Limited Shelf Life of Soft Curl Chemicals

This jar of rearranger was less than a year old before it went bad.  Honestly, once the container is opened the first time for any reason, the product shelf life starts to diminish.  Whether it is the Wave by Design or the Wave Nouveau or any other body wave system . . .

Learn more about hair product shelf life here:  http://www.dralisyed.com/2008/05/shelf-life-and-storage-of-salo.html

Salons and stylists that do not have a steady stream of soft curl clients will be wasting money to keep this product on hand.  The rearrangers and the boosters will expire too quickly.  If you do not have at least five body wave or soft curl clients rotating out, then it will be hard to keep fresh product, and it is going to cut into your profits.

So body wave clients ask why is it that stylists do not offer this service . . . the demand is lower than relaxer demand, and even the relaxer demand is going down.  Luckily, the relaxers have a little longer shelf life.

Pictured above is a tightly sealed Wave Nouveau Rearranger chemical.  As long as the container has not been open, the shelf life lasts longer, but if anyone breaks the seal the least little bit, then your product will start to expire with the oxygen exposure.  Please be cautious when the distributors are selling cold wave products, no seals or broken seals means the product may be almost expired before you even begin to use it.

The Soft Curl Look: Wave by Design

Another "very, Very, very" happy customer who had been accustomed to the Wave Nouveau system, but she was willing to try the Wave by Design System with me.  She loved it!  I did a few things different from my "body wave" client that I highlighted on my blog from a few months back.

1) I used the Design Essentials Restore to pre-protect her hair prior to performing the re-arranger step.
2) I used the "gray" perm rods.
3) I used a neutralizing bib in addition to cotton around the hairline to apply the neutralizing solution while she sat upright the entire time.
4) I re-used the neutralizing run-off from the neutralizing bib to reapply to the hair after removing the rods.  Then rinsing again.
5) I used a semi-permanent black haircolor for about 15 to 20 minutes at room temperature at the very end of the service.

I only trimmed about a good half inch off in order to keep her in a short style.

I have noticed that some people are inquiring if "phase 2" be skipped during the soft curl process assuming that they want the "straight hair" look versus "curly hair."  So my suggestion for those people who want the straight look, do NOT skip phase 2 of the wave nouveau or wave by design systems, but instead, use super size perm rods in lieu of the smaller perm rods.  Please see my separate blog article on "super size" perm rods.  The jumbo perm rods will give you a brazilian wave which is going to enhance the body in the hair, but still leave you with an overall "straight" look.  Skipping the phase 2 step entirely will probably leave your hair looking "stick straight." I highly doubt if anyone will be excited about that.

Surprisingly, with this client, I do not think that I would do anything different in the future except purchase an end paper dispenser tool to speed up the rodding time.

Her final maintenance was heavy moisturizing with the "Mist and Shine" spray, then Lotion sections at a time as I scrunch the hair with my hands.  Styling was simple!

Preview: Thioglycolate Chemicals

Within the next two weeks, I will be performing the Vigorol Liquid Hair Relaxer and the Wave Nouveau with Coarse/Resistant strength rearranger.

I have had request for other chemical options besides the traditional relaxers and keratin treatments.

I am hoping the Vigorol is going to be an answer for those desiring to tame their natural hair.  It is not compatible with traditional sodium hydroxide relaxers; so clients will have to be thoroughly counselled.

The Wave Nouveau has two rearranger strengths whereas Wave by Design only has one rearranger strength.  Those with resistant hair find that the Wave by Design rearranger only texturizes their new growth.

My body wave client from a previous article is ready to advance the strength of the rearranger by using the Wave Nouveau system.  I plan to post those results within two more weeks.  I should perform the service next week.

So this article is the preview of the "thio" chemical reviews on the horizon for you in the future.  Please stay tuned!

Body Wave Hair Service Overview

Hair by Benita Blocker.  Wave by Design (Design Essentials) is the soft curl/body wave system that I used to achieve this style with my new client from the California USA area.  This service was a "touch-up" service because she transferred to the Carolinas area having been a veteran in knowing how to maintain this curl system.  I used white perm rods all over to achieve this body wave finish.

The service time is around the same time as a relaxer.  Maintenance requires Wave by Design "Mist and Shine" spray at the roots and  Wave by Design "Define and Shine" lotion on the hair on a daily to every two days basis.

This client's history included "burning" from traditional relaxer services and going natural for two years.  She grew tired of working with her tightly coiled hair as her lifestyle became more hectic.  The soft curl or body wave system became a  perfect fit because she never burned with various curl systems such as Wave by Design, Wave Nouveau and Avlon's Ferm systems.

Many local people still remember the "dripping Jheri Curl" days.  The maintenance product technology is different now.  The moist look can be achieved without being "messy."





Above is the before and after pictures of the back of my client's head.  My client had just received a big haircut prior to coming to me so she missed her length.  We added "wet and wavy" extension hair to achieve her final look.  Her final look is to achieve the Type 2b/c curl pattern.

In the "before" picture below, my client hair is prepped for the "rearranger" step to straighten her new growth at the roots only.  She is a Type 4 curl pattern which is resistant to straightening.  The roots gave a more texturized look after using the rearranger, but please remember this is a thio based service so it is not compatible with the traditional relaxer.  Only individuals with natural virgin hair should consider this service option  if they are tired of their natural curl pattern and do not want to go back to a traditional relaxer.

According to a "Wave by Design" educator out of New York, the "soft curl" procedure long term may cause clients to lose some hair thickness over the long haul.  Please see my previous blog article comparing the curly perm versus the "soft curl" system.  The chemical exposure to the hair is definitely longer than the traditional relaxer service.

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Soft Curls and Curly Perms: The Differences

Since there are people ready to abandon their natural hair journey, I wanted to discuss the soft curl chemical option as it compares to curly perms.

Both "soft curls" and "curly perms" are thio based chemicals making them incompatible with traditional relaxers.   They also both require the hair to be wet when rolled on the perm rods.  Blotting the rolled hair with paper towels prior to applying the neutralizer to the perm rods is also the best way not to dilute the neutralizer and to deliver a firm set of curls.

Now, for their differences:
1) The curly perm is for those who have a smooth, straight hair from the start, and they want more curl and texture in their hair.

The soft curl system starts with a "rearranger" which is more of a thio-based relaxer to reduce the existing over-curly hair pattern before rolling the hair up into a new curl pattern.

2) The curly perm does not require any chemical application to the hair until after the hair is completely rolled on the perm rods.

The soft curl system exposes the scalp to chemicals from step one and throughout the rolling of the hair which could take 45 minutes for thicker hair in small slices to ensure proper neutralization can take place.  Hair rolled too thick will make it hard for the neutralization of all the strands on the perm rods.

3) The curly perm requires a plastic cap to prevent the hair from air drying during the average 20 minutes processing time but not required during neutralization time.

The soft curl system requires a plastic cap during processing time and neutralization time.

4) The soft curl system has one extra chemical step than the curly perm.

5) Some Type 3 curl patterns could potentially use the curly perm to soften their curl pattern or use the "soft curl" process for a more aggressive rearrangement of curl pattern.  Type 1 hair type would be a typical candidate for a curly perm.  Type 3c and Type 4 hair types would be a typical candidate for soft curls.

By the way, many people still equate the soft curl to the "jheri curl" minus the "drip." Better technology. Smile.