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(More customer reviews)Tried this, very mixed feelings and will review in two parts to fully explain. Gave it three stars because it DOES work as advertised, but not without risks. For results only, skip to part II. If you are new to Brazilian Keratin Treatments and the risks involved, PLEASE read part I.
Part I:
I have been getting Brazilian Keratin Treatments (BKTs) in the salon for several yrs. and have done extensive research on them. FYI, BKT is an umbrella term, like relaxer. There are many brands/makers of BKT (e.g. Brazilian Blowout, Copolla, Global Keratin, La Brasiliana, Marcia Teixiera). The active ingredient in ALL of them is either formaldehyde or a chemical "cousin" of it. The brands with the "cousin" compound (like this product) call their product formaldehyde-free. Free of irritation or risk? No.
**What you must know is that these "cousin" compounds work because they react with the hair in the SAME manner as formaldehyde, thereby subjecting users to a level of risk.**
The active ingredient in this product is Oxoacetamide. I suggest you google it. According to the Material Data Safety Sheet (MSDS) on this compound, potential health effects include:
Eye: Causes eye irritation.
Skin: Causes skin irritation. May be harmful if absorbed through the skin.
Ingestion: Harmful if swallowed. May cause irritation of the digestive tract.
Inhalation: Causes respiratory tract irritation. May be harmful if inhaled.
Chronic: No information found.
Another chemical near the bottom of the ingredient list is methylisothiazolinone, a preservative, and very potent allergen. Suggest you google it too.
The bottom line: Don't let the name Organix fool you, this is not an "all natural" treatment by any means. Proceed with caution.
Part II: Application/results
The application process is very tedious, much like at the salon, but YOU get the joy of applying it. (On the upside, you save big money applying it yourself.)
The directions are in teeny tiny print on the label. Summary: apply in sections to damp hair, let sit for 30 minutes, blow dry with solution in hair, set flat iron to 450 degrees, iron hair in sections going over each section about 7 passes. Leave in hair 48 hours. Do not tuck behind ears, use ponytail holder or do anything that might leave a kink or dent in hair. Do not get hair wet.
I used my Sedu iron to apply because the temp is adjustable. The high temps are key to set the product, so you can't scrimp on this. The goop of the product will protect your hair from the high temps. If you have any flyaways, the hot iron will make them stand on end. It's really annoying, but unavoidable. Happens at salon too. You're not really supposed to put gel or anything on them to keep them down during the waiting period, but I do. This time, I used a dab of Kerastase Elixir Ultime. It didn't affect the results.
About my hair: past my shoulders, naturally very curly but not particularly thick, Caucasian, naturally dark brown, but highlighted ash blonde (well it WAS, until this treatment turned my hair disgustingly brassy -- will explain in more detail below). For me, the whole process took about two hours.
Application PROS:
--None. It's a pain.
Application CONS:
--You must wear gloves. My box was missing gloves. I emailed the company to ask if I should be concerned and they responded it was probably an oversight on the part of quality control. Lovely.
--Instructions do not say how much solution to apply. I didn't use the whole bottle, but I probably could have used less. When I was done with the application, my hair was very greasy and heavy, more than BKTs done in the salon. I was careful to coat every section, guess that was wrong? Still not sure.
--Solution STINKS. All BKTs stink, but the stench of this one is horrendous.
--Emits noxious fumes/smoke when blow drying and flat ironing. Instructions say to use in well-ventilated area. Heed them and open a window. I gagged and coughed from the fumes that emerged after the first pass of the flat iron. Safe ingredients don't make you gag. But I knew the risks.
--Solution irritated my scalp. For me, it was the same irritation as bleach, not enough to totally freak me out (but I was a little freaked out). My scalp is still itching a bit too as I type this.
Post-application notes:
--Made blonde EXTREMELY BRASSY. I knew this was a risk, because some salon BKT formulas discolor blonde hair -- namely Coppola. When I wrote to the company about the gloves, I also asked if it would discolor the hair and the rep said no, that she had blonde hair and hers was fine after using. She suggested doing a strand test, and waiting at least two weeks after I colored my hair to apply. I did both. But what I saw on the strand wasn't really a great representation of what I would see on my whole head.
--I ONLY LEFT ON FOR 24 HOURS. The reason I rinsed it out is because of these red flags: the horrible discoloration of my hair, the unbearable stench, the visible lifelessness and greasiness of my hair, which far exceeded that of any salon BKT I had ever had.
Results:
--My hair is VERY straight and soft. So the product does do what it says it does. Ends look a little more frazzled than pre-treatment. The straightness is comparable to the salon BKTs I have had with the highest concentrations of formaldehyde, which confirms FOR ME that this product contains high concentrations of the cousin compound (note: This is pure speculation based on my experience, take it however you want it. I am not a scientist). The reason I am not thrilled about the result is that I FEAR what would have happened if I left this in 48 hours. It's about as straight as any BKT has gotten it -- and pretty flat.
--My blonde hair is now yellow and brassy --- have to have hairdresser fix it with a toner this week. I used large amounts of toning shampoo and conditioner on my hair after the treatment, with little improvement. I DO NOT recommend this product if you have blonde hair.
--STINKS -- the previous reviewer who gave the product one star is spot on. This stuff stinks. In fact, it smells worse when you rinse it out. The only good thing about the mass amounts of toning shampoo and conditioner I used is that it helped get rid of most of the smell. But it still lingers.
OVERALL: USE with EXTREME caution. Follow directions. And when in doubt, RINSE IT OUT.
If your hair is dark or ethnic, this product is probably better-suited to you. That said, if your goal is to defrizz and soften the curl or achieve waves -- not straighten -- you may not want to leave it in 48 hours. You can always apply more -- for $15, it's not really a big deal IMO. If your hair is blonde, have toner ready. If you feel it's worth it to save $200-$350 (what BKTs generally cost at the salon) and maybe have to pay for a toner after it's done, then go ahead. I certainly felt it was worth a try.
Will I use it again? Not sure. Based on the initial results, I feel the straightening aspect of this product is comparable to salon BKT brands. The smell of this product and effect on color-treated hair, however, are definitely inferior.
I will update in the coming weeks re: staying power.
I apologize for the length of this, but I really felt it was my obligation to share my experience and research. Again, I'm not an expert. I really hope this helps you decide whether or not to try this -- and good luck either way.
*Update -- it's been about three weeks since I tried the treatment and my hair is still very straight and frizz-free. To date, I'd say the "straightness" has worn off only about 15% since my first wash and blow dry with the treatment -- and that's even AFTER I've had it toned professionally the week after and re-highlighted and toned two weeks after. The straightening results have definitely been comparable to salon treatments.*
Click Here to see more reviews about: Organix Smoothing Treatment, 30 Day, Ever Straight, Brazilian Keratin Therapy
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