Many people straighten their hair, for a wide variety of reasons. Those with curly or wavy hair may wish to try a new look; those with frizzy tendencies are looking for a smoother style; even those with fairly straight hair may want the polished appearance that silky, perfectly straight hair brings.

Whatever your reasons for wanting straight hair, you’ve probably experimented with several at-home methods and products to achieve your desired look. And you’ve discovered that to get a style that’s perfectly, shimmering straight, you have to devote quite a bit of extra time to your styling routine. Depending on the texture and condition of your hair, you may need more than one expensive product in addition to a costly straightening iron.

If this is the case, you may wish to consider having your hair chemically straightened at a salon. While a professional salon’s rates for straightening may be higher than you are used to paying for a hair treatment, chemical straightening lasts for months. It’ll also significantly reduce your product budget–not only will you need fewer de-frizzing and straightening serums and creams, you’ll need less of your standard hair gels, mousses, and sprays as well. And the savings in time is invaluable–usually a quick blow dry is all you will need to restore your hair-do to salon perfection.