Patent ID: 8603448

Claim:
A process for straightening or relaxing hair comprising: (a) providing a hair straightening/relaxing composition containing: (i) from about 0.1 to about 50% by weight of at least one weak non-hydroxide base selected from the group consisting of an ethylenediamine, a monoethanolamine, an alkali metal phosphate, sodium carbonate potassium carbonate, and mixtures thereof, wherein the at least one weak non-hydroxide base is the sole hair straightening/relaxing agent present in the composition; and (ii) remainder, to 100%, a cosmetically acceptable medium, all weights based on the weight of the hair straightening/relaxing composition; (b) contacting the hair with the straightening/relaxing composition to form treated hair; (c) optionally, rinsing the hair straightening/relaxing composition from the treated hair; (d) optionally, contacting the treated hair with a non-volatile oil; and (e) smoothing the treated hair using a combination of heat and means for physically smoothing hair.