JP7676004B2 - Hair Treatment Method - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a hair treatment method that can accommodate a wide variety of hairstyles.

Conventionally, in order to respond to the diversification of hairstyles, perm treatments have been performed to form curl designs in hair. The perm treatments are performed by applying a first agent containing a reducing agent to the hair, forming a curl design in the hair, and then applying a second agent containing an oxidizing agent to the hair.

In the first agent, reducing agents such as thioglycolates, cysteines, cysteamine, sodium sulfite, thioglycerin, glyceryl thioglycolate (GMT), and butyrolactone thiol (raw material name "Spiera") are used, but other than glyceryl thioglycolate and butyrolactone thiol, they are only effective in alkaline conditions. Reducing agents used in alkaline conditions swell the hair, so if used on damaged hair, they will further damage the hair. In contrast, glyceryl thioglycolate and butyrolactone thiol are used in neutral to acidic conditions and hardly swell the hair. In other words, they cause significantly less damage to the hair than reducing agents used in alkaline conditions. However, glyceryl thioglycolate and butyrolactone thiol are very expensive compared to ammonium thioglycolate, and they have a different smell from the reducing agents used in alkaline conditions that have been familiar to us in the past, and because they do not swell the hair, it is difficult for technicians to tell when the perm has been applied, so they are sometimes avoided. In the case of alkaline hair, you can touch the strand of hair with your fingers to confirm that it has become soft, i.e. that the perm has been applied (this is called a "softening check"). Conventional perm techniques include cold perms, digital perms, and straight perms that create a straight design in the hair, but due to past habits and economic reasons, most perms use an alkaline reducing agent.

The oxidizing agents used in the second agent are known to be bromates (mostly sodium bromate, with some using potassium bromate) and hydrogen peroxide (around 1-3%).

1. Cold perm In cold perms, the first agent, which is mainly composed of a reducing agent, is applied to the hair, which is then wrapped around a wave rod and left for 10 to 20 minutes. For hair that is difficult to make waves, a heat-retaining vinyl cap may be placed over the hair to promote reduction, or the hair may be heated with an infrared heater or steamer (this is called "winding"). The first agent may also be applied by wetting the hair and winding it around the rod, and then applying the agent from above the rod using a dropper (this is called "water winding"). Next, the first agent is rinsed off with warm water (this is called "intermediate rinse"), and the hair is towel-dried from above the rod, after which the second agent, which is mainly composed of an oxidizing agent, is applied and left for 5 to 15 minutes. After leaving the agent, the second agent is rinsed off, and the hair is treated with a treatment to improve the feel, and then towel-dried or blow-dried with a hair dryer to finish.

One way to easily create waves in your hair at home without going to a salon is to use a curling iron (a round iron). The larger the amplitude of the waves, the more desirable they are, and such waves are described as "ridged." Waves created with a curling iron have ridges, but the wave design is easily lost when shampooing. This is because waves created with a curling iron are formed only by hydrogen bonds inside the hair, just like bedhead. It is preferable to be able to create ridged waves with a perm, but it is difficult to create such large waves with a cold perm. In particular, with colored hair, the elasticity of the hair itself is lost due to damage caused by the color (caused by bleaching that accompanies the coloring). It is almost impossible to create ridged waves in such hair, so the current situation is that salons create waves to a certain extent with a cold perm, and then hairdressers finish off the ridged waves with a hair dryer. Perms that use heated rods, such as digital perms, have somewhat eliminated the shortcomings of cold perms.

2. Perms using heated rods There are two types of heated rods: those similar to hot curlers that ordinary consumers use at home, and so-called digital perms, in which an electric cord is connected to a thermocouple-equipped rod and the heating temperature and time can be controlled from a control panel. Since digital perms are the most commonly used in salons, only digital perm techniques will be explained here. The general method of use is as follows:

First, the first perm agent is applied to the hair, and after reducing for the required time, the first agent is washed off and the hair is towel-dried to the extent that no drips are dripping, and then wound around the rod (this is called winding). The rod is connected to an electric cord and the temperature is gradually increased (for example, 70°C for 5 minutes, 90°C for 5 minutes, 110°C for 5 minutes, etc.). In most cases, the hair is heated until it is dry to create ridged waves. If strong waves are not desired, heating may be stopped while the hair is still moist. After heating, the hair is removed from the rod, and the bundle of hair is clamped with a single pin or the like to prevent the waves from breaking, and the second agent is applied. The rod is removed at this time because some digital perm models may short out due to excess moisture. If there is no problem with shorting, the second agent may be applied over the rod. After the second agent has been applied, the single pin or rod is removed, the hair is washed with warm water, and if necessary, a treatment is applied, and the hair is towel-dried or blown with a hair dryer to finish.

Normally, hair is more damaged towards the tip. Compared to healthy hair, perms work better up to a certain level of damage, but once a certain point is exceeded, the hair becomes too damaged and the waves become floppy. When wrapping the rods from the tip of a digital perm, the tip of the hair is wrapped inward and exposed to the highest temperature, causing more damage. Another disadvantage is that when wrapping from the tip of a cold perm or digital perm, the tip of the hair becomes the smallest wave diameter, which makes the design look unnatural. In terms of the direction in which the cuticle grows, many hairdressers say that creating waves by wrapping the tips of the hair from the middle of the hair looks unnatural. In the case of a cold perm, to avoid this, there is a method of wrapping the hair from the root direction while shifting it on the rod, but in the case of a digital perm, the hair is heated, so even if you try to wrap it at the root, it becomes dry when the temperature gets too high, and the hair comes off the rod, so it is not possible to wrap it at the root.

Compared to cold perms, digital perms have the advantage of being able to create larger ridges and create relatively large waves even on hair that has lost its elasticity due to bleaching, etc. However, repeated digital perms can often damage the hair, leaving the ends stiff and dry. In addition, most digital perm devices are expensive, and many salons do not have them for financial reasons.

3. Straight perms Straightening techniques involve applying the first part of a perm agent (most commonly cream-based, but there are also gel and liquid types) to curly hair, cutting mainly the disulfide bonds inside the hair, and then rinsing off the first agent, followed by one of two subsequent processes.

(1) Method using a high-temperature hair styling iron (iron straightening technique)
After rinsing off the first agent, the hair is towel-dried and then dried with a hair dryer until no moisture remains on the hands when touched. The hair is then separated into moderate bundles and pressed through with a high-temperature hair-styling iron heated to 160-200°C to straighten it. The second agent (which can be cream, gel, or liquid, like the first agent) is then used for oxidation treatment (recombination of disulfide bonds), followed by rinsing and finishing. The first agent can be anything from one that softens hair and is mainly composed of an alkaline reducing agent (e.g., thioglycolate or cysteamine, adjusted to pH 8-9.5) to one that barely softens hair and is mainly composed of an acidic to neutral reducing agent (butyrolactone thiol or glyceryl thioglycolate, adjusted to pH 3-7).

This iron straightening technique is currently mainstream. When using an alkaline reducing agent, the hair swells, so if there is too much moisture left in the hair before ironing, the area where the iron was applied will become blistered and the hair will be significantly damaged. Even if performed properly, alkaline straightening perms are said to be the most damaging of all perms compared to non-straight perms due to the high heat and physical pressing by the iron. On the other hand, when using a neutral to acidic first agent containing butyrolactone thiol or glyceryl thioglycolate as the main ingredients, the hair hardly swells, so there is little risk like with alkaline first agents, and the finish is natural and beautiful (in the case of alkaline agents, the hair sometimes swells to more than twice its diameter, so when shaping it with an iron, it often ends up with an artificial finish like nylon).

(2) Using a hair dryer and brush (blow straight technique)
After rinsing off the first agent, the hair is towel-dried, and while still fairly damp, it is brushed straight while using heat and air from a hair dryer. Next, the hair is oxidized (recombining disulfide bonds) using the second agent, which mainly contains an oxidizing agent (bromate or hydrogen peroxide), and then rinsed and finished. This technique requires that the hair be significantly softened after treatment with the first agent, so an alkaline reducing agent (mostly thioglycolates, cysteamine, or cysteines) is used. As it requires skilled technique, only a few hairdressers are able to perform this technique.

4. Straight & Curl Techniques Techniques for making waves on hair that has been given a straight perm are also known. For example, Patent Documents 1 and 2 disclose a method of performing a straight perm and a wave-forming perm in a series of treatments. In recent years, hairstyles that add further changes to hair that has been given a straight perm have become popular. That is, making waves from the middle to the ends of straightened hair is in fashion. However, especially in the case of women, hair is often colored (bleached), and hair that has been given a straight perm that involves high temperature and physical pressing loses a lot of elasticity compared to hair that has only been colored. It is not easy to create a wave design on such damaged hair. There are various shapes of wave designs, such as "C curls" with curls of about a semicircle to a part of a circular arc, "J curls" with curls only at the ends of straight hair, and "S curls" with overlapping waves like regular perms, but the only method that can create S curls using the straight & curl technique to date is the method using digital perms. There is also a method of performing a cold perm after a straight perm, but the waves obtained are much weaker than those obtained with a digital perm. There are also methods using an iron with thin plates for punch perms and a straightening iron, but these methods only produce C curls and J curls, and often fail to produce curls at all (i.e., they fail). The techniques for creating waves in hair that has been given a conventional straight perm are explained below.

(1) Method of applying a cold perm to hair that has already been treated with a straight perm Apply the first perm agent to hair that has already been treated with a straight perm, mainly to the areas from the middle to the ends where waves are desired, and wrap the hair around a rod. Heat the hair at room temperature or with a far-infrared heater, and leave it for the required time. After leaving it, rinse it off, towel dry the rod, and then apply the second agent. After treatment with the second agent is complete, remove the rod, rinse with water, and finish. With this method, only weak (ridgeless) S curls can be obtained.

(2) Method of applying a digital perm to hair that has already been treated with a straight perm Apply the first perm agent to hair that has already been treated with a straight perm, mainly to the areas from the middle to the ends where waves are desired, and wrap the hair around a rod. Then, as with the normal digital perm method, heat the hair as necessary, oxidize the areas that have only been straightened with the second agent, rinse with water, and finish. This method of using a digital perm produces waves with more ridges than cold perms, but they are still weaker than the waves that consumers create at home with curling irons. To achieve the style the customer desires, the hairdresser must wrap the hair around their fingers and style it with a hair dryer when finishing at the salon. Another disadvantage is that expensive digital perm equipment must be provided.

(3) Method of using a perm iron on hair that has been treated with a straight perm Perm irons are irons with narrow plates that are used for perming short hair. The narrow plates have the advantage that it is easier to create corners in the hair with the edge of the iron. The first agent is applied to hair that has been treated with a straight perm, and the perm iron is used to bend the hair little by little to create corners. This technique is often performed starting from near the roots. Once corners have been created all the way to the ends, the second agent is applied in the same way as for a regular perm, and the process is continued until the end. When performed by a technician who is skilled in the technique, a natural C curl can be obtained from the roots to the ends.

(4) Method of using a straightening iron on hair that has been treated with a straight perm Apply the first agent to hair that has been treated with a straight perm, place a straightening iron on the ends of the hair, and while pressing, bend the hand holding the iron in the direction that curls the hair inwards, passing it through little by little. After ironing, the hair will dry and have curls on the inside. Next, apply the second agent to the straightened sections, and finish in the same way as a normal perm. Immediately after creating the curls with the iron, the curls will be quite strong, but after finishing, only a slight J-curl will remain. The ironing used to create the curls is often done at almost the same temperature as for the straight perm treatment.

JP 2013-35787 A JP 2018-158908 A

The objective of the present invention is to provide a simple hair treatment method for creating a wave design that causes minimal damage to the hair, and a wave formation promoter for use in the method.

It has been found that the above problems can be solved by using a wave promoter that contains water and at least one selected from the group consisting of a thickener, a moisturizer, and a lubricant, and has a pH of 4 to 9. That is, the present invention relates to the following [1] to [36].

[1]
(1) applying a first agent containing a reducing agent to hair;
(2) rinsing the first agent from the hair and applying a wave formation promoter to the hair, the wave formation promoter comprising at least one selected from the group consisting of a thickener, a moisturizer, and a lubricant, and water, and having a pH of 4 to 9;
(3) forming a wave design on the hair to which the wave formation promoter has been applied;
(4) drying the hair while maintaining the formed wave design, and then applying a second agent containing an oxidizing agent to the hair;
(5) washing the second agent off the hair and then drying the hair;
A method for treating hair comprising the steps of:
[2] The hair treatment method according to [1], wherein the reducing agent in the step (1) is glyceryl thioglycolate or butyrolactone thiol.
[3] The hair treatment method described in [1] or [2] above, wherein in step (1), after the first agent is applied to the hair, the hair is left as is.

[4] The hair treatment method according to any one of [1] to [3] above, further comprising a step (3a) between the steps (3) and (4) of immersing the hair in water while maintaining the formed wave design.
[5] The hair treatment method according to [4], wherein in step (3a), the formed wave design is maintained by pinning the hair, or by wrapping the hair around a wave rod, or by supporting the hair with the hands.
[6] The hair treatment method according to [4] or [5], wherein in the step (3a), the temperature of the water is 25°C to 40°C.
[7] The hair treatment method according to any one of [4] to [6], wherein in the step (3a), the hair is immersed in water using a shampoo bowl.
[8] The hair treatment method according to any one of [4] to [7], wherein in the step (3a), the wave formation promoter is washed off from the hair and then the hair is immersed in water.

[9] The hair treatment method according to any one of [1] to [8], wherein the oxidizing agent in the step (4) is a bromate or hydrogen peroxide.
[10] The hair treatment method according to [9], wherein the bromate is sodium bromate.
[11] The hair treatment method according to any one of [1] to [10], wherein in the step (4), the formed wave design is maintained by pinning the hair with a hairpin, by winding the hair around a wave rod, or by supporting the hair with a hand.
[12] The hair treatment method according to any one of [1] to [11], wherein in the step (4), after the second agent is applied to the hair, the hair is left as it is.
[13] The hair treatment method according to any one of [1] to [12], wherein in the step (5), after the second agent is washed off the hair, a treatment is applied to the hair and then the hair is dried.

[14] The hair treatment method according to any one of [1] to [13], wherein in the step (3), a wave design is formed on the hair to which the wave formation promoter has been applied using a hair iron.
[15] The hair treatment method according to [14], wherein the hair iron is a straightening hair iron or a waving hair iron.
[16] The hair treatment method according to [14] or [15], wherein in step (3), the hair is wound around a hair iron from the root side of the part where the wave design is to be formed, and the hair iron is passed over the hair toward the ends to form a wave design on the hair.
[17] The hair treatment method according to [16], wherein the speed at which the hair iron is passed through is 0.3 to 20 cm/sec.
[18] The hair treatment method according to [16] or [17], wherein the temperature of the hair iron is 70 to 140°C.
[19] The hair treatment method according to [18], wherein the temperature of the hair iron is 90 to 120°C.
[20] The hair treatment method according to any one of [1] to [19] above, which is a treatment method for hair that has been treated with a straight perm.

[21] The hair treatment method according to any one of [1] to [13], wherein in the step (3), the wave design is formed by winding the hair around a rod that can be heated by applying electricity and heating it.
[22] The hair treatment method according to [21], wherein the heating is carried out at 50 to 90°C for 10 to 20 minutes.
[23] The hair treatment method according to [21] or [22], wherein the heating is carried out while keeping the hair wet.

[24] The hair treatment method according to any one of [1] to [23] above, wherein the wave formation promoter is in the form of a gel or foam.
[25] The hair treatment method according to [24] above, wherein the wave formation promoter is in the form of a gel having a viscosity of 400 to 80,000 mPa·s.
[26] The hair treatment method according to any one of [1] to [25] above, wherein the thickener comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of polyquaternium-10, polyquaternium-16, polyquaternium-24, sodium carboxymethylcellulose, stearoxyhydroxypropylmethylcellulose, hydroxyethylcellulose, hydroxypropylcellulose, hydroxypropylmethylcellulose, guar hydroxypropyltrimonium chloride, locust bean hydroxypropyltrimonium chloride, caesalpinia spinosa hydroxypropyltrimonium chloride, fenugreek hydroxypropyltrimonium chloride, sodium hyaluronate, sodium chondroitinate sulfate, tamarind gum, xanthan gum, pullulan, propylene glycol alginate, and carboxyvinyl polymer.
[27] The hair treatment method according to any one of [1] to [26], wherein the moisturizer comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of propylene glycol, dipropylene glycol, 1,3-butylene glycol, isobutylene glycol, 1,2-pentanediol, 1,2-hexanediol, 2,4-hexanediol, caprylyl glycol, glycerin, diglycerin, sodium pyrrolidone carboxylate, and maltitol.
[28] The hair treatment method according to any one of [1] to [27], wherein the lubricant comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of glyceryl glucoside, polyoxyethylene methyl glucoside, polyoxypropylene methyl glucoside, polyoxyethylene dioleate methyl glucoside, polyethylene glycol, polyoxyethylene polyoxypropylene glycol, polyquaternium-51, and polymethacryloyloxyethylene phosphorylcholine.
[29] The hair treatment method according to any one of [1] to [28] above, wherein the wave formation promoter further comprises at least one pH adjuster.

[30] A wave formation promoter comprising water and at least one selected from the group consisting of a thickener, a moisturizer, and a lubricant, and having a pH of 4 to 9.
[31] The wave formation promoter according to [30] above, which is in the form of a gel or foam.
[32] The wave formation promoter according to [31] above, which is in the form of a gel having a viscosity of 400 to 80,000 mPa·s.
[33] The wave formation promoter according to any one of [30] to [32] above, wherein the thickener comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of polyquaternium-10, polyquaternium-16, polyquaternium-24, sodium carboxymethylcellulose, stearoxyhydroxypropylmethylcellulose, hydroxyethylcellulose, hydroxypropylcellulose, hydroxypropylmethylcellulose, guar hydroxypropyltrimonium chloride, locust bean hydroxypropyltrimonium chloride, caesalpinia spinosa hydroxypropyltrimonium chloride, fenugreek hydroxypropyltrimonium chloride, sodium hyaluronate, sodium chondroitinate sulfate, tamarind gum, xanthan gum, pullulan, propylene glycol alginate, and carboxyvinyl polymer.
[34] The wave formation promoter according to any one of [30] to [33] above, wherein the moisturizer comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of propylene glycol, dipropylene glycol, 1,3-butylene glycol, isobutylene glycol, 1,2-pentanediol, 1,2-hexanediol, 2,4-hexanediol, caprylyl glycol, glycerin, diglycerin, sodium pyrrolidone carboxylate, and maltitol.
[35] The wave formation promoter according to any one of [30] to [34] above, wherein the lubricant comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of glyceryl glucoside, polyoxyethylene methyl glucoside, polyoxypropylene methyl glucoside, polyoxyethylene dioleate methyl glucoside, polyethylene glycol, polyoxyethylene polyoxypropylene glycol, polyquaternium-51, and polymethacryloyloxyethylene phosphorylcholine.
[36] The wave formation promoter according to any one of [30] to [35] above, further comprising at least one pH adjuster.

The present invention provides a simple hair treatment method for creating a wave design that causes little damage to hair, and a wave formation promoter for use in the method.

FIG. 1 shows hair that has been subjected to either the dry curling technique using glyceryl thioglycolate as a reducing agent or the iron curling technique of the present invention. 1 shows hair subjected to a dry curling technique using thioglycolic acid as a reducing agent or an iron curling technique of the present invention. Hair treated under various conditions using glyceryl thioglycolate or thioglycolic acid as a reducing agent is shown.

The present invention relates to
(1) applying a first agent containing a reducing agent to hair;
(2) rinsing the first agent from the hair and applying a wave formation promoter to the hair, the wave formation promoter comprising at least one selected from the group consisting of a thickener, a moisturizer, and a lubricant, and water, and having a pH of 4 to 9;
(3) forming a wave design on the hair to which the wave formation promoter has been applied;
(4) drying the hair while maintaining the formed wave design, and then applying a second agent containing an oxidizing agent to the hair;
(5) washing the second agent off the hair and then drying the hair;
A method for treating hair comprising the steps of:

In this specification, "wave design" or "wave" refers to various curved shapes such as "C curl" with curls that are semicircular to partially circular, "J curl" with straight hair curled only at the ends, and "S curl" with overlapping waves like a regular perm. Note that sometimes those created with quasi-drug permanent wave agents are referred to as "waves" and those created with cosmetic curling agents are referred to as "curls", but in this specification, the term "wave design" or "wave" is used without distinguishing whether they are created with quasi-drugs or cosmetics.

The reducing agent contained in the first agent used in step (1) can be any reducing agent normally used in perms, without any particular restrictions. For example, it may be thioglycolate, cysteines, cysteamines, thiolactates, sodium sulfite, thioglycerin, glyceryl thioglycolate (GMT), butyrolactone thiol (raw material name "Spiera"), etc., and preferably glyceryl thioglycolate or butyrolactone thiol. Glyceryl thioglycolate and butyrolactone thiol do not swell hair at a pH below neutral, and alkaline reducing agents such as ammonium thioglycolate and cysteamine can shorten the treatment time compared to acidic reducing agents. The reducing agent may be used alone or in a mixture of two or more types.

In step (1), after the first agent has been applied to the hair, the hair may be left in that state for a sufficient time (e.g., 10 to 20 minutes) for the first agent to take effect.

The wave formation promoter used in step (2) contains at least one selected from the group consisting of a thickener, a moisturizer, and a lubricant, and water, and has a pH of 6 to 8. There are no particular limitations on the form of the wave formation promoter, but it may be in the form of a gel or foam for application to hair. In the case of a gel form, from the viewpoint of ease of use when applied to hair and moisturizing properties, the viscosity is preferably 400 to 80,000 mPa·s, more preferably 5,000 to 30,000 mPa·s, and even more preferably 10,000 to 20,000 mPa·s. The viscosity of the gel can be measured at 25°C, for example, according to the Standards for Quasi-Drug Ingredients 2006, General Test Method 54. Viscosity Measurement Method, Method 2, Rotational Viscometer Method. A foam-form wave formation promoter can be obtained, for example, by foaming a liquid wave formation promoter using a pump-type former.

Examples of thickeners include polyquaternium-10, polyquaternium-16, polyquaternium-24, sodium carboxymethylcellulose, stearoxyhydroxypropylmethylcellulose, hydroxyethylcellulose, hydroxypropylcellulose, hydroxypropylmethylcellulose, guar hydroxypropyltrimonium chloride, locust bean hydroxypropyltrimonium chloride, caesalpinia spinosa hydroxypropyltrimonium chloride, fenugreek hydroxypropyltrimonium chloride, sodium hyaluronate, sodium chondroitin sulfate, tamarind gum, xanthan gum, pullulan, propylene glycol alginate, carboxyvinyl polymer, etc. The thickeners may be used alone or in combination.

As the moisturizing agent, for example, one or more of propylene glycol, dipropylene glycol, 1,3-butylene glycol, isobutylene glycol, 1,2-pentanediol, 1,2-hexanediol, 2,4-hexanediol, caprylyl glycol, glycerin, diglycerin, sodium pyrrolidone carboxylate, and maltitol can be used.

Examples of lubricants include glyceryl glucoside, polyoxyethylene methyl glucoside, polyoxypropylene methyl glucoside, polyoxyethylene dioleate methyl glucoside, polyethylene glycol, polyoxyethylene polyoxypropylene glycol, polyquaternium-51, polymethacryloyloxyethylene phosphorylcholine, etc. The lubricants may be used alone or in combination.

The wave formation promoter is effective at a pH of 4 to 9, with a pH of 6 to 8 being more preferable. At least one pH adjuster may be used to bring the pH within the above range. There are no particular limitations on the pH adjuster as long as it is one that is normally used in hair treatments, and for example, one or more of sodium monohydrogen phosphate, sodium dihydrogen phosphate, and lactic acid may be used. If the pH of the wave formation promoter is 4 to 9, it is possible to form a strong wave design while reducing damage to the hair.

Wave formation promoters can contain surfactants, pH adjusters (acids, alkalis), oils and fats, metal blocking agents, anti-inflammatory agents, lubricants (silicones, etc.), moisturizers (animal and plant extracts, protein hydrolysates and their derivatives, amino acids, polysaccharides, etc.), colorants, fragrances, etc.

In step (3), there is no particular restriction on the means for forming the wave design on the hair. For example, the wave design may be formed using a hair iron (iron curl), or the wave design may be formed by wrapping the hair around a rod that can be heated by applying electricity and heating it (digital perm). By applying the wave promoter to the hair in step (2), the hair is kept moisturized, preventing the formation of hydrogen bonds and salt bonds in the hair that may interfere with the formation of the wave design in step (3), and ensuring the formation of the wave design in step (3).

For the iron curling, a waving hair iron or a straightening hair iron can be used. Specifically, a waving design can be formed on the hair by winding the hair around the hair iron from the root side of the part where the wave design is to be formed, and passing the hair iron through in the direction of the hair tip. The method of winding the hair around the hair iron may be any method that allows the hair to be pressed through, such as a method of winding the hair around only one of the irons on both sides that sandwich the hair once, a method of winding the hair around one side once and then winding the hair around both sides once to sandwich the hair, or a method of winding the hair around one side twice. The speed at which the hair iron is passed through is preferably 0.3 to 20 cm/sec, more preferably 0.5 to 10 cm/sec. If the passing speed is slow, the wave will be strong, but if it is too slow, the hair will dry out and the wave will tend to be weak. If it is within the above range, the hair can be prevented from drying out and strong waves can be applied. From the viewpoint of ease of press-through operability, when performing curling with an iron, it is advisable to use as the first agent a reducing agent that does not swell the hair and can be used in neutral to acidic conditions, such as glyceryl thioglycolate or butyrolactone thiol. By applying a wave promoter to the hair in step (2), the hair is given an appropriate degree of slippage, allowing the press-through operation to be performed efficiently.

In the method of the present invention using a wave formation promoter, the temperature of the hair iron may be lower than the conventional temperature, preferably 70 to 140°C, more preferably 90 to 120°C. For example, when an acidic reducing agent is used, it is desirable to use 90 to 130°C, and when an alkaline reducing agent is used, it is desirable to use 70 to 110°C. In this way, the curl design can be formed at a lower temperature than conventionally, so that the damage to the hair is less. In addition, by using a wave promoter, a ridged wave design can be easily formed with a hair iron even on hair that has been subjected to a straight perm treatment, without using expensive digital perm equipment. In other words, the hair treatment method of the present invention includes a treatment method for hair that has been subjected to a straight perm treatment. When the straight perm treatment and the wave formation treatment are performed in a series of treatments, the wave formation promoter may be applied to the hair after the normal straight perm treatment, and the iron curling process may be performed. By the iron curling technique of the present invention, a wave design equivalent to that of a digital perm can be easily and reliably formed on hair that has been subjected to a straight perm treatment. In addition, the iron curling technique of the present invention allows you to create waves at the roots, which is not possible with digital perms, making it possible to create unprecedented designs on hair that has been treated with a straight perm.

The iron curling technique of the present invention is a groundbreaking technology that allows salons that do not have expensive digital perm equipment to create wave designs comparable to digital perms, and is so easy that it is easy to perform partial perms. In addition, it allows for natural root-wrapped waves that do not go against the flow of the hair, something that was impossible with digital perms. When forming a wave design on straight hair from the middle of the hair, curling from the ends tends to make the boundary between the straight and wavy look unnatural, but waves formed by root-wrapped curls result in a natural finish. In addition, when curling the ends of hair, with digital perms, the ends of the hair that are most damaged are on the inside, where the temperature is highest and the diameter is small, and the temperature drops and the diameter increases as you move toward the roots. In other words, the finished diameter is larger for parts that are difficult to curl, and smaller for ends that are easy to curl. With the iron curling technique of the present invention, waves are created by press-through, making it easy to create the same wave from the roots to the ends, and it is believed to be a powerful weapon for design-oriented hairdressers.

When performing digital perms, the use of a wave formation promoter allows heating to be performed under milder conditions than conventional conditions, for example at 50-90°C for 10-20 minutes, or at 40-80°C for 5-30 minutes, reducing damage to the hair and reliably forming a wave design in a short time. Heating the hair while it is still wet is preferable, as this allows for a strong wave design to be formed.

In the method of the present invention, it is preferable to include a step (3a) between step (3) and step (4) in which the hair is immersed in water while the formed wave design is maintained. By including step (3a), the hair is kept moisturized even after the wave design is formed, and the formation of hydrogen bonds and salt bonds in the hair can be inhibited until the oxidizing agent treatment in the subsequent step (4) is performed, so that the wave design formed in step (3) can be more reliably fixed. The formed wave design can be maintained, for example, by pinning the hair, wrapping the hair around a wave rod, or supporting the hair with the hand. When a digital perm is performed in step (3), the hair may be immersed in water with the rod attached to it or after removing the rod. In step (3a), the temperature of the water is preferably 25 to 40°C, more preferably 30 to 35°C, and the immersion time is preferably 5 seconds to 10 minutes, more preferably 5 seconds to 5 minutes, and even more preferably 1 minute to 4 minutes. A shampoo bowl may be used to immerse the hair in water. If it is difficult to soak the hair in water, water may be replenished using a dropper or shower to keep the hair submerged. The wave promoter may or may not be rinsed off the hair before soaking the hair in water.

The oxidizing agent contained in the second agent in step (4) may be any oxidizing agent that has been conventionally used in hair treatment, such as a bromate such as sodium bromate or hydrogen peroxide. The wave design in step (4) can be maintained by pinning the hair, wrapping the hair around a wave rod, or supporting the hair with the hands, as in step (3a). After applying the second agent to the hair, it is preferable to leave it in that state for a certain period of time so that the oxidizing agent can act sufficiently to fix the wave design.

In step (5), after the second agent has been rinsed from the hair, an optional treatment may be applied before the hair is dried.

The first and second agents used in the present invention may contain surfactants, acids or alkalis, oils and fats, metal blocking agents, anti-inflammatory agents, lubricants (such as silicones), crosslinking agents, moisturizers (such as animal and plant extracts, protein hydrolysates and their derivatives, amino acids, polysaccharides), dyes, fragrances, etc., which are typically added to perm agents.

Example 1: Comparison of conventional technique, dry technique and iron curl technique 1. Formulation examples of first agent of perm agent (reducing agent solution) The first agents of the following formulation examples 1 to 3 were formulated.

Formulation Example 1: First agent containing thioglycolic acid as a reducing agent

Formulation Example 2: First agent containing glyceryl thioglycolate as a reducing agent

<Formulation Example 3> First agent using butyrolactone thiol as a reducing agent

2. Formulation Examples of Perm Agent Second Agent (Oxidizing Agent Solution) The following formulation examples 4 and 5 were formulated as second agents.

<Formulation Example 4> Second agent using sodium bromate as an oxidizing agent

<Formulation Example 5> Second agent using hydrogen peroxide as an oxidizing agent

3. Hair Treatment Chinese healthy hair (straight hair) commercially available Beaulax was cut into bundles of hair 25 cm long and weighing 1 g, shampooed, and dried with a hair dryer. The test hair was then treated according to the following conventional method, drying method, and iron curling method.

<Conventional Technique> (Comparative Example 1)
1 g of the first agent of Formulation Example 2 was applied to the hair bundle and left at room temperature for 15 minutes. Next, the hair bundle was washed with water, towel-dried, and then dried with a hair dryer until no moisture was attached to the hand when touched. The hair bundle was pressed through with a 180°C straightening hair iron, with the edge of the iron plate working at intervals of about 2 cm, so as to roll inward (speed 1 cm/sec). The hair bundle was supported from below with the hand so as not to break the formed curls, and 1 g of the second agent of Formulation Example 4 was applied to the hair bundle, left for 15 minutes, and then washed with water. After towel-drying, the hair bundle was hung and carefully dried with a hair dryer so as not to break the curls. The dried hair bundle was shampooed, towel-dried, and then hung and carefully dried with a hair dryer.

<Dry Technique> (Comparative Example 2)
1 g of the first agent of Formulation Example 2 was applied to the hair bundle and left at room temperature for 15 minutes. Next, the hair bundle was washed with water, towel-dried, and then dried with a hair dryer until no moisture was attached to the hand when touched. The hair bundle was wrapped around a 180°C straightening iron and pressed through from the root to the tip (speed 1 cm/sec). The hair bundle was supported from below with the hand so as not to break the formed curls, and 1 g of the second agent of Formulation Example 4 was applied to the hair bundle, left for 15 minutes, and then washed with water. After towel-drying, the hair bundle was hung and carefully dried with a hair dryer so as not to break the curls. The dried hair bundle was shampooed, towel-dried, and then hung and carefully dried with a hair dryer.

<Iron Curling Technique> (Comparative Example 3 and Examples 1 to 26)
1 g of the first agent of Formulation Example 2 was applied to the hair bundle and left at room temperature for 15 minutes. Next, the hair bundle was washed with water, towel-dried, and then water (Comparative Example 3) or 1 g of a wave formation promoter (Examples 1 to 26) having the composition shown in Tables 6-1 to 6-3 was applied. The hair bundle was wrapped around a 120°C straightening iron and pressed through from the root to the tip (speed 1 cm/sec). The hair bundle was supported from below with the hand so as not to break the formed curls, and was swayed in warm water at about 30°C for 3 minutes. After towel-drying, 1 g of the second agent of Formulation Example 4 was applied to the hair bundle and left for 15 minutes, and then washed with water. After towel-drying, the hair bundle was hung and carefully dried with a hair dryer so as not to break the curls. The dried hair bundle was shampooed, towel-dried, hung, and carefully dried with a hair dryer.

The operability (smoothness on hair) and degree of curl formation of the wave formation promoters in Comparative Examples 1 to 3 and Examples 1 to 26 were evaluated according to the following criteria. The results are shown in Tables 6-1 to 6-3. Operaability is one indicator of whether or not a product can be used in a salon.

<Operability>
× Poor operability, not practical △ Possible for part of the hair 〇 Good operability 〇〇 Even better operability <Curl formation>
× Almost no curl ▲ Very weak J curl △ Weak S curl 〇 S curl 〇〇 Slightly strong S curl 〇〇〇 Strong S curl 〇〇〇〇 Even stronger S curl

The iron curling technique according to the present invention can create a stronger wave design than the conventional technique (Comparative Example 1) or the dry technique (Comparative Example 2). In Comparative Example 3, in which the iron curling technique was performed using water instead of a wave formation promoter, a wave design was created that was slightly stronger than in Comparative Examples 1 and 2, but the operability was poor and it was not practical. In this example, the treatment was performed on commercially available hair bundles (straight hair), but the same treatment can also be performed on bleached hair, damaged hair, and hair that has been straightened.

Example 2: Comparison of the dry technique using glyceryl thioglycolate (GMT) (pH 6.3) with the method of the present invention The following wave formation enhancer of Formulation Example 6 was formulated.
Formulation Example 6: Wave formation promoter

<GMT-A> Dry technique GMT-A1: A 10.8% GMT (6% thioglycolic acid equivalent) cream (perm first agent) was applied to healthy straight hair and reduced at room temperature for 15 minutes. After rinsing off the reducing agent and towel drying, the hair was wrapped around a straightening iron and pressed through at 120°C from the root to the tip.
GMT-A2: A second perm agent containing 7% sodium bromate was applied to the hair of A1, and left for 10 minutes, after which the hair was washed with water, shampooed, and towel-dried.
GMT-A3: The hair of A2 was further dried.

<GMT-B> Iron curling technique of the present invention (i-Curl)
GMT-B1: A 10.8% GMT (6% thioglycolic acid equivalent) cream (perm first agent) was applied to healthy straight hair, and reduced at room temperature for 15 minutes. The reducing agent was washed off, and the wave formation promoter of Formulation Example 6 was applied. The hair was then wrapped around a straightening iron and pressed through at 120°C from the root to the tip.
GMT-B2: The hair of B1 was soaked in 35° C. warm water for 3 minutes and towel-dried, after which a second perm agent containing 7% sodium bromate was applied and left for 10 minutes, after which it was rinsed with water, shampooed and towel-dried.
GMT-B3: The hair of B2 was further dried.

The shape of the hair in each of the above steps is shown in Figure 1. From Figure 1, it can be seen that the method of the present invention can create a stronger wave design.

Example 3: Comparison of the dry technique using thioglycolic acid (TG) (pH 9.2) and the method of the present invention <TG-A> Dry technique TG-A1: A cream containing 6% thioglycolic acid (perm first agent) was applied to healthy straight hair, and reduced at room temperature for 10 minutes. After rinsing off the reducing agent and towel drying, the hair was wrapped around a straightening iron and pressed through at 120°C from the root to the tip.
TG-A2: A second perm agent containing 7% sodium bromate was applied to the hair of A1, and left for 15 minutes, after which the hair was washed with water, shampooed, and towel-dried.
TG-A3: The hair of A2 was further dried.

<TG-B> Iron curling technique of the present invention (i-Curl)
TG-B1: A cream containing 6% thioglycolic acid (perm first agent) was applied to healthy straight hair, and reduced at room temperature for 10 minutes. The reducing agent was washed off, and the wave formation promoter of Formulation Example 6 was applied. The hair was then wrapped around a straightening iron and pressed through from the root to the tip at 120°C.
TG-B2: The hair of B1 was soaked in 35° C. warm water for 3 minutes and towel-dried, after which a second perm agent containing 7% sodium bromate was applied and left for 15 minutes, after which it was rinsed with water, shampooed and towel-dried.
TG-B3: The hair of B2 was further dried.

Figure 2 shows hair in each of the above steps. From Figure 2, it can be seen that the method of the present invention can create a stronger wave design.

Example 4: Effect of wave formation promoter in digital perm <Digital perm using glyceryl thioglycolate (GMT)>
Test hair: A 10.8% GMT (6% thioglycolic acid equivalent) cream (perm first agent, pH 6.5) was applied to healthy straight hair and reduced at room temperature for 15 minutes. The reducing agent was washed off, and the hair was towel-dried to prepare the test hair.
G1: The test hair was wrapped around a rod and heated at 70°C, 90°C, and 110°C for 5 minutes each, after which a second perm agent containing 7% sodium bromate was applied and left for 15 minutes, after which the rod was removed, the hair was washed with water, shampooed, and towel dried.
G2: The test hair was wrapped around a rod and heated at 70° C. for 15 minutes, after which a second perm agent containing 7% sodium bromate was applied and left for 15 minutes, after which the rod was removed, the hair was washed with water, shampooed and towel dried.
G3: The wave formation promoter of Formulation Example 6 was applied to the test hair, which was then thoroughly massaged and wound around a rod, heated at 50° C. for 15 minutes, and then immersed in warm water at 30° C. for 3 minutes. It was then towel-dried, and a second perm agent containing 7% sodium bromate was applied and left for 15 minutes, after which the rod was removed, the hair was rinsed with water, shampooed, and towel-dried.

<Digital perm using thioglycolic acid>
Test hair: A cream containing 6% thioglycolic acid (perm first agent, pH 9.0) was applied to healthy straight hair, and reduced at room temperature for 15 minutes. The reducing agent was washed off, and the hair was towel-dried to prepare the test hair.
T1: The test hair was wrapped around a rod and heated at 70°C, 90°C, and 110°C for 5 minutes each, after which a second perm agent containing 7% sodium bromate was applied and left for 15 minutes, after which the rod was removed, the hair was washed with water, shampooed, and towel dried.
T2: The test hair was wrapped around a rod and heated at 70° C. for 15 minutes, after which a second perm agent containing 7% sodium bromate was applied and left for 15 minutes, after which the rod was removed, the hair was washed with water, shampooed and towel dried.
T3: The wave formation promoter of Formulation Example 6 was applied to the test hair, which was then thoroughly massaged and wound around a rod, heated at 50° C. for 15 minutes, and then immersed in warm water at 30° C. for 3 minutes. It was then towel-dried, and a second perm agent containing 7% sodium bromate was applied and left for 15 minutes, after which the rod was removed, the hair was rinsed with water, shampooed, and towel-dried.

Hair treated with methods G1-G3 and T1-T3 are shown in Figure 3. From Figure 3, it can be seen that hair treated with methods G3 and T3 of the present invention has strong waves, even though the heating conditions were mild (50°C).

The present invention is particularly useful in hair treatment to create a wave design.

Claims (20)

(1) applying a first agent containing glyceryl thioglycolate and having a pH of 3 to 7 to hair;
(2) rinsing the first agent from the hair and applying a wave formation promoter to the hair, the wave formation promoter comprising at least one selected from the group consisting of a moisturizer and a lubricant, water, and optionally further comprising a thickener, and having a pH of 6 to 6.5 ;
(3) forming a wave design on the hair to which the wave formation promoter has been applied using a hair iron , the temperature of the hair iron being 90 to 140°C;
(4) drying the hair while maintaining the formed wave design, and then applying a second agent containing an oxidizing agent to the hair;
(5) washing the second agent off the hair and then drying the hair;
A hair treatment method comprising:
The thickening agent comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of polyquaternium-10, polyquaternium-16, polyquaternium-24, sodium carboxymethylcellulose, stearoxy hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, hydroxyethyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, guar hydroxypropyltrimonium chloride, locust bean hydroxypropyltrimonium chloride, caesalpinia spinosa hydroxypropyltrimonium chloride, fenugreek hydroxypropyltrimonium chloride, sodium hyaluronate, sodium chondroitinate sulfate, tamarind gum, xanthan gum, pullulan, propylene glycol alginate, and carboxyvinyl polymer;
The moisturizing agent comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of propylene glycol, dipropylene glycol, 1,3-butylene glycol, isobutylene glycol, 1,2-pentanediol, 1,2-hexanediol, 2,4-hexanediol, caprylyl glycol, glycerin, diglycerin, sodium pyrrolidone carboxylate, and maltitol;
The lubricant comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of glyceryl glucoside, polyoxyethylene methyl glucoside, polyoxypropylene methyl glucoside, polyoxyethylene dioleic acid methyl glucoside, polyethylene glycol, polyoxyethylene polyoxypropylene glycol, polyquaternium-51, and polymethacryloyloxyethylene phosphorylcholine;
Hair treatment method . The hair treatment method according to claim 1, wherein in step (1), after the first agent is applied to the hair, the hair is left as is. The hair treatment method according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a step (3a) between the steps (3) and (4) of immersing the hair in water while maintaining the formed wave design. The hair treatment method according to claim 3, wherein in step (3a), the formed wave design is maintained by pinning the hair, or by wrapping the hair around a wave rod, or by supporting the hair with the hands. The hair treatment method according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the temperature of the water in step (3a) is 25°C to 40°C. The hair treatment method according to any one of claims 3 to 5, wherein in step (3a), the hair is immersed in water using a shampoo bowl. The hair treatment method according to any one of claims 3 to 6, wherein in step (3a), the wave formation promoter is washed off from the hair before the hair is immersed in water. The hair treatment method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the oxidizing agent in step (4) is a bromate or hydrogen peroxide. The hair treatment method according to claim 8, wherein the bromate is sodium bromate. The hair treatment method according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein in step (4), the formed wave design is maintained by pinning the hair with a hairpin, wrapping the hair around a wave rod, or supporting the hair with a hand. The hair treatment method according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein in step (4), after the second agent is applied to the hair, the hair is left as is. The hair treatment method according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein in step (5), after the second agent is washed off from the hair, a treatment is applied and then the hair is dried. The hair treatment method according to any one of claims 1 to 12 , wherein the hair iron is a straightening iron or a waving iron. The hair treatment method according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein in the step (3), the hair is wound around a hair iron from the root side of the part where the wave design is to be formed, and the hair iron is passed through toward the tip of the hair to form a wave design on the hair. The hair treatment method according to claim 14 , wherein the speed at which the hair iron is passed through is 0.3 to 20 cm/sec. The hair treatment method according to any one of claims 1 to 15 , wherein the temperature of the hair iron is 90 to 120°C. The hair treatment method according to any one of claims 1 to 16 , which is a treatment method for hair that has been treated with a straight perm. A method for treating hair according to any one of claims 1 to 17 , wherein the wave promoter is in the form of a gel or foam. 19. The hair treatment method according to claim 18 , wherein the wave formation promoter is in the form of a gel having a viscosity of 400 to 80,000 mPa·s. The method of treating hair according to any one of claims 1 to 19 , wherein the wave promoter further comprises at least one pH adjuster.