The Brazilian Blowout!

Hello, it's been a while since my last post because Thanksgiving and other stuff happened. But I'm back.


Today, I am going to talk about the Brazilian Blowout or the "keratin treatment". There is tons of info on the web that is there precisely to sell you on the service, but today I will talk about the negatives and positives without trying to convince you to come in and get the service.


First of all, What is a Brazilian Blowout or keratin treatment?


The Brazilian Blowout or keratin treatment is a hair treatment designed to make your hair more manageable and get rid of frizz. Sounds great right? What woman doesn't want to get rid of frizz? I can't think of one.


The treatment takes about an hour and a half at the salon and it lasts up to 12 weeks depending on the person. It slowly rinses out of the hair, so the person isn't left with curly roots and straight ends like what one would get with a regular straightening service. The cost is anywhere between $150 to $450 depending on the salon and the length of the hair.


It all sounds great and there were a lot of hairdressers making a lot of money, and a lot of clients looking great until a hair salon decided to sue one of the biggest companies that provided this treatment. The claim was that the chemicals in the product where hazardous to one's health, and that the company placed false statements on their packaging concerning the quantities of the chemicals. After several studies, the keratin treatment company won the case.


The concern was that the product contained high amounts of formaldehyde. According to merriam-webster.com:


Formaldehyde : is a colorless pungent irritating gas CH₂O used chiefly in aqueous solution as a disinfectant and preservative and in chemical synthesis. 


I did some research and it looks like all of these hair treatments must contain some form of this chemical to work. 


So after all of this what do I think? I use chemicals in my line of work every day. It's just part of the cosmetology industry. Everything I use has chemicals, so I leave it up to the FDA to make sure that these products are safe to use, and then I use them. Like everything else, I have the common sense to use things in moderation, and when it comes to the Brazilian Blowout, I do it in moderation. I make sure the salon is well-ventilated when I perform it. The smell is somewhat irritating, so I don't do more than one per day. As for the clients, if they decide to start getting these treatments they only have to do it a maximum of four times a year. Do I recommend it to everyone? Absolutely not.


You shouldn't get it done if:

• your hair is thin
• you can't afford it 
• you are sensitive to smells
• you like to wear your hair naturally curly sometimes 

You should get it done if 

• you have frizzy hair 
• you have thick hair
• you like to wear your hair straight most of the time
• you can afford it

So, in conclusion, I will leave it to everyone's discretion. 

This is not a miracle service that will make it so one can get out of bed and have perfect hair. That does not exist. One has to work a little to have manageable hair. Like most new things in the beauty industry, I always try it on myself before I try it on my clients, and I can tell you from personal experience that It definitely helped me every morning by cutting down on the time I had to spend on my hair. That does not mean it will help or work on everyone else. 

So that's it. No miracle formula yet :)

If anyone has additional questions feel free to ask. I will be brutally honest.

Till next time!

Hair Spray

No, we are not going to talk about the musical/movie, but the actual product. I choose this particular topic because Halloween has just passed and I found myself using it a LOT.


Hair spray, according to Wikipedia: "(also hair lacquer, spritz, or sticky water) is a common cosmetic product that is sprayed onto hair to keep it stiff or in a certain style. The spray can be dispensed from a pump or aerosol spraynozzle."


"It is sprayed to hold styles for a long period. It may leave hair feeling "crunchy" unless brushed out. Excessive use or lack of washing after hair spray may lead to dull or damaged hair and dandruff."

"Hair spray was first developed and manufactured in 1948 by Chase Products Company, based in Broadview, Illinois."

To me, it was an essential part of my morning routine to make those "beautiful" wavy bangs stand straight up and stay there all day.

Below are two of the Mexican actresses I wanted to look like as a kid. 







I had to carry a small bottle of it in my purse because I had swim class or PE and God forbid my hair was flat for the next period. What was that product called? Oh yes, Aqua Net (I used the one with the white bottle because it had the strong hold).









In high school, I took it to next level and had an empty can to use as a roller, because the circumference was the ideal size. I would put the can of Aqua Net under my bangs and I would spray them with another can. My bangs were so long, they would go down to the tip of my mouth. No, I could not see, but I looked cool, or so I thought. 


Today, hair spray has improved. It's still sticky, still smells funny and it's still extremely flammable, but some of its ingredients have changed, so we don't make the hole in the ozone any bigger. Our hairstyles have thankfully changed to more natural looks that make hair spray optional and not a must.


I do a lot of bridal and period-piece hair, so I use it on my clients a lot more than a non-hairdresser would use it on themselves. I am interested in hearing how it was used in generations before me, like in the 60's. I want to know how long it took those women to get those perfect do's. If any reader has some insights or interesting stories,
please feel free to share them with me. 




Below are pictures of two actresses from the show Mad Men, which is based in the 1960's.

Look good... feel better.

The subject for today is Cancer. Although it is not a happy subject the program I will write about is fantastic. After doing hair for many, many years I have decided to give back. And who is more deserving and needs it more than cancer patients? No one.
The Program is called "Look Good Feel Better" This program is a part of the American Cancer society and it aids women who are going through chemotherapy and are facing side effects.  I am very exited to start. As a volunteer I can help women feel better by teaching them how to apply  make up and do their hair. If you are a licensed Cosmetologist or aesthetician and you are interested in volunteering, or if you are a cancer patient who might think this is a program that can help you, please go to the following link.

http://lookgoodfeelbetter.org/

How I heard about it.
I read a fantastic article about a hair dresser who helped a lady in need. If you guys want to read this heartwarming story here it is.

http://www.kpho.com/community/20010109/detail.html