Brazilian Keratin Treatments for hair have been around for many, many months, but I’ve been resisting since a) I didn’t have any friends who were willing to act like my quinea pig and test it out, and b) it costs quite a bit of money. And since I am not the spawn of some adorable money fairies, money is a precious commodity to me.
But in the past month, various ladies on fashionism have had the treatment and shared raves about it. Then my soul sister (hi Nessa!) had it done and really raved about it. So I finally felt comfortable enough to give it a try.
For those of you who aren’t hair obsessed, here’s the background. Keratin treatments (called either brazilian keratin treatments or brazilian blowouts) coat the hair shaft (hehehe, shaft) with keratin, a protein that is found in healthy hair. Once the hair is coated with liquid keratin then heated to a high temperature, it bonds to each strand and leaves your hair smooth, shiny, and frizz-free. If you have curly hair, it relaxes the curl slightly but mostly just reduces frizz. If you’re starting with straight hair, you’ll likely find your hair is left completely smooth. Sounds awesome, right?
Well… it is! The process is long (and smelly) but it’s worth every second. And cent.
My stylist started by washing my hair and blowdrying it completely. She then covered my hair in the keratin liquid, which smells a little and made my eyes water but didn’t burn or irritate my scalp at all. My hair was dried with the treatment in it and flat-ironed. Then I got a trim because my ends looked like los gatos malos had been chewing on them. Don’t worry, they weren’t—I have boundaries. The final step was to at myself in the mirror, grinning like an idiot and molesting my own head.
Halfway done!
After the treatment, I had to wait 3 days before washing and take care to keep my hair straight during this period. No ponytails, no headbands. Which means no working out. Tragic, really. I consoled myself with chocolate. As someone who has relaxed hair, I’m used to going loooong spans without washing my hair. So this was a piece of cake for me.
Third day
Today is the fifth day and I finally washed my hair. And? It’s so straight. Right out of the shower. Then I realized I have no idea how to do my hair if I’m not straightening it or drowning it in gel to keep the curls in place. I’m going to experiment this weekend and see if I can figure out how to work with my new texture.
My overall thoughts? It’s well worth the time and money. I can tell it will take significantly less time to straighten and my hair is incredibly shiny and soft. I’m already planning on getting it done again in 5-6 months.
If you’re in Massachusetts and looking to get this done, visit my friend Ashley at A Cut Beyond in Randolph, Mass. The price includes shampoo and conditioner for keratin-treated hair. And she did an incredible job. I kind of have a problem about recommending my friend’s services to others. I feel like it’s my responsibility if something goes wrong. So let me say again, GO SEE ASHLEY!
