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As you know I have super thick unruly, curly locks but I choose to wear my hair straight most days because the freedom of being able to wake up, brush my hair and go is priceless. So, when I first heard about the magical straightening powers of the Brazilian blow-dry (which promised to keep my hair straight and sleek for up to 3 months) I was determined to try it. I emerged from the salon with smooth and straight(ish) hair but vowing never to do it again. Let’s just say the experience of getting the treatment done was definitely not smooth (passing out in the salon chair from fume inhalation is not my idea of fun)! Luckily for me the lovely souls over at Brazilian Blowout convinced me that theirs was different and that I should try it again. After an afternoon in their chair all I can say is trust me - this is the ONLY Brazilian Blow-dry type treatment you should be having and here’s why.
We all have Brazilian blow-dry horror stories to tell; whether you have straight or curly hair almost everyone has tried it and the amount of tall stories out there about the treatment is astonishing. From the mild stories about women having had a two-day headache after inhaling fumes from the treatment to the more insane stories of a woman passing out in her shower when washing her hair after the treatment - I’ve heard them all. But after doing my research I realised that there are so many different brands of the treatment out there that it wasn’t fair to give the treatment itself a bad rap, when we as women aren’t asking the questions we need to to make sure we are protecting our health. Let’s face it; we all want shinier, sleeker locks but shouldn’t we be paying more careful attention to what we’re putting on our bodies?
The brand and product I recently tried is called Brazilian Blowout Açai Professional Smoothing Solution. It is the original Brazilian treatment and in my opinion is the safest and most effective brand to use. The brand has been lumped along with all the Brazilian ‘Blow-dry’ methods when in fact it is in a league of its own! First off, Brazilian Blowout is a smoothing treatment not a straightening treatment. It does improve the health and condition of the hair, eliminate frizz and smooth the cuticle by creating a protective protein layer around the hair shaft but it won’t take out all the curl.
Secondly, contrary to popular belief it’s not dangerous! As with all products there is the chance of having an allergic reaction to the product but no chance of your health being negatively affected by fumes. We’ve all heard the horror stories about this treatment and the formaldehyde gas it produces (that’s what caused me to pass out in my first Brazilian Blow-dry experience) but with Brazilian Blowout the amount of formaldehyde gas produced (when heat is applied to the product) is so minimal you don’t even smell it. When I was having my Brazilian Blowout done I was dreading the actual blow-dry and flat ironing part of the treatment as the last time (when using the less desirable product) that was the moment I passed out from the fumes. But, this time around there was no odour to speak of and I didn’t leave the salon with a headache afterwards. Phew! I also haven’t experienced the usual smell of formaldehyde residue every time I blow-dry or flat iron my hair at home.
Another thing I love about this brand is that the South African distributers are doing everything they can to educate salon owners and clients around the safety of having the treatment done. They are committed to only selling their products to trained and certified Brazilian Blowout salons and hairdressers which means no client will be subjected to a stylist who doesn’t know how to use the product correctly and safely. This is huge, especially in the South African market where there are too many back-yard salons to count.
I also love that with Brazilian Blowout there is no downtime. The last time I had this treatment done I wasn’t allowed to tie up my hair or wash it for 48 hours and it was a nightmare. But with Brazilian Blowout the minute you leave the salon, you can wash and air dry your hair, workout, put your hair in a ponytail or clip and it will still be smooth, frizz-free and radiant!
And, with the use of the aftercare products (which really work to prolong your treatment -trust me) the results can last for up to 12 weeks! This treatment has made me fall in love with my hair again and the fact that I can wash my hair and have sleek, beautiful locks after just a quick 20 minute drying session with hair dryer (not a blow-dry) is absolutely incredible for me.
The entire Brazilian Blowout process will take about 90 minutes and costs upwards of R1500 depending on the length of your hair and the salon. Of course, you can get an inferior treatment for less than that but trust me I’ve tried them and it’s not worth it! Brazilian Blowout also offers a revolutionary split-end treatment for those who want to get their hair back into tip-top shape – something that is definitely next on my list of must-tries.
Click here for a list of certified Brazilian Blowout Salons.
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By Crystal Espin
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