Ouidad: The Curl Experts

Ouidad understands the frustrations of women who will go to any extreme to get soft and beautiful hair. But as we’ve mentioned on our blog – many don’t even know what’s being applied to their hair and scalp: like the recent reports in The New York Times and on TV that describe the dangers of the “Brazilian Blowout” treatment.

In this new video, the Queen of Curls reflects on these harsh and dangerous methods that can damage and dry out curls. Ouidad empowers us with education and with healthy alternative treatments.

Learn about her safer, more natural treatment that will enhance the natural elasticity and bounce in your curls!

We at Ouidad always want to hear your curly story and that is just what we did with the “If These Curls Could Talk” contest.  We asked for your curly confession and picture and the winner then received the ultimate curly girl weekend in New York City.

We are proud to present our grand prize winner, Jennifer, known as HiddenCurls during our contest, and her thoughts on winning below:

“Help! Let us go free!” The most fun we get is an hour of freedom before getting blow-dried, smashed and FRIED in a flat iron!”

This is what my curls were saying until about six weeks ago- when they were finally let free! In New York City, Ouidad reintroduced me to my fabulous curly hair!

My curl weekend in New York, at first was almost cancelled. After the east coast was hit by two huge snow storms, my curly companion for the weekend, my mom, was snowed out and her flight was cancelled! After digging out of the snow, I was ecstatic to find that the day of my trip to New York, the trains were finally operating normally and I would be able to make it to my curly weekend, but unfortunately without my mom.

After arriving in NYC, I found my way to the Ouidad salon. Straight hair and all. Ouidad couldn’t believe I came in with it straight- but I told her, you knew I would from my entry!

After we talked about how I felt about my hair and what I was looking for, her team took action and I got a deep treatment to revive my dry and fizzled hair. Everyone was great and talked me through all of the steps, arming me with the knowledge to maintain the new look I would leave with.

Ouidad let me know the nature of my hair and how best to take care of it. We discussed how resilient curly hair actually is, and that her fabulous looking hair was going on its third day after being washed and styled- I couldn’t believe it! I expected to have to wet and style my own hair every morning- something I was not looking forward to after getting accustomed to washing and straightening my hair only once a week.  Ouidad told me all I would have to do, was wear it in a loose high pony tail at night and with a few spritzes of botanical boost in the morning it would look great- I kept saying, I won’t believe it until I see it, and that the next morning would defiantly be my test to see if I could stick to this!

After leaving the salon I was excited to spend the weekend out on the town with my new hair! I found that all weekend I kept catching my reflection and making a double take, I couldn’t believe how great my hair looked and that it ended up being fantastic all weekend!

Six weeks later I can say I have not straightened my hair, and I don’t plan on doing it any time soon! I am LOVING MY HAIR! It took a few tries to get used to styling it on my own and to get the results I was looking for, but boy is it easy! I am amazed that in about 30 minutes I have my moisture lock leave in conditioner and climate control gel in and my hair dried with a diffuser.  With a little touch of clear control pomade and shine glaze serum, I am out the door and on my way without any fear of the wind, snow and rain! I find now that after the my previous attempts at curly hair, it didn’t work because I had not found the perfect products. Ouidad really has done something amazing, and helped me let my hair go free!

The only thing that could have made this experience better would have been for my mom to be there with me! She is the one who taught me to straighten my hair and has been straitening hers for the majority of her life. We already have a trip planned for her to visit and we are planning on trekking up to NYC so she can get a Curly hair makeover of her own! I can’t wait to introduce her to Ouidad so that we both can proudly wear our hair curly together!!!

Thank you so much to everyone for your support and especially Ouidad and her team for helping me discover how wonderful and easy my curly hair really is.

Jennifer/”HiddenCurls”
Grand Prize Winner
If These Curls Could Talk Contest

It’s been all over the news lately – reports about the Brazilian Blowout treatments and its dangerous formaldehyde-laden formula. According to independent testing results, the product contains dangerous levels of formaldehyde, a possible human carcinogen. Salons across the country are pulling this treatment off their shelves.

This is a serious issue that Ouidad has been fighting for over 25 years; women simply don’t need to endanger their hair and health with harsh, dangerous chemicals to get gorgeous hair. Ouidad said just last week: “it’s become a matter of life and death, and not just the risk of a bad hair day. Consumers need to be properly educated about the risks involved with these treatments, and to seek a safe solution.”

The good news is that the Ouidad Softening System (available only at Ouidad’s flagship salons in New York City and Santa Monica, Ca) is a deep treatment with a gentle formula, customized and hand mixed by Ouidad. This formaldehyde-free formula safely softens curls and includes a complete hair analysis along with gentle treatment application and deep treatment sealant.

Ouidad’s Softening System is not a straightening system – and does not contain the high levels of harsh ingredients that standard straightening does. The exclusive treatment uses half the processing ingredients, in combination with the protein and amino acid enriched deep treatment. The results are completely customized waves that are soft, frizz-free and shiny, lasting up to three to four months.

For clients who come to a Ouidad salon after having a Brazilian Blowout straightening, Ouidad would not recommend a Softening for at least 3 months post the straightening.  First she would recommend repairing the hair with her Damage Control Treatment, formulated to re-strengthen curls seriously damaged by chemical processes. Also, bi-weekly use of Ouidad’s 12 Minute Deep Treatment to help restore the hair to health would be recommended.

The Queen of Curls has pioneered the curly hair industry for 25 years as a stylist, entrepreneur, global educator and author and… always a woman with proud curly locks, working for curly haired women everywhere. That’s the Ouidad way.

For a recent update on the Brazilian Blowout Controversy, check out this report from ABC News’ Good Morning America