I have dealt with ruthless curly hair since birth. I went from “Einstein Baby” (as my family liked to call me), to Shirley Temple wanna-be, to my pre-teen product craze (think hair gel, lots and lots of hair gel), to teenage heat-styling junkie.

However, about two years ago, a new revolution in hair treatments transformed my hair. Instead of hour-long blowouts followed by straight-iron styling to achieve frizz-free, shiny locks, the Brazilian Blowout has given me back hours of my life and healthy hair.

The treatment uses a Brazilian Super Nutrient Complex and a proprietary polymer system to actually IMPROVE the condition of your hair. This is unlike most other hair smoothing and straitening systems that fry your hair, creating breakage. The Brazilian Blowout creates a protective protein layer around the hair shaft, rather than penetrating it, that eliminates frizz and smoothes the hair cuticle. It is semi-permanent, lasting about three to four months, so you don’t have to worry about the awkwardness of super-curly roots showing next to stick straight, processed hair. Instead, the product gradually wears off. The other great part about it being semi-permanent is that it never takes all of the body out of your hair. I am all about having bounce, so I actually love the Brazilian Blowout best about two to three weeks after the application.

If you are still worried about exposure to chemicals, Brazilian Blowout has now released Zero, which contains no formaldehyde and takes about half the time to apply (one hour versus two hours for the original).

If you are a Los Angeles resident, I highly suggest going to Justin Teal Hair for your Brazilian Blowout. He offers the treatment for only $175 and it comes with complimentary giggles, therapy sessions, and gossip!

-Emily Freeman