In reference to cold waves for permanently curling the hair my theories differ almost totally from what is reflected in textbooks.  My theory is…You may be under the impression that the permanent curl is formed by reforming the bonds, seek however this is not true.  The change of the bonds is a result of the curl being formed primarily on the cuticle and the bonds simply follow the direction of the curled cuticle and end up in a changed formation as they conform to the winding of the rods.  The bonds are basically liquid and therefore, cannot be reformed to hold the hair in any permanent formation.  The decreasing pH of the cold wave solutions is not strong enough to penetrate deep into the cortex to bring about a permanent change.  See #4 on page 27

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The cuticle layer is made up of the same substance as the fingernail (Keratin Protein), only thinner and more flexible; it has the same hard texture.  The cuticle is the only area of the hair shaft that is solid and has enough substance to withstand a permanent change chemically.  I do not mean to infer that other parts of the hair are not affected by the Thio, such as the bonds, polypeptide chains and the cortex layer.  These areas of hair are changed somewhat due to the hair being stretched as it is wound on the rod.  However, the area of the hair that is chiefly changed, allowing it to be permanently rearranged, is the cuticle layer.

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To better understand this concept, let’s look at it from another point of view: The cuticle layer is like a shell and like anything that is contained in a shell, will take on the shape of that shell.  The inside of the hair shaft (Cortex, Medulla, Bonds, etc…), will follow the direction of the cuticle.  When the hair is wrapped on the rods to form the curl, the cold wave solution is applied.  The cuticle is softened by the solution and begins to hug the rod, taking on the shape of the rod it is wrapped on.  Later, after the desired curl or wave is achieved, the hair is rinsed, and the neutralizer-stabilizer is applied.  This step re-hardens the cuticle to its original texture, in the altered state of the rod it is wrapped on. (This is why the entire process takes place on the rods).  However, total stabilization does not take place right away.  It takes about three days for the hair to become fully stabilized.  This is why you tell your patron not to shampoo or go swimming for at least three days after a curl treatment. (5 to 7 days on Afro hair).

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Sodium Hydroxide relaxers remove up to one third of the cuticle layer and this is why a cold wave permanent (Thio) will not take on previously relaxed hair.

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One of the tragic aspects of Black Cosmetology is this: In most states if a student took a Black patron to perform a complete curl as part of his/her testing at the State Board examination, one of two things would happen; (One) is, the student would do the curl as requested by the State examiner and end up with unsatisfactory end results, the student would pass the test, because he/she would have followed established State Board procedure, even if that procedure was wrong for the hair being worked. Or, (Two) he/she would do the curl as it should be done on naturally over-curly (or kinky) hair and end up with beautiful and lustrous results; but fail that aspect of the State Board examination.

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The reason for this is most State Boards and textbooks are only concerned with the permanent curl as it relates to straight hair.  The truth of the matter is there are basically five (5) major differences when doing the procedure on any curly or kinky hair.  Read on to understand these differences and why they occur.

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  1. HOW IS A PERMANENT CURL SIMILAR TO A CURLING IRON CURL?

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As you will read later in this book, the cuticle is of primary importance in the formation of the permanent curl.  The curling iron softens the cuticle with thermal heat, allowing the Cuticle to be bent in the shape of the curling iron, thereby forming a temporary curl on the hair shaft.  The curl is locked in temporarily as the hair cools and may be lost to gravitational pull, or moisture from humidity, perspiration, rain, etc.  The permanent curl is formed by softening the Cuticle chemically with a solution designed for that purpose (Ammonium Thioglycolate).  The Cuticle is softened in the shape of the rod it is wrapped around; thereby forming the curl.  The curl is locked in by the application of a neutralizer that reforms the Cuticle to its normal texture, but in the altered form of the rod that it is wrapped around.  This is explained further, in either case the curl is formed primarily by the Cuticle, taking on the shape of the device it comes in contact with for that purpose.

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  2. WHY THE CURL FOR KINKY HAIR?

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For years the beauty industry had divided themselves into four segments: Black, White, Male and Female.  Now, with the introduction of the curl into the Black beauty industry, all for segments have suddenly come together as one.  In past years, Caucasians went to salons to get a kink put into their hair. (By way of the permanent wave).  Blacks went to salons to have the kink removed either permanently or temporarily by the way of chemical relaxing or thermal pressing.  The main advantage of the curl for kinky hair is it allows you the versatility of styling the hair smooth or curly depending on the need or desire.

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  3.  WHAT ARE THE FIVE BASIC DIFFERENCES IN EXECUTING THE CURL ON KINKY, AS OPPOSED TO STRAIGHT HAIR?

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1. The hair must be re-arranged (pre-softened with a cold wave crème or gel).

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2.  The strands are placed on-base instead of off-base as described in textbooks.

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3.  The hair is rodded with slight tension (pressure) application.

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4.  The processing time can be from 20 to 30 minutes instead of 12 to 15 minutes.

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5.  The curl takes up to seven (7) days to lock-in.  The patron should be cautioned not to shampoo, swim (even with a swimming cap on), comb, brush or lift the hair too vigorously within those five (5) days.  To do any of the above will weaken the curl before it has a chance to lock-in.

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The main difference is before you can permanently curl kinky hair; you must first remove 40% to 60% of the natural curl (kink).  This is done by combing a cold wave crème or gel through the hair in the same manner as relaxing crème for basically the same reason.  When you rod this type of hair, you get better results by rolling on base with slight tension, instead of the way you were taught in textbooks, the method taught in textbooks assume that the curl is being done on naturally straight hair.

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  4.  WHY YOU ROLL CURLY AND WAVY HAIR ON BASE WITH SLIGHT TENSION INSTEAD OF VICE VERSA AS TAUGHT IN SCHOOL.

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In beauty school you were taught to roll off-base with no tension.  This procedure is correct for straight hair, but on curly and wavy hair you need this extra assist of tension on base to help eliminate the natural curl which is being replaced by the controlled curl, otherwise you may end up with a frizzy curl or no curl at all.   Curly, wavy or kinky hair may have twice as much retention (elasticity) as straight hair; therefore, you’ll need to overcome this retention so the curl can form smoothly on the rod.  Otherwise it will pull away from the rod and form a permanent frizz instead.  This is true on all naturally curly or wavy hair regardless of the nationality of the patron.  Unlike relaxers that can over process or over straighten the hair if left in the hair too long or worked in too vigorously, a cold wave gel or crème will relax the hair no more than 60%.  The reason for this is a cold wave crème has decreasing pH from around 9.6, whereas, a Sodium Hydroxide relaxing crème has a stable pH between 12 and 14.  In order to give a successful curl on kinky hair, you must remove some of the natural kink so you can come back with a controlled curl on the rods.  Because this additional step that is taken to achieve the desired curl, the cost of rendering such services in Black salons is higher than the same service in Caucasian salons.

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  5. WHY MOST MANUFACTURES DO NOT GIVE ENOUGH INFORMATION ON THE ART OF CURLING ON DIFFERENT TEXTURES AND GRADE OF HAIR.

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The main reason is simplicity.  Manufactures do not want their products appearing too complicated to use.  Therefore, they give you the basic instructions to give the curl to kinky hair.  As you know, in the Black beauty industry, we deal with all grades of hair; form stringy straight to extremely kinky.  With that in mind, it would stand to reason the curl would react differently to various grades of hair.  For example, if the hair is straight or wavy, it may not be necessary to comb a cold wave crème or gel through the hair for the straightening purpose.  To do so on this type hair would either serve no purpose or could over process this grade of hair, do not comb it through; simply apply the cold wave onto the hair with an applicator brush, then rod-roll.  On extremely tight, kinky or resistant hair you may find that you will have to use a CURL BOOSTER one or more times in ten minute intervals after the hair has been rodded before you arrive at a satisfactory curl pattern.  This will be explained in more details later on in this book.

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  6. WHY YOU CANNOT PERMANENTLY CURL RELAXED HAIR

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Relaxed hair is altered hair because relaxer removes 1/3 of every part of the hair composition.  And, as you will see in this book, the curl is formed primarily on the Cuticle, and, with 1/3 of the Cuticle removed by the relaxer, it could result in a weak curl or no curl at all.