Everyone with long hair at some point in their lives has heard the buzz surrounding blowouts. Not a haircut, or a color job, or even an up-do. Just something simple that elevates your look for an event or just to feel good. But is it as simple as its reputation? Blowouts and blow dries in the salon come with customizations, differences, and amazing perks to getting it done regularly. The Brazilian blowout is one of the most common techniques used in salons today – you can’t go wrong with giving your hair some TLC. But what are the differences, and what is best for you?
The main goal of Brazilian blowouts is to smooth, shine, and protect hair. It is often used to de-frizz frizzy hair and add protection to your hair where it may lose it over time. As your hair grows without being cut, it’s subjected to the natural elements and the damage we do to our hair.
Using heat products like curlers and straighteners damages our hair over time and extended periods in the sun, cold, or extreme moisture. Your hair develops holes in its natural protein, making it more brittle and easier to break.
This treatment essentially puts the natural protein back into your hair to fill in the ‘holes’ caused by various lifestyle factors. Brazilian blowouts are great for people looking to bring some moisture back into their hair and restore it to its natural, healthy beauty.
It is often very hard to distinguish between all these types of treatments because “The “Brazilian Blowout™” is, in fact, a brand name carrying a registered trademark. The name is also used by a company that provides professional hair smoothing products. Many salons use the name Brazilian Blowout to describe their own smoothing service, regardless of their formula. They often use some other products instead of the original Brazilian Blowout smoothing solution to achieve similar effects.” according to softerhair.com.
Regular blowouts (that don’t use a smoothing treatment) are often confused for Brazilian Blowouts for many reasons. While it’s the same process of styling hair, the products used are often not picked out to strengthen or smooth your hair bonds but more to wrangle in tangles and to do your hair in the style of a blowout. See the below list from drybar.com, which tells you exactly what comes with a blowout, what to expect and the steps to get there.
“1. Prep your hair with an intense shampoo and conditioning wash
2. After your hair is cleaned, towel dry it to get rid of any excess moisture
3. Apply some product to condition and detangle the hair before the blowout
4. Next, section the hair using […] clips to separate strands without leaving dents
5. Then, with our […] blow dryer and round ceramic brushes, minimize frizz and get the style of your choice
6. One last step is the “cool shot” to set your hair, locking in style and shine
6. Finally, use […] high-quality hair products to add finishing touches, such as soft dimension and texture
7. Add additional dimension and curl with hot styling tools to achieve the style you want.”
The main difference between a Brazilian Blowout (and other treatments like keratin) and normal blowouts is the process taken and the products used. Brazilian Blowouts will use a formula to treat and strengthen hair, while a regular blowout will give you that fresh-out-of-the-salon look.
Blowouts can often be added to hair services for a small charge at the end of a cut and color. You can also visit salons just to get a blowout and arrive at your event looking better than ever. Many people are skeptical of the powers of a blowout, but according to adambroderick.com, they believe in the science behind it.
“Any blow-dry aficionado knows that while the science is vital, the art to the service makes all the difference. While art might sound mystical, it really boils down to the service provider’s experienced use of two factors: tension and over-direction. It sounds simple but takes plenty of practice to deliver all of this art and science into the perfect style for you and your hair.”
