Full disclosure: I'm a hair-straightening addict. I was born with thick, wavy, frizz-prone hair, and since the days of junior high I've been in hot—sometimes 410-degree-flat-iron-hot—pursuit of smooth, sleek locks. Every few years I'll wear it naturally for a month or two, but before long I'm always back on the sauce with a round brush, flat iron and styling serum.

Hot styling has its disadvantages, though, and they're never more evident than on your wedding day. Chief among these is a dependency on good weather—no amount of hairstyle test runs can promise a low-humidity, precipitation-free walk down the aisle. So what's a girl to do when you need reassurance that your locks won't poof under pressure?

We turned to nuBest Salon in Manhasset, New York, for a straightening treatment with a little more longevity; namely, we wanted to know the pros and cons of the Brazilian keratin treatment, a salon service that promises frizz-free locks with minimal styling for up to three months. NuBest has received raves from magazines like Allure, Elle and Vogue, and is a favorite of A-list clients from Kyra Sedgwick to LL Cool J, so I knew I was in good hands.

Meryle Nemeth, nuBest's resident hair straightening guru, explained that unlike Japanese straightening treatments or relaxers, keratin treatments don't harm the hair, making it perfect for anyone with highlights or color. The concept is simple: "inject" keratin, the protein that already comprises your hair and fingernails, into the cuticle and seal it in with heat for smoother, stronger, shinier hair. Added bonus: There's no damage to the hair itself because the only tools used are a standard flat iron, hair dryer and keratin spray. When properly cared for, straightened hair retains the look for up to 12 weeks.

The Process

After a quick blow-dry, Meryle used clips to separate the hair into tiny sections and applied keratin solution using a spray bottle. (On curlier hair, the keratin treatment comes in the form of a paste and leaves the hair stickier.) The solution itself doesn't smell, though it does make your eyes water a bit; lucky for me, the sensation is fairly common, so Meryle had tissues on hand just in case. When my hair was totally saturated, she blew it dry before meticulously straightening it with a flat iron to seal in the keratin. Straightening was the most tedious part of the process, as it had to be done in tiny sections to ensure every strand was entirely coated and sealed. The result: I left the salon looking like I'd had a fresh blowout, and my hair looked shinier and brighter than ever.

Post-Treatment

Though the application process was fairly simple, post-treatment care is crucial to keep up the results. I had to keep my hair clean, dry and flat (without so much as a headband or clip) for 24 hours immediately following the treatment. For curlier hair that requires a paste treatment, that no-fly zone lasts for four days, so prepare for a little hygienic discomfort right off the bat.

After the first wash, I towel-dried my hair and gave it a pretty hasty blow-dry with my fingers. Voilà: instant gorgeous, frizz-free, straight locks. For a more polished look, Meryle recommended blow-drying with your fingers until the hair is 90 percent dry and finishing off with a round brush. My favorite look so far? A rough blow-dry and a tiny dollop of Jonathan Product DIRT Texturizing Paste ($19; amazon.com)—my hair was straight, but rock-star tousled for what would be a wild walk down the aisle.

Even more crucial is shampoo; it's vital that you use a sodium chloride-free shampoo and conditioner, lest you rinse the treatment right out of your hair. "It's a great treatment," Meryle explained, "but it's not perfect yet. Salt will counteract it, so don't use shampoos and conditioners with sodium chloride or go swimming in salt water." She recommends Simply Smooth Xtend Keratin Replenishing shampoo and conditioner ($40; amazon.com) and L'Oreal EverPure ($7; drugstore.com), both of which are sodium chloride-free.

Honeymoon Hair

So what does this mean for your wedding? If you're planning on plunging into the Pacific after a fabulous destination wedding in Hawaii, pass on the keratin treatment. Likewise for honeymoon locales where a dip in the ocean is de rigueur—your freshly straightened locks won't last. If the thought of getting a blowout for every pre- and post-wedding event gives you anxiety, though, Brazilian keratin straightening is a great idea, and it really does work. It's not perfect, but it's about as close to a miracle treatment as you can get. Most telling of all, I haven't fired up my straightening iron in a month, and I fully intend to book a repeat visit once my 12 weeks are up—I'm officially a convert.