Productgroup

Perm products

Description

If the hair is to be permanently brought into a new shape, the hair structure must be softened, the hair must be reshaped and subsequently hardened again. To open the structure, a reducing agent is used (eg salts of thioglycolic acid, thiolactic acid, CYSTEINE or sulphite). For the recombination and / or fixing of the bonds an oxidation is necessary (mostly by hydrogen peroxide). The pH value of the ready-for-use reducing agent solutions ranges between 7 and 9.5. It is adjusted with an alkalising agent (ammonia, ammonium bicarbonate, monoethanol amine). Further components of the perm lotion are wetting agents, solubilisers and, as care components, proteins and polymers. Fragrances ensure a covering of the unpleasant odour caused by the thiols. After the softening and application of curlers the reshaped hair must be set in the new form. This is carried out by means of a hydrogen peroxide containing fixing agent. Apart from hydrogen peroxide, the fixing agent contains neutralising acids (eg citric acid) as well as care substances. Alkaline, mildly alkaline, neutral as well as perm products with changing pH value are commercially available. They are offered in liquid or creamy form, as foam or two-phase products. All of these perm systems are part of the so-called cold perm products. By adding heat, the exposure time can be reduced. Foam perms contain propellants or air included by foaming.

Understanding your cosmetics

How are cosmetics kept safe in Europe?

Strict laws make sure that cosmetics and personal care products sold in the European Union are safe for people to use. Companies, national and European regulatory authorities share the responsibility of keeping cosmetic products safe.

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What should I know about endocrine disruptors?

Some ingredients used in cosmetic products have been claimed to be ‘endocrine disruptors’ because they have the potential to mimic some of the properties of our hormones. Just because something has the potential to mimic a hormone does not mean it will disrupt our endocrine system. Many substances, including natural ones, mimic hormones but very few, and these are mostly potent medicines, have ever been shown to cause disruption of the endocrine system. The rigorous product safety assessments by qualified, scientific experts that companies are legally obliged to carry out cover all potential risks, including potential endocrine disruption.

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Are cosmetics tested on animals? No!

In the European Union, testing cosmetics on animals has been fully banned since 2013. Over the last 30 years, long before a ban was in place, the cosmetics and personal care industry has invested in research and development to pioneer alternatives to animal testing tools to assess the safety of cosmetics ingredients and products.

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What about allergens in cosmetics?

Many substances, natural or man-made, have the potential to cause an allergic reaction. An allergic reaction occurs when a person’s immune system reacts to substances that are harmless to most people. A substance that causes an allergic reaction is called an allergen. Cosmetics and personal care products may contain ingredients that can be allergenic for some people. This does not mean that the product is not safe for others to use.

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Database

Cosmetics matter to people and play an important role in our everyday life. On average European consumers use over seven different cosmetics daily. You too? It’s only natural that you want to know more about the ingredients in those products.

In the digital world we live in, there’s a deluge of information on cosmetics. However, it can be difficult to know which sources are reliable. COSMILE Europe is a European cosmetic ingredient database that offers reliable, verified and scientifically supported information on almost 30,000 ingredients used in cosmetics.

This database will help you understand why certain ingredients are in your cosmetic products; which properties they have and much more. The database is currently available in fourteen languages with more to come.

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