What Is an Organic Hair Relaxer?
The term “organic hair relaxer” is a misnomer. The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has no standards for what makes a hair care product “organic.” Instead, an organic hair relaxer will use ingredients with a lesser potential of hydrogen (pH) level than traditional hair relaxers combined with creams made of soy, olive oil, and other natural products. Curly hair has certain chemical bonds which keep the hair in a curl. Putting in relaxer changes the pH, or acid levels, breaking down the hair and uncurling it. Traditionally, hair relaxers used lye as a main ingredient, which is highly acidic and can cause scalp burns if used improperly.
