One of our most indulgent hair treatments, a Brazilian blow dry is a keratin treatment. It comes from the country that is famous for Copacabana beach life, flamboyant carnivals and delicious Caipirinhas! It’s been made famous by celebrities such as Nicole Richie, Lindsay Lohan, Halle Berry and Renee Zellweger to name just a few. So what’s all the fuss about?

What is a Brazilian blow dry?

In short, a Brazilian blow dry is the semi-permanent solution to saying goodbye to frizzy unmanageable hair and hello to divinely smooth hair. Yet, you can still wear your hair with curls or wavy styles, depending on how the mood takes you – unlike with Japanese straightening treatment. The main draw: you shouldn’t have to spend hours blow drying your hair for ages to tame it for several months between treatments. A Brazilian blow dry is all about taming the frizz in a semi-permanent way. For any Brit struggling with humidity and damp days, controlling frizzy hair can become a daily headache. With the Brazilian blow dry, this is in the past. The treatment can last for up to four months, so that’s a lot of days without having the frizz battle!Frizzy hair can pose a problem for pretty much anyone. Luckily, a Brazilian blow dry is suitable for most hair types, from fine to tightly curled. It’s an excellent option and it’s possible due to one particular treatment ingredient: keratin.

Brazilian blow dry ingredients

The most important Brazilian blow dry product to understand is liquid keratin. It is this liquid, used in the treatment, which creates a shield around each strand of hair. It seals the cuticle and as such protects the hair from external damage.Keratin is a protein which exists naturally in your hair and nails. It is what makes your hair slightly elastic and therefore able to withstand damage. However, various things can deplete it, such as regular blow drying, heat and chemicals. This depletion of keratin can leave your hair brittle and susceptible to damage. Lack of keratin is largely behind the frizz factor.However, at the other end of the scale, too much keratin can actually cause hair to break easily, so it’s always important to have a professional hairstylist involved who can assess your individual hair type and condition.The keratin that is used in Brazilian blow dries is applied in oil and usually comes from various seeds and berries. These include the acai berry and annatto seed. 

Brazilian blow dry benefits

There are loads of Brazilian blow dry benefits beyond reducing frizzy hair and obtaining a smoother texture. For us, we love that it is highly customisable. It isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach. Instead, your stylist will ask you about what you want to achieve from the treatment, and apply it appropriately to achieve that. For some this may mean simply taming curls, whilst for others they may want an even sleeker and straighter finish. It can also be used on all hair types, and isn’t reserved just for some.Being semi-permanent, a Brazilian blow dry will last approximately three to four months. Some may choose to have treatments more frequently, but not more regularly than every four to six weeks. This semi-permanent nature means that you don’t need to waste hours each week styling your hair and blow drying it regularly to tame it. This reduces heat exposure for your hair, which can cause damage over time. We generally find that a Brazilian blow dry will reduce the time you spend blow drying your hair by about half.Lastly, one of the key Brazilian blow dry benefits is that regrowth appears very natural. You won’t end up with an obvious line between untreated new growth and treated old growth. Instead, the curl or wave pattern will continue naturally.

Other keratin treatments aren’t the same

It’s worth noting that keratin is used in other hair treatments as well as the Brazilian blow dry. However, other keratin treatments can differ quite considerably.With our Brazilian blow dry, we can complete the treatment in a single visit to your home in just one hour. Other keratin treatments can need multiple trips to the salon, with products left on your hair for several days in between, with stringent instructions. It’s often these other keratin hair treatments that get confused with the Brazilian blow dry and can leave people wondering if it is safe. There have been various news reports about keratin treatments and the release of formaldehyde, which can be a harmful gas. However, many treatments now use Brazilian blow dry products which are free from formaldehyde. Even when it is released in the treatment, it is usually in very small amounts, similar to what you’d get in a bottle of nail polish. Nonetheless, it’s always worth using a trained and professional hair stylist who will ensure only safe products are used, and that they are applied appropriately.

What is a Brazilian blow dry treatment like?

By choosing Secret Spa, you can have a Brazilian blow dry done in the comfort of your own home. Your hair stylist will begin by thoroughly washing your hair, perhaps multiple times, to completely rid your hair of any dirt and product build-up. The cleaner the hair, the better the results will be.Next, the stylist carefully and thoroughly applies the treatment formula, which is oil-based, to sections of your hair from root to tip. Your hair is then blow-dried before a hot iron is used to seal the treatment. Your stylist will then wash your hair again before applying a deep conditioning mask.Finally, your hair is blow dried once more, totally smooth, and you’ll see the full effect of the treatment.

How should you take care of your hair after a Brazilian blow dry?

Once you’ve had a Brazilian blow dry, the beauty is that its effects should last for a few months. It’s worth avoiding shampoos, conditioners or other hair treatments which contain chlorine or sulphates, but you can wash it as soon as you want. You can get your hair coloured after about a week, although ideally you’d have the colour done before the Brazilian blow dry and not the other way around.

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