My Brazilian Blowout: From Fab to Drab
Yes, Brazilian blowouts are toxic. It’s official. But I’d like to talk about something else for a moment: They can also completely mess up your hair. Behold the unflattering exhibits above.
I was pretty shocked to revisit these pictures, and see just how awful my hair looked. Part of me was starting to think that I’d maybe overreacted at the time. I hadn’t.
If you’re wondering why I cataloged my hair like a crazy person, it’s because Siobhan and I were sending each other pictures like these over instant message to check in on whether our $400 blowouts were worth it. We sure thought so at first.
In picture 1, my hair felt silky smooth. I could even run my fingers through it, something that had never happened before (and hasn’t since). But beyond that first month of bliss? The situation started to seriously degrade. As my real hair tried to break through the toxic veneer, I was left with a dry, flat mess.
I really thought I’d ruined my hair for good. I went to the salon to complain, only to be scolded by a mean (and actually Brazilian) hairdresser. Just that morning we had Google-panicked about the treatment, but he yelled at me when I questioned its safety. I cried the entire drive home. Let me tell you, it was a rough few weeks.
Of course, my story has a happy ending. Eventually my hair came back to as the treatment washed out over time, and now it’s really healthy. That awful experience also happened to give us an idea for a book. You may have heard of it?
But my heart seriously goes out to the women who have shared their stories with us, some of whom are currently panicking about their hair just like we did. The other day I met a natural hairdresser who told me that she’s had to “treat” women whose hair began falling out from repeated Brazilians. I really find it heartbreaking!
I’ll be honest, I’m a little embarrassed to share these pictures—but I’m just so sick of hearing the rebuttals about why this toxic treatment is worth it.
Are you still convinced?
Your hair looks a lot better now! Props to you for embracing it!
I really DO HOPE people stop doing crazy things to get things they were not born with. How would the world be if we embraced all of our virtues and flaws?
Thank you so much for speaking out about the Brazilian Blowout treatments. I had it done almost a week ago and I have been regretting it ever since. I’m not seeing any major breakage or hair loss, but it doesn’t look as healthy or shiny as it did before the treatment. Not to mention, when my hair is wet (after shampoo & conditioning) it feels like there is a film weighing it down. I’ve also lost a lot of volume due to the smoothing effects and it gets so static-y sometimes. I’ve been trying to research what I might be able to do to reverse the treatment, but haven’t come across much yet. For now I’m at least going to go back to using my Kerastase products and start taking vitamins to hopefully help the condition of my hair as the treatment wears off. Can you tell me how much time passed before it felt like your hair was back to normal? Any suggestions? Again I appreciate the effort you’re putting into this and any advice you can give. Thanks!
Your book is going to open people’s eyes & they can make informed choices. We have to stand up for everything in making sustainable clean choices in every product, food, etc that we buy. What we buy is going to change it.. That is what companies listen too and if we stop buying their products.
Thanks for sharing the “real” results of the Brazilian Blowout. I thought about having it done a few months ago, but decided against it. The cons outweighed the pros within a few minutes of research regarding the treatment. And all the formaldehyde? No thanks. I’m surprised it’s taken this long to expose the truth regarding it. I think I read more about side effects and hair loss, than I did people who got the results the BB promises.
If anyone is still thinking of trying this treatment out, you should DEFINITELY check out this blog I found:
http://www.cleanairmadesimple.com
I’m not planning on having this treatment done [my hair is way to thin. I feel like I would lose it all] but I still know lots of people interested, despite the dangers. Read that blog first; stylist should too! Pretty interesting stuff. They have product solutions and stuff, but a specific read about formaldehyde was all I needed to read to know I would never come close to having the BB done.
Lauren, I’m trying to remember how it took to get back to my normal hair… Maybe four months? I was not a frequent washer though, so maybe it will come out faster for you. But I don’t want you to dry your hair out that way either! :)
I try to keep that in mind. I wasn’t a frequent washer before – I could actually go several days without washing. I wish I would have done more research ahead of time. I was just so excited about the dream of being able to cut down my 45 minute drying time. Well the drying time is shorter now, but I do not like the texture or the way that I feel like it just hangs there looking sad. Oh well…at least I know now and I will save my $ next time! Thanks again!!
i’m so glad i decided last minute not to do this but i did try a more “natural” / cleaner potato starch version. it didnt work though and im thankful. i love my cuuuurls:) and when im in the mood i get a blowout and then i feel like wonder woman for a couple of weeks (yup my blowouts last forever)! i really do. i love getting blowouts. my advice to all these women out there – your readers… 1) dont be desperate. desperation makes you do INSANE things and 2) for the buckaroos you spend on braz blowouts, go get a FABULOUS couture cut by an amazing top-notch stylist. Nothing beats a truly professional haircut. NOTHING:)
Ha. I love this advice. Also, I love getting blowouts as well (mine last forever too now that my hair’s healthy and I don’t leave weird products in it!).
Hi all. I feel that I should give another experience with the Brazillian Blowout. I had it about two months ago, and I still l.o.v.e. my hair. I wash it once a week (used to do it every day) and use large hot rollers. It comes out beautiful and it lasts for a full week. It actually would last longer, but I feel a week is enough to go without washing it.
My hair is shoulder-length. I actually wake up every day with good hair. I don’t even have to comb it, just run my fingers through it. But I do run a comb through it. I went from having over-processed, frizzy hair to having gorgeous, shiny, smooth hair.
It’s made my life better, not only in the sense that it saves me loads of time in the morning, but, more importantly, I finally have gorgeous hair!
I can feel for those of you who have had a bad experience. Which, frankly, makes me more than a little nervous, as I plan on having it again once it wears off. From my understanding, they reformulated the BBO and it now contains very little formaldehyde. Do you guys know anything about that?
Alexandra, I just looked at your profile, Your hair is gorgeous!! The way my hair looked prior to the BBO is just about the way your hair looks in the third photo above. So I really needed to do something.
Wow! I am extemely surprised to see so many negative comments about the Brazilian Blowout. I’ve just had my second BB done and I love, love it.! Did I say I LOVE it? My first BB was over 13 weeks ago. My hair still looked good and I could have probably gone another month before my 2nd one. My hair does not lose it’s volume or become stick straight (unless I style it to look that way) What it does for me, is give me freedom. No more money wasted on anti- frizz products, no more silicone creams, sprays or hot irons sucking the life out of my hair. Best of all, no more worries about humid weather! The BB leaves my hair silky smooth, with loads of movement. My blow drying time is down to 5 minutes, and now I can skip the hot iron altogether. I can dance in the rain without fear of frizzy ends! :) I am wondering if these ladies had a bad experience because their stylist’s didn’t know what they were doing? Also: Osha has deemed the BB to be safe. (I have many allergies and I did not get one hive from this) Go to their website for the Osha update. I sure hope to see some more positive comments about the BB in here and I sure hope these ladies get their money back from their stylists!
It sounds like your BB was not applied correctly or you had previously chemically treated hair and you were not consulted properly. Clearly, the BB will not work in all cases just like all hair processes. I highly suggest you look at all the variables before blaming the BB.
The brazillian blowout left my hair thin, lifeless with no curl or body even after 8 months! I wish I never did it!
Just like the last comments in your post, I also did a BB (twice) and my hair is still beautiful. I’m sure you only had a bad experience, but, honey, try to get over it, unfortunately bad things happen to good people, and for that I do feel sorry for you, you seams like a good girl. However, this is not ground for generalizations, I mean, if the BB didn’t have more people reacting in a positive way it wouldn’t be as famous as it is today.
Your blog is very influential … I think you should be more careful with what you post in here. Making a negative post, after having had only one experience with something, is not really a good atitute.
Sorry about your hair … is visible how sensitive you are about it.
Hugs, K.
PS: Seriously, you’ve found a “mean” Brazilian?! I never met a Brazilian who is not polite or that is “mean”, during my 26 years working in the immigration field. Hmm …
I will also never get the BB every again. I have had it twice now for the first BB it looked great for a few weeks – silky, less drying time and never had to use a flat iron. After a few weeks started looking dry and spit ends like crazy. My stylist thought we should try a different brand for the second time he says more “green” and less chemicals, My hair looks worse than ever!! So damaged at the ends and constantly looks and feel tangled. I can’t get it to look good anymore. I am trying everything to get this out of my hair and back to normal. Any ideas?
A “mean Brazilian” to a White woman in America is one who won’t take their shit, nasty attitude, and general snottiness. I’ve seen it at my salon in D.C. For some reason, White women have been lead to believe that since MOST men of all races will kiss their ass and allow piss poor behavior, that the rest of us will just go along with the ruse. NOPE. That would be incorrect. I blame your behavior on the men. They encourage your awful behavior and they know it. Not to be awful, but MOST men of all races seem to think you bitches are the sweetest, nicest, most polite things to inhabit the Earth. Too bad these penises never get to see what you are really like when they aren’t around. I think I’m going to have the ladies @ the salon set up some hidden cameras and see what we find. I feel a YouTube posting coming on. But no worries ladies, the pussy whipped males will come to your defense sure enough, especially the non-White males. They are absolutely the most blind to your antics. I digress…
With that said and it needed to be said BTW, the BB is science based like every other chemical Tx for hair. Get a bad application, your hair could be ruined. (Well not really. Hair is dead and will just grow back, so it isn’t a tragedy for goodness sake.)
But to say all BB are awful is like saying most White Americans are racist. Hmmm, that is probably true, so I guess it was a bad analogy, but the point is to put your experience into perspective like a RATIONAL human being, not an overly emotional, irrational, anti-science woman. Don’t be a cliche and people won’t treat you like one.
XOXO!
I am begin to wonder if my hair will ever be the same. I had a Brazilian Blowout 5 month ago and it is horrible. My hair has fallen out and it is totally flat to my head. Oh how I wish I had my curls back. I can spend hours on my hair and it still looks terrible. i am using shampoos with sulpher to try to get this stuff off my hair. Does anybody have any ideas how to get this stuff off/our of your hair?
Lauren, I’m trying to remember how it took to get back to my normal hair… Maybe four months? I was not a frequent washer though, so maybe it will come out faster for you. But I don’t want you to dry your hair out that way either!
I wish i’d read this before being talked into getting this treatment done to my hair. It has totally ruined it. I’ve had to get my hair all cut and layered as it was left badly frazzled! I now get weekly conditioning treatments done…but the damage has already been done. An expensive lesson learnt. My advice….Please don’t do it. I’ve lost all confidence after having this so called conditioning treatment done…
I had the Brazilian Blowout, not once but three times because my hair turned out amazing..or so I thought. If I had a way to post a picture of it, I would. I didn’t know the insidious events happening deep within. I DEEPLY regret it. This was when we were told that it was just completely harmless. I cannot express enough how much I miss my waves. My hair appeared luscious but I was tired of the frizz and the flat irons. Now? Well, now my hair grows weak, very, very thin and straight. I’m trying everything I can. My next step is a total detox. It’s been 2 years now and there is no difference in the new growth. I’m going to do a full detox from the inside out, intense workouts, plenty of water, fresh juices, dry saunas, and EFA supplements along with known hair rejuvenating vitamins. After several months, I’m hoping that I see a difference in the new growth. If so, I promise to come back and post. Goal date: 2/2012.
Hi! I wanted to know if the hair that is lost due to the Brazilian Blowout, grows back? My mother had it done a few months ago (several times now), and she is experiencing lots of hair loss. This makes me (imagine her) really sad and worried… Will it grow back? Can someone please help? Thanks a lot in advanced!
I did a brazilian keratin tresatment before and my hair looked awesome and got back to its curlier state months after. But just recently I did it and I believe it was the brazilian blowout instead. My hair no longer curls up at all and its getting drier each and everyday. I’m scared it’ll break. I’m sorry to ask but do you by any chance know how I would be able to find someone to wash it out in either florida or new jersey?
The damage is actually caused by the flat iron, it’s been proven.
the flat iron is one of the most damaging things you can use on hair, especially since you use it extensively and repeatedly during and after the keratin treatment. There is absolutely no science whatsoever to back the demonizing of keratin treatments, the formula itself is great for hair. But common sense dictates that intense heat and flat ironing on your hair type (which is curly and therefore drier and most susceptible to damage) will cause results like this after the formula concentration starts to fade.
Detailed explanations of similar accounts can be found on Mayo Clinic’s site, Escience, and webmd
http://www.webmd.com/healthy-beauty/features/keratin-hair-straightening-treatments
So really, you’re demonizing the wrong culprit.
I got a BB done in October right before my honey moon in Jamaica, i was really excited cause i didnt want to have to deal with my frizzy hair in such a humid place. after i got it my hair was still frizzy!!!!!!!!! way frizzy not like advertised to have frizz free hair!! i am not happy. its been 4 months since and my hair will not hold curls from curling iron. i used to be able to do that now i cant!! it sucks. i hope it wears off soon!! ever since i got it i still have to use all the anti frizz products!! i wish i never did it!!! waste of money!!!!
hi all
i wish i never did this treatment. i had thick wavy hair. my hair is flat but pretty straight now. but i rather have the volume i used to.
i used to style my hair in nice buns for weddings etc but after the treatment it made it so straight and felt thin. its been 9 months and nothing changed. and i havnt noticed any more hairloss then normal!
can the treatment stay in this long? hope someone else can tell me it will leave the hair even if its been this long!
Its obvious the person who did your blow out did not do it correctly. My hair turned out very conditioned and straight. I do hope though that my body and thickness returns to my hair as it is very straight now