This invention relates to a method of straightening, texturing and strengthening hair undergoing an alkaline straightening procedure and to nonacidic aqueous hair texturing and strengthening compositions for use in conjunction therewith. The texturing and strengthening compositions have a pH value from at least 8 to about 11 containing at least one water-dispersible hair texturing and strengthening agent including a quarternary nitrogen atom with at least one aliphatic alkyl group directly or indirectly bonded to the quarternary nitrogen atom, the aliphatic alkyl group having from about 3 to about 22 carbon atoms. Methods for applying the compositions in post-straightening and pre-straightening procedures are disclosed.
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
This application is a continuation of co-pending application Ser. No. 095,397, filed Sep. 10, 1987, now identified as U.S. Pat. No. 5,060,680.
The invention provides compositions for relaxing and conditioning keratinous fibers, particularly human hair. The compositions of the present invention have a high pH, i.e., a pH greater than 10, preferably, in the range of about 11 to about 14, more preferably about 12 to about 13.5, and include as a conditioning additive a cationic guar. Surprisingly, the cationic guar maintains stability, viscosity and activity over time in the highly alkaline pH of the inventive hair relaxer and conditioning compositions of the present invention. The relaxer compositions of the present invention afford beneficial effects to the user, such as softness and ease of wet combing, and cause less damage to hair following application and use. In addition, the conditioning relaxer compositions of the present invention remain on the hair and provide lasting conditioning and relaxing effects after one or more shampoos.
A method of treating hair that has been damaged and/or dulled as a result of an alkaline hair treatment including contacting the hair with a solution of weak acid having a pH in the range of about 2.0 to about 5.0, preferably about 2.0 to about 3.8 and having at least 0.75 milliequivalent of free acid per milliliter of solution, to restore natural shine to the dulled hair and to repair uplifted cuticles, if any, that have resulted from the alkaline hair treatment.
A two-package pretreatment and hair relaxer system comprising: a first package comprising a neutral pretreatment composition containing a polyampholyte terpolymer having a weight average molecular weight of from about 4 thousand to 4 million, of the formula: ##STR1## wherein said polyampholyte terpolymer is present in amounts sufficient to coat hair and prevent excessive brittleness and roughness to relaxed hair; and a second package containing calcium hydroxide in amounts sufficient to relax hair and a polyampholyte terpolymer having a weight average molecular weight of from about 4 thousand to 4 million, of the formula: ##STR2## in amounts sufficient to impart significant amounts of moisture, softness and sheen to relaxed hair.
A composition for permanently straightening and/or waving hair comprises 10-25 weight percent sodium bisulfite, 10-25 weight percent urea, and 0.1-10 weight percent morpholine. The composition is applied in a primarily aqueous solution at near neutral pH (5-8) and at tepid temperatures (35.degree.-55.degree.C.) for a period of time ranging between 10 and 30 minutes.
A method for protecting previously chemically processed hair fibers from damage during subsequent chemical processing comprising the steps of: (a) applying to the previously processed hair fibers a protectorant composition comprising (i) a sugar; a starch hydrolysate, sorbitol, glycerol, propylene glycol, or a polyol, and (ii) and at least one cationic or non-ionic polar polymer; and thereafter, (b) processing the hair fibers with the same chemical process previously used; and thereafter (c) rinsing the hair for a time sufficient to remove all chemicals from the hair. Also claimed is a composition for protecting previously chemically treated hair and a kit for processing previously processed hair using the compositions of the invention.
