Conditioning and straightening hair relaxer

A hair relaxing composition used in high alkaline conditions comprising at lease one active hair relaxer ingredient, moisturizers, emollients, and emulsifier, with polymethacrylamidopropyltrimonium chloride included in the formula.

The present invention relates generally to a hair relaxing system, and more 
particularly to a hair relaxer system including a stable polyquaternium 
compound combined in the relaxer formula which provides conditioning 
factors such as wet combability and soft feel while working 
synergistically with the active ingredient to provide a highly efficient 
relaxer product. 
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
Calcium hydroxide based hair relaxer systems are commonly used for 
treatment of hair. However, it has been found that existing hair 
conditioning agents are often unstable and not substantive in the 
environment of the high pH levels (11.0 to 12.5, and sometimes higher) of 
the relaxer system required for relaxing the hair. The inclusion of 
conditioning ingredients in relaxer systems is preferred to provide 
detangling and enhanced wet combability by adding a substantive coating to 
the hair shaft. 
Presently, many relaxer systems provide for the addition of a hair 
conditioning agent either pre or post application of the relaxer 
ingredient, which agent is added separately from the relaxer ingredient 
itself. 
Therefore, present hair relaxer systems which include a separate pre or 
post conditioner require several steps to complete application of the 
system, with the conditioning agents added to the hair separately before 
or after the relaxing agents are applied. These multiple steps 
unnecessarily increase the time involved in applying the complete system. 
Additionally, the use of a separate pre-conditioning step in relaxer 
systems allows for potential inconsistent results because the relaxer 
ingredients are applied directly over the preconditioner, diluting the 
relaxer and producing slowdown in the action of the relaxer. This dilution 
factor changes each time the process is applied to the hair and scalp. 
Based upon known literature, the only agent that promotes conditioning 
while the relaxer is active is a cationic polymer, polyquaternium 6, 
available under the brand name Merquat 100. Such a system is disclosed in 
U.S. Pat. No. 4,175,572. However, the Merquat 100 polymer doesn't provide 
synergy with the active ingredients in the system to promote a more 
efficient relaxing process whereby the relaxer can have reduced active 
ingredient levels, yet provide faster processing time with less potential 
for hair damage. 
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a hair relaxer 
system that provides excellent wet combability and soft feel utilizing a 
stable polyquaternium compound that works synergistically with the active 
relaxer ingredients to provide a more efficient hair relaxer. 
Another object of the present invention is to provide a hair relaxer system 
that leaves the relaxed hair soft and manageable, allowing for easy 
comb-out and less damage from tangling, knotting, and the like. 
A further object of the present invention is to provide a hair relaxer 
system which effectively relaxes the hair with less active ingredients 
compared to products presently on the market, thereby reducing the 
possibility of irritation and overprocessing. 
Another object of the present invention is to provide a hair relaxer system 
which includes a conditioning agent which conditions the hair prior to and 
during the relaxing process, and eliminates the need for the 
time-consuming application of a preconditioning agent. 
In prior systems, there is no way to gage how much conditioner is on the 
hair, resulting in a change in the dilution factor each time the relaxing 
process is repeated. In the present invention, the conditioning system is 
built into the relaxer system, providing a constant level of active 
ingredients and consistent results. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention is based on the discovery that a cationic polymer, 
namely polymethacrylamidopropyltrimonium chloride, when added to a high pH 
hair relaxer system, provides a conditioning ingredient which remains 
stable throughout the relaxing process, and works synergistically before, 
during and after the relaxing process with active ingredients in the 
relaxer system to increase the efficiency of the relaxing process, and to 
provide less potential for irritation and over processing. The hair 
relaxer of the present invention, in one preferred embodiment, comprises 
an aqueous dispersion containing from about 35-55 percent by weight of 
deionized water, from about 10-30 percent by weight of mineral oil, from 
about 5-12 percent by weight of cetearyl alcohol, from about 5-30 percent 
by weight of petrolatum, from about 3-7 percent by weight of an active 
hair relaxer composition such as calcium hydroxide for example, from about 
2-6 percent by weight of propylene glycol, from about 0.1-2 percent by 
weight of DEA oleth-10 phosphate, from about 0.5-3 percent by weight of 
cetyl alcohol, from about 0.1-2 percent by weight of PEG-75 lanolin, from 
about 0.1-5 percent by weight of ceteareth -20, and from about 0.1-15 
percent by weight of polymethacrylamidopropyltrimonium chloride, alone or 
in combination with calcium hydroxide. 
In an alternate embodiment of the invention, sodium hydroxide is used in 
place of calcium hydroxide in the above formula, ceteareth -20 is removed, 
and small changes in the ingredient percentages are made. In another 
alternate embodiment, lithium hydroxide monohydrate is included as an 
active relaxer ingredient, alone or in combination with calcium hydroxide. 
The above relaxer composition is a relatively high alkaline hair relaxing 
process. 
The cationic polymer used in the percentages set forth hereinbelow has been 
found to be unexpectedly stable at pH values between 11.5 and 12.5 before 
the activator is added. Upon addition of the activator, the pH of the 
system increases, and the cationic polymer remains stable. Also, the 
cationic polymer has been observed to aid in the speed and the results of 
the hair relaxing process. 
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
The hair relaxer composition of this invention, in a preferred embodiment, 
comprises an aqueous dispersion containing from about 35-55 percent by 
weight of deionized water, from about 10 10-30 percent by weight of 
mineral oil, from about 5-12 percent by weight of cetearyl alcohol, from 
about 5-30 percent by weight of petrolatum, from about 3-7 percent by 
weight of calcium hydroxide, from about 2-6 percent by weight of propylene 
glycol, from about 0.1-2 percent by weight of DEA oleth-10 phosphate, from 
about 0.5-3 percent by weight of cetyl alcohol, from about 0.1-2 percent 
by weight of PEG-75 lanolin, from about 0.1-5 percent by weight of 
ceteareth -20, and from about 0.1-15 percent by weight of 
polymethacrylamidopropyltrimonium chloride. 
The above composition is used in conjunction with a mix activator which 
comprises an aqueous dispersion consisting of from about 60-85 percent by 
weight deionized water, from about 15-35 percent by weight guanidine 
carbonate, from about 0.0001-2 percent by weight of xanthan gum, and from 
about 0.00001-1 percent by weight of D&C Red #40. Guanidine carbonate is 
mixed with calcium hydroxide to form the guanidine hydroxide in the above 
composition. 
In the above relaxer formula, the mineral oil acts as an emollient, the 
cetearyl alcohol is an emulsifier, petrolatum is a moisturizer, the 
calcium hydroxide is the active relaxer ingredient, DEA Oleath -10 
phosphate is an active emulsifier/emollient, the cetyl alcohol is a 
secondary emulsifier, the PEG-75 lanolin is an emollient, the cetearth-20 
is an emulsifier, and the polymethacrylamidopropyltrimonium chloride is a 
conditioning agent which mitigates hair damage by helping to facilitate 
the penetration of conditioner agents into the hair shaft during the 
relaxing process. The conditioner ingredient, which is a cationic polymer, 
provides further protection due to its substantivity to keratin protein. 
The conditioner also works synergistically with the guanidine hydroxide 
relaxer to provide faster and more thorough relaxing. 
In the use of this first embodiment of the invention, the relaxer formula 
is mixed with the activator composition, resulting in a mixture having a 
pH in the range of 12.50 to 12.95. After mixing, the combined ingredients 
are applied to the hair and left on the hair for approximately 12 to 20 
minutes. After completion of the relaxing process, an acidic shampoo is 
applied to the hair to remove excess alkaline solution from the hair. 
A second embodiment of the present invention comprises a relaxer in an 
aqueous dispersion containing from about 35-55 percent by weight of 
deionized water, from about 20-30 percent by weight of petrolatum, from 
about 10-30 percent by weight of mineral oil, from about 5-12 percent by 
weight of cetearyl alcohol, from about 1-3 percent by weight of sodium 
hydroxide, from about 2-6 percent by weight of propylene glycol, from 
about 0.1-2 percent by weight of DEA oleth-10 phosphate, from about 0.5-3 
percent by weight of cetyl alcohol, from about 0.1-2 percent by weight of 
PEG-75 lanolin, and from about 0.1-15 percent by weight of 
polymethacrylamidopropyltrimonium chloride. 
In the formulation of the relaxer of the second embodiment, the active 
ingredient sodium hydroxide replaces calcium hydroxide in the formulation 
of the first embodiment, and the emulsifier cetearth -20 is absent from 
the second relaxer formulation. Each of the remaining ingredients in the 
second formulation performs the same function as in the first formulation. 
Also, in the second formulation, there is a slight variance in the 
percentage range by weight of the ingredients compared to the first 
embodiment. 
The relaxer of the second embodiment is a no-mix conditioning relaxer which 
is not used in combination with the activator mixture described above. 
A third embodiment of the present invention comprises a further no-mix 
conditioning relaxer in an aqueous dispersion containing from about 35-55 
percent by weight of deionized water, from about 5-30 percent by weight of 
petrolatum, from about 5-15 percent by weight of a mixture of cetearyl 
alcohol and ceteareth-20, from about 1-4 percent by weight of lithium 
hydroxide monohydrate, from about 1-5 percent by weight of calcium 
hydroxide, from about 1-6 percent by weight of propylene glycol, from 
about 0.1-2 percent by weight of DEA-oleth-10 phosphate, from about 0.5-3 
percent by weight of cetyl alcohol, from about 0.2-2 percent by weight of 
PEG-75 lanolin and from 0.1-15 percent by weight of 
polymethacrylamidopropyltrimonium chloride. 
In the formulation of the relaxer of the third embodiment, the active 
ingredient lithium hydroxide monohydrate is added to the ingredients 
comprising the formula of the first embodiment. The lithium hydroxide 
monohydrate is an active relaxer ingredient along with the calcium 
hydroxide in the formula. The remaining ingredients in the formula perform 
the same function as described above relating to the first embodiment of 
the invention. The formulation of the third embodiment is not mixed with 
an activator prior to use. 
The presently disclosed cationic polymer, polymethacrylamidopropyltrimonium 
chloride, can be used in additional relaxer formulas where lithium 
hydroxide alone or potassium hydroxide forms the active relaxer ingredient 
.

The following examples further illustrate the present invention. 
EXAMPLE I 
A hair relaxing composition was prepared having the following composition: 
______________________________________ 
Weight Percent 
______________________________________ 
Cetearyl Alcohol and Ceteareth-20 
11.00% 
Cetyl Alcohol 1.00% 
PEG-75 Lanolin 0.50% 
Mineral Oil 24.00% 
Petrolatum 5.00% 
DEA-Oleth-10 Phosphate 
0.50% 
Deionized Water 48.30% 
Propylene Glycol 3.00% 
Calcium Hydroxide 5.70% 
Polymethacylamidopropyl- 
1.00% 
trimonium Chloride 
______________________________________ 
A color mix activator composition was prepared having the following 
composition: 
______________________________________ 
Deionized Water 75.90% 
Guanidine Carbonate 
24.00% 
Xanthan Gum 0.10% 
D&C Red #40 0.0018% 
______________________________________ 
EXAMPLE II 
A hair relaxing composition was prepared having the following composition: 
______________________________________ 
Weight Percent 
______________________________________ 
Cetearyl Alcohol 10.00 
Cetyl Alcohol 1.00 
PEG-75 Lanolin 1.00 
Mineral Oil 14.00 
Petrolatum 22.00 
DEA-Oleth-10 Phosphate 
0.50 
Deionized Water 44.40 
Propylene Glycol 3.00 
Sodium Hydroxide 2.10 
Polymethacrylamidopropyl- 
2.00 
trimonium Chloride 
______________________________________ 
No color mix activator is required when using the formulation of Example 
II. 
EXAMPLE III 
A hair relaxing system was prepared having the following composition: 
______________________________________ 
Weight Percent 
______________________________________ 
Cetearyl Alcohol and Ceteareth-20 
10.00% 
Cetyl Alcohol 1.00% 
PEG-75 Lanolin 0.50% 
Mineral Oil 24.00% 
Petrolatum 10.00% 
DEA-Oleth-10 Phosphate 
0.50% 
Deionized Water 44.45% 
Propylene Glycol 3.00% 
Lithium Hydroxide Monohydrate 
2.75% 
Calcium Hydroxide 1.80% 
Polymethacylamidopropyl- 
2.00% 
trimonium Chloride 
______________________________________ 
No color mix activator is required when using the formulation of Example 
III. 
The procedure for use of the hair relaxer system of Example I is as 
follows: First, mix the relaxer and color mix activator compositions 
thoroughly until the mixture is totally smooth and free of lumps. Next, 
part the hair in four equal sections. Start in the back section and 
separate the hair into approximately 1/4 inch partings. Apply a generous 
amount of relaxer mixture from the root to the end of the hair starting 
with the first parting, with the back of a wide toothed comb. The relaxer 
mixture is applied over the entire hair shaft, section by section. 
Smooth all hair using short, firm strokes, from the scalp to the end of the 
hair shaft. Leave the mixture on the hair from between 10 to 28 minutes, 
depending upon hair texture, timing from the start of application. 
Fine hair: 10 to 15 minutes 
Medium hair: 15 to 20 minutes 
Course hair: 20 to 28 minutes 
Then, rinse hair thoroughly with warm water to remove all of the mixture. 
To ensure that all of the mixture is removed, preferably rinse the hair 
two or three times. Next, apply shampoo to the hair and rinse completely 
to remove any residue of relaxer remaining on the hair. 
The above steps are used to apply the relaxer system to virgin, or 
non-previously relaxed hair. If the system is to be used for new growth 
hair, or retouched hair, half as much relaxer and activator is used, and 
the remaining steps remain the same. 
The procedure for application of the hair relaxer systems of Examples II 
and III above is the same as described for Example I, except that Examples 
II and III are no-mix systems, and the step of mixing the relaxer with the 
color mix activator composition is eliminated.