“Everything good in life is either immoral, illegal or fattening.” During her badgirl phase, Nicole Richie spoke those wise words…and I’d like to add carcinogenic to her list.
The Brazilian Blowout was all the rage last year. It became known as the professional frizz-eliminating treatment that was gentler and safer than its predecessor — Japanese straightening. But true to theory, as one of the good things in life, the Brazilian Blowout is now apparently carcinogenic as it contains formaldehyde.
Thankfully, there’s a new pro treatment that’s quicker and safer. The Keratin Complex Express Blow Out is a one-hour, in-salon process that infuses keratin proteins into the cuticle to make strands smoother and less frizzy. The main difference between this treatment and the Brazilian Blowout, aside from the fact that the formula really is supposed to be formaldehyde free, is that it smoothes and de-frizzes but doesn’t straighten and flatten the hair.
Nicole enlisted me to try out the Keratin Complex Express Blow Out at Chicago’s Studio 110 salon to see if it really works.
Full disclosure: I have relatively straight hair with a little bit of bend. But I also have a lot of breakage, which creates a lot of flyaways, so I was excited for this service. First, my hair was shampooed, conditioned, and given a quick tousle with a hair dryer. Then, the keratin solution was applied to my hair in small sections using a brush like the one used to apply hair dye. Next, the stylist went back over my strands with a fine-toothed comb and a flat iron to help the keratin fully penetrate my strands. When I left the salon, my hair looked shiny/slightly greasy and stick straight/flat (see the above pic). I was told to keep it dry and elastic free for 8 hours—not 3 days like other keratin treatments out there. Whew!
After my first wash, I air-dried my hair and was thrilled with the result — there weren’t any frizzies in sight. My hair still had its natural shape and curvature, minus the straggly, frizzy flyaways. Talk about a miracle! The Express Blow Out lasts about 5-6 weeks and is a fraction of the cost (about $100) of the full-fledged Natural Keratin Smoothing Treatment that lasts up to 5 months.
My verdict: The Keratin Complex Express Blow Out is great way to give conditioning treatments a try without the commitment. And it’s not immoral, illegal, fattening or carcinogenic.
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