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Curls, Split!
Ringlets, Be Gone
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AFTER 14
years of relentless highlighting, bleaching
and chemical straightening, Deborah Epstein,
32, a law student from Forest Hills, Queens,
had ruined her unruly brown curls. Dull,
brittle and difficult to style, her hair was
so fragile a ponytail holder could snap it
off.
Ms. Rosenfield after the treatment.
Moreover, all it took was a molecule of
moisture and her hair frizzed. And no amount
of expensive products, deep-conditioning
treatments and weekly salon blowouts could
tame her mane.
But in April, Ms. Epstein tried the
Brazilian Keratin Treatment at the nuBest
Salon and Spa in Manhasset, N.Y. The results
were so spectacular, she wept.
“I got very emotional,” she said. “It was
mind-boggling how beautiful my hair looked:
straight, shiny, sleek and more important,
healthy. I have no products in my life now.
I wash my hair, air-dry it and then the last
10 minutes, I blow it and it’s
pin-straight.”
Such a gushing testimonial is not unusual,
stylists say. “For a woman who had a thorn
bush for hair and now it’s like silk, well,
we’re talking revolution,” said Mark
Garrison, who offers the treatment at his
salon in New York.
Originating in Brazil, where it is usually
called escova progressiva (progressive
blow-dry), the treatment has been trickling
here for a few years but has become widely
available only in the last six months.
While it appears that no major American hair
or beauty companies are now selling it, a
cottage industry of hairdressers has
emerged, importing products from Brazil or
creating their own formulations.
So far, the brands include Brazilian Keratin
Treatment, Brazilian Hair Straightening and
Brazilian Blowout.
“Right now, it’s blowing everything away,”
said Meryle Nemeth, the nuBest stylist who
administered Ms. Epstein’s treatment, one of
about 500 she’s done since February, when it
became available at the salon. “I’ve never
seen anything take off like this as far as
relaxing hair. Everyone wants it for summer,
for affairs, for weddings. I’m talking all
ages, 12-year-olds to 70-year-olds.”
Sarah Brown, the beauty editor of Vogue,
said the treatment is perfect for those with
tumbleweed hair who are trying to simplify
their lives. “For people who can’t master a
salon blowout at home or go get a weekly
blowout, a treatment like this is seriously
liberating,” she said.
Technically, it is neither a relaxer nor a
straightener, both of which use caustic
chemicals to change the texture of the hair.
The Japanese straightening method, also
known as thermal conditioning, has fallen
out of favor because many users reported
extensive damage, particularly when the
process was repeated. The Brazilian is also
different because it can be used on most
hair types, even the previously color
treated, without causing harm, proponents
say.
The multistep treatment takes 1 ½ to 4
hours, and costs $150 to $600, depending on
the length and thickness of the hair. A
stylist applies a solution made with active
keratin, a protein akin to a component of
human hair.
Using a 450-degree iron, the hairdresser
seals the formula onto the outer layer of
the cuticle. The formula adheres to the
cuticle’s inherently rough edges. Thus, it
is said, it traps moisture, hydrating the
hair, and adds a glossy veneer.
The results last six weeks to a few months,
depending upon how frequently the hair is
washed.
There are risks. There’s the hot iron. And
the formula often contains formaldehyde, a
known carcinogen that can irritate the eyes
and lungs if the fumes are inhaled. A
spokeswoman for the Food and Drug
Administration, however, said that the
agency has no restrictions on the use of
formaldehyde in cosmetics.
To locate a salon, go to
www.braziliankeratin.com or
www.brazilianhairstraightening.com.
Uncurliness comes with a caveat. Emily
Dougherty, the beauty editor at Elle,
warned: “You need to do due diligence and
challenge your stylist. Ask questions about
where this chemical cocktail is coming
from.”
And keep in mind, just because something is
called Brazilian doesn’t mean it is always
beautiful.
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Solocapelli.Com
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