Have the heat and humidity officially made your unruly hair impossible?  Are you looking for a few extra minutes in your morning now that school is back? A smoothing or straightening treatment might be just what you need!  Brazilian Blowout and keratin treatments are hair smoothing treatments that are used to straighten hair without causing any damage to the hair follicles.  The treatments bond protein to the outer layer of your hair, helping protect, soften, smooth and relax the hair. 

Both treatments can remove frizz, add shine and decrease your blow dry time.  In fact, trying to distinguish between the two treatments can be tricky.  A consultation with your stylist is the best way to determine what is best for your hair, however we will break down the two treatments for you below.

Both treatments offer a variety of benefits, most importantly that both will make hair appear straighter; though neither treatment is permanent.

Both treatments help fight humidity, create shine and improve manageability.  They will cut down on the need to wash hair and cut down on the time needed for everyday styling.  For best results, you will want to use sulfate-free shampoo and conditioner, which can help make the treatments last longer as well. 

While both treatments achieve similar results, they do have some differences, particularly in the procedure used to apply the treatment and how the hair will leave the salon. 

 Brazilian Blowout – This treatment uses a protein from a blend of amino acids to straighten and smooth the hair.  Before applying the product, the hair is shampooed and carefully dried until only a small amount of moisture remains.  After the product is applied, the hair is blow dried and flat-ironed.  The hair is then shampooed to rinse out the product and is dried one last time.  Upon leaving the salon, the hair is completely finished and the client is free to do anything they desire. 

Keratin Treatment – Similar to the Brazilian blowout, keratin treatments begin with shampooing and drying the hair completely.  The product is applied and left on for 20-30 minutes.  The hair is then blow dried and flat-ironed.  However, for the keratin treatment, clients leave the salon with product in their hair that can be washed out after three days.  Clients are asked to refrain from sweating, tying hair back or tucking hair behind their ears.   

If you are interested in learning more about the treatments, or exploring which one might work best for your hair, chat with your stylist at your next appointment.