Brazilian Hair-Straightening: Sleek Strands, No Frizz

Growing up, frizz was not a word in my hair vocabulary. I was blessed with stick-straight strands that needed little or no management. My mother was lucky if I even ran a brush through them! But as I got older, the low-maintenance, frizz-free hair I took for granted soon became my biggest beauty challenge. Frizz galore haunted my hair, even with the help of a blow dryer. The day I met my first flatiron, I was instantly addicted. I had a problem—I was a slave to my hair. Then, at the peak of this past summer’s humidity—hair hell—I met my family for dinner. My mom, who describes her hair as “wavy, frizzy, and just plain ugly,” and sister, who has dry, frizzy curls, showed up with smooth, shiny, amazing-looking straight hair. The source of this miracle? Brazilian hair-straightening treatment. The next day, I booked one with Lasio Studios salon in New York’s East Village.

Why hadn’t I gone the Japanese hair-straightening route? It was the first hair treatment of this kind to create buzz, but it requires continuous shampooing, heating, drying, and flatironing with straightening chemicals. The treatment lasts up to 6 months, which may sound like an early Christmas gift, but it can lock you into one look and sometimes weakens and damages hair follicles.

So, I went Brazilian. My choice: the Lasio Maximum Strength 1-Day Treatment, a frizz-eliminating process that uses keratin (a protein found in human hair) to improve the condition of hair. The keratin shields hair from the elements while conditioning strands. And the look? Think major shine and super softness without the possibility of pesky frizz rearing its ugly head.

The 1-day keratin hair treatment (hair can be washed after 24 hours) runs $275–$400, while the 4-day formula (4-day wait before washing hair) costs $100–$250. Brazilian hair- straightening usually lasts 3 to 4 months, with the help of sulfate-free shampoo, conditioner, and styling treatments, and works on every type of hair, including colored or chemically treated. The more damaged the hair, the more dramatic the improvement.

After the 24-hour wait time, I washed my hair with giddy anticipation. The result—hair perfection! I could not believe how soft and smooth the texture of my hair was. Blow-drying time is now cut in half, and my trusty flatiron? We broke up.

Now, almost 2 months later, I can say that the Brazilian hair-straightening treatment has been a life (read hair)-changing experience. Exaggeration? Not even close. My hair is still silky soft, and I haven’t suffered even a trace of frizz. I have kissed my humidity phobia goodbye, and when the keratin has left my hair in about a month, you can find me at my next treatment appointment!

Products to make your treatment last:
Buy L’Oreal EverStrong Sulfate-Free Fortify System Shampoos and Conditioners, $6.99 each, at lorealparisusa.com
Buy Pureology Hydrate Shampoo and Conditioner, $27 each, at Pureology Salons
Buy Jonathan Product Infinite Volume Thickening Foam, $24, at ulta.com
Buy Klorane Gentle Dry Shampoo with Oat Milk, $18, at sephora.com

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