Beauty School: Everything You Need To Know About Brazilian Blowouts

Most women are constantly looking for a product, a treatment or a hack that will give them that TV-advertisement-flip worthy hair. Some of us are born with great hair but then there are a few of us who look like tiny lions right out of the shower. Wouldn’t it be great if we could go a day without worrying about having a bad hair day? For the woman who doesn’t want to spend time styling and worrying about her hair, there is a salon treatment that can make your life easier without altering your natural hair type. Intrigued?

We’re going to tell you a little more about a salon hair treatment that is perfect for the woman who doesn’t want her hair to be poker straight, but rather extremely natural, shiny and manageable. If you’re looking to maintain your natural hair type, wavy, curly silky or straight and you just want a salon treatment that’s going to make your hair look glossy, frizz-free and salon-styled, then we’ve found you the perfect salon treatment.

Over the last few years, a hair treatment called a Brazilian blowout has taken Hollywood by storm. Celebrities, influencers and practically everyone we know has given the treatment a shot and raved about its results. In India, unfortunately, we’re late to the party and this particular hair treatment hasn’t caught on yet. It’s probably got to do with a combination of factors like our weather, our hair types and basically our taste and preferences.

What is it?

So what is a Brazillian blowout? The treatment uses all-natural ingredients that help bring your hair back to optimal health. We thought we should let an expert answer this question, so we reached out to one of the most creative hairstylists in India, Savio John Pereira to give us some insight.

“Firstly, let me begin by explaining the reason behind why you don’t hear the term Brazilian Blow-outs so often in India. It is because it already exists way before our western counterparts with just a different name. Everyone has heard about ‘Cysteine’ and ‘Keratin’ treatments, these treatments are pretty much the same as a Brazilian blowout. Except for a few ingredients used during the treatment. This is also because the products are differently formulated to suit different climatic conditions. Keratin changes the texture of the hair slightly, making it straighter whereas a Brazilian blowout is softer and more natural and mainly removes frizz, adding shine. Since it is milder on the hair it also washes out faster than keratin” says CEO & Celebrity Hairstylist, Savio John Pereira.

Also Read: Best Shampoo Bars For Long And Glossy Hair

How does it work?

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The treatment makes use of a liquid keratin formula that is applied to your hair. Think of it as a protective layer over your hair. This layer is formed with a bond used in the treatment, it allows them to bond to every strand of your hair sealing the cuticle, filling in any gaps (split ends and frizz) and adding a protective layer to your hair.

Benefits

The benefits of a Brazillian blowout are pretty similar to that of any hair smoothening treatment. It smoothens, boosts shine, nourishes and strengthens the hair. Unlike other hair treatments, a Brazillian blowout is recommended to people with extremely frizzy, damaged or chemically processed hair. It doesn’t change the texture or type of your hair, which basically means if your hair was curly before the blowout, it will be curly after the blowout too. The only difference will be the shine and frizz, the treatment nourishes your hair and therefore boosts shine and eliminates frizz.

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Here are some of the benefits of the treatment:

Eliminates frizz
Boosts shine
Nourishes the hair and makes it healthier
Adds volume
Doesn’t change the natural texture of your hair
Make your hair more manageable
Reduces blow-drying time considerably
Suitable for damaged hair
No demarcation line when hair starts to grow out
Suitable for all hair types
The final result can be customised according to your needs, whether you want your hair to be natural or smoother
The treatment uses natural ingredients
You can use heat styling treatments like curling iron, flat iron or even crimping tools. Unlike Keratine and Cysteine treatments, the Brazillian blowout will not make your hair difficult to style
No waiting period like other hair straightening treatments. You can wash, style or clip your hair immediately after the treatment

Brazilian blowout vs keratin or cysteine

A Keratin or a hair smoothening treatment is slightly fussy and high maintenance in comparison to a Brazillian blowout. After a hair smoothening, cysteine or keratin treatment, you are not supposed to wash your hair for 1-2 days. You are not even allowed to clip your hair up or get even a little bit of it wet. These treatments take anywhere between 3-4 hours in the salon and require you to use a special shampoo as ‘maintenance’. If you don’t use the recommended shampoos, the treatment wears off. You cannot use any heat styling tools on your hair like a curling iron because your hair won’t hold a curl.

A Brazilian blowout, on the other hand, is pretty easy and low maintenance. While it might cost you a little more, it is with good reason. You can wash, tie and wet your hair immediately after the treatment. You don’t require any special maintenance products and the treatment does not damage your hair. On the contrary, it is said to deposit essential nutrients along with your hair cuticle thereby improving not only the look and feel but also the quality of your hair.

So why is a Brazilian blowout more expensive than keratin?

The answer lies in the ingredients. Chemical straightening, smoothening and even keratin or cysteine treatments make use of some kind of chemical or the other. A Brazillian blowout is done using natural ingredients that actually hydrate, repair and strengthen your hair. Savio explains it to us, “The reason is that it’s a more natural and less chemical procedure, it is basically for damage and frizz control rather than to straighten out the hair. It is basically a protein treatment used to put back lost protein in the hair. A Brazilian blow-out is not meant to straighten out the hair but only to eliminate frizz. During this process of getting rid of frizz in the hair it does, however, make the hair appear slightly straightened. A Brazilian blowout is almost like laminating the hair by adding shine and making it look smoother. It helps reduce the blow-dry time by almost half and makes the hair appear naturally smooth and not artificial at all.” It is all of these factors that account to the cost of the treatment.

Time taken & steps involved

It takes lesser time in comparison to other hair straightening treatments. About an hour and a half. While the process is pretty similar to other hair straightening treatments, the end result differs. We asked Savio to list down the steps involved in a Brazillian blowout and he highlighted 5 key steps as follows:

Step 1: You want to begin the treatment on clean hair, so wash it twice to ensure that there is no product build-up. Savio recommends using a cleansing or a clarifying shampoo and skipping the conditioner.
Step 2: Towel dry the hair and blast dry in sections
Step 3: Section out the hair so you can begin the application process. Once you have sectioned out your hair, apply the product generously onto each section.
Step 4: After 30-40 minutes, blowdry your hair.
Step 5: And possibly the most essential step, Savio recommends sectioning your hair into 5 big sections. And now you run the hair iron along each section. This step is essential to lock the protein in the hair. This step also determines how your hair will look after the treatment.

Speak to your hairstylist and communicate your needs to them in advance. The more the stylist irons your hair, the straighter it will look after you rinse it out, so ensure that you both are on the same page.

After-care

There isn’t much aftercare required after this treatment. You can pretty much do whatever you want. It is recommended to use a shampoo and conditioner that doesn’t contain sulfates or chlorine after the treatment, but that’s about it.

FAQs

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Is it safe?

Yes, it’s very safe. In fact, it is recommended to people who have very damaged hair as the treatment locks in protein onto the hair shaft. This not only makes your hair look better, but it also improves its overall health and structural integrity.

How long do the results last?

You will have to get the treatment done every 1-2 months or 5-6 weeks, depending on your hair type and depending on how frequently you wash your hair. The salon you are getting the treatment at will let you know exactly how long you can expect results to last.

How much does it cost?

This would vary from salon to salon and depending on your hair type. Treatments like Keratine, Cystine, smoothening usually cost anywhere between INR 3,000 to 8,000. The cost varies because of the length and thickness of your hair, the product used and the salon you visit. Before opting for the treatment, you can call or visit the salon for a hair consultation, they would be able to tell you the exact cost of the treatment for your hair.

What hair type is it best suited for?

All hair types can benefit, straight, wavy, curly, thick, fine and even damaged. “A Brazilian blowout would be recommended for people with damaged hair. We recommend this to clients with curly or wavy hair who want to maintain their waves but want to reduce the frizz. This is mainly for people who are looking for more shine, less frizz but not specifically to straighten their hair,” says Savio.