Five keratin/Brazilian-blowout treatments carry a real FDA letter, OSHA citation, or lab test for formaldehyde behind a “formaldehyde-free” label. Two don’t. Here’s what the paperwork says.

This is a receipts check, not a medical opinion — we pulled the FDA letters, OSHA citations, and lab results that already exist and checked which of these seven treatments they name.

FORMALDEHYDE FOUND (documented by OSHA, the FDA, or an independent lab): • Brazilian Blowout — FDA warning letter, Aug 2011: FDA’s own testing found 8.7–10.4% formaldehyde in a bottle printed “No Formaldehyde.” Settled a class-action for $4.5M. • GK Hair (formerly Global Keratin) — FDA warning letter; independent testing found 1.4–4.4% formaldehyde; recalled in Canada, France, Ireland. Reformulated since — today’s bottle is a separate question. • Marcia Teixeira — distributor fined $12,600 by OSHA; independently tested at 1.2–3.4% depending on the lab and batch. • Keratin Complex Smoothing Therapy (original line) — distributor fined $12,600 by OSHA; formaldehyde confirmed independently. NOT Peter Coppola’s later, separately-branded line — different bottle, era. • Cadiveu / Brasil Cacau — named in the same 2011 OSHA salon air testing as Brazilian Blowout; no separate FDA letter of its own, the thinnest receipt.

WORTH A SECOND LOOK (no FDA letter or OSHA citation by name): • Kerasilk (Goldwell) and Cezanne run on glyoxylic acid, not methylene glycol — a real, different chemistry, no federal citation by name.