A Look Into The Science Behind The New Uberliss Keratin Treatment
Coryn Marzejon
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Time to read: 7 minutes
As you may have seen on our social, we recently introduced our BRAND NEW, updated Uberliss Keratin Treatment!
“But wait, we loved the old formula!"
"How is this one better?"
"Why did you change it?”
Well, if you are familiar with the way things work over here at Uberliss, you know that we take pride in our Research & Development department, and are constantly looking, and testing for ways to make our products safer, easier, and more effective!
And this is exactly what we have done with our new Uberliss Keratin Treatment. We’ve made some great changes to the system that we know you are going to love!
The new treatment has fewer steps and takes less time. How did we do it? By employing cutting-edge, crosslinking technology that accomplishes the same level of smoothing but in two steps as opposed to the previous three-step version. While Glyoxylic Acid is still our straightening active in the Fiber Restructure, we have added a Diamine molecule to the Fiber Expander, which crosslinks with the Glyoxylic Acid, creating a conditioning mesh. The new system is now 100% Nano and also features a color guard for maximum color retention. And as always, our Uberliss Keratin Treatment is 100% Formaldehyde and Methylene Glycol free!
In our previous system we had a 3rd step using the Uberliss Nutritive Mask, this has since been eliminated from the treatment. With the addition of the built in conditioning mesh, the Fiber Expander is now not only expanding the cuticles, but priming the hair for the active smoothing ingredient in the Fiber Restructure. There is no need for extra conditioning, as this mesh will provide superior conditioning to the hair fiber.
Because we were able to reduce the amount of steps, the application of the Uberliss Keratin Treatment has also been reduced by a good 15-20 minutes. This allows stylists to get more clients in their chair throughout the day. More clients = more money!
With the new two step Uberliss Keratin Treatment, there will also be new, easier instructions to follow. We currently have them up on the Uberliss website, and they will be included with every order. If you have further questions you can always contact us through social or our online webchat.
Introducing the Uberliss Frizz Elixir
We have added the Uberliss Frizz Elixir to this star studded line up of products! The Frizz Elixir has special technology to fight frizz, and repels humidity by blocking moisture from entering the cortex of the hair, and will be used during the flat ironing portion of the treatment. This technology also helps in the maintenance of everyday styling, and continues to fight humidity on an ongoing basis, while keeping the hair shiny and smooth.
Besides fighting frizz and repelling humidity, the Frizz Elixir also protects against heat damage, and makes the hair easier to comb. It also makes as a great retail item for the salon!
Crosslinking Technology
The new Uberliss Keratin Treatment now uses crosslinking technology to simultaneously smooth and condition your hair.
But what is crosslinking? Crosslinking is a chemical reaction that occurs when individual molecules are connected or bridged together to create a stronger and larger compound. The end result is that this larger crosslinked compound can reside inside your hair for a longer period of time.
How does crosslinking occur in our new treatment? In our new Uberliss Keratin Treatment, the Diamine molecules in the Fiber Expander crosslink with the Glyoxylic Acid molecules in the Fiber Restructure. Heat is the catalyst for the crosslinking reaction, and once these molecules crosslink they form a conditioning mesh inside the hair fiber. The conditioning mesh is essentially what smooths/straightens the hair.
This mesh forms deep inside the cortex of the hair fiber by attaching to the Disulfide Bonds of the keratin proteins, enabling smoothing to last longer, attacking the root of your frizz dilemma.
Crosslinking in action:
Step 1: The Diamine found in the Fiber Expander opens up the hair and prepares for the Glyoxylic Acid.
Step 2: The Fiber Restructure is applied and creates the conditioning mesh found in the hair fiber.
After applying heat with the Uberliss Titanium Flat Iron the crosslinks are formed and the hair is left soft, silky and smooth.
Nanotechnology
Just how small is a Nanoparticle?
Nanoparticles are particles between 1 and 100 nanometers in size.
To put this in perspective, a human hair fiber is 100,000 nanometers wide.
The new formula being completely nano in size is able to penetrate deeper into the hair fiber and create a superior seal along the hair-shaft.
We achieved this 100% nano particle size by creating a microemulsion, which is essentially the delivery vehicle for the active compounds such as the Diamine molecule and the Glyoxylic Acid.
Color Protection
We have added color guard technology to the new formula...color treated clients need smooth hair too!
In order to keep our smoothing treatment Formaldehyde and Methylene Glycol free, we use Glyoxylic Acid as our active smoothing ingredient. One of the drawbacks of a Glyoxylic Acid-based smoothing treatment is that it can lift the color of the hair. We have been working on ways to resolve this for years!
The new treatment now contains active color protection compounds in both the Fiber Expander and Fiber Restructure, protecting your hair color throughout the entire treatment.
Safety in the Keratin Category
Keeping both stylists and clients safe, has always been a priority for us. Our Uberliss Keratin Treatment offers the best of both worlds: delivering the highest quality performance, while remaining Formaldehyde free.
There are three different types of keratin treatments on the market at this time. Two are based on using Formaldehyde technology, with one using a very high level at around 7-8% Formaldehyde, and the second category using a lighter amount at 3-4%. Any keratin treatment that uses Formaldehyde can cause a serious risk to human health. Many countries in Europe have even banned Formaldehyde usage for smoothing. A simple Google search will reveal just how harmful Formaldehyde is, and that it can create long term health issues when inhaled.
And don’t be fooled by the names Methylene Glycol and Formalin! They are both just different forms of Formaldehyde.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has investigated keratin based hair smoothing products and the presence of Formaldehyde in them. They were alerted by numerous complaints from professional hair stylists and salon owners of health problems such as bloody noses and respiratory concerns. OSHA requires brands that have products containing a Formaldehyde level of 0.1% to include a label stating it has Formaldehyde in it. If the brand’s products contain a Formaldehyde level of 0.5% or higher they must write on the bottle that the product is a potential cancer hazard. However, most Formaldehyde based brands are violating these regulations. Both OSHA and the FDA are actively investigating this and we’re anticipating more developments in the future.
The third type of keratin treatment, like ours, uses Glyoxylic Acid. Glyoxylic Acid does not turn into a gas when heated, unlike Formaldehyde. Formaldehyde is dangerous because you can inhale it so easily. Since you can’t inhale Glyoxylic Acid as easily into your body, it is a safer choice.
Final Thoughts
Keratin smoothing treatments are not going away anytime soon. They are only going to get more advanced. With the diversity in society, hair patterns with some form of wave and curliness are becoming more standard. And there will always be a challenge to comb and style this type of hair. People will continue to look for ways to spend less time styling their hair as well as keeping it shiny, smooth, healthy, and frizz free.
At Uberliss we continue to research new ways to make our products better for both the stylist and the consumer. Our vigorous testing and experimenting in our Chicago laboratories continue to bring new insight to the hair smoothing category. We have full faith in the safety and performance of our products and know you are going to love them.
If you have any questions/comments or feedback, please leave a comment below!
And as always, you can reach us on our social at @Uberliss!
