--Alex
I like to think of myself as a low-maintenance kinda girl. On a recent vacation I went a whole week without makeup or coffee! But, I do have one small beauty habit that is becoming an obsession as the summer gets hotter and more humid - straightening my hair. It started off with my very first Conair flat iron from the drugstore in college, but once I realized how awesome it was to run my fingers through my hair without creating tons of extra frizz, I swiftly moved on to the nearly $200 CHI Turbo Ceramic Flat Iron.
And now, suddenly, I'm the girl who has to get up 45 minutes earlier for a morning workout so that I'll have time to blowdry and iron my hair before work. Not a sustainable habit this summer - I'm training for a half-marathon! So, Alex suggested I talk to the pros at the Serge Normant at John Frieda Salon in New York City about their exclusive Brazilian Blowout, a keratin treatment that is supposed to unwind and de-frizz hair for up to three months. My overworked flat iron was begging to know more, and after hearing about Lucy's great experience with the treatment I booked my appointment.
The smoothing strategy uses keratin, the protein that hair is made of, and other ingredients to create a semi-permanent straight style. Did it work for me? Read on to find out!
Here's a picture of my hair before the treatment - washed, blow dried and brushed out in all its glory!
Then, the stylist Ty, applied the keratin formula, blow dried my hair again, an then sealed it with a flat iron. The whole process took about two hours! Here is his bag of tricks:
My new obsession? Making sure this newly smooth style stays put for as long as possible! Luckily, that's pretty easy - I just switched to a sulfate-free shampoo. Ty recommended Paul Brown Hawaii's Hapuna line, which smells delicious and makes the effect last longer.
Do you have any tips for streamlining your summer beauty routine?
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