Two things about at-home smoothing treatments are worth knowing before you buy any of them. The first is a pricing quirk in this particular kit that makes one option obviously better value. The second is what "formaldehyde-free" does and does not guarantee — and that one is a genuine health question rather than a marketing quibble.
The Solshine Hair Zero Flocks Given Kit costs $120.00 for short to medium hair and $140.00 for medium to long, in Blondes/Highlights or Brunettes formulations. Let us take the pricing first, because it is straightforwardly good news.
The kits, as listed
| Short–Medium kit | $120.00 — 1 × Zero Flocks Given Treatment 4 oz, Blowout Spray 4 oz, Clarifying Shampoo 2 oz, Sulfate-Free Shampoo 2 oz, Conditioner 2 oz |
|---|---|
| Medium–Long kit | $140.00 — 2 × Treatment 4 oz, plus the same four products |
| Shades | Blondes & Highlights (also for silver/white hair) · Brunettes |
| Treatment sold alone | $80.00 |
| Ingredients · processing time · duration of results | Not published |
Buy the Medium–Long kit, whatever your hair length
Compare the two kits carefully. They are identical except for one thing: the Medium–Long version contains two 4 oz bottles of the Zero Flocks Given treatment instead of one. Everything else — the blowout spray, both shampoos, the conditioner — is the same.
That second bottle costs you $20. Bought on its own, the treatment is listed at $80.
So unless you are certain you will only ever do this once, the $140 kit gives you a second full treatment for a quarter of what it costs separately — enough for a repeat application in a few months without buying anything else. Even with short hair, that is the better purchase. It is unusual to find a bundle where the arithmetic is this lopsided in the customer's favour, and worth pointing out.
The base kit is decent value too: $120 gets you the $80 treatment plus four supporting products for $40.
What "formaldehyde-free" actually promises
This is the part to read carefully, and it is not a criticism of Solshine specifically — it applies to the entire smoothing category.
Formaldehyde is what made traditional Brazilian keratin treatments effective and also what made them controversial: applied to hair and then heated with a flat iron, it produced fumes that prompted regulatory action and health warnings in several countries. The industry responded with formulations marketed as formaldehyde-free.
The complication is that "contains no formaldehyde" and "releases no formaldehyde when heated" are different statements. Some reformulated products use compounds — methylene glycol, glyoxylic acid, certain preservatives — which are not formaldehyde on the ingredient list but can produce it or related aldehydes under heat. A genuinely aldehyde-free product exists and is a real thing; the label alone does not tell you which you have.
Solshine publishes no ingredient list anywhere on this listing. For a product you apply to your scalp and then heat, that is the specification I would insist on before buying. Ask for the full INCI list, and ask specifically whether the formula contains glyoxylic acid or any formaldehyde-releasing preservative. A brand that has genuinely solved this will be pleased to tell you.
Whatever the answer, use any smoothing treatment in a well-ventilated room, and follow the ventilation guidance the manufacturer provides.
What the kit gets right
Separate formulations for blonde and brunette hair
More thoughtful than it first appears. Smoothing treatments can shift tone, and blonde, highlighted and silver hair is more porous and more prone to picking up warmth or discolouration. Offering a dedicated version rather than one formula for everyone, and explicitly covering silver and white hair, addresses a real problem.
A complete system rather than one bottle
Clarifying shampoo before, sulfate-free shampoo and conditioner after. This sequence is correct rather than upselling: a clarifying wash removes product buildup so the treatment can bind evenly, and sulfates strip smoothing treatments, so a sulfate-free follow-up genuinely extends results. Including all of it means you are not discovering the requirement afterwards.
Sizing the kit to hair length
Running out of product halfway through a treatment is the classic at-home disaster. Offering two sizes with a clear length guide prevents it.
Honest positioning about privacy and convenience
Salon smoothing treatments run into the hundreds. Doing it at home for $120 to $140, with everything supplied, is a legitimate proposition.
Other gaps
1. No instructions or processing time
How long does the treatment stay on? What flat iron temperature does it need? How many passes? For a multi-step chemical process, none of this is on the page — and flat iron temperature in particular is both a results question and, given the discussion above, a safety one.
2. No stated duration of results
Smoothing treatments typically last somewhere between six and sixteen weeks depending on formulation and washing habits. No figure is given, which makes it impossible to work out cost per month.
3. No patch test guidance
Standard practice for any chemical hair treatment, and not mentioned.
4. Nothing about compatibility with bleached or relaxed hair
The blonde formulation implies consideration of lightened hair, but there is no explicit guidance on heavily bleached, relaxed or previously keratin-treated hair — the cases where things most often go wrong.
5. No pregnancy or sensitivity guidance
Commonly included on smoothing products, absent here.
Who should buy it
- Anyone paying salon prices for smoothing. The saving is substantial.
- Blonde, highlighted or silver hair. A dedicated formulation is genuinely useful.
- People who will repeat the treatment. Take the $140 kit — the second bottle is the bargain.
- Confident DIY users. Provided you get the instructions first.
Who should not
- Anyone who needs to know the ingredients. None are published — ask before buying.
- Poorly ventilated bathrooms. Ventilation matters for any heat-activated treatment.
- Heavily processed or previously relaxed hair. No compatibility guidance given.
- First-timers with no salon reference. Consider having it done professionally once first.
Verdict
The commercial side of this is well judged. A complete system with the correct supporting products, separate formulations for blonde and brunette hair, two kit sizes, and a bundle structure where $20 buys an $80 bottle. That last point alone makes the Medium–Long kit the obvious choice for almost anyone.
What I cannot assess is the formula, because none of it is published. For a heat-activated chemical treatment applied at home, an ingredient list is not optional information — it is the basis on which anyone should decide. Email Solshine, ask for the full INCI and specifically about aldehyde content, ask for the processing instructions and flat iron temperature, and ask how long results last. Good answers would make this an easy recommendation at the price.
Both kit sizes and shades are listed on the Solshine Hair store, and our Solshine Hair store page tracks their other live offers.
Disclosure: this article contains affiliate links. If you buy through them we may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. Product details and prices were taken from the retailer listing at the time of writing and may change. This article is not medical advice. Chemical hair treatments should be used with adequate ventilation and according to the manufacturer instructions; patch test first, and consult a professional stylist or a doctor if you have a scalp condition, are pregnant, or have concerns about ingredients.
