Method for permanent waving and straightening of hair
AssigneeThe Gillette Company
InventorsMaw-Sheng Wu, Mary A. Pesce
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Hair is waved or straightened by maintaining it in tightly curled or in straightened configuration in contact with an aqueous waving lotion containing sulfite, bisulfite, or hydrosulfite together with a water-soluble mercaptan, at a molar ratio of 5:1 to 1:7.5, rebuilding with an aqueous lotion at pH 7 to 12 free from cross-linking, oxidizing, or reducing agents, and subsequently applying a neutralizer solution. Minimal damage to the hair results from use of the specified molar ratio. When waving hair, an optional additional step between cross-linking and neutralizing comprises maintaining the rebuilt hair in stress-free condition in contact with the ambient atmosphere to permit the curled hair to relax to the desired extent.
Claims13
The method of waving or straightening human hair consisting essentially of maintaining the hair in curled or straightened configuration and in contact with a first aqueous lotion at pH 5.5 to 7.5 containing dissolved therein a water-soluble mercaptan at a concentration from 0.1 to 1.5 molar together with a member of the group consisting of water soluble sulfite, bisulfite or hydrosulfite at a concentration from 0.1 to 1.5 molar, to impart a curled or straightened configuration to the hair, the molar ratio of said member to said mercaptan being 2.5:1 to 1:2.5and rebuilding the curled or straightened hair by applying to it an aqueous rebuilding lotion at pH 7 to 12 comprising water or water containing an alkaline agent selected from the group consisting of ammonium hydroxide, alkali metal carbonates or bicarbonates, trialkanolamines, and mixtures thereof, said aqueous rebuilding lotion being free from crosslinking, oxidizing or reducing agents.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.