What is this Brazilian blow-dry, then? In a nutshell: It is a semi permanent straightening treatment that gives you smooth, shiny, frizzfree, manageable hair that lasts for months.

Naturally curly girl, Adriana Potts, explores the latest hair treatment in town.

How is this possible? ‘Well, unlike traditional relaxers and straighteners, the Brazilian blow-dry doesn’t involve a harsh chemical process that breaks down the hair and changes its structure. It is based on the hair’s natural protein, keratin,’ explains Tracy of Eden Hair Group in Bishop’s Stortford.

The old treatments irreversibly modify the hair’s natural keratin by using products with very high pH levels (high alkalinity), usually greater than pH 9. According to hair experts, at these levels the hair shaft will soften and then swell, thus becoming damaged. The pH range of the different Brazilian blow-dry treatments is between 4 and 5, which is the normal pH of the hair. As there’s no softening or swelling, the condition of the hair shaft is not compromised and each strand maintains its strength and structure.

Furthermore, traditional relaxers and straighteners can only be used on certain types of hair whilst the Brazilian blow-dry can be used safely on just about any type of hair: dry, frizzy, over-processed, colour-treated or even unprocessed hair. ‘Your hair doesn’t necessarily have to crunch into a curl, it could just be frizzy and the treatment would be excellent for it,’ confirms Alison Kent of Solo Hair & Beauty in Saffron Walden.

So, what exactly happens when you go for a Brazilian blowdry? Amy Martins, Stylist at Josephs Hair Design in Sheering explains: ‘First, we wash the hair with a shampoo that doesn’t contain Sodium Chloride (salt), then we prepare the hair by blow drying it and dividing it into sections. After that we apply the actual treatment, which is left to develop for about half an hour depending on the hair type. Then we blow dry the hair again before using the straightening irons 7 to 10 times on each hair section. Once completely ironed, we then wash the hair a second time and finally blow-dry it into the client’s desired style. All of this can take between two and three hours.’

Now, it is important to clarify that ‘Brazilian blow-dry’ is the general term used for the keratin treatment but that the treatment itself can be applied with different branded products: ‘There are about ten different brands out there, including ‘Brazilian Blowout’, a brand from America; ‘Marcia Teixeira’, L’Kera Belle’, ‘DKA Dikson Keratin Action’, ‘Global Keratin’ and ‘KeraStraight’, the latter is backed by Trevor Sorbie and is the one we use in our salon,’ explains Nikki Wrangle, Salon Manager at
Vogue in Hertford.

Nikki tells us how the treatment has become popular here: ‘it’s been around in the UK for about two years. It started in London and has slowly made its way into salons in towns and villages. Lots of local salons now offer it.’ The general consent is that the treatment can last up to four months but can be reapplied after 30
days. ‘Again, it depends on the type of hair but remember, it’s not a miracle product, you still have to work at your hair, however, it will be a lot easier to do so after the treatment,’ says Holly Cox, a stylist at Harpers in Bishop’s Stortford.

When the treatment first appeared, there wereconcerns about the products being toxic as they contained Formaldehyde and Aldehyde and these presented a risk, not so much to the customer but to the stylist applying it as the person would be ‘breathing’ it several times a day and weeks. But upon realising this, manufacturers were quick to change their products.

This is confirmed by Tara Huntingford, Salon Manager at Elements in Bishop’s Stortford: ‘Here we use KeraStraight, which is 100% Formaldehyde and Aldehyde free
so it’s completely safe for our stylists and our guests. Also, the product has been independently certified by Intertek.’

Tara adds that another good thing about the Brazilian blowdry is that it is a reversible treatment that will eventually wash out over time: ‘If a person doesn’t have the treatment again, the hair will return to its previous state.’

The real test : Sonia at Millers

When I arrived at Millers it was a grey and rainy day. The kind of day us curly-haired girls dread because all it means is frizz! I began to wonder if the Brazilian Blow Dry would really tame my crazy curls.

I was welcomed by Laura the salon manager. She explained the treatment and the benefits. I was relieved to find out the keratin would not damage my hair and that it was not a straightener. Instead, once the keratin was applied my hair would be healthier, easier to style straight or curly and would be immune from frizz. Even in the rain!

I was whisked away for a shampoo and then the keratin was applied by Laura and Ana. My hair was straightened and then washed again. Ana then quickly passed a blow dryer over my hair and, as I was going to an event that evening, Velcro rollers were used to curl the ends. The whole styling took about 10 –15 minutes – and then presto! I had luxurious silky hair with no frizz and fantastic layered waves. I loved it.

I was afraid the frizz would kick in again once I walked out of the salon and into the rain -but when I got home it still looked great. It even survived the weekly Zumba class with my highenergy instructor Adriana Potts! I have since styled it using a hair dryer and hair straighteners and it is much easier and quicker to style than before. If I want a curly look I just let it dry naturally. If I have a long day, meeting clients or dashing about, I can be confident my hair will look good all day long. The
treatment does take a while (2-3 hours) but the staff at Millers were so friendly and helpful –the results were worth the wait.

Sonia Vargas runs Red Box Accountancy, an independent firm helping start-ups and small businesses with all aspects of tax and accounts. Contact her on 01279 324 549/07941 266 373 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Thinking of having a Brazilian Blow-dry?
Lots of salons in our area now offer the treatment. Some of the ones we contacted have been doing so for well over a year, others just for a few months but they all said that customer feedback has been good with an average of four to five people a month having the treatment. We found that the general cost of a Brazilian blow-dry is £100 and upwards, depending on hair length and thickness. Contact one of the salons below for more information:

Eden Hair Group, Bishop’s Stortford: 01279 758 050

Elements, Bishop’s Stortford: 01279 506 010

Harpers, Bishop’s Stortford: 01279 214 916

Joseph Smith Hair Design, Sheering: 01279 734 038

Lino Thomas, Stansted: 01279 812 910

Millers, Bishop’s Stortford: 01279 505 057

Solo Hair & Beauty, Saffron Walden: 01799 521 800

The Salon, Saffron Walden: 01799 525 907

Vogue, Hertford: 01992 504 039