Are Brazilian Blowouts really worth the cost?

 The hair care industry is one of the most lucrative in the world of beauty and fashion. It has been able to successfully drain the pockets of girls (and even guys) clamoring for the latest cut, color or chemical treatment being marketed.  

A quick trip to the hair salon is the easiest way to update your look and give what often feels like a much-needed change. It’s also the industry with the most longevity, as no matter how old you get, that expense for highlights every few months will just keep decreasing And if you start young, the numbers can add up to a dangerous amount by the time you reach middle-age.           

Bearing that in mind, I’ve been very wary of starting any long-lasting treatments on my own hair. While color has never been an option, I have been open to a treatment for my wavy (and sometimes downright frizzy) hair. I’ve tried the generic relaxers once or twice, but nothing worked. My hair was far too resistant. Nothing short of a miracle would do the trick.       

Last spring, Nicole Richie used her blog to market the latest trend in hair care, the Brazilian Blowout. She sang its praises, claiming that she “now has the freedom to not have to blow dry my hair every time I wash it. I can go swimming and not have to worry about frizz” (nicolerichie.celebuzz.com).      

My attention was instantly grabbed, because as any wavy haired girl knows, water is our biggest enemy. But I quickly wrote off the treatment as ineffective like the others, and with the price being so high it hardly seemed worth the effort.

According to brazilianblowout.com, the blowout uses a Keratin based formula to improve the health of the hair by creating a protective layer of protein around the hair shaft, thus eliminating frizz and smoothing out the cuticle. Results last 10 to 12 weeks and the procedure can be completed in about 90 minutes.

When the fall semester started, bringing with it a few weeks of weird and wacky weather and far too much humidity for my hair’s liking, I knew it was time for something drastic. I was not going to spend an hour on my hair every morning, just to be able to tie it back in a bun for class. The blowout seemed like my last resort.

I booked an appointment at the Chris McMillan salon in Los Angeles and came in very apprehensive. True to its word, the treatment only took 90 minutes. The process involved painting on a product, blow-drying and flat ironing the hair and then rinsing it out. 

I was absolutely amazed with the results when I left the salon. My hair was straight, yes, but amazingly it had no frizz or fly-a-ways. I figured when I washed it myself the next time, the results wouldn’t be as shocking.

Thankfully I was wrong. The very next day I went snorkeling and as soon as my hair dried, it looked as if I had just walked out of a beauty salon. Needless to say, I was overjoyed. If the treatment can withstand salt water and beach air, it must be a miracle.

A week later I still couldn’t be happier. It’s literally as if I have naturally straight hair and I spend no time in the mornings getting ready for class. I’m definitely hooked and can’t imagine not having this done in the future. The best part about the treatment is that when it fades, it fades altogether, so you won’t end up with curly roots and straight ends like many other relaxers and it’s completely healthy for the hair. It won’t fry or damage your hair and it can be done on top of color with no problems. It actually takes better to colored hair.

However, there is a downside. It is extremely pricey. It starts at $350 and can cost $400 for longer hair. If you don’t have extreme problems with waves/frizz, I wouldn’t recommend doing it. However, if you’re like me and literally can never wear your hair down without spending hours trying to tame it, then I seriously recommend trying this procedure. If you limit yourself to getting it done twice a year (once before fall and once before spring works well) the expense isn’t really that bad.

All in all, it is a truly life-changing treatment, and if you’re in need of some extra time in the morning, you should definitely look into it.