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Prepared to be blown away...
It has always been my belief that, in life, people can be categorised by their hair. The lucky ones have shiny, smooth tresses that look effortlessly amazing even after a traditional British downpour.
And then there are the more misfortunate ones (like me), who seem to spend copious amounts of both money and time trying to beat our hair into submission; I was to remain a frizz ball forever, clinging to my GHD's for dear life.
However, last week I was offered a life line that I never dreamed possible: the chance to rid my mane of frizz forever (well, at least for three months). Smooth hair without the use of ruthless chemicals... could it be true?
At first I dismissed it as a cruel urban myth spread by one of the 'lucky ones'. But then I was invited to try out the treatment for myself - and was shocked by the results.
The Brazilian Blow Dry is a fairly new treatment on the market. Fresh from Brazil (hence the name), the Keratin-based treatment works by infusing a whole manner of goodness - namely protein and vitamins - into the hair to make it more manageable.
As a relatively new treatment to the UK, only a limited number of salons currently offer the Brazilian Blow Dry in Essex - and Strangeways, a trendy salon in Leigh On Sea, is one of them.
So, armed with new hope, I went to the Elm Road hairdressers last week to try it out and was bowled over by how friendly and professional the staff were. Greeted like an old friend, I was put completely at ease and talked through the whole process.
The treatment generally takes two hours to complete, and entails a solution being applied to wet hair, which is then left in and blow-dried. At first I was apprehensive about how greasy my hair was going to be (you can't wash your hair for four days afterwards, or tie it up, so I envisaged having to hibernate all weekend), but I was surprised by how little the solution affected the texture of my hair once dried.
It was then straightened to within an inch of its life, and I was warned to keep it poker straight until the mandatory four days were up.
There was very little fuss throughout the treatment, and I enjoyed every minute thanks to the team's banter and lively soundtrack. But what I was really looking forward to was seeing the end result. Having suffered from frizz all my life, this sounded too good to be true.
My stylist promised me it would reduce 95% of frizz, relax any curls in my hair, and generally make it more manageable and sleek; cutting my styling time in half. And, what's more, the more damaged your hair is, the better the results. Unlike with straightening, or perming solutions, the Brazilian Blow Dry actually improves your hair, rather then weakening it, which makes it ideal for people who colour their hair.
Once performed, the treatment lasts for anything from between three to five months (depending on your hair), and the more often you have it done, the more frizz it will eliminate.
Indeed, there's literally nothing negative to say about the process, which made me wonder if the hype was justified. Was this just another money-spinner at the frizz brigade's expense? I was about to find out.
Four days later, armed with the specially constructed shampoo and conditioner that the salon provided me with (all customers receive the complementary products with the Brazilian Blow Dry), I washed my hair and waited. I was determined not to succumb to the hairdryer or straighteners to see just how big a difference the treatment had made.
Where once I would have recoiled at how my hair took on the shape of a thornbush, I watched as my locks dried almost completely straight, with very little frizz at all.
For the first time in my life, I was able to walk around in public with hair that hadn't been pulled and scorched into submission. It was truly a miracle moment. "For a lot of people this treatment is a godsend," Katy, my stylist told me. And now I'm one of them.
The Brazilian Blow Dry costs £150 at Strangeways, and those wanting only a section of hair treated can ask for an individual quote. For details, visit www.strangewayshair.com, or call the salon on 01702 716566.
Nicola Moyne, Features Editor - The Enquirer Series
The Italian Job!
A personal development programme set up by Paul Faltricks academy in conjunction with Rand Rocket.
One of our young protégés Joe Kinnerman-Daltrey has been selected to be one of 14 students being sent to Italy for a trip of a lifetime after beating hundreds of others for this prestigious lifetime opportunity.
On Jan 11th Joe will be flying to Marco Polo airport where he will be residing in a town called Padua 20 minutes outside Venice, Joe will spend one month at language school to prepare himself for a four-month stint in an Italian hair salon where he will build on his life skills and find extra skills in his European hairdressing.
We would like to wish him all the best and I look forward to having Joe return to Strangeways a better and more competent hairdresser.
Strangeways young guns come out blazing at the J and E Gala evening!
Award-winning hairdressing trainers J&E Training Ltd hosted their annual Achievement Awards this year at the Towngate Theatre, Basildon with style akin to the top competitions and awards in the industry.
Every year J and E use this event to raise funds for the industry charity HABB, this year they raised £1000
The Hair & Beauty Benevolent (HABB) is the official industry charity, dedicated to helping hair and beauty professionals facing difficulties in life. Since 1853, HABB has offered financial support and funding to individuals and their families facing illness, bereavement or financial hardship.
J&E Training says, "There are several reasons we support HABB, primarily to raise young people's awareness that we are all part of a FANTASTIC industry - so fantastic it has a charity dedicated to looking after hairdressers and their families that have fallen on bad times. With this in mind it helps to cultivate a sense of community and belonging in our young apprentices."
For further information on J&E Training, please contact the J&E Head Office on 01268 286403 or email info@j-etraining.co.uk
Since Strangeways opening in 2002 we have always worked and supported j and e training with raising the standards of hairdressing and this year was no different. At the gala event our young team blew everyone away with their very imaginative avant garde cat walk show, plus, four places in the competition by three of them...........
A huge pat on the back for our very own Harriet Slade who picked up 3rd place in the level 2 Men's Commercial Photographic competition and 2nd place in the Level 2 Cut 'n' Colour.
Congratulations also to Aimee Brown and Joe Kinerman-Daltrey for reaching 2nd and 3rd places in the Avant Garde "Dreams & Nightmares" - Level 2 Photographic competition