Marie’s bemused by Bio Ionic: I’m considering getting my hair permanently straightened using the Bio Ionic thermal straightening process. I did a bit of research but the information seems a bit too sciencey and kind of what you’d expect from infomercials. The website talks about “negative ionic, infrared and electromagnetic wave charges simultaneously” and shattering “water molecule clusters into micro-fine particles.” My alarm bells are ringing but I know The Beauty Brains will be able to confirm or deny!
This doesn’t come cheap either – I’m looking at $300 to $600 for something that may or may not leave my hair straight. Is this really the “biggest evolutionary leap in hairdressing ever” or the biggest load of bull?
The Right Brain’s recommendation:
The answer lies somewhere in between but probably closer to “bull.”
What is Bio Ionic?
Bio Ionic Inc., was founded by professional stylist Fernando Romero. According to his website, Fernando traveled to Japan where he discovered natural ion therapy. Today Bio Ionic has an entire line of products using this “powerful healing energy.”
What does Bio Ionic supposedly do?
The main claim of the line revolves around these natural ions that are “powerful enough to break water molecule clusters into micro-fine particles and penetrate the hair shaft. That means moisture balance is restored and the hair cuticle is sealed.” It’s a great sounding story, but it doesn’t really mean all that much in terms of real science. Water will penetrate into a hair shaft just fine without being converted into pseudo-scientific micro-fine particles, thank you very much. Of course, that doesn’t stop Bio Ionic from using this natural ion complex in their shampoos, conditioner, and styling products as well as their line of styling tools (blow dryers, flat irons, etc.).
Perhaps the most interesting product in their line is their so called Ion-Retexturizing System which is a “permanent straightening process designed for people with curly, frizzy or unruly hair who want to wear their hair permanently straight.”
Does Bio Ionic really work?
Their website contains a FAQ section that reveals Ion-retexturizing formula is based on Thioglycolate at pH 9.5 with a Neutralizer at pH 3.0. This chemistry will be very familiar to anyone who has had their hair permed. Thioglycolate is used to chemically break down the disulfide bonds in hair and the low pH neutralizer reforms the bonds to lock the hair into a new shape. This is old school technology used in a perms to to take straight hair and change its shape to curly. But there’s no reason that you can’t use the same chemistry to take curly hair and make it straight. So the answer is yes, Bio Ionic will straighten your hair.
But unlike a regular perm, Bio Ionics uses heat to boost the straightening power of the treatment. So, the answer is YES, this product will do what it says. It will permanently straighten your hair. But it has nothing to do with micro-fine natural ions.
Why is Bio Ionic so expensive?
You’re paying for the time and expertise of the stylist doing the procedure. Despite Bio Ionic’s claims to the contrary, if you’re not careful you can seriously damage your hair. (They are correct though, it is less damaging than other chemical straighteners like relaxers.)
The Beauty Brains bottom line
Bio Ionic’s Ion-Retexturizing System uses a combination of permanent wave chemistry and heat to effectively straighten your hair. But there is no special science or technology in their natural ion therapy that makes this product work.
What’s YOUR favorite hair straightening product? Do you use styling tools like Farouk’s Straightening Iron
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I have done the JHS for five years in a row. I believe there are three types of JHS, but i can only remember two of the three – one is thermal reconditioning – that is not truly permanent on your hair, and the price can vary dramatically. the one i do is called Liscio – which is permanent on the hair it’s done on, but not the new growth. Liscio is much more expensive than Thermal reconditioning. I’ve done TH once and it was not worth the price. I would highly recommend doing the Liscio version but there are places that charge an exorbitant amount of money – one that i went to for two years in a row in NYC. I won’t name it, but i do know of a place that charges $500 which was 50% less than the first place i did it and they did such a wonderful job. not sure if you would allow me to post the name, so please feel free to edit my post if need be, but the place is located in NYC Manhattan and it’s called Hidy Hair.
I have very frizzy, kinky, curly Puerto Rican hair and all my life i have relaxed it – damaging it beyond belief. Discovering the JHS was the next best thing to sliced bread, but there are precautions – you can not have relaxed your hair within a year of doing the JHS or streaked your hair, otherwise the JHS will thoroughly damage your hair.
I can only tell you this from experience. I love doing this, but yes, it is very expensive and when the new growth comes in, you will be a true believer when you see the difference between the new growth and the hair that has been straightened.
Find a reputable place though – it’s your hair which for me, is very precious.
i use farouk’s straightening hair iron, which makes my hair really straight, though it’s temporary. my hair is straight with some waves.
I am a salon owner in the Phila area and I finally found and I am a distributor of a CONSUMER SAFE hair straightener, Caribbean Dream Retexturizing Systems.I think that salon owners are so financially married to these harmful products, why would they expose themselves and their clients after all we have read about them. Caribbean Dream can straighten, frizz kill, hair tame (remove 50% of curl) or soft curl (change curl to soft wave), it can OVERLAP other relaxers, and can be used on color treated or highlighted hair, it leaves thehair shiny and manageable. No brainer, no fumes, no formaldehyde, no thio, no hepa filters, no masks. [email protected]
and myspace/cuzncompanysalonnspa
Caribbean Dream is now GLOBAL! We have distributors all over the world! Being a safe hair retexturizer does make a difference. Visit http://www.caribbeandreamhair.com
Would you please evaluate Caribbean Dream retexturizing systems and consummer results?
This article only half answers the question. Me personally, I color my hair, it’s dry and naturally wavy. I live in a humid climate. The flat iron is damaging my hair, and if it gets TOO humid, the waviness wins out. I’ve become so high maintanence if it rains or my hair gets wet because it just dries frizzy and looks horrible, so I panic trying to prevent it from getting wet. When I go to the gym, my bangs get curly and look ridiculous. SO, I was thinking of permanent straightening. Is this a good option? Is there a BETTER option than this?
Great post, i’ve been looking around online trying to find the best hair straightener for ages, this has really help me out.
i would like to encourage anyone who is thinking of doing bio ionic, cause i have seen a huge difference in growth of my hair and shine. seriously i have very frizzy hair similar to afro’s hair. after i have done my bio ionic hair straightening i have only been to the hair dresser 3 time to for a blow dry, not that i needed it but i had special events, so i had to look perfect… anyway i only costed me 350 dollras for the first treatment, and 8 month later i need to do my regrowth, guys 8 month later and it’s going to cost me 250 dollars, thats really nothing. you realy can see a different give it ago, but trust me this is the best thing that have ever been created for frizzy hair.
Hey gaby , I wanna do the Bio Ionic alco but … I’m afraid that after I sweat and I swim in the water sea … it will be curly and frizzy again. And besides I saw I have to use all of their products after the procedure to keep it like that. I’m afraid it won’t last more than 2 summer months to me … whad do you say? please help me … I want to do it in 2 weeks but I can’t decide between the Thermal reconditioning and the Bio Ionic…
Hi, I found a good website for share: ghd straighteners for sale, our ghd straightener online store:http://www.ghd-hair-straightener-uk.com.
ghd IV mini styler. The ghd mini styler creates perfect curls, enhances movement, increases volume and leaves hair smooth and straight. Ghd have recognised that smaller plates for city angels with short styles need that touch of divine intervention. This mini magic wand is also perfect for men’s hair.
This state of the art mini iron has a number of impressive technology features. It will put itself to sleep after 30 minutes of non activity. The use of next generation ceramic heaters and universal voltage guarantees you will always look your best, where ever you are in the world.
Features / Benefits
1. High Heat
2. Advanced Ceramic Technology
3. Smaller barrel (1cm/0.5 inches)
4. Perfect for men or women with 2 to 3 inches of hair.
5. Sleep Timer
6.Universal Voltage
I did bio-ionic retexturizer on my hair in January and I’m extremely satisfied with the effects! My hair are naturally fine and wavy…as well as during humid days they tend to bend, curl and do what ever they wish what looks pretty horrible. Few years ago I went to relax my hair with Loreal X-tenso and the effect was pretty nice , my hair were very sleek afterwards (even during drizzly weather) but they lost all of the volume as well:(:(:(
This year my hairdresser told me about Bio-ionic retexturizer and I’ve decided to give it a go. The effects are fantastic! My hair are not as sleek as after x-tenso but they are straight like I’ve just straighten them with an iron and they kept the volume I had before. As every relaxer bio-ionic has lighten up my hair a bit (I’m a brunette and I’ve used a semi permanent color in November to make them darker) but the effect is still 100% natural.
I’d recommend it to everyone who has been struggling with humidity side effects on their fine hair!!
Best regards Marta
Thank you! I really like this. If want buy? I recommend this site: http://www.diymyhair.com. They are a good seller.
I am using bio ionic since 2003, is good if u go with somebody who knows how to do it… and is checking u all the time during the proscess but if not…… u can ruin complete your hair……… so be really careful where u go….
i am a stylist of 16 years and have been performing the bio ionic relaxer for the last 9 years and have been really please with the results. but i have started shopping around for something different and have been asked by clients about the other brands out there the brazillian and coppola. so like any good stylist i want to have my facts straight so upon my research i have come to find out that the others have somewhat dangerous levels of phormeldehyde…what? that can cause breathing problems and sinus and eye irritations. well i will keep researching because i have not experienced anything like this in 9 years of doing the service and don’t want to start now so i guess i am pretty happy i started where i did, and it’s a great product and i have extremely pleased clients and you do have to be really careful with your client integrity of their hair i never leave their side for 4 or 5 hours of the service and constantly monitor and smooth their hair and switch their part so i don’t get a permenant one. it’s a lot of work that’s why it’s a lot of money hope this helps. good luck
how long does having straight hair last after doing the Bio-Ionic
Straightening System
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I am a licensed Cosmetologist and I have very curly hair. I used this product and it didn’t work. I still have curly hair and I would say only 10% of it is straight. This is horrible and the Bio Ionic company said I can use it again in 10 days.. It stripped out my color in my hair.. Something that strong I will not use again. Now I am faced with looking like crap and doing others hair while looking this way.
I wanted to comment on the bio ionic treatment. I have had it done two times. It is absolutely amazing. I have waist long super curly, frizzy, thick, unruly puffy hair. When I left in June to right now I have straight, unfrizzy, manageable, beautiful hair. It is pricy but I would pay it again and again!! I spend about 10 to 20 min on my hIr every other day! I love no hairsprays, mousse, gels and anti frizz creams!!! Just great hair everyday!!
I am totally in favor of the thread starter’s viewpoint?and I will share it with my friends, which not only increase my knowledge but also broaden my horizon. So thanks a lot.
can someone help me. Im in Florida and i cant find a trust worthy place to go to…..i have very curly and frizzy hair very long(around lower waist)
I’ve had the BioIonic hair straightening treatment done 4 times. My hair is thick, coarse, wavy in sections, and prone to frizz in humidity and rain.
The results I got with BioIonic were amazing. And so much less time spent on hair drying and styling – just great hair. I’m trying to find a salon in NYC that does it as I really hate my hair when it’s not been treated. It’s just so much work and any styling I do requires blow drying and flat ironing or curling iron. Day 2 is usually a pony tail or a headband. The hair around my forehead is short and wayward so my ponytail isn’t a pretty one. The straightening lasts for about a year with my hair and has varied in price $500 – 600. This comes in way cheaper than the Brazilian blow outs and lasts much longer. I do recommend using the hair care products immediately after the treatment, but have found that after a few months, you can use other products and not detect a difference. The blow dryer does produce nice shiny straight hair – and yes I tested it with 3 other dryers (I wanted to make sure it held up to its promise).
If anyone knows of a NYC salon that does BioIonic, please post.
NEVER AGAIN FOR ME…
I have had 1 treatment of Bio-ionic done in 2006 in what I thought was a reputable hair salon in Rowley MA (north shore of Boston). I had talked extensively to that hairdresser (“the expert” of the salon) who of course told me it was completely safe and actually was beneficial for the hair… BS! It completely ruined my hair in one little area (unnoticeable on the side-top). My hair were burnt and gone in half a sguare inch area and never really grew back the same. I hadn’t realized it until a few days later. It cost me $500. Although the rest of my hair looked nice and straight for a while, I’ve never done it again, and will never do. I had done a little bit of research online before and had never really found a real description of the technique and the chemicals involved. I wish I had found this website before… I kinda of feel like I’ve been duped. You’re supposed to be able to trust the professionals… I found it weird that I’ve never heard of anybody else who’d had the same problem than me.
Anyway, I guess you just have to be careful about who is doing it and where you go…
If you want a professional flat iron and you are ok with spending around $140 I would highly recommend the Karmin G3 Salon Pro, it heats up to 450f with temperature control, dual voltage, tourmaline ceramic plates with rounded edges which makes it great for also curling your hair. Also has a 3 year warranty. If you buy from http://MyHairStylingTools.com they are also giving away a free heat matt/carrying case and some heat serum that works really well. If you do look at other irons make sure to stay away from irons with painted plates (colored plates) these can damage your hair.
A little about plate quality:
* Aluminum – 90’s and low quality, will stick to your hair and terrible results.
* Colored Plates – Stay away from these, they may look nice but they are for show and they are not good for your hair.
* Ceramic Plates – White or Yellowish color plate – These plates are good but they are older technology from around 2002. Many companies still use these as it is cheaper to manufacture than a tourmaline ceramic plate.
* Titanium Plates – Gun Metal Grey color – These are great plates and provide great results. These and Tourmaline Ceramic plates are about the same in quality but work different with different hair types. You would need to try both to see which one provides the best results for your hair type.
* Tourmaline Ceramic – Gun Metal Grey in color – These are currently the best plates on the market. currently I only see Karmin and Sedu using these plates. It appears all the other brands are focused on cutting costs by using the cheaper plates.
Some features you should look for:
* Variable Temperature Control (If you have thick hair make sure it heats up to at least 420F)
* Swivel Cord
* At least a 3 year warranty (most hair straighteners will die in the first year or two)
* If you travel then make sure its dual voltage
You can also check reviews at http://flatironsreviews.com to see their ranking of the top 10 flat irons. Good luck and I hope this helps.
Owner of 5 salons with 12 years of experience.
I only use the Karmin 3G products, I’ve been using this brand for more than 2 years and I love all the products and so does my hair. I would highly recommend the Karmin G3 Salon Pro, it heats up to 450f with temperature control, dual voltage, tourmaline ceramic plates with rounded edges which makes it great for also curling your hair. Also has a 3 year warranty. If you are in the US you can buy from http://HairProductsPro.com, they are also giving away a free heat matt/carrying case and some heat serum that works really well. If you are in Canada you can buy at http://www.hairtools.ca/. If you do look at other irons make sure to stay away from irons with painted plates (colored plates) these can damage your hair.
I have the pink straightener, it’s awesome
so this means that bio ionic is a great product?
I am letting my perm grow out and with perms you have dry, frizzy hair, so for a year I was not using Shielo products. Man I was missing out on soft silky hair.
Well I started to straighten it everyday and I wanted something to use before and after I straighten it. The Antioxidant Protectant from Shielo got great reviews on other websites. Just a spray goes a long way!
I have thick hair and it’s a little past my shoulders and a spray is enough for me. I put some in my hair before I use my straightener and after I’m done to tame flyaways and lose the frizz. It leaves my hair so soft and shiny! I’m glad I tried this.
thnx for the info, although I prefer the flat iron because those kind of products use harmful chemicals that can damage the hair, I use the Karmin G3 Salon Pro which has tourmaline ceramic plates and causes less damage to the hair, plus it keeps my hair soft, shiny and very straight.
Hi , thanks for all the info on Ionic hair straightening system, i wonder if anyone can tell me if the’ve had any bad experience with it. I’ve had a bad experience with the keratin treatment(brazillian blow dry), first time i had it done my hair was perfect, second time i noticed hair loss, lots of hair loss. Its been almost a year since i last had the keratin treatment and my hair is just about starting to regrow. so ladies do stay away from it.
My hair is fine and extremely frizy hence looking to try the Ionic treatment but trying to do my research on it first. Can anyone help and tell me if there are any side effects to Ionic treatment?
thanks