Going Green with Your Hair Routine: Top Eco-Friendly Salon Products
Which Hair Treatment Does Your Hair Actually Need?
A practical guide to every treatment type — from Aveda Botanical Repair to scalp therapy — and exactly who benefits from each.
Most hair struggles share a common root: people are using the right shampoo and conditioner for their hair type but skipping the step that actually corrects damage, rebuilds strength, or restores moisture at a deeper level. That step is a treatment — and the category covers far more ground than most guests realize.
At Tangerine Salon, our Aveda-trained stylists work with five distinct treatment categories across all five of our Dallas-Fort Worth locations. Each one targets a specific kind of hair problem. Matching the right treatment to the right concern is where real results come from. This guide walks through each category in detail so you know exactly what you're asking for — and why — at your next appointment.
What Makes a Treatment Different from Regular Conditioning
Shampoo and conditioner work at the surface of the hair shaft — cleansing the cuticle and smoothing it temporarily. Treatments go further. Depending on the formula, they penetrate the cortex to rebuild protein bonds, deliver sustained hydration, correct scalp chemistry, or deposit color pigment into damaged areas. The concentration of active ingredients is also significantly higher, which is why treatments are used less frequently and often with heat activation to drive absorption.
Professional treatments available at Tangerine go beyond what over-the-counter products can achieve. Aveda's plant-based formulations are designed to work with the hair's natural structure rather than coating it with silicone — so results last longer and hair health improves over time rather than becoming dependent on a product cycle. That philosophy shapes every treatment we recommend.
The Five Treatment Categories
Deep Conditioning
Deep conditioning treatments deliver concentrated moisture to the cortex, restoring elasticity and softness in dry, brittle, or weather-stressed hair. They're the most universally applicable treatment — almost every hair type benefits from periodic deep conditioning, particularly in North Texas where dry air and heat styling are constant stressors.
Aveda's Nutriplenish Treatment Masque (available in Light and Deep Moisture) is the workhorse of this category. The Deep formula delivers four times the hydration of untreated hair, powered by organic coconut oil, pomegranate seed oil, and mango butter. For curly and coily hair, it's foundational — see our curly hair Nutriplenish guide for the full routine.
Botanical Repair & Protein Treatments
When hair has been bleached, color-treated, heat-damaged, or chemically processed, the internal protein bonds that give hair its structural integrity begin to break down. Protein treatments and bond-building formulas rebuild these bonds from within, reducing breakage, improving elasticity, and restoring healthy snap to compromised strands.
Aveda's Botanical Repair line is the gold standard for this category — a vegan, plant-based bond-building system. The Strengthening Masque works for medium to coarse hair; the lighter Overnight Serum suits finer textures. Both repair the hair's natural protein structure rather than coating it. Color-treated guests especially benefit — we typically recommend pairing this with color maintenance habits post-appointment.
Glossing Treatments
A gloss is a semi-permanent treatment that deposits translucent color pigment onto the hair shaft, sealing the cuticle and dramatically boosting shine. It can be used to refresh faded color, neutralize unwanted brassiness, add depth to natural hair, or simply amplify luminosity between color appointments. The effect is immediate and visible.
Glossing is one of the most requested add-on services at Tangerine because of how efficiently it extends the life of a balayage or color service. A gloss done four to six weeks after a color appointment can make hair look freshly done for another month or more. It also works beautifully on guests who aren't ready to commit to permanent color but want more dimension and shine.
Scalp Treatments
Healthy hair starts at the scalp. Scalp treatments address the environment in which hair grows — removing buildup, rebalancing oil production, soothing irritation, and stimulating circulation. They're often overlooked until a problem develops, but regular scalp care prevents the conditions that lead to excessive shedding, dryness, and slow growth.
Aveda's Scalp Solutions line covers both in-salon and at-home scalp care. The Balancing Shampoo addresses oiliness and buildup; the Scalp Renewal Serum (an overnight treatment) improves barrier strength and hydration without rinsing. For guests dealing with visible dandruff or chronic irritation, our full scalp care guide covers the complete protocol.
Keratin Treatments
Keratin treatments infuse the hair shaft with keratin protein and seal it with heat, temporarily smoothing the cuticle and dramatically reducing frizz and styling time. The result is sleeker, more manageable hair that holds styles longer. Results typically last 8–16 weeks depending on hair type and maintenance.
Keratin treatments are especially popular with guests who have thick, coarse, or chronically frizzy hair — including wavy and curly types who want to reduce volume without going fully straight. They're not a color service and can be done alongside most Aveda color services with proper timing. Guests should discuss their full service history with their stylist at consultation to confirm compatibility.
Pre-Shampoo Oil Treatments
Pre-shampoo oil treatments — applied generously from roots to ends before washing — are one of the most underutilized tools in hair care. A high-quality hair oil applied 30–60 minutes before shampooing penetrates the cortex, buffers against the drying effects of cleansing, and dramatically improves moisture retention after the shower.
Aveda's Nutriplenish Multi-Use Hair Oil is the ideal formula for this — a lightweight blend of organic coconut, pomegranate, and crambe seed oils that absorbs quickly without leaving residue. Apply it heavily, let it sit, then shampoo as normal. The difference in shine and softness is immediate. It doubles as a finishing oil for dry hair between washes.
Match Your Concern to the Right Treatment
Use this as a starting point — your Tangerine stylist will refine the recommendation during your consultation.
| Your Concern | Primary Treatment | Supporting Step |
|---|---|---|
| Dryness & brittleness | Deep conditioning masque (Nutriplenish Deep) | Pre-shampoo oil treatment weekly |
| Breakage from bleach or color | Botanical Repair Masque or Overnight Serum | Nutriplenish Leave-In for daily protection |
| Faded color / brassiness | Glossing treatment in-salon | Color-safe shampoo routine at home |
| Frizz & unmanageability | Keratin treatment or Smooth Infusion system | Smooth Infusion styling between appointments |
| Scalp buildup or flaking | In-salon scalp treatment + Scalp Solutions line | Clarifying shampoo every 2–4 weeks |
| Dull, flat, lackluster hair | Glossing treatment | Finishing oil (Miraculous Oil) for daily shine |
| Fine hair with volume loss | Scalp treatment + Invati Ultra Advanced system | Thickening foam for daily lift |
| Curly or coily hair — moisture | Nutriplenish Deep Masque + oil treatment | Be Curly Advanced or Nutriplenish Curl Gelée |
How Often Should You Get a Treatment?
Treatment frequency depends on the category and your hair's current condition. Damaged hair needs more frequent intervention early, with frequency tapering as health improves. Here's a general framework our stylists use:
At-Home Masque
Nutriplenish or Botanical Repair masque on wash day, especially for color-treated or dry hair.
In-Salon Treatment
Professional deep conditioning or scalp treatment to address what at-home products can't fully reach.
Keratin or Gloss
Smoothing treatments every 8–16 weeks; glossing every 4–8 weeks to refresh color and seal the cuticle.
Treatments for Color-Treated Hair
Color services — especially lightening — are the single biggest driver of treatment need at Tangerine. Bleach raises the hair's pH, lifts the cuticle, and breaks disulfide bonds that give hair its tensile strength. The more sessions a guest has had, the more repair-oriented their treatment routine needs to be.
Our approach for guests with ongoing balayage or lightening services: Botanical Repair Masque between appointments, a glossing service 4–6 weeks after the color session to reseal the cuticle and refresh tone, and a Nutriplenish oil treatment the night before every appointment as a pre-color prep step. This sequence keeps hair in the best possible condition for the next round of lightening. Our color prep guide covers the full pre-appointment routine.
For guests doing high-maintenance blonde work — the level of commitment our DCC clients maintain — we'd add a Botanical Repair Overnight Serum two nights per week. At that frequency of lightening, bond support is not optional.
The At-Home Treatment Routine That Actually Works
The most effective at-home treatment routine is simple, consistent, and matched to your hair's primary concern. Our capsule care approach applies here too — you don't need six products, you need the right three used correctly.
For most guests, this means: a pre-shampoo oil treatment once a week using Nutriplenish Multi-Use Oil, a masque on wash day (either Nutriplenish Deep or Botanical Repair depending on your primary concern), and a leave-in conditioner or Smooth Infusion style-prep before heat styling. That three-step sequence covers hydration, strength, and protection in under 15 additional minutes of wash-day effort.
If you're unsure which masque fits your hair type, bring that question to your next consultation. Our stylists at Dallas, Coppell, Frisco, Allen, and Highland Village can assess your hair's porosity and damage level and give you a specific recommendation — not a general one.
The Standard We Hold Ourselves To
As the official salon of the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders, Tangerine maintains hair that endures constant performance demands — high-frequency lightening, heat styling, and environmental exposure. The treatment protocols we use for the DCC are the same ones available to every guest: Aveda Botanical Repair, in-salon glossing, and Nutriplenish deep hydration. The only difference is how often we apply them.
Book a Treatment ConsultationWhen to Add a Treatment to Your Existing Appointment
Most guests add treatments as an upgrade to an existing color or cut appointment — it requires only a few extra minutes of processing time and the results are immediately visible when your hair is finished. A deep conditioning masque under a dryer while color processes adds zero time to your appointment. A glossing service adds 15–20 minutes. A scalp treatment can often be worked into the shampoo step.
If you're booking for the first time, mention your treatment interest when you call or text us at 972-393-9200, or note it in your online booking comments. That lets us schedule the right amount of time and have the appropriate products ready at your location.
Browse the full Tangerine service menu to see the complete treatment offerings, or explore specific product lines on our Aveda partner page. For ongoing maintenance between salon visits, our staple product guide and eco-conscious hair care guide cover what to use at home.
Find Your Tangerine Location
Ready to Book Your Treatment?
Our stylists across all five DFW locations will assess your hair and recommend the right treatment combination — no guesswork, no wasted steps.
Book Online