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    The "Other" Brazilian

    Go ahead strangers: Rub, touch and smell her hair; she'll do just about anythingto get rid of the frizzies

    Heather Staible
    Jul 4, 2010 | 6:19 pm
    • A model (not Heather Stabile) with frizzy hair
    • After treatment: No frizz
    • In other photos, all provided by BKT manufacturer, a model is show with wavyhair
    • After
    • After
    • Before
    • Step 2
    • After
    • Before
    • After

    Some little girls dream of being a supermodel. The clothes, the glamour, the impossibly long legs .... who could resist?

    Me? I briefly entertained the idea of being a Las Vegas showgirl after seeing an episode of the Phil Donahue show years ago. There was a 5-foot-10 height requirement and I easily met that as a teenager. But I like carbs and have two kids, so my dreams of dancing in a headdress Cher and Lady Gaga would fight over have long since slipped away.

    So I was elated recently when asked to be a model — a hair model. This was a gig I could definitely do. No crazy lemon juice and cayenne pepper crash diet required.

    Dakota Clay, a stylist at Craft Salon, was teaching a Brazilian Keratin Treatment class and needed a model with shorter, naturally wavy to curly hair to receive the treatment while other stylists watched, took notes, asked questions and fondled my head. The BKT is a treatment that infuses keratin into the hair, forcing it to lie straighter and frizz less. Since my hair poofs out, falls flat and flips out on one side in humidity, I was the perfect candidate. And since my hair is chin-length, the process would take considerably less time.

    I settled into the chair while 30 stylists sat in front of me, looking curiously at my hair. The thing about being a model is people look at you … a lot. And while it’s a no-no to grapple models on the runway, my hair modeling experience was quite different.

    A BKT is done in several steps, so Clay first washed my hair with a clarifying shampoo, stripping it of oils and product. This, of course, meant head touching, which oddly enough, was relaxing, like I was at the spa, but with wacky hair and people staring.

    She blew my hair dry and began to apply the keratin, covering each strand. Human hair is 88-percent keratin, so the additional keratin encourages it to lie straighter. There was another round of intense blow-drying, followed by flat-ironing at 450 degrees. There was also intermittent rubbing, touching and smelling of my hair by complete strangers, but I didn’t mind. The promise of frizz-free hair was just moments away.

    The whole process took two-and-a-half hours and ended with stylists enjoying one last look and feel of my hair.

    For me though, the BKT adventure wasn’t over.

    There’s no washing, clipping, ponytailing or sweating for four days post-BKT. Did I mention I live in Houston? Where sweating is our summer pastime?

    You can however, flat iron, blow dry and brush during the four days of hair hell. But, by the end of my BKT boot camp, the non-sulfate free shampoo was the best experience ever and the end result is, well, model-worthy. My highlights look even more vibrant, my hair dries within minutes and best of all, no frizz.

    A BKT isn’t a straightener and quite frankly, not everyone knows how to apply it, so Clay says to ask questions before signing up for the treatment.

    “You will know very quickly if the person knows what they are doing by how they answer your questions. If they aren’t certified or if they can’t tell you how something works and why, don’t have them do your BKT,” Clay says.

    BKTs are expensive, starting at $300 and can take two to fours hours to do, depending on hair length. There is some question and controversy about formalin, methylene glycol and other forms of formaldehyde, a key ingredient in most BKT formulas. Many BKT formulas contain a small amount in the product to bind and preserve the keratin on the hair.

    The Marcia Teixeira BKT used during my treatment contains 1.98 percent of methylene glycol and I didn’t experience any reaction, unpleasant odors or fumes. It’s a personal decision for sure, but the reality is, in order for a BKT to work and last there is some kind of formalin in most products. The ones that are formalin-free often contain other chemicals and won’t last as long. Again, talk to your stylist and take the time to research the brands.

    As for me, I’m hooked. I know I have four months to enjoy this heavenly hair and who knows? It may be just the encouragement I need to make all of me runway ready.

    unspecified
    news/fashion

    HOTTEST HEADLINES OF 2025

    Celeb's Texas-sized ring dazzles in our top 10 fashion stories of 2025

    Gabi De la Rosa
    Dec 24, 2025 | 2:00 pm
    Zac Brown and Kendra Scott engagement
    Photo courtesy of Kendra Scott
    Kendra Scott's million dollar engagement ring crafted by a Houston jeweler tops Houston's most-read fashion articles of 2025.

    Editor’s note: Houston’s shopping and style scene delivered plenty to talk about this year, with headline-making jewels, must-have accessories, major retail moves, and Texas-sized collaborations. Readers couldn’t get enough of a million-dollar pink diamond crafted by a Houston jeweler for Zac Brown and Kendra Scott, the Labubu frenzy, and the arrival of luxury brands in River Oaks District. New flagships from beloved Texas brands, summer shopping guides, and the return of the Nutcracker Market, along with news of a Macy’s local closure also topped the year's must-read articles. Here's a look back at the stories that captured the Bayou City's love of luxury, hometown pride, and constantly changing retail landscape.

    1. Houston jeweler supplies star Zac Brown with a Texas-sized diamond ring. Country superstar Zac Brown popped the question to billionaire jewelry mogul Kendra Scott with a one-of-a-kind creation from Houston jeweler Valobra Master Jewelers. The jaw-dropping 3.06 carat fancy pink diamond (GIA certified, VVS2 clarity) was set in platinum gold and surrounded by 28 baguette-cut white diamonds totaling 3.17 carats. The jeweler wouldn't comment on the price, but it would surely retail for over $1 million.

    2. Loveable Labubu: Where to find the must-have fashion accessory in Houston. Love them or hate them, these tiny monsters broke the internet with the April release of Big Into Energy Labubu. Lucky Houstonians who were able to buy one online flocked to area stores in Sugar Land and The Woodlands for their pick-up-only purchases.

    3. 2 luxury jewelers unveil flagship boutiques in River Oaks District. With VIP salons, ornate decor, and luxury jewelry, two French jewelry houses made an entrance in River Oaks District this summer. Joining the neighborhood's luxury lineup, shoppers can now buy their baubles from Cartier and Van Cleef.

    4. Colorful Texas handbag maker opens new flagship store in Katy. Popular handbag brand Consuela opened its first Houston-area store at La Centerra in Cinco Ranch, Katy. Shoppers can now get their hands on the bold, colorful printed bags and accessories without a long drive or an online checkout.

    5. Macy's to shutter dozens of stores nationwide, including 1 in Houston. As part of a strategy to make Macy's profitable again, the store shuttered six Texas stores, including a longtime location at Almeda Mall. Five DFW stores also went dark, and by early 2026, the retailer will have closed 150 "unproductive" locations nationwide.

    6. Where to shop right now: 12 Houston shops with fresh summer finds. Amid back-to-school shopping and the August 8 sales tax holiday, Houstonians were especially interested in where to find the best deals at local retailers, including Chloe Dao, Mejuri, Reformation, Abejas Boutique, and more.

    7. Houston bootmaker offers $5,000 cowboy boot and gator hunt adventure. For $5,000, Houstonians can now source an alligator hide near Anahuac that will be transformed into a pair of bespoke cowboy boots by Republic Boot Company.

    8. What to know about the return of Houston's Nutcracker Market for 2025. The Houston Ballet Nutcracker Market is one of the most highly anticipated shopping events of the year. This year's market welcomed 40 new vendors and over 100,000 shoppers, with ticket sales exceeding $24 million. Over $6 million went directly to support Houston Ballet, its academy, and scholarship programs.

    9. Texas brand Lucchese launches UT Longhorns collection with boots and more. Storied Texas bootmaker Lucchese released a collaboration with the University of Texas featuring two men's styles and three women's styles. The lineup pairs white and cream colored leather with burnt orange accents as a nod to Longhorn pride.

    10. Whataburger partners with Texas activewear brand for new capsule collection. Whataburger tapped Austin-based activewear brand Burlebo for a capsule collection just in time for Father's Day. The line included caps, infant onesies, and shirts available in three different patterns.

    kendra scott engagementriver oaks districtlabubuwhataburger clothesnutcracker market 2025zac brown engagement ringmost popular stories
    news/fashion
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