Thank you for reading:
As a Hair dresser, a Makeup Artist, an Esthetician, and your friend, I'm writing this note to address the latest news about the smoothing treatment from the Brazilian Blowout Company. I have been hearing so much uneducated information amd sensationalized reports from the news channels, that I want to put forth the facts as I have read them and had actual reports.
This investigation into the contents of the Brazilian Blowout smoothing treatment began when a stylist, Molly Scutton of Platform Artistic Salon in Portland, Oregon, claimed she was experiencing physical reactions, such as coughing and water eyes, from preforming the hair treatment on clients. It should be noted that Molly is NOT a certified Brazilian Blowout Stylist and if she was preforming the treatment, she was doing so untrained. Molly's salon submitted a sample of the product that they claim is Brazilian Blowout's "Acai Professional Smoothing Solution". Brazilian Blowout has checked their files and according to their records, "the last bottle of solution purchased from this salon was back on January 18th, 2010 (Shipped to Platform Artistic Salon but billed to a different stylist). Certainly nowhere near the August 12th 2010 date that OHSU claims a bottle was shipped to Platform Artistic Salon". It appears there are some unanswered questions regarding the sample submitted to the Oregon branch of OSHA.
That being said, personally, I'm disappointed by the reports coming out of Oregon Health and Safety University. Last week it was reported that an older formula from Brazil was found to have formaldehyde. Fellow hairstylists were not too disturbed by the results because we knew that the older formula contained formaldehyde, and that was it was reformulated for the US. We were anxiously awaiting test results of the newest formula, which according to the company is formaldehyde-free. In fact, the official statement from the company's PR is that the formula is "hyde-free meaning that none of the formaldehyde cousins are present in the formula. Today the story changes.
According to the newest test done by an Oregon OSHA laboratory it does indeed contain formaldehyde from the sample sent in by Molly. OSHA will be testing the smoothing solution sent in by the Brazilian Blowout Company to ensure the validity of the claims. In the meantime, Brazilian Blowout has posted this:
"At Brazilian Blowout, the safety of our products, stylists and consumers is our number one priority. We stand behind the integrity of our product, and affirm that our professional solution is indeed formaldehyde-free.
As a result of the Oregon division of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's (OSHA) recent claim, Brazilian Blowout is conducting a thorough investigation of these allegations to ensure that accurate data is released to the public.
With regards to OSHA's claim, the actual source of the formulation tested has not been identified, and was not submitted by the Brazilian Blowout company itself. Because OSHA did not request a sample from the company directly, there is no reason to believe that the formulation tested and found positive for traces of formaldehyde was indeed Brazilian Blowout product. This represents a clear violation of proper testing protocol, and this gross negligence on the part of OSHA invalidates all findings that have been released as a result of OSHA's testing."
While I'm disappointed that the company is standing more on a wobbly leg of a technicality, I will hope that we will hear more good news in the very near future after a more thorough investigation. One of the major points too, is that the exposure to any of the product is very limited to the clients! These warnings are very much for the worry of too much exposure to the stylist who preforms this service regularly.
The majority of keratin treatments actually DO contain formaldehyde. Due to the popularity of this type of hair treatment, it’s time for brands, salons and stylists to take action for the healthy of everyone involved:
■Salons who opt to continue to use keratin treatments, including the brand name Brazilian Blowout that contain formaldehyde should install an air filtration system, and offer eye shields and masks to the stylists and clients for their protection. Jordana Lorraine uses a filtration system designed to be used with formulas that contain formaldehyde and similar ingredients to protect her clients and herself.
■Keratin hair treatment brands should be upfront with stylists and increase their training and suggested safety precautions.
■Stylists should be upfront with clients and the potential risks, as well as making the salon environment as safe
A note from Jordana Lorraine:
Please note that while this may have exposed a big untruth, which people have a right to be upset about, it does not say that these treatments should be banned, just labeled accurately and handled more carefully. I believe that service providers and consumers deserve to be informed and educated on the topic, and provided with protective measures while working with any chemical. Just as we wear gloves when bleaching, and manicurists wear masks when working with acrylic, guidelines should be imposed on how to use this product safely.
I am grateful that my curious and concerned mind has already led me to set up a 3-part air filtration system to protect my clients and myself from potential harm. More on this, coming soon! For now, you can learn a bit about it at www.SafeBrazilian.com“
So all in all, what we are taking from this is that the treatment is not banned, will not be, and is safe for clients with the OSHA approved precautions in place. Air filters, eyewear, and proper ventilation - as well as being properly trained and certified - will ensure a safe and protected environment for both the client and the stylist.
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