Straight hair is the dream of almost every woman out there. Well, that and frizz-free hair. If you’re looking for a way to achieve both, then here are two options that you can go for, aka the Brazilian blowout and the Brazilian blowout express. But how are these two treatments different from each other and which treatment to choose when visiting a Brazilian blowout salon? Let’s learn!

Differentiating Between Brazilian Blowout And Brazilian Blowout Express

The Method

You might be under the impression that a Brazilian blowout and a Brazilian blowout express might have different methods of application, but you will be surprised that they’re the same thing. There’s no difference, except for a few things here and there in the Brazilian blowout express, because that’s why they call it “express” since it’s faster. The main steps involved in a Brazilian blowout are as follows:

First, your hair will be washed and dried. This is because the stylist needs a clean mane to work with. Hair that has product or build-up in it may not receive the treatment properly and the treatment may not be as expected. So, if you want to save time, then you can wash your hair at home, but usually, salons will offer a complimentary hair wash. So, might as well bag that opportunity.

Next, the stylist will apply a keratin solution to the hair. This is the magic elixir if you will, that is going to lead to pin-straight and frizz-free hair. The treatment is left for about 30 minutes or so, depending on your hair length and thickness, and this is the time when the keratin treatment breaks down the hair protein and leads to smooth and sleek hair.

In a Brazilian blowout express, the treatment will be applied and a flat iron will be used immediately to run over the strands to fuse the treatment. In a normal Brazilian blowout, the keratin is allowed to sit in for a bit.

After the flat ironing process, the stylist will style your hair as your heart desires or you can choose to leave it out if straight hair is more your style.

This is pretty much the process of the Brazilian blowout as well as the Brazilian blowout express. One thing that is good to keep in mind is the fact that you need to avoid washing your hair for as long as possible. Three to four days is usually suggested, but if you can go on longer, then that’s even better. The longer you let the treatment sit in the hair undisturbed, the better the results will be and the more perfect your hair will look.

The Price

Brazilian blowout and Brazilian blowout express typically cost the same. In salons, a typical Brazilian blowout will cost you anywhere between $100 to $600 depending on your hair length and thickness and how much you tip the salon for its services. A Brazilian blowout express will cost pretty much the same too.

However, if you compare the price of each treatment against the longevity, then a Brazilian blowout is more reasonable because it lasts a lot longer than its express counterpart and that’s always a good comparison to do because you want to get more bang for your buck.

So, if your main priority is longevity and you want the style to stay put for longer, then a Brazilian blowout will be more up your alley. A Brazilian blowout express is perfect for someone who wants to experiment with straight hair without any long-term commitments because the treatment will wear off within a month.

The Longevity

Brazilian blowout is in for the long haul. It’s one of the most long-lasting hair straightening treatments and it gives other treatments a run for their money. A Brazilian blowout is typically going to last you anywhere between 3 to 4 months. That’s almost a quarter of a year with no worries about hair straightening or anything. The process takes about 2 to 3 hours to complete, and it depends on which salon you go to, but the longer it takes, generally the better the process will be.

On the flipside, a Brazilian blowout express takes about an hour to complete and it will last about 4 weeks, so that’s almost 1/4th of the time of a Brazilian blowout. The main reason is that the treatment used to straighten the hair in the Brazilian blowout express is not very potent and the main relying force is the flat iron that fuses the treatment in place and makes the hair straight. But that doesn’t mean that the express option is bad.

You can get a quick blowout with literally the same results and you can change it up after a month, so it’s perfect for all of you ladies who want to change their hair look often.

The Results

The results of a Brazilian blowout and a Brazilian blowout express are pretty much the same. If we’re talking on a microscopic level, then yes, a Brazilian blowout will have more refined and better results than the express kind, but it’s a very minute difference.

If a process is going to take 3 hours to reach completion, then it should be the best hair straightening treatment out there. The results vary ever so slightly and both are perfect to go for if you need straight hair pronto.

The Aftercare

The degree of longevity of a hair straightening treatment also depends on how you take care of it after the fact. The same goes for a Brazilian blowout as well as a Brazilian blowout express. Both treatments need pretty much the same aftercare, as any other hair straightening and hair smoothening treatment, and that includes:

• Less usage of heating tools because your hair is already straight and it just needs a good comb through and you can be out the door in 10 minutes tops.
• Chlorine is not good for straight hair and if you’ve just gotten a Brazilian blowout or express treatment, then you need to say goodbye to the pool for some time. If you want to dive into the water, then it’s best to tuck your hair in a tight and snug swimming cap because the last thing you need is more damage to your beautiful straight hair.
• Avoid washing your hair too much, otherwise, the treatment will wash off and you’ll be back to your frizzy, unruly hair.
• Don’t opt for super tight hairstyles as they’re going to stretch on your luscious tresses and it can lead to hair breakage and frizz.

Which One Is Worth It?

Well, there’s no exact answer to this question. Whether you get a Brazilian blowout or a Brazilian blowout express, you get straight hair. So, the decision is ultimately up to you.

The deciding factor could be how long you want to keep your hair straight. If you want to forget about straightening your hair for 4 months straight, then a Brazilian blowout is perfect for you. If you just want to try out a straightening treatment to see the results and don’t want to commit permanently, then Brazilian blowout express it is.

Conclusion

Brazilian blowout and Brazilian blowout express are pretty much the same thing, but the difference lies in their treatment time and longevity. So, go to a Brazilian keratin salon Potomac and try one out.