Trying to decide between Keratin vs Brazilian Blowout treatments but don’t know the difference between them?
Below, we’ll explore what makes each unique to help you decide which is better for your hair.
Let’s get started!
Here’s a summary comparison table for Brazilian Blowout and Keratin treatments:
| Brazilian Blowout | Keratin Treatment | |
|---|---|---|
| Customizability | High. The stylist can tailor the treatment to achieve anything from slightly relaxed and shiny waves to pin-straight glossy locks. | Low. The treatment is pretty straightforward and doesn’t require much customization. |
| Downtime | Short. There is no recovery period, you can wash your hair or pull it back immediately after the treatment. | Long. You can’t wash your hair or pull it back for a few days after the treatment. |
| Uptime (Duration of Effect) | Shorter. The treatment lasts about 12 weeks (3 months), although certain products can help extend this time. | Longer. The treatment can last for up to six months. |
| Frequency of Treatment | More frequent. The treatment needs to be repeated every 3 months. | Less frequent. The treatment can last up to six months before needing to be repeated. |
Table of Contents
How is Keratin Treatment Different from Brazilian Blowout?
Keratin and Brazilian Blowout are hair straightening treatments that claim to make hair more manageable, shiny, and frizz-free.
Both use keratin to achieve their goal: smooth and gorgeously pin-straight locks.
So, to understand the difference, we first need to understand this major similarity. Let’s learn a bit more about keratin for hair, including aspects such as how frequently keratin treatment can be done.
Addressing this factor is important as it helps to maintain the treatment’s effectiveness while ensuring the health and integrity of the hair.
What is a Keratin Treatment for Hair?
A keratin treatment is a procedure that replaces your hair’s natural protein with keratin, the protein found in hair and nails.
The procedure was initially developed to treat curly hair, which tends to frizz.
It helps strengthen your hair and can help it grow stronger (but not faster, although it may seem that way).
As Grace Gallagher of Healthline explains,
“Keratin can strengthen and fortify hair so it doesn’t easily break off. This can make hair seem to grow faster because the ends aren’t breaking off.“
Now technically, a Brazilan Blowout is a keratin treatment, but there is one major difference (and a few minor ones) between the brand-name procedure and the general treatment.
Let’s check them out to help you decide which you should choose.
Brazilian Blowout vs Keratin Differences
The most significant difference between a Brazilian Blowout and Keratin is customizability.
Where a keratin treatment is pretty straightforward and doesn’t require much customization, your stylist can easily tailor a Brazilian Blowout to suit your needs.
For example, depending on how your stylist mixes the formula, you could achieve anything from slightly relaxed and shiny waves to pin-straight glossy locks.
The other main differences have to do with downtime and uptime.
Compared to a straight keratin treatment, a Brazilian Blowout has a shorter downtime (or, as I call it, a “recovery period”)
With keratin, you can’t wash your hair or even pull it back for a few days. However, you don’t have to wait with a BB.
By “uptime,” I mean how long the treatment lasts. Brazilian Blowouts only last about
Brazilian blowout is a temporary solution; you must repeat it every 12 weeks (3 months), although certain products can help extend that time a bit.
Keratin treatment, on the other hand, can last for up to six months.
Watch this video of a woman getting Keratin treatment for the first time:
What Should I Choose: Brazilian Blowout Or Keratin Treatment?
I like both treatments, but I like Brazilian blowouts better because you don’t need to do much with your hair after the treatment.
You can go about your normal life, styling your hair as usual. So I can go to a salon and get it done on a Sunday, and then go to work on Monday with my usual style.
That said, since you have to repeat it every 3-ish months, you may want to go with the longer-lasting keratin if you don’t have time to go to a salon that often.
Looking to understand the “Protein Treatment vs Keratin Treatment“? I’ve got an informative piece on that. Also, if you’re comparing “Japanese Straightening vs Brazilian Blowout“, my article provides a comprehensive comparison. Be sure to check them out!
FAQs
Does Keratin Treatment Cause Damage?
If you already have highly damaged hair, talk to your stylist to find out if it’ll wreak more havoc.
Which Last Longer, Brazilian Blowout Or Keratin?
Of course, both depend on how often you wash your hair and what products you use to maintain the treatment’s full effects.
What is Safer, Brazilian Blowout or Keratin?
You can ask your stylist about formaldehyde-free keratin treatments, but they’re typically less effective.
Is Brazilian Blowout Recommended For Color-Treated Hair?
It’s been specially designed for coloring-treated or unmanageable hair. So you can achieve gorgeous hair quickly by using this product.
Can You Get Keratin On Dyed Hair?
These chemicals, however, also do something else: they strip the Keratin from the hair’s cuticle and replace it with different Keratin.
The cuticle, which makes your hair dull and frizzy when it has too much oil, is made up of Keratin. So when you color your hair with a chemical dye, with a different kind of Keratin, it gives you shinier hair.
Conclusion
As we’ve seen, both methods use keratin, but the Brazilian blowout is an advanced method to straighten the hair.
As for which to choose, as I said, it really depends on your overall hair goals and how much time you want to devote to achieving them.
Your stylist can help you decide which is right for YOUR hair.
How about you? Do you prefer Keratin treatment or Brazilian blowout? Let us know in the comments below!
References
- Gallagher, Grace. 2020. “Pros and Cons of Keratin Treatments.” Healthline. Healthline Media. April 2020. https://www.healthline.com/health/keratin-treatment-pros-and-cons#cons.
- Iftikhar, Noreen. 2019. “What Are the Side Effects of a Keratin Treatment?” Healthline. Healthline Media. February 25, 2019. https://www.healthline.com/health/what-are-the-side-effects-of-a-keratin-treatment#potential-side-effects.
- Weathersby, Courtney, and Amy McMichael. 2013. “Brazilian Keratin Hair Treatment: A Review.” Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology 12 (2): 144–48. https://doi.org/10.1111/jocd.12030.
