Star says…I have been using Zene Escova Progress for the last few years to straighten and smooth my hair. I get amazing results, shiny smooth easy to manage. I love it. It claims to be formaldehyde free and perfectly safe but having read other threads about formaldehyde free Brazilian Keratin treatments, I wonder if it really is safe or if I am risking my health. The list of ingredients is huge! Please could you clarify how it works, and if it is safe?
The Left Brain responds:
A quick review of the ingredient list (see below) shows that glyoxlic acid is the second ingredient.
How does this product work?
Glyoxlic acid is a close cousin of formaldehyde and will cross link with protein. (That’s what allows it to straighten hair.) It is used in leather tanning for just this reason. It’s not as volatile as formaldehyde so it won’t penetrate as deeply, but if heat is applied during product application this chemical could actually give off formaldehyde gas which the reason formaldehyde products are dangerous in the first place! I also find it strange that they use ethyl and butyl paraben which have some safety issues (methyl and propyl paraben are more common and have been given a clean bill of health.)
Zene Escova Progress Hair Straightening Ingredients
Aqua
Glyoxlic Acid
Cyclomethicone
Cocodimonium Hydroxpropyl Hydrolyzed Keratin
Ceteraryl Alcohol
Cetyl Alcohol
Diisopropyl Adipate
Coffee Arabica Extract
Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate Ethylhexyl Triazone
Isodecyl Neopentaoate
Cyclododextrin
Polyquaternium 55
Glycerin
Hydroxyethyl Ceteamidopropyldimonium Chloride Behenyl Alcohol
Isocetyl Alcohol
Quaternium 70
Propylene Glycol
Dimethyl Methyl Siloxane
C11-C15 Ethoxlatedsecondary Alcohol Disodium Louriminodipropionate Tocopheryl Phosphates Dimethylpadamidopropyl Loudimonium Tosylate
Oxybenzone
Lauroyl Lysine
Glycine N-Acetil Cystein
Arginine HC1
Polyquaternium 44
Sodium PCA
Cetrimonium Chloride
Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein Quaternium 91
Cetrimonium Methosulfate
Isopropyl Myrislate
Oleth-10
Acetylated Lanolin Alcohol
Cetyl Acetate
Phenoxethanol
Methylparaben
Propylparaben
Ethylparaben
Butylparaben
Parfum
(Courtesy of this site: http://brazilianfab.files.wordpress.com/2009/10/escova-ingredients.pdf)
Image credit: http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4052/4213545699_71c134894d.jpg
{ 1 comment… read it below or add one }
Zene progress is an absolute waste of money. Did not work at all. Forget about the waves, it did not even work on my frizz. When I wrote to Enrico (owner of blog that sells it) about it, he encouraged me to try it once again, and again it did not work. Needless to say, I had strictly adhered to all the instructions. Enrico told me that my money would be refunded if it does not work after the 2nd application…….been over a month since my feedback for the 2nd trial and I’m still waiting for my refund or a reply from him. I give the product 0 stars.