Let’s talk about Brazilian Blowout

Here’s the basics:

Brazilian Blowout was created as a way to offer customizable and damage free smoothing. It’s commonly used as a “straightening” treatment and named interchangeable with keratin treatments. There are a lot of things in common between the two treatments but the basic gist is this:

Brazilian Blowout
plant based amino acids coat the hair to seal and protect and smooth
– reduce frizz and create shine up to 3 months
– lighter treatment easier customized for finer and less intensely curly hair
– can continue regular styling as soon as you leave the salon
– controversy surrounding formaldehyde
– you can color your hair in the same visit, and the treatment will seal the color in (great for vivids)

Keratin Treatments
keratin protein penetrates the hair shaft to provide nourishment and repair from the inside out
– reduce frizz and create shine up to 3 months
– better for overly curly and voluminous hair looking to reduce bulk and volume
– many keratin treatments have a required downtime after service to prevent damage
– too much protein can damage hair in the long run

Let’s delve a little more into some of those things. Keratin is a protein, which is an essential building block of the hair. Overly processed hair and hair that has been damaged by overuse of hot tools is a great candidate for keratin, as it’s a great way to replace some of the missing building blocks for stronger and healthier hair. It’s possible, however, to over proteinize the hair. What this means is that at a certain point your hair shaft will no longer accept new protein inside of it and if not rinsed away properly will cause a buildup of protein which will get brittle and snap off, defeating the purpose of using the protein in the first place. (Also the number 1 reason why 95% of the time I start with moisture when addressing hair problems).

The formaldehyde in the Brazilian Blowout can be a bit more of a hot button issue. In general, so long as you and your stylist are in a well ventilated area and following the manufacturers instructions, there’s not much evidence to suggest that this would be an issue and that it’s not much different from wearing most nail polishes. Of course you should always use your best judgment and if that’s a deal breaker for you, then that service wouldn’t be a good fit for you and that’s ok too.

Split End Mender

The Split End Mender treatment is a great choice for someone who has otherwise healthy hair but damaged ends. Damage happens for all sorts of reasons and this treatment works to fill in and bind broken fibers in the hair strand together, while repairing and fortifying weakened pieces in the hair strand.

It goes on the ends of your hair (where the damage is), and gets sealed in post haircut with a blowdry and a flat iron. Of course you don’t need to get a haircut to get the treatment if your haircut schedule is longer than every 4 weeks, which is about how long this treatment helps to repair and protect your hair.

BBX VS BBO

Both the Express and Original treatments offer smooth and shiny results. The biggest differences between the two is how long it takes to complete the service, how much each service costs, and how long the results last.

Both services can be completed after a color application, and because of how they seal the hair’s cuticle they’ll extend the life of your color as well. (Great for vivid fashion colors)

BBX

– Takes 45-60 minutes in the salon – Lasts around 4 weeks
– Great choice for trying out new service or for a vacation or special occasion
– Price usually ranges from $130-$175

BBO

– Takes 90-120 minutes in the salon
– Lasts around 12 weeks
– Great choice for going into hot humid months and stretching out time between retouches
– Price usually ranges from $230-$275

Products to use with your treatment

For absolutely optimal results you should use the Açaí shampoo and conditioner from Brazilian Blowout, in addition to the Ionic Bonding Spray when you go to style your hair. Realistically if you have high quality sulfate free shampoo and conditioner, you’re probably going to be fine. The sulfates in Eleven Australia’s Hydrate my hair line are coconut based, and will work well for you to maintain your results.

I wouldn’t skip the Ionic Bonding Spray though. It seals the hair’s cuticle, blocks humidity, prevents frizz, and cuts blow dry time, which also makes it a good product to try out if you’re not sure you want to invest in the Blowout in general.

Which of these is right for me?

The answer is something only you can really decide. If you’re someone who has issues with frizz year round, the Original treatment is a great way to keep everything tame all the time. In the more humid months it’ll lock extra humidity out and in the dryer months it’ll lock vital moisture in. The same can be said for the Express treatment, just with shorter results.

If it’s your first time getting a Blowout with me, I offer 25% off the first service! It’s a great way to try it out and save a little money as well.


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