Brazilian Blow Your Brains OUT!
“Image is everything,” so we are told but is there a limit? Just how far are you prepared to go to look perfect, to fit in and to be “beautiful?”
The business of Brazilian Blowout really cuts to the core. If you haven’t heard about this alarming news item yet, it’s a hair-straightening product that is promoted as a “professional smoothing solution.” The problem being that it has been found to contain formaldehyde (also known as formalin). This is a known carcinogen and countries like Australia, Canada, Ireland, France and Germany have banned Brazilian Blowout and similar products.
The FDA (Food and Drug Administration) has released the following statement concerning this product: “Formaldehyde, commonly found in a number of Brazilian style keratin-based hair straighteners, is extremely dangerous and a known carcinogen."
Now as the story unfolds, and the lawsuits fly, the company making this product has come out with what they claim is a zero percent formaldehyde product. The product however contains methylene glycol, a liquid form of a chemical that emits formaldehyde gas when heated.
"The bottom line is that formaldehyde can be released from hair smoothing products" the Occupational Health and Safety Administration warned in April 2011. Stylists and clients can both be exposed to formaldehyde during the entire hair straightening process, especially when heat is applied during blow-drying or flat ironing which is part of the blowout process.
There is a much larger issue here as well. What chemicals and toxins do we expose ourselves to on a daily basis in the name of beauty and sexiness. Ever looked at the ingredients in hair shampoo? What about other cosmetics, anti-perspirants, soaps and cleaning agents?
There is no doubt in my mind that as a so-called advanced society, we have strayed from the path of common sense to the point of self-endangerment. We promote looks and beauty to such an elevated status, that we are prepared to ply ourselves with toxins and undergo injections (face, lips, you name it) and the surgical knife, to alter the way we are, so that we can be looked upon as beautiful, and see ourselves as more attractive.
Think I’m overreacting? Take a look at this ABC News clip and decide for yourself!
Here’s to less toxins, more frizzy hair and the celebration of our unique looks.
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