Go on... Blow Out!
With summer just around the corner, Talk magazine’s very own style editor decides to kick her summer preparation into fifth gear by eliminating any unwanted frizz. The aim: to have hair as fabulously sleek and sultry as any Victoria’s Secret model.
Mission: To Obtain Perfect Hair
Where: Studio, House 11, 133 Maoming Nan Lu, near Huaihai Zhong Lu, Tel: 6473 5306
What: The Brazilian Keratin Treatment
How Much: RMB 1,500
Flawless beach bum waves are hard to obtain with a mane as unkempt as mine – especially once the humidity increases. What’s more, these days I have little time to do more than the standard wash and rinse everyday, so a keratin treatment would suit me well. One of the most talked about hair treatments in recent months, the La Brasiliana treatment, Brazilian Keratin Treatment, Brazilian Blow Out, or Brazilian Hair Straightening as it is otherwise known, is a process favourited by the likes of Halle Berry, Lindsay Lohan and Nicole Richie.
In the US, it’s common to hear about the service through frequent advertisements, however seeing as it’s only just reached the perimeters of ‘What’s Hot’ I was doubtful that it would have yet reached Shanghai. However, low and behold it does! Albeit at only one place: Stephen Buchanan’s ‘Studio’ salon in Luwan District. And so I set out to see how their services faired.
Upon arriving at Buchanan’s sunlit and airy salon, I was given a rundown of what to expect a clarifying shampoo wash to thoroughly cleanse my scalp and hair of any unwanted residue build-up, application of the Keratin product—done in sections and expected to take about an hour for medium to long hair, and lastly, forty-five minutes of flat-ironing to activate the treatment product and close the cuticle, effectively taming unruly strands. I was told that the last step of the process would show an immediate difference to the texture of my hair, that the time I spent drying and styling everyday would be greatly minimised as a result of my hair’s newfound manageability.
Buchanan uses products from the ‘La-Brasiliana Ultimate Haircare line’, which are sodium and sulfate free, two additives that are notorious for causing damaged and unhealthy hair. As Buchanan explained the science behind the Brazilian Keratin Treatment (BKT), my trust in the salon increased. It of course doesn’t hurt that Buchanan also has had twenty years of hairdressing experience to boot. And although the treatment is by Shanghai standards a little expensive, it’s definitely reasonable by global standards. In Hong Kong the BKT averages at about RMB 2,000 – 3,500, so Buchanan’s service is a steal. And considering that the products for the treatment are imported, Buchanan’s starting price of RMB 1,500 is cheap.
My overall experience was awesome. I previously worked in a salon and can honestly say that the service provided at Studio salon was top-notch: the facility was clean and well ventilated; the ambiance friendly and upbeat. The treatment worked wonders on my hair, turning it from a tangled mess to silky-smooth sexiness! I haven’t been able to stop touching it for days; it was the best investment yet for getting myself geared up for the summer!
