How to Neutralize Your Hair After a Home Hair Permanent

A successful home permanent depends on the way you neutralize your hair. This step also helps protect the hair's health. Neutralizing lotion is contained in a home hair permanent kit and acts to harden hair that's softened during the chemical step.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Neutralizer
• Long strip of cotton
• Towel

1. Check bottle directions on the neutralizer solution. These will tell you the recommended length of time to leave the solution on your hair and the number of times to neutralize. Some home hair permanents have two applications of solution and some recommend reserving some of the liquid to work through the hair after rods are removed.

2. Determine the number of times to neutralize.

3. Blot each permanent rod to remove all excess moisture. Press a towel to each rod, and then put the towel around your shoulders as extra protection for your clothing when you apply the neutralizer.

4. Apply a narrow strip of cotton around the hairline. Position the cotton at the base of your neck, and also at the hairline moving toward the forehead. Tuck ends in securely.

5. Snip the top of the bottle and neutralize by applying solution to the hair on each rod, moving from one end of the rod to the other and making sure you get both the top and bottom of the rolled hair.

6. Remove rods and rinse the hair as directed. Apply additional solution to further neutralize if your kit has this step.

Tips & Warnings

• Avoid heat from blow-dryers and other hairstyling aids for a few days. This enhances the effectiveness of the neutralizer.
• Don't go over the recommended time for neutralizing. Most neutralizing solutions should stay on the hair for 5 to 10 minutes only.