n The Spot’s owner Sam gets to grips with frizz.
By Nicola Moyne
SUMMER'S in the air and that means only one thing to a large percentage of women across the county: frizz.
Humidity, rain, even a misty morning can bring on a state of panic for frizz sufferers and until recently there was nothing we could do about it.
However, the Brazilian Blow Dry (also referred to as the Permanent Blow Dry) has changed all that, and salons up and down the country are doing a roaring trade right as a result.
The premise is simple: frizzy, unmanageable hair is caused by a lack of hydration. So, during the Brazilian Blow Dry (so called because it hails from Brazil) pure keratin – a strong protein and natural component in hair and nails – is infused into the hair and locked in to ensure the hair’s cuticles are kept smooth and frizz free.
That’s the theory anyway. But does it work? I went along to The Spot – a salon located in the beautiful countryside of West Hanningfield to find out.
Owned and run by Sam Greenway for the last 10 years, The Spot is a rare find. The staff are lovely, and there’s a real community feel to the salon that High Street hairdressers just can’t replicate. Plus, they were promising to cure me of my frizz, so I fell in love instantly!
First my hair was washed and then the Keratin solution was applied in thin sections to ensure each strand was coated.
Immediately afterwards my stylist Claire blow-dried my hair poker straight to lock the solution in and straightened my mane to within an inch of its life to complete the process.
All in all it took around two hours and, aside from smarting eyes (caused by the steam from straightening) it was a thoroughly enjoyable treatment. What followed, however, wasn’t quite so enjoyable.
You’re advised not to wash your hair for four days following the treatment; nor can you tie it up, tuck it behind your ears or even sleep on it funny. The idea is to keep your locks as straight and smooth as possible to ensure a good result four days later – so I suggest booking a Thursday or Friday appointment like I did and hibernating for the weekend, because your hair will feel stiff and look like it needs a good wash.
But the wait is worth it! As part of the treatment you’re given a sulfate-free shampoo which will prolong the effects of the treatment, and after I gave my hair a good scrub I could see why so many fellow frizz-sufferers are raving about it.
My hair is now smoother, more manageable and, more importantly, frizz-free!
The straighteners have been banished, and as a result I’ve halved my styling time!
It’s fair to say that the Brazilian Blow Dry is a small miracle for people, like me, who have had to contend with coarse, unruly hair through the years. But it’s not a straightening treatment: the beauty of it is there are no chemicals involved, and it lasts anything between two and four months. It can be used on chemically treated hair and doesn’t damage it in any way – in fact it’s actually improving your hair and can be performed time and time again as soon as the results wear off. Too good to be true? This time it actually isn’t! And I’ll certainly be keeping up my Brazilian.
The Spot offers the Brazilian Blow Dry for £130 regardless of your hair’s length. Price includes shampoo. For further details, or to book, call 01245 400057 or visit the Chelmsford hairdressers on Church Road.