??? Brazillian Blow Out

[akuamoonmaui]

Hi All,

Has anyone tried a 'Brazillian Blow Out'? I see it advertised and have looked into it a bit. It's supposed to be healthy for your hair....

[aenflex]

I shy away from stuff that starts out with Brazilian :) Seriously though, what is it? Save me from googling on my slow, slow connection?

[Bene]

When you say Brazilian Blowout, do you mean Keratin treatment? If yes, then it's sort of a chemical fills in the gaps of each strand, then blowdrying and flat ironing to seal everything in. Then rinsing again, another product added, more rinsing. Then blowdrying. If you ask around, you can get it without formaldehyde.

Not as expensive as Japanese straightening. I don't know much about how good or damaging it could be.

[Tovah]

It appears to be a hair smoothing (read that straightening) treatment without formaldehyde and "without harsh chemicals" according to their website.

[akuamoonmaui]

That's the one - I read that some have formaldehyde and some don't. They're new here and salons want about $400 *cough* for the treatment. Not in my budget, but am wondering if anyone has tried it.

[Igor]

Here:
http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=42735&highlight=brazilian
http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=38712&highlight=brazilian

[squiggyflop]

just watched the training video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r9KhydvXks8).. i felt like screaming when i saw all the steam coming from the flat iron

no thank you.. i dont think i want to boil my hair.. no matter how much i HATE my wavy spirally ends i wont do this

[lillithnight]

The way that alot of the companies producing this stuff don't label the ingrediants bothers me. If it was so healthy then it wouldn't be a problem to say what the ingrediants are.

here is some information; http://www.ohsu.edu/xd/research/centers-institutes/croet/emerging-issues-and-alerts.cfm

formaldahyde is a carcinogen so I wouldn't let something with such high concentrations of it near my body, let alone my scalp.

[Fractalsofhair]

Per a close friend of mine who is black and relaxes her hair, she said it's a lot less damaging than a regular relaxer, but not non damaging. Of course, most everything except for intense bleach is less damaging than a regular relaxer, so I don't know how much of an improvement it is. xD (And of course, she's now going to bleach her hair and dye it all sorts of odd colors... Her sense of very damaged hair is very different than your average LHCers, though she does take pretty good care of her hair.)

The ones without formaldehyde break down into formaldehyde, so be sure to get it done in a VERY well ventilated salon. I wouldn't call it safe health wise either, but smoking is probably far worse, and PPD hair dyes aren't exactly healthy either. $400 is about standard for a perm etc in a "fancy" salon, color generally costs a lot less, but still $200 is within a reasonable range for the cost of that(if it's more than 1 process). You might be able to find a lot less expensive place around though. You could probably get the ingredients to do it at home though.

If you just want your hair to be healthy, shiny, and less frizzy, but not totally straight, there are lots of safer ways. Conditioner only washing tends to help many people. (You can also straighten with large rollers or by wrapping it around your head.)

[little_cherry]

With that constant heat applied to 'seal' in the chemical, I'd say it rather damaging... 450 degrees is a lot of heat...that's even higher than what one would cook a roast at. Blowfrying twice and ironing once? No thank you....

[Unofficial_Rose]

Does anyone else think that Akuamoonmaui's hair is far too pretty (if that's your hair in your avatar) to be permanently straightened? I'd kill for hair that looks like that. Guess we all want what we dont have.

[ScarlettAdelle]

Actually, I'm a hairdresser and have had this done on my hair, and am certified in this treatment, so I may be able to clear up some common misconceptions and questions had about this treatment.

1) It is not a chemical straightening system. It is often compared to the Japanese hair straightening systems, but it is nothing like them. The Japanese straightening system is permanent, and actually damages your hair. The Brazilian Blowout is not permanent, and can improve the health of your hair. This is a Smoothing system, not a straightening system. The difference is that the Brazilian blowout is actually a coating that fills in damaged areas and creates a smooth surface instead of leaving more surface area for water to adhere to (which is how it speeds drying time so significantly. More surface area = more water to evaporate = taking longer to dry as there is more drying to be done) A straightening system is a chemical that is applied to the hair that, as a general rule, breaks bonds and reforms them in a different order using synthetic bonds, which are, by nature, weaker. This treatment is progressive, but not permanent, meaning if not kept up, the treatment will eventually wash out as it's really a coating and a protein infusion, not a straightener. This treatment actually strengthens bleached and chemically straightened hair and repairs some of the damage done by the original treatment.

2) This treatment is for people with damaged hair that is unmanageable due to the amount of damage and or people who have unruly and dry hair who have trouble even getting a brush through it without it breaking and snagging. If you have healthy hair, the affectiveness of the treatment is greatly diminished. Remember, this is a "Smoothing" system, not a straightening system.

3) This system will not make everyone's hair straight. Nor is it designed to. It's designed, along with the above intentions, to decrease the affectiveness humidity has on the hair. In other words, curly girls, after havin gthe treatment done can have significantly easier times keeping their hair sleeker and smoother on those dreaded humid days. The treatment will take a lot of the curl out of the hair, but if you have a lot of wave or a lot of curl, it will not make your hair straight. My curls increased twice in size after the treatment. They have gone back to normal now that it has been 6 months since I've had the treatment.

3) The process does indeed involve blowdrying and flat ironing at a high heat. However, as unlikely as it sounds, the blowdrying is supposed to be done in such a way that it smooths the cuticle down (the hairdresser is supposed to use a specific method to avoid damage to the hair) then the hair is flat ironed with an iron on high heat with the solution in it. The steam you see is not from boiling the hair, but from your hairdresser applying too much solution. The steam should be at a minimum as the hair is dry when flat ironed. The damage associated with heat is mostly due to people not using their tools properly and or using them too often. The Brazilian blowout is designed to cut down flat ironing and heat usage significantly. Flat Ironing it with high heat and good technique, while surrounded by heat protectants 4-6 times a year is much better in the long run than flat ironing it daily with no protectants and poor technique (which can actually damage hair more than the heat itself could ever hope to).

4) Listing the Ingredients- In the case of the Brazilian Blowout system ( I cannot say for the others as I have had no reliable interaction the owners/reps of the other companies) the ingredients lists are making their way to the bottles. The reason they're not currently on the bottle is because they're not pattented yet. I am told that the BB has the lowest amoutns of Formaldehyde and Formaldehyde releasing preservatives on the market (less than two percent, as opposed to the 4 percent I was able to find in the closest competetor) I am told by my rep. that as soon as the patent passes, the ingredients will appear on the bottles.

5) Expense- Unfortunately, yes it is a rather expensive system, but the product itself is very expensive. The little bottle of solution the hairdresser has to buy sets him/her back more than $300, not to mention the higher degree flat iron is usually somewhere around $120-160, and then when you add in the special shampoo, and the various other investments s/he has to make in order to perform the service. The class (which if your hairdresser is properly qualified, s/he took, and didn't rely on the training video, which is not all inclusive by any stretch of the imagination) is also mindnumbingly expensive. Getting sertified and able to perform this service is very expensive, so naturally, as your hairdresser is a business person, that expense gets passed on to the customer. And if you have long hair, you take more product, so s/he has to charge more in order to recoup the money. Keep in mind, this system is a highly tailored system which relies on your hairdresser's expertise and training and the investment. Your hairdresser didn't go out and buy pantine product and expect you to pay $400 to apply it. There's a lot of behind the scenes and behind the chair work going on there, and a lot of money invested into the system, so unfortunately, the client has to bear with us.


That being said, I cannot blame anyone for deciding not to opt for this program. I personally love the system (no, I don't get paid to say that or endorse the product in any way haha) and use it, and have had it performed on my own hair. It is not a service intended for everyone and in many cases will simply not work on virgin hair or some other instances. But for those who are good candidates, it's a great investment.

[julliams]

I came in on a conversation about hair and I thought they were talking about this so I said "are you talking about the brazilian blowout?" and they both looked at me totally shocked and thought I was talking about something else entirely. LOL I went on to explain what it was and it turned out that one of the women had had it done and knew is as "the keratin treatment". She said her hair is soft and smooth and feels healthier than it ever has. She was convinced that there was no formaldahyde in it at all even though I was sure there was. The few hairdressers that I have spoken to about it seem to agree that it is a great treatment to get done and this particular woman said that she thought it was great. I wonder how much is actually going into the strand and repairing it as opposed to coating it, but anyway...

My thought is that you could potentially have around 2 - 3 inches of new growth in that timeframe so if your hair is unruly by nature the top would be all a bit frizzy wouldn't it?

[julia941]

I've been reading a lot about this procedure and I can't imagine that it would make your hair healthier, though I guess it gives the appearance of healthier hair. A straight iron will do the same thing - it looks so pretty and shiny until your hair is covered with "white dots" and split ends. I wonder what the long term effects of BKT are. I don't know how long it has been around, but so far I've only seen rave reviews of it. I wonder what regular user's hair will be like down the road? I do think there is something to the idea that having this done quarterly might prevent the user from causing more damage to his or her hair because they won't be blow-drying or flat ironing every day, but that is a dubious advantage IMO.
There is an at home version of this on the market that advertises it will give similar results that last through seven shampoos. I've read nothing but horrifying user reviews of hair breaking off mid-length, "fried" ends, hair seeming to melt together, additional frizziness, etc. Some people included pictures of the damage and it was really terrible. Many people reported having to cut several inches of length off and that they felt like they couldn't get the stuff out of their hair, even after the seven shampoos. They were left with permanent damage and several mentioned contacting lawyers. I don't know how successfully one could sue over damaged and broken hair, but I certainly understand the impulse. I suppose it is another case of buyer beware and if it seems to good to be true (an $11 at home BKT!!) it is.

*edit* Thank you for that explanation, ScarlettAdelle! I started this last night and hit send this morning so I missed your post which came in the night. **

Anyway, you answered a lot of my questions and I feel like I understand the treatment/process better than I did before. I think my hunch that basically it made already damaged hair look better and discourages the client from inflicting further, daily damage with blow dryers and flat irons was sort of on track. I'm changing my opinion of dubious advantage to maybe it is better for some people who have a different approach to styling and hair care than I do. I don't think I'm a great candidate based on your information and I really appreciate that. I've been reading about it and have asked a few different stylists but I've never heard that part of it.
This certainly sounds like something best left to the hands of a well qualified professional and I have some ideas as to why that at home product is so disastrous - probably user error to some degree. Unfortunately I'm very familiar with user error and self-inflicted damage that I'm afraid to do anything at home - the couple of times I tried flat-ironing I had a hairdresser do it for me. It looked really pretty, lasted almost five days, and felt so great that it made me question how damaging it really is. But I know it really is. My hair is healthy and almost virgin (last 2-3 inches) and I don't think I've done it enough to cause much damage. I generally stick to COW, air-dry, and keep my hair up so I don't think the occasional flat iron wielded by a professional for special events is too too damaging and I am careful to do a couple of S&D's afterward.
Thanks again - J

[aenflex]

The keratin coats, stiffens and weighs the hair. Not a problem for some people with strong hair, and plenty of it, but for others the results atfer a few weeks are disasterous. Trust me. The breakage, very high up on the shaft, can get pretty bad.
I've never heard it termed as a blow-out, that must be relatively new. BKT and/or JTR are what I knew it as.
Look for pics online post procedure about 3-4 weeks. Sad...

[ScarlettAdelle]

*edit* Thank you for that explanation, ScarlettAdelle! I started this last night and hit send this morning so I missed your post which came in the night. **

Anyway, you answered a lot of my questions and I feel like I understand the treatment/process better than I did before. I think my hunch that basically it made already damaged hair look better and discourages the client from inflicting further, daily damage with blow dryers and flat irons was sort of on track. I'm changing my opinion of dubious advantage to maybe it is better for some people who have a different approach to styling and hair care than I do. I don't think I'm a great candidate based on your information and I really appreciate that. I've been reading about it and have asked a few different stylists but I've never heard that part of it.
This certainly sounds like something best left to the hands of a well qualified professional and I have some ideas as to why that at home product is so disastrous - probably user error to some degree. Unfortunately I'm very familiar with user error and self-inflicted damage that I'm afraid to do anything at home - the couple of times I tried flat-ironing I had a hairdresser do it for me. It looked really pretty, lasted almost five days, and felt so great that it made me question how damaging it really is. But I know it really is. My hair is healthy and almost virgin (last 2-3 inches) and I don't think I've done it enough to cause much damage. I generally stick to COW, air-dry, and keep my hair up so I don't think the occasional flat iron wielded by a professional for special events is too too damaging and I am careful to do a couple of S&D's afterward.
Thanks again - J


You're quite welcome! Part of the reason I joined LHC is to prove that not all hairdressers are flamboyantly dressed, gum smacking ditzes who just want to make a quick buck and care nothing about preserving or improving the condition of the hair, though that type is out there. We're not evil! I myself have almost TBL hair and encourage and educate my long haired clients to keep their hair as healthy as possible. I don't like to perform any service unless my client is fully aware of what's going on in their hair and has realistic expectations of how the service will turn out and why. If your hairdresser doesn't take the time to explain to you what s/he is doing and why and what to expect, you may want to find a new hairdresser.



---
A point I forgot to cover was that the Brazilian Keratin treatment as well as other keratin treatments are not the same as the BB system either. They have been named similarly in order for the client to hear a similar name and expect that they are getting the same product for cheaper. If it is not called "Brazilian Blowout" and does not come in the Brazilian Blowout bottle, it is not the correct product. Keratin treatments are Strengthening treatments, which have some smoothing affects, but are not a smoothing system. Keratin systems are an excellent system for the right candidate just as the Brazilian Blowout is an excellent system for people who need it.

Keratin is a protein. It is what the hair is made of and is used to strengthen hair. Hair can become over keratinized, however when too much synthetic keratin is applied, which will cause the hair to become brittle and exasperate breakage. You will know if your hair has become over keratinized if when it is dry after the treatment when you hold and move the ends it sounds "crunchy" and feels like straw. The best way to combat this would be to add moisture to the ends.

The Brazilian Blowout does contain some keratin, but not a whole lot. This makes sense when you take into account that the system is designed for damaged hair, which through bleaching, straightening, heat tool abuse etc. has lost some of its' keratin structure.

[julia941]

I don't have a negative opinion of hairdressers in general, only the ones with whom I personally had a bad experience. I have had wonderful stylists who understand and appreciate long hair (I would LOVE a long hair salon in my city). When my hair became so damaged and fell out a few years ago from illness and medication I found a wonderful woman who understood and was very patient with me. She helped me set a realistic timetable for my hair goals. One time I was so fed up seeing and dealing with the damage that I went in and asked her to cut it all off and she actually refused - convincing me that I would regret it. She stayed strong and stuck to my goals even when I had a moment of weakness and she was right. I will always appreciate that.

[akuamoonmaui]

Does anyone else think that Akuamoonmaui's hair is far too pretty (if that's your hair in your avatar) to be permanently straightened? I'd kill for hair that looks like that. Guess we all want what we dont have.


Thank you so much for the compliment, Unofficial Rose! I see so many beautiful heads of hair on this site, I didn't think mine was "worthy". Yes, that's my hair. I've considered the BB (before I knew the price) because it's advertised as temporary (3-4) months and that is was "healthy". I figured if I was curious, others here would be too!

[LoveMyLongHair]

*Raises hand* I had it done. I love mine. As Scarlett Adele says, not everyones hair is stick straight after wards. I have lots of wave and ringlety ends, so I still have nice body in my hair, though I can make it stick straight with the iron.

I only choose to do that on several occassions and always with heat protectant.

This system made a world of difference on my hair. It really did. In looking back, I am so glad I did it.

[Ivy Vinedancer]

I had this done about one month ago. It was the brand name "Brazilian Blowout" done in a salon. They washed my hair with a clarifying shampoo, then applied the treatment. Then the immediatley blew it out with a round brush. Then, flat iron. There was lots of steam from the blow out and the iron. Then he washed it again and blew it out again, but just with a vent brush this time. My hair was very very straight and super shiny. Mega watt shiny and soft. Everyone complemented me. My hair had repeated colorings (lots) and tended to be sort of frizzy. I would not even think of air drying. Looked Bad. With this, all I would have to do is blow dry my hair and its super staight again. No round brush or flat iron needed! But-it doesnt just air dry straight.
All that being said< If I had found this site beforehand, I would not have done it. I think my hair now may be over preteinized (?) . Right from the shower it's a mass of tangles and very dry and crunchy. It does not feel like my hair. Once I brush and dry, it looks tons better, but has a lot of breakage. It was not shiny at all. In fact it was almost dull and lifeless. I've been lurking over this site.. and learnign so much. I started with henna on Tuesday. All my shine is back. :) Hair feels stronger and healthier but still a mess after the shower. I am going to try protein-free and COW or CSC and the helpful washing methods, as well as switching to air-drying, au naturel. Just looking at the microscopic photos of the hair shaft and the damages I know that I've inflicted on my own hair... oh lordy... serious changes in my hair care regime are in order at once!

At any rate, the BB was nice for a while. But from what I've read and experienced isn't always as "healthy for hair" as its made to seem. It's still an intense treatment, chemicals and heat. I guess everyone's experience can be different. This is just my two cents. I am not a professional by any means:o

[PrincessBob]

Em, I want nothing to do with my Brazilian area having a blowout.

[orbiting]

Em, I want nothing to do with my Brazilian area having a blowout.
:rollin: That's priceless!

I think it sounds neat but not something I need or could afford.