Curl Centric: Curly Hair Products, Hairstyles, and Hair Growth Techniques

  • Hair Care
  • Hair Growth
  • Hairstyles
  • Locs
  • Products
  • Resources
    • Hair Calculators
    • Natural Hair Dictionary
    • Curly Hair Questions
  • Take the quiz
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Hair Care
  • Hair Growth
  • Hairstyles
  • Locs
  • Products
  • Resources
    • Hair Calculators
    • Natural Hair Dictionary
    • Curly Hair Questions
  • Take the quiz
search icon
Homepage link
  • Hair Care
  • Hair Growth
  • Hairstyles
  • Locs
  • Products
  • Resources
    • Hair Calculators
    • Natural Hair Dictionary
    • Curly Hair Questions
  • Take the quiz
×
Home » Natural Hairstyles

What Happens If You Don't Rinse Out a Brazilian Blowout?

Kenneth ByrdBy Kenneth ByrdMBA · 15+ years in hair care · Co-founder of Curl CentricUpdated Sep 13, 20266 min read · Reviewed by Kira Byrd

Evidence-basedPublishing since 2008May contain affiliate links
A Black woman in a red headband and red ruffled top smiles at the camera, straight dark hair to her shouldersPin

Brazilian Blowouts are a well-known semi-permanent hair smoothing treatment. They're an excellent way to fight frizz, make your hair super shiny, and straighten textured locks.

Although manufacturers of most Brazilian Blowouts recommend rinsing the treatment out, you might be wondering what happens if you decide to go rogue and leave the solution in your hair. What happens if you don't rinse out a Brazilian Blowout?

To find out the answer to this and more, read on! This article will look at what happens when you don't rinse your Brazilian Blowout solution out.

What Happens if You Don't Rinse Out a Brazilian Blowout?

Although the manufacturer often recommends that you rinse your Brazilian Blowout treatment out, not doing so shouldn't impact your hair strands too much. If you leave your Brazilian Blowout on, your hair will continue absorbing protein.

However, once you blowdry and flat iron the treatment, most of the excess protein is either evaporated or sealed into your strands. 

What Nobody Tells You About Your Hair Type on Wash Day - free guide from Curl Centric

Free 8-page guide

You know your hair type. Here’s what it needs on wash day.

Our free guide gives you one page for each hair type group, from 2A to 4C. Each page tells you how often to start washing, what helps your waves, curls, or coils clump, and the problems your hair type runs into most. It also has a protein or moisture chart and a log for testing one change at a time.

Free. You’ll get the guide by email, two more emails on how to use it, and then one every Thursday, plus the occasional extra. Unsubscribe anytime.

A woman in profile, looking to one side, straight dark hair tucked behind a red headbandPin

But leaving the treatment in still may not be a good idea; it depends on the specific product you used. Some Brazilian Blowout treatments contain ingredients that can negatively affect your hair if they aren't rinsed out.

For that reason, we recommend that you always follow the directions on your package exactly as they're written. Misusing the product can throw off your results or lead to significant hair and scalp damage. 

On top of that, there's no benefit to leaving your Brazilian Blowout on longer than instructed, so why take the risk?

A woman facing the camera with a neutral expression, shoulder-length straight hair and a red headbandPin

When Can You Wash Your Hair After a Brazilian Blowout?

Unlike other keratin treatments, Brazilian Blowouts don't require you to change your regular wash routine. The liquid keratin is absorbed immediately, so you can wash or wet your hair any time after you've finished your treatment.

But if you want to be extra cautious, we recommend waiting at least a day or two after your Brazilian Blowout. Just make sure you use a gentle, sulfate-free shampoo to cleanse your locks.

Doing so will help prolong the life of your blowout and protect your hair from unnecessary damage. Some companies, like this one, offer a Brazilian blowout shampoo and conditioner.

A woman resting one hand against her cheek, straight dark hair falling past a red headbandPin

How to Do a Brazilian Blowout at Home

Doing your Brazilian Blowout properly can be the difference between gorgeous, smooth locks and frizzy, fried strands.

No one wants to fry their hair, so here are step-by-step instructions on how to do a Brazilian Blowout the right way. Remember that your directions may differ slightly depending on the brand you use. 

Get Your Supplies Ready

The first step of the process is to arm yourself with all the tools you will need. Make sure you grab the following.

  • Fine tooth comb
  • Brazilian Blowout smoothing solution
  • Flat iron
  • Blow dryer
  • Round brush
  • Hair clips
  • Clarifying shampoo
  • Deep conditioning mask
A woman against a pink background, one hand on her cheek, straight dark hair loose past a red headbandPin

Prepare Your Hair

Brazilian Blowouts should be done on damp, product-free hair for the best results. Start your blowout by washing your hair with a clarifying shampoo.

Unlike regular shampoos, clarifying shampoos make your hair squeaky clean and cut through stubborn product buildup, preventing the treatment from reaching your strands. 

Once your hair is shampooed, gently towel dry it to remove excess water.

You want to apply your Brazilian Blowout treatment to damp hair, so be careful not to over-dry your hair.

If you do, use a spray bottle to rewet your locks before your move on to the next step. Detangle your hair, divide it into four equal sections, and secure all but one of your back sections with a hair clip. 

A woman smiling and looking off to one side, straight dark hair framing a red headbandPin

Apply the Brazilian Blowout Treatment

Shake your Brazilian Blowout solution to ensure all ingredients are mixed well, and pour the desired amount into a bowl. Use between ¼ oz and 1 oz, depending on the length of your hair.

Use an applicator brush to apply the treatment onto ½-inch sections of your hair. Keep the treatment off your scalp as much as possible while coating your roots. 

Keep in mind that you only want to dust your strands lightly.

If you oversaturate your hair, gently comb through it with a fine-tooth comb until you no longer see any residue.

That will ensure the treatment is evenly distributed and remove some excess protein. Repeat the process until you've applied the treatment to each section. 

A woman against a pink background, smiling to one side in a red ruffled crop topPin

Blow-dry and Flat Iron Your Hair

Once your hair is coated with the solution, it's time to blow dry your hair. Try to get your hair as straight as possible, preferably using a round brush and medium heat.

Use firm tension and keep blow-drying until your hair is completely dry. After you finish, grab your flat iron and set the temperature between 380 and 450 degrees. 

Then, flat iron ¼-inch to ½-inch sections of hair.

Go over each section with your flat iron 2-5 times until your hair is completely straight. The more passes you do, the sleeker your hair will turn out.

But be careful; each pass increases your chances of developing severe heat damage, so consider the health of your hair before you decide on how many passes to do. Keep flat ironing until you've completed your entire head. 

A woman with her eyes closed and both hands resting on her chest, red headband over straight dark hairPin

Rinse the Brazilian Blowout Treatment Out

Rinse your hair with warm water for one to two minutes. After you've rinsed the treatment out, you can dry and style your hair as usual.

Alternatively, you can apply a nourishing deep conditioning mask to your hair to get a head start on repairing the damage caused by the flat iron and blow-dryer.

Leave the deep conditioning mask in your hair for one or two minutes before rinsing well with cool water. Then, dry and style your locks. 

A woman stands with her arms crossed in a red ruffled top and blue jeans, smiling at the cameraPin

Brazilian Blowout Dos and Don'ts

We know you want to get the most out of your Brazilian Blowout treatment, so here is a list of dos and don'ts for you to follow. Keep them in mind to help ensure your Brazilian Blowouts come out perfectly each time. 

Dos

  • Do airdry your hair if your hair feels dry or brittle after applying the treatment. 
  • Do follow the instructions for your specific Brazilian Blowout treatment. 
  • Do purchase your Brazilian Blowout solution from a trustworthy source
  • Do get your Brazilian Blowout professionally applied, if possible.
  • Do use a high-quality Brazilian Blowout solution from a trusted source.  
  • Do sleep with a silk pillowcase, bonnet, or scarf. 
  • Do wash your Brazilian Blowout out immediately if you experience a reaction.  
  • Do use a dry shampoo to stretch out the time in between wash days.
  • Do limit your use of hot tools like flat irons, blow dryers, and curling wands after your treatment. 

Don'ts

  • Don't overwash your hair if you want your treatment to last. 
  • Don't use shampoos that have sulfates in them. 
  • Don't go swimming without protecting your strands from salt or chlorine.
  • Don't blow-dry your hair with a metal or ceramic brush. 
  • Don't hold the blow-dryer less than two inches away from your hair. 
  • Don't apply your Brazilian Blowout in a poorly ventilated room. 
  • Don't weigh down your Brazilian Blowout with heavy creams, oils, and serums. 
  • Don't color, bleach, or relax your hair for at least two weeks before or after your Brazilian Blowout. 
A woman stands in a red ruffled crop top and blue jeans, straight dark hair parted to one sidePin

Related Articles

  • Can I Wash My Hair After a Brazilian Blowout?
  • Bleaching Hair After Keratin Treatment
  • Dominican Blow Out Hair
  • Blowout vs Straightening

So, there you have it! Although it's not recommended, not rinsing your Brazilian Blowout out of your hair won't usually make a difference.

However, it's always better to follow the instructions as they're written.

That way, you can keep your hair healthy and look great in the coming days. We hope this article has helped explain what happens when you leave your Brazilian Blowout in your hair and saves you a Brazilian Blowout disaster.

PinterestXFacebookReddit

More Natural Hair Styles

  • Smiling woman in a pink tank top with long dark curly hair falling over one shoulder, purple backdrop
    What Is a 4x4 Lace Wig? What Does a 4x4 Lace Wig Look Like
  • Black woman with long goddess locs and gold hair cuffs, wearing a green sweater and a navy blazer
    90s Hairstyles: The Best Retro Looks for Modern Times
  • Black woman with a short curly afro lifting both hands into her coils, wearing gold aviator glasses and a pink hoodie
    Black Girl Curly Hairstyles: 10 Curly Hairstyles for Black Women
  • Person with a cropped pixie dyed pink and blue, pulling up the hood of a coral sweatshirt
    Enby Haircuts: 16 Cute Enby Haircut Styles for All Hair Types
Kenneth Byrd

About the author

Kenneth Byrd

Co-founder and Managing Partner

Publishing on textured hair since 2008MBA, University of Alabama at BirminghamExecutive education, WhartonTop 40 Under 40, Birmingham Business Journal

Kenneth does the research behind the guides here: reading the studies and checking whether a claim holds up before it gets published, under our editorial guidelines. Outside Curl Centric he leads an operations organization of more than 1,000 people, and he serves on the board of Oasis Counseling for Women and Children. Curl Centric's hair typing system is the first listed reference in a peer-reviewed paper in the International Journal of Women's Dermatology, and it is cited by Wikipedia.

More about KennethAbout Curl Centric

Kira Byrd

Hey, I’m Kira

Curl Centric is run by me and my husband Kenneth. We’ve been publishing evidence-based hair care since 2008 to help you care for your curls with confidence.

More about us →
Why Your Hair Is Not Growing: free guide

Free guide

Your hair is growing. It’s also breaking.

If your length looks stuck, your hair is breaking off about as fast as it grows in. Here are the seven causes and the weekly routine that stops them.

Free. An email every few days for two weeks, then one every Thursday, plus the odd extra. Unsubscribe anytime.

Start here

What is natural hair?Find your hair typeWhat is hair porosity?Build a hair regimenHair calculators

Footer

Why Your Hair Isn't Growing - free guide from Curl Centric

Free 50-page guide

Your hair is already growing. The problem is keeping it.

Hair grows about a third to half an inch a month, and the tightest curls grow slowest. If your length looks stuck, that's your hair breaking off about as fast as it grows in. We'll send you the seven causes of breakage and the weekly routine that stops them.

Free. An email every few days for two weeks, then one every Thursday, plus the odd extra. Unsubscribe anytime.

Written and reviewed by Kenneth and Kira Byrd Independently owned, publishing since 2008 950+ guides, fact-checked before publishing Editorial and advertising teams kept separate

Curl Centric®

Evidence-based curly hair care from Kenneth and Kira Byrd, a husband-and-wife team teaching textured-hair techniques since 2008.

Start Here

Natural Hair 101 Hair Typing Guide How to Grow Natural Hair Building a Hair Regimen Deep Conditioning Natural Hair Dictionary

Free Tools

Calculators & Printables Hair Growth Calculator Shrinkage Calculator Choosing Your Products Curl Science Podcast Browse All Articles

Who We Are

Kira Byrd, Co-founder Kenneth Byrd, Co-founder About Curl Centric Editorial Guidelines Contact Us FAQs Press Kit
Natural Hair Community, LLC 1401 Doug Baker Blvd, Ste 107 604, Birmingham, Alabama 35242 1 (844) 424-2875 admin@curlcentric.com Privacy Policy Terms & Conditions Sitemap

CurlCentric.com is an independent, advertising-supported publisher. Curl Centric® services, articles, content, and products are provided for informational purposes only. Curl Centric does not provide professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Curl Centric follows a strict editorial policy that produces accurate, factual, and honest content to help you make the right hair care decisions. Curl Centric has an affiliate relationship for some of the products that we recommend. We may receive compensation if purchases are made using our links, at no extra cost to you. CurlCentric.com is a participant in the Amazon Associates Program. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. To ensure that we maintain our editorial integrity, our editorial team does not receive direct compensation from our sponsors and advertisers. The product recommendations and advertisers that appear on Curl Centric are from companies that compensate us through an exclusive, full-service ad management partner. This compensation does not influence the content we publish or the product reviews shown on our site.

Copyright © Curl Centric®. All rights reserved. Curl Centric® is a trademark of Natural Hair Community, LLC.

Back to top ↑