The way I understand it, hair follicles are largely composed of a type of keratin protein.  When you are a child, your hair contains a large amount of that protein giving you that smooth, soft, and practically frizz-free texture.   Depending on your genetic makeup, as you grow and go through hormonal changes you can lose some of that protein leading to dry and frizzy hair. Everyone’s hair texture is different.  My hair, believe it or not, is very curly and frizzy!  I started getting Brazilian Blowouts around 5 years ago before all of the big hype. I am lucky that one of my family members is a stylist and gives me family pricing because that’s the reason why I’ve been able to support this obsession for so long. The Brazilian Blowout has literally changed my life. It’s honestly reduced the number of bad hair days, which has boosted my confidence.  It‘s cut down the time it takes for me to get ready in the morning, which has allowed for longer snooze session.  It’s given me the freedom to tackle on humidity without the fear that my hairstyle will be ruined within seconds.  It’s one less worry when it comes to working out or breaking a sweat because I know my hair won’t take up hours of my day to wash and dry. The process itself takes a couple of hours, but I am more than happy to spend 2 hours at the salon for 3 months of hair freedom.

My hair after receiving a Brazilian blowout treatment.

Getting a Brazilian Blowout is not for everyone. If you are considering it, I definitely recommend doing your research beforehand as there is some controversy behind this treatment. Make sure to find a reputable hair stylist with good reviews and call to confirm that they use a formaldehyde free formula.  WebMD offers some good facts on the process.  Here are a couple of questions I came up with when doing my research and the answers I found:

What is a Brazilian Blowout? A Brazilian Blowout is the process by which keratin protein is added to your hair.

How is a Brazilian Blowout different from a Japanese Straightening treatment? Japanese straightening treatments chemically change the texture of your hair. The process can take up to 8 hours and the results last indefinitely. If your hair is naturally curly your hair will not revert back to its original state. Only the part that grows out will be in its natural state and you’ll have to endure a stage of awkward regrowth between pin-straight and frizzy hair. The process leaves your hair weak and can make your hair feel dry and brittle. The Brazilian Blowout on the other hand does the opposite. It adds keratin back into your hair (which is a natural complex)  and leaves your hair feeling soft and healthy like when you were a child. The process does not permanently change the texture of your hair, so if your hair was curly before, you can still style it curly after.  The treatment takes anywhere from 1-3 hours depending on length and texture and lasts around 3 months before completely washing out.

How do you maintain your Brazilian Blowout? In order to make your Brazilian blowout last you should use sulfate-free shampoo.  Sulfate is a salt that strips your hair of oils. If your scalp is not used to sulfate-free shampoos you may go through stages of dandruff. You don’t have to feel obligated to purchase the most expensive shampoo. Just be aware and try out different ones until you find the right one for you. I also use heat protection sprays for blow drying and straightening my hair, and keratin oils when styling. For any products that I use in my hair (which are minimal), I check the labels to make sure they are sulfate-free. When using oils, I stick to keratin based oils and only use a minimal amount to tame fly always. Keeping this routine has helped to extend the life of my blowouts and keep my hair maintenance to a minimum.

Some people may call my obsession with Brazilian blowouts crazy, but I call it love.

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