Smooth and Shine Polishing Keratin Power Semi-permanent Hair Tamer Kit, Regular

If you are natural and want to stay that way, you may not want to use this product unless you want to tex-lax. It doesn't really say on the box that it is a mild relaxer but I guess the word "semi-permanent" is supposed to tip you off. That and you need to use the "neutralizer" after applying the "protein smoothing treatment." Just by looking at the box, I bet most people would think this is just a cheap at home Keratin hair straightening treatment. And the whole "lasting versatility without relaxing" is enough to throw anyone off. I haven't used it since I read the ingredients first:

Protein Smoothing Treatment: Aqua (Water), Cysteine Hcl, Ethanolamine, Sodium Bicarbonate, Urea, Hydroxyethycelluose, Ethanolamine Thioglycolate, Ppg-1-Peg-9 Lauryl Glycol Ether, Decyl Glucoside, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Hydrolyzed Keratin, Aloe Bardensis Leaf Extract, Propylene Glycol, Etidronic Acid, Polyquaternium-7, Hydrolyzed Silk, Parfum (Fragrance).

Neutralizing Milk: Aqua (Water), Cetearyl Alcohol, Hydrogen Peroxide, Etidronic Acid, Dimethicone, Polyquaternium-37, Ceteareth-30, Cetrimonium Chloride, Sodium Hydroxide, Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Dimethiconol, Hydroxycetyl Hydroxyethyl Dimonium Chloride, 2,6-Dicarboxypyridine, Ppg-1 Trideceth-6.

According to cosmeticsinfo.org, ethanolamine thioglycolate is in the same category as ammonium thioglycolate. "Thioglycolic Acid and it salts and esters modify hair fibers to facilitate changes to the structure of the fibers, such as with permanent waves or with hair straightening. They are also used to chemically break down hair fibers so that unwanted hair can be removed by simply wiping it from the skin." This is typically the ingredient for no lye relaxers.

Also Cysteine is "used for permanent wave applications predominantly in Asia. Again the cysteine is used for breaking up the disulfide bonds in the hair's keratin." See wikipedia.com.

Sodium hydroxide (in the neutralizing milk) is caustic soda a/k/a lye. However, in small amounts sodium hydroxide is used as a cleaning agent/surfactant. See cosmeticscop.com. Since this is in the rinsing solution, I don't think enough sodium hydroxide is in it to act like a relaxer.

That's probably why this product smells so bad. It's the smell of relaxer/texturizer in the "protein smoothing treatment."

Not a bad thing if you want a mild, potentially less damaging texturizer to make wash and gos a bit easier but it is not a keratin treatment. A strong possibility exists that it can take the curl out of your hair with prolonged use.

I'm giving 2 stars due to the way this product is marketed and packaged. Not sure how they are able to get away with saying this is not a relaxer. Probably a technical loophole with the FDA definition. It appears to use chemicals in a high enough concentration to break down disulfide hair bonds [both Cysteine Hcl and ethanolamine thioglycolate are close to the top of the ingredient list like on a box of texturizer]. Maybe it has to be a certain strength to qualify as a "relaxer" or "texturizer." It will still damage hair like a normal relaxer just not to the same extent.

I received this product and I was excited to see if it would actually work. First let me say that I have natural hair, so I didn't want to put this product into my hair so I asked my Mom if she would be my Guinea Pig, she agreed. I read the directions over and over to make sure that I would be applying the product correctly, it was pretty simple, straight forward. I applied the Smooth N' Shine to my moms hair, while the product was in her hair (wet), it defined her curl pattern. But after rinsing the product out and she blow dried her hair and Hot combed it, her hair was straight for that night.The very next day it was back to it's original state. So don't waste your money on this kit because it didn't do anything for her hair.

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I used this and my hair is just as nappy as it was when I started! UGH!!!! I followed the instructions to a tee and now I have to wait to apply some REAL relaxer! pissed!

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My hair started breaking when I washed it for the first time! Never again! Wash and go yeah right. You will have to keep flat ironing your hair whats the point? I've had to chop off all my hair

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I was super excited to get to try this product specifically for the fact that this promised "wash and wear curls" I have beautiful "mermaid" hair if I let it air dry after I put a ton of products in it I.E mousse, hair creme, leave in conditioner, detangler, and on occasion I'll break out a serum, With no products it's this wavy fluffball.

After reading the directions I was a bit less excited, the amount of work involved for something that only lasted 5 washes was a bit disheartening, After the finishing all the steps of the treatment which include blow drying and flat ironing your hair, you:

-can't wash your hair for 3 days (yuck!)

-Can't wear your hair in a ponytail or headband for 2 days. Which could be real problematic for someone who works in the food industry lucky for me I do not. I do however put my hair up every night to sleep, so this rule was really annoying.

but still I figured what the heck, I'll wait for a day my mother has off, and I'll have her help me and things will go a bit faster, and having company is always a bonus when you're doing something tedious.

First you have to wash your hair twice Next you apply all of tube one, which was easy (for me anyway, because i had my mother do it) she on the other hand wasn't as thrilled. The "tamer" in tube one was clear...she had a hard time telling where she definitely got the stuff and where she didn't on hair that was damp. Secondly the stuff in tube one smells HORRID. If I had to guess what the bog of eternal stench smelled like in Labyrinth I'd say it was close to to the smell of tube one. I'm not exaggerating at all, The room we did my hair in as well as my hair still stunk long after I had neutralized the tamer. My hair smelled so bad even my boyfriend, who came over hours after I had finished said my hair smelled funny. But anyway, the "tamer" was to be left in for 25 minutes, rinsed well, then apply the neutralizer for a bit and also rinse well...however, there was a revitalizing conditioner included...with no mention of it in the directions or on the box. so I just used it after the neutralizer.. two hours later from start to finish my hair was flat ironed and didn't look any different then when I usually straighten it..with lack of faith I figured I'd tough out the 3 days. When it came time to finally shampoo and condition my hair, It did feel a bit smoother while in the shower, I had hoped my skepticism was about to be pleasantly surprised. Nope, no, wrong! I got out the shower, brushed my hair. put NOTHING in it in order to test their promise of "wash and wear curls" My hair looked as crappy as it usually does when I put nothing in it. What a waste of time! If I had spent money on this (I'm a bzzagent and got to try it free) I would have been infuriated. I've washed my hair 3 times since doing their "semi permanent" treatment, I've gone back to doing my old routine of mousse and hair cremes since this product was not at all effective. There is hardly any sign of my beautiful curls coming back, what curl I do have is limp and lifeless. I regret ever using smooth n shine hair tamer more and more. I just want my hair back! D: