The Liquid Gold treatment promises frizz-free tresses with a touch of glamour. But does it deliver? In need of some major hair taming, L360’s Evelyn Richards booked an appointment at Neville’s to find out.
“Don’t worry — that’s not dandruff, it’s gold,” my hairdresser, Justina, says with a chuckle as she parts my hair. We’re in Neville Hair & Beauty, the kind of discreet, glossy enclave one might expect to find just a few paces from Knightsbridge station.
The shimmer she’s referring to is flakes of real 24-carat gold — the defining flourish in the salon’s latest cult offering: the Liquid Gold Smoothing Treatment.
Part alchemy, part advanced chemistry, this protein-rich therapy is rapidly becoming the go-to indulgence for London’s well-tressed elite. Designed to eliminate frizz, boost shine and impart a soft gleam, it promises the kind of polish usually reserved for those with a red-carpet invitation.
Keratin treatments and Brazilian blow-dries have long ruled the roost when it comes to smoothing frazzled locks, but Liquid Gold is angling for a more luxurious crown. Unlike its predecessors — some of which have been criticised for harsh chemical content — this treatment claims to offer gentler and more restorative alternative.
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What is the Liquid Gold Smoothing Treatment?
So, what’s actually in the bottle? Aside from the namesake 24-carat gold, the formula includes hydrolysed keratin (a protein that mirrors what our hair is made of), nourishing amino acids and cocoa extract. This plant-based addition helps to soften and smooth the hair shaft, while the keratin works to strengthen and rebuild from within.
The gold, while certainly attention-grabbing, serves a dual purpose: providing light-reflecting shimmer and, according to some proponents, possessing anti-inflammatory properties for the scalp.
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What is the process?
First, a deep-cleansing shampoo strips the hair of oils and residues, opening the cuticles — the gateways through which the treatment penetrates.
Hair is then gently detangled and sectioned off, before the golden elixir is painstakingly applied section by section. It’s a thick, slightly sticky serum that glistens under the lights like molten sunlight. It sits on the hair for around 20 minutes, allowing the ingredients to do their work, before being blow-dried directly into the strands — no rinsing required.
The final step is the clincher: a high-temperature flat iron is used to seal in the treatment, leaving hair glassy and smooth. There is, however, a post-treatment caveat. For 72 hours, hair must be left completely alone — no washing, no brushing, no tying up. It’s a small sacrifice, but one worth noting if, like me, you have a busy social calendar or training plan to consider.
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What are the results, is it worth it?
The results were, in one word, transformative. Even amid London drizzle, my hair remained sleek and obedient. The shine was noticeable without veering into oil-slick territory, and the texture was lightweight.
Many friends and colleagues noted how glossy and sleek my locks looked in the weeks following my stylist’s Midas touch, despite me not even owning a hair straightener. Bed head was blissfully banished, I could finally truly say “I woke up like this”.
Naturally, there’s a price tag to match the promise. Treatments start at £250 and can climb depending on hair length and thickness. It’s firmly in the ‘investment’ bracket of beauty spending — but with effects lasting up to six months, many will consider it a worthwhile alternative to bi-weekly blow-dries or the cumulative cost of smoothing serums, oils and masks that never quite deliver.
Visit Neville Hair and Beauty to book the Liquid Gold Smoothing Treatment.
Feature image: Canva
