4 Steps to a Natural Brazilian Blowout

I hate my hair. How many times have you said that? For me, it’s the limp, wimpy, stick-straight stuff that greases up within hours of washing; for my curly-headed friends it’s the frizz, kinks and knots.

And for all of us chemical treatments beckon, promising the perfect ‘do with no downtime. But the grass isn’t greener on the other side of the part: Chemical treatments, such as perms, relaxers and the so-called “Brazilian blowout,” depend on heavy doses of chemicals like formaldehyde, which has been classified as a “known human carcinogen” by the National Cancer Institute. 

Chemical hair treatments like these can lead to scalp irritation and hair loss. Unfortunately, even “formaldehyde free” Brazilian blowouts were exposed to be chock full of the stuff. And if you think it’s dangerous to you, think about the salon workers who inhale fumes all day long. I’m looking for natural ways to get bouncing and behaving locks—without chemical hair treatments.

Chemical hair treatments promise the perfect ‘do with no downtime. But perms, relaxers & Brazilian blowouts include heavy doses of cancer-causing chemicals. 1. First, I have to stop washing my hair every day. For both curly and straight haired peeps, daily washing strips away natural oils and encourages the sebaceous glands to produce more oil. This means hair that’s dry at the ends and greasy at the roots—ick.

Because my hair is so thin and straight, I can’t go more than 48 hours without washing (and even then I water rinse on the off day).

2. But my friends with thicker hair have the second step down to a science: They shampoo and condition their hair once a week; mid-week, they just use conditioner, which degreases but doesn’t strip the hair.

3. When it comes to product, my blow-drying friends swear by shine-enhancers like John Masters Shine On,which uses kelp instead of silicone to deliver glossy, gorgeous hair. Me, I like to spritz-and-leave-in his Sea Mist Sea Salt Spray with Lavender, which gives me tons of volume and smells heavenly.

4. For both hair types, dry shampoo like Lulu Organics is key to those in-between days. Simply shake a little into your palm and work through roots, then brush it through. It soaks up oil, gives you volume, and can make a blowout last twice as long.

Without the Brazilian.

Photo: The Gloss