Permanent waving compositions containing fatty acid lactylates and glycolates and their method of use

In a permanent waving composition for hair which contains at least one reducing aent for hair wherein the improvement comprises having in the permanent waving composition, at least one humectant compound selected from the group consisting of fatty acid lactylates and fatty acid glycolates of the formula:

• ##STR4## wherein RCO is an acyl radical of a fatty acid having from about 6 to about 22 carbon atoms, A is CH.sub.3 or H, and x has a value from 1 to about 4, and ammonium, alkali metal and amine salts thereof;
• the ratio of total moles of reducing agent to total moles of humectant compound in said composition being from about 15 to about 80.

In a two-component permanent waving system which provides a net reducing solution for hair, the first component of the system comprising at least one reducing agent for hair and the second component being a balancer for combination with the first component is preselected proportions to provide the net reducing solution having a select pH for application to hair, the improvement which comprises including in the first component at least one humectant compound selected from the group consisting of fatty acid lactylates and fatty acid glycolates of the formula:

• ##STR5## wherein RCO is an acyl radical of a fatty acid having from about 6 to about 22 carbon atoms, A is CH.sub.3 or H, and x has a value from 1 to about 4, and ammonium, alkali metal and amines salts thereof;
• the total amount of humectant compound included in said first component being sufficient to impart to hair, permanent waved using the net reducing solution, increased moisture retention and insufficient to have a substantial adverse affect on waving efficiency of the hair as compared to hair permanently waved using the net reducing solution in the absence of said humectant compound.

In a two-component permanent waving system which provides a net reducing solution for hair, the first component of the system comprising at least one reducing agent for hair and the second component being a balancer for combination with the first component in preselected proportions to provide the net reducing solution having a select pH for application to hair;

• the improvement which comprises including in the first component at least one humectant compound selected from the group consisting of fatty acid lactylates and fatty acid glycolates of the formula:
• ##STR6## wherein RCO is an acyl radical of a fatty acid having from about 6 to about 22 carbon atoms, A is CH.sub.3 or H, and x has a value from 1 to about 4, and ammonium, alkali metal and amine salts thereof;
• the ratio of total moles of reducing agent to total moles of humectant compound in said first component being from about 15 to about 80.

In a process for the permanent waving of hair which includes the steps of contacting mandrel-shaped hair with a solution of a reducing agent for hair to open the disulfide linkages of the hair and the step of closing the disulfide linkages of the mandrel-shaped hair by application of an oxidizing agent to the hair to set the hair in conformity with the shape of the mandrel;

• the improvement which comprises including in the solution of said reducing agent for hair at least one humectant compound selected from the group consisting of fatty acid lactylates and fatty acid glycolates of the formula:
• ##STR7## wherein RCO is an acyl radical of a fatty acid having from about 6 to about 22 carbon atoms, A is CH.sub.3 or H, and x has a value from about 1 to about 4, and ammonium, alkali metal and amine salts thereof;
• the total amount of humectant compound included in said solution of a reducing agent for hair being sufficient to impart to hair, permanently waved in the process, increased moisture retention and insufficient to have a substantial adverse effect on waving efficiency of the hair as compared to hair permanently waved by the process using the solution of the reducing agent for hair in the absence of said humectant compound.

In a process for the permanent waving of hair which includes the steps of contacting mandrel-shaped hair with a solution of a reducing agent for hair to open the disulfide linkages of the mandrel-shaped hair by application of an oxidizing agent to the hair to set the hair in conformity with the shape of the mandrel;

• the improvement which comprises including in the solution of said reducing agent for hair at least one humectant compound selected from the group consisting of fatty acid lactylates and fatty acid glycolates of the formula:
• ##STR8## wherein RCO is an acyl radical of a fatty acid having from about 6 to about 22 carbon atoms, A is CH.sub.3 or H, and x has a value from 1 to about 4, and ammonium, alkali metal and amine salts thereof;
• wherein the ratio of total moles of reducing agent to total moles of humectant compound in the solution of said reducing agent is about 15 to about 80.