it might be a fun to feel what it’s like to be a straight-haired gal for a while.

Arriving at Mane Frame Salon on a sunny Wednesday afternoon—which just so happened to be my birthday—I was a little nervous. I was ushered to the back of the quirky salon where I met Rusk Master Stylist Emily who was to be administering the service. Her extensive knowledge of the procedure instantly put me at ease. After a quick consultation Emily chose the right strength for my wavy, color-treated hair and went to work. The process, which only took an hour, involved three steps. For the first step, Emily applied the actual semi-permanent Radical Anticurl solution by combing it through my hair until it was the right texture—kind of like whipping egg whites and waiting for the right stiff-peaked consistency. After the Radical Anticurl was washed out thoroughly, Emily next applied another solution that smelled similar to the crazy home-perms of the early ‘90s—yes I had a spiral perm circa ‘92—followed by a final solution.

Once the product was completely washed out of my hair I noticed an immediate difference. As all us wavy ladies know, when your hair is wet that’s when it’s at its curliest and unruliest. My wet hair was completely lank and straight in a way that I’ve never seen before and once Emily blew it dry I could notice a profound change. My hair was sleek and frizz-free and virtually perfect. The one major downside though was that my color was really affected and my ends got pretty frayed. Another major precaution is to avoid this treatment if you have bleached hair. According to Emily, the interaction of the Radical Anticurl and the bleach will result in a “chemical haircut,” which will severely damage your mane and give you an unwanted trim. Emily also recommends that you make sure your Rusk stylist has practiced the service and is fluent with the product. For a list of Rusk salons who perform the service check out their website. Although my experience didn’t make it into the Best Of, I’m very happy with my hair—although the color turned from a flashy crimson to a brassy copper—and I would definitely do it again.